2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM low beam

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
0 Turn and Lane-Change Signals
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
0 Flash-to-Pass
Exterior Lamps Control
For information on the exterior lamps, see Exterior
Lamps
on page 3- 13.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward
(for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever
all the way up or down.
When the turn
is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
3-6

An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will flash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change. Headlamps On Reminder
If you open the driver’s door and turn off the ignition
while leaving the lamps on, you will hear a warning
chime.
Weadlamp High/low-Beam Changer
~~ ~~~
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash.
Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself
when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
flash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and other
drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident.
If the arrows don’t go on at all when you signal
a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and then check the
fuse. See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-81.
To change the headlamps from low beam to
high beam, push the turn signaVmultifunction lever
away from you.
When the high beams are
on, a light on the
instrument panel cluster
also will be on
if the
ignition is in
ON.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam,
pull the turn signal lever toward you.
3-7

Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal
a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signaVmultifunction lever toward
you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them
off.
Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by moving the lever
with the wiper symbol on it up or down. For a single wiper cycle,
push the lever down
to MIST,
then release it. For more cycles, hold the lever down
longer.
For steady wiping at low speed, move the lever up
to
the LO position. For high-speed wiping, move the lever
up further, to
HI. To stop the wipers, move the lever
to OFF.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain
or snow.
Move the lever
to INT (Intermittent), then turn the inner
band, labeled INT
ADJ (Intermittent Adjustment),
and choose the delay you want. Turn the inner band up
for shorter delay times between wiper cycles. Turn
the band down for a longer delay time between wiper
cycles.
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent you
from seeing well enough to drive safely.
To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they’re frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If your blades
do become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools. Clear
away snow or ice
to prevent an overload.
3-8

The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
the exterior lamps control is in AUTO or the parking
the light sensor detects daytime light,
lamps
only position.
the parking brake is released, and
0 the shift lever is not in PARK (P) on vehicles with
When the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker
lamps, parking lamps and instrument panel lights
will not be illuminated unless you have turned the
exterior lamps control
to the parking lamp position.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
an automatic transaxle only.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it
is dark enough outside, your automatic
headlamp system will turn on your headlamps at the
normal brightness along with other lamps such as
the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps and the
instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim. Your
vehicle is equipped with a light sensor on the top
of the instrument panel under the defroster grill, so
be sure it is not covered which will cause the
automatic headlamp system
to be on whenever the
ignition is on.
The automatic headlamp system may also be on when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather or a tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation
of the DRL and the automatic
headlamp systems
so that driving under bridges or
bright overhead street lights does not affect the system.
The DRL and automatic headlamp systems will only
be affected when the light sensor sees a change
in lighting lasting longer than this delay.
To idle your vehicle with the automatic headlamp
system
off, set the parking brake while the ignition is off.
Then start the vehicle. The automatic headlamp
system will stay
off until you release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamps when you need them.
3-1 4

Headlamps Off in Park (P) Fog Lamps
To turn the headlamps off when it is dark outside, turn
the exterior lamps control
to the parking lamp position.
In this position, the parking lamps, sidemarker lamps,
taillamps, license plate lamps and instrument panel
lights will be on, but the headlamps will be
off.
To turn on the headlamps along with the other lamps
when it is dark outside, turn the exterior lamps control
to
the AUTO or headlamp position.
Delayed Headlamps
The delayed headlamps feature will continue to
illuminate the headlamps for 20 seconds after the key is
turned to OFF, then the headlamps will automatically
turn
off.
To override the 20 second delayed headlamp feature
while
it is active turn the turn signaVmultifunction
lever up one position and then back
to AUTO. If
your vehicle has this
feature, the button for your
fog lamps is located on
the instrument panel,
to the
left of the steering wheel,
beside the instrument
panel brightness
thumbwheel.
When using the fog lamps, the ignition must be on as
well as the parking lamps or the low-beam headlamps.
Press the button
to turn the fog lamps on. An indicator
light on the button will glow when the fog lamps are on.
Press the button again
to turn the fog lamps off. The
fog lamps will turn
off whenever the high-beam
headlamps are turned on. When the high beams are
turned
off, the fog lamps will come on again.
3-1 5

No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light
to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise
to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting
to night. But if
you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down
on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a
lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching headlamps.
It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep your
windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier
to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and
aren’t even aware of it.
4-1 8

G
Gage Engine Coolant Temperature
......................... 3-30
Fuel
.......................................................... 3-37
Speedometer
.............................................. 3-24
Tachometer
................................................. 3-24
Octane
........................................................ 5-5
Specifications ............................................... 5-5
Glass Surfaces ............................................... 5-74
Glove Box
..................................................... 2-37
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities
.................................................... 7-5
Gasoline
H
Hazard
Warning Flashers .......................
Head Restraints ...................................
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer ........
Headlamps ..........................................
Bulb Replacement .............................
Halogen Bulbs ..................................
Headlamps Off in Park (P) .....................
Headlamps On Reminder .......................
Highway Hypnosis .................................
Hill and Mountain Roads ........................
Hitches ................................................
Hood Front
Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
...
........... 3-4
........... 1-5
........... 3-7
......... 5-49
......... 5-49
......... 5-50
......... 5-49
......... 3-15
........... 3-7
......... 4-24
......... 4-25
......... 4-39 Hood
(cont.)
Checking Things Under
................................ 5-10
Release ..................................................... 5-10
Horn
............................................................... 3-5
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
................................................. 5-31
How
to Check ................................................ 5-54
How to Check and Add Fluid
............................ 5-23
How to Check Power Steering Fluid
.................. 5-37
How
to Use This Manual ...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................... 1-14
Hydraulic Clutch
............................................. 5-23
Hydraulic Clutch System Check
........................ 6-10
Hydroplaning .................................................. 4-20
I
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine .......... 5-28
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine ............... 5-27
If the Light Is Flashing ..................................... 3-32
If the Light Is On Steady ................................. 3-32
If You Are Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ....... 4-31
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer ..................... 4-37
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard ........................... 4-29
Ignition Positions
............................................. 2-18
Ignition Transaxle Lock Check
.......................... 6-12
Indicators
....................................................... 3-22
Inflation
-- Tire Pressure .................................. 5-54
Infants
and Young Children, Restraints
............... 1-34
6