2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE ESP

2-88
Systems Monitor (If Equipped)
If you have the systems
monitor, it gives you
important safety and
maintenance facts about
your vehicle.
When you turn the ignition on, the systems monitor and
warning lights will briefly light up. If a problem is
detected, the warning lights will turn on and a chime
will sound.The following warning lights are displayed in the
systems monitor:

CHECK OIL LEVEL: This message could mean
your oil level is low. If it comes on for more than
five seconds, see ªCheck Oil Level Warning Lightº
in the Index.

WASHER FLUID: This message means your
washer fluid tank is less than about 30 percent full. If
this light comes on, see ªLow Washer Fluid Warning
Lightº in the Index.

DOOR AJAR: This message means that either the
driver's door or one of the passenger's doors is not
completely closed. If this light comes on, see ªDoor
Ajar Lightº in the Index.

TIRE PRESS: This message means one or more of
your tires may be low. See ªCheck Tire Pressure
Systemº in the Index.

CHECK GAGES: This means one or more of your
gages may be in their respective warning bands. If
this light comes on, see ªCheck Gages Warning
Lightº in the Index.

TRUNK AJAR: This message means your trunk is
not completely closed.

2-97
When you press the button with the unlock symbol on
your transmitter, the DIC will automatically change
driver numbers and the vehicle will recall the
personalization settings that were last made to
correspond to your transmitter, including your radio and
comfort control settings. See ªComfort Controls
Personalizationº in the Index.
If you unlock the vehicle using your door key instead of
your transmitter, the DIC will not change drivers and will
recall the information from the last transmitter use or the
last driver change using the memory seat controls. If this
happens and you were not the last driver of the vehicle,
simply press your correct driver number on the memory
seat controls or press the button with the unlock symbol on
your transmitter or select the personalization programming
mode and choose the correct driver number.Use the following steps for personalization
programming instructions.
1. Turn the ignition on and keep the transaxle
in PARK (P).
2. Press the MODE button to reach personalization
programming display.
3. Press the SELECT button to enter personalization
programming mode.
4. The first choice to be made will be DRIVER ID 1
or 2. Press the RESET button to toggle between your
selections within a display and SELECT to choose
the current selection and move on to the next
personalization feature.
You are now in the selection mode and the DIC is ready
to program your personal choices in memory.
Each feature that can be personalized will appear in the
display. Once you have made a selection for a feature, the
DIC will move on to the next personalization feature.

3-41
AM FM: Press this button to select AM, FM1 or FM2.
The band you select will be displayed. The frequency
will also be displayed and, if the station is in stereo, the
stereo indicator will also be displayed. If a cassette tape
or compact disc is playing, the tape or disc will stop
playing and the radio will play.
PRE
-SET: Press this button to hear the radio stations
that are set on your pushbuttons. If a cassette tape is
playing, press this button to play the other side of the
tape. If a compact disc is playing in the CD changer,
press this button to select the next loaded disc.
VOL: Press the up or down
arrow to increase or
decrease volume.
PLAY: Press this button to
play a cassette tape or
compact disc when the
radio is playing.
MUTE: Press this button to silence the system. Press it
again, or any other radio button, to turn on the sound.
Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for
FM, especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause interference with your
vehicle's radio. This interference may occur when making
or receiving phone calls, charging the phone's battery or
simply having the phone ªon.º This interference is
described as an increased level of static while listening to
the radio. If you notice static while listening to the radio,
unplug the cellular phone and turn it off.

4-5
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. ªI'll be carefulº isn't the
right answer. What if there's an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able
to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There's something else about drinking and driving that
many people don't know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person's system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking
-- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that
person's chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You can have a serious
-- or even
fatal
-- collision if you drive after drinking.
Please don't drink and drive or ride with a driver
who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if
you're with a group, designate a driver who
will not drink.

4-9
Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road
conditions. The system operates only if it senses that one
or both of the front wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens, the system works the
front brakes and reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction control
system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to
safely use it again, you may reengage the cruise control.
See ªCruise Controlº in the Index.
This light should come on
briefly when you start the
engine. If it stays on or
comes on while you
are driving, there's a
problem with your
traction control system.

4-10
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº in the Index.
To turn the system off,
press the TRACTION
CONTROL button located
on the console next to the
gear shift selector.The traction control system warning light in the
instrument cluster will come on and stay on. If the
system is limiting wheel spin when you press the button,
the warning light will come on
-- but the system won't
turn off right away. It will wait until there's no longer a
current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The traction control system warning
light should go off.
The switch indicator light should go back on.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Magnetic-Speed Variable Assist
Steering (Option)
Your vehicle may have this optional steering system that
continuously adjusts the effort you feel when steering at
all vehicle speeds. It provides ease when parking, yet a
firm, solid feel at highway speeds.

4-14

Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while
you're awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following
too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if
you're following a larger vehicle. Also, you won't have
adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or
stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.

When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don't
get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
ªrunning startº that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.

If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)

Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two
-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.

Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.

If you're being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.

4-15
Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not ªoverdrivingº
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember:
It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have traction control, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
If you have Stabilitrak

, you may see the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. See ªStability System Active Messageº in the Index.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.