
The 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner Manual a
Seats and Restpaint Systems ........................... ? -1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-7
Child Restraints
....................................... 1-29
Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) ......... 1-51
Restraint System Check
............................ 1-58
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
................................................. 2-1 3
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................ 2-1 5
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
........... 2-19
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-33
Onstar@ System
...................................... 2-38
Storage Areas
......................................... 2-40
Sunroof
.................................................. 2-42
Vehicle Personalization
............................. 2-43
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
...................................... 3-20
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
......... 3-23
Driver Information Center (DIC)
.................. 3-38
Trip Computer
......................................... 3-40
Audio System(s)
....................................... 3-44
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
~rivingi yoerr Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-33
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
............... 5-10
Headlamp Aiming
..................................... 5-59
Bulb Replacement
.................................... 5-60
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
......... 5-67
Tires
...................................................... 5-68
Appearance Care
..................................... 5-88
Vehicle Identification
................................. 5-96
Electrical System
...................................... 5-97
Capacities and Specifications
................... 5-1 02
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts .... 5-1 04
Maintenance Schedule ........................... ,6-1 ..
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Reporting Safety Defects
......................... 7-9
Index ........................................ ..... 1

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or
in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels
on your vehicle. They
use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating to a specific component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield
...
or the instrument panel..
1-10

I SRS AIR BAG
I
L
United States
L
Canada
There is a air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows
SRS AIR BAG or the air bag
symbol.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you
if there is an electrical
problem. See Air Bag Readiness Light
on page 3-26
for more information.
Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
1-53

If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or
it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path
of an
inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
air bag covering.
The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument
panel
on the passenger’s side.
1-54

When Should an Air Bag Inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal, or near-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate
only
if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.”
If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
12 to 18 mph (19 to 29 km/h). The threshold
level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that it can be somewhat above or below this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will
be higher. The air bag is not designed to inflate
in
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts because
inflation would not help the occupant.
in any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact
and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near-frontal impacts.
What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in
a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release
of gas from the
inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag,
and related hardware are all part of the air bag
modules inside the steering wheel and
in the instrument
panel in front of the right front passenger.
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute
the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s
upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
But air bags would not help you in many types of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward those air bags. Air bags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety
belts, and then only
in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions.
1-55

What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inflated.
Some components of the air bag module -the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s air bag or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag
- will be hot for a
short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact
with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle,
no- ”oes it sto- Teople from leaving the vehicle
When an air
,,g inflates, there is dust i.. khe
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
CAUTION: (Continued) to do
so. If you hawe breath ...d prob.,.ns
butcan’t get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
0 Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash.
A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
I
1-56

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information
about the air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness of the system,
when the system commands air bag inflation and
driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice: If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, the bag
may not work properly. You may have to replace the
air bag module in
the steering wheel or both the
air bag module and the instrument panel for
the right front passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system
in several places
around your vehicle.
You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To purchase a senlice manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Informal
7 on page 7- 10.
For up to 10 seconds afi the ignitio ’ is
turned off and the battery is disconnected,
an air bag can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you are close to
an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you
is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
1-57