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
These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
POSSlBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BAlTERY
4CID COULD CAUSE
BURNS
AVO1
D
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR FLAME
\\I/'
COULD
EXPLODE BAlTERY LATCH BOTH LAP AND
SHOULDER BELTS
TO
PROTECT OCCUPANT 4
DO NOT TWIST SAFETY
BELT WHEN AlTACHING
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
MOVE SEAT FULLY
\!$%
REARWARD* /z
SECURE
CHILD SEAT
PULL BELT
COMPLETELY
THEN SECURE CHILD SEAT
TI POWER
WINDOW DO NOT INSTALL
A REAR-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING POSITION
DO NOT INSTALL A
'ORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING
POSITION
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
L
LlGHTlNG - MASTER SWITCH e- / ,
SIGNALS TURN
PARKING
pf
LAMPS
RUNNING LAMPS
LAMPS
so
ENGINE
COOLANT TEMP
CHARGING BAlTERY
SYSTEM
COOLANT
d
ENGINE OIL PRESSURE
Wb
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES ENGINE
COOLANT FAN
OWNERS MANUAL
SERVICE
MANUAL
Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
- even one that isn’t your fault - you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
home, why should I wear safety belts?
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things
to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page
1-29
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-32. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat
so you can sit up straight.
To see how, see “Seats’’ in the Index.
1-12
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be
seriously injured
if they don’t wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt,
and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When
a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more
likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, see
Driver Position on page 7-12.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt
- except for one
thing.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out
all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature.
If this happens, just let the belt go back all
the way and start again.
1-20
Doors and Locks
Door Locks
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
To lock or unlock your vehicle from the outside, use
your key or remote keyless entry transmitter.
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers - especially children - can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked,
the handle won’t open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out
of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors aren’t locked.
So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
vehicles may be unable to get out.
A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave
it.
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.
Young children who get into unlocked
Outsiders can easily enter through an
To unlock or lock your doors from inside the vehicle,
push the manual lever forward or rearward.
2-8
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and find
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
- if you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time
for evasive action
- steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
See Braking on page
4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available. An emergency
like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you
can turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-1 4
If No Steam is Coming From Your Engine .......... 5-35
If Steam
Is Coming From Your Engine ............... 5-34
If the HUD Image
Is Not Clear ......................... 3-18
If the Light
Is Flashing ..................................... 3-33
If the Light
Is On Steady ................................. 3-33
If You Are Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
....... 4-32
If You Can’t See the HUD Image When the
Ignition
Is On .............................................. 3-18
If You
Do Decide To Pull A Trailer ..................... 4-38
Ignition Positions
............................................. 2-1 9
Ignition Transaxle Lock Check
.......................... 6-12
Infants and Young Children, Restraints
............... 1-32
Inflation
-- Tire Pressure ............................... 5-68
Inspection Brake System
........................... ........... 6-14
Engine Cooling System
................................ 6-13
Exhaust System
.......................................... 6-13
Fuel System
............................................... 6-13
Part C
- Periodic Maintenance ....................... 6-13
Steering, Suspension and Front Drive Axle
Boot and Seal
......................................... 6-1 3
Throttle System
........................................... 6-14
Cluster
....................................................... 3-24
Overview
..................................................... 3-2
Instrument Panel Brightness
............................. 3-1 2
If
You’re Caught in a Blizzard
........................... 4-29
Instrument Panel Instrument Panel
Fuse Block
........................ 5-98
Interior Plastic Components .............................. 5-90
Interior
Lamps
................................................ 3-12
Jump Starting
................................................. 5-53
Key Lock Cylinders Service .............................. 6-10
Keyless Entry System
....................................... 2-4
Keys
............................................................... 2-3
L
Lamps Exterior
............................................... 3-10
Interior
....................................................... 3-12
Lap Belt
........................................................ 1-21
Lap-Shoulder Belt
................................... 1.12. 1-23
Last Door Closed Locking
.......................... 2.9. 2-47
LATCH System Child Restraints
........................................... 1-41
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
................................... 1-43
Leather
......................................................... 5-90
Leaving Your Vehicle
....................................... 2-11
7
Safety Belts (cont.)
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
................ 1-12
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
......................... 1-26
Rear Seat Passengers
................................. 1-22
Right Front Passenger Position
...................... 1-20
Safety Belt Extender
.................................... 1-28
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
................. 1-20
Safety Belts Are for Everyone
......................... 1-7
Safety Chains
................................................. 4-40
Safety Warnings and Symbols
.............................. III
Scheduled Maintenance ..................................... 6-5
Seats Head Restraints
............................................ 1-6
Heated Seats
............................................... 1-4
Manual
........................................................ 1-2
Power Lumbar
.............................................. 1-3
Reclining Seatbacks
...................................... 1-4
Six-Way Power Driver
.................................... 1-3
Center Rear Seat Position
............................ 1-46
Designed for the LATCH System
................... 1-43
Rear Outside Seat Position
........................... 1-43
Right Front Seat Position
.............................. 1-48
Security Light
................................................. 3-36
Questions
and Answers About Safety Belts
..... 1-1 1
...
Securing a Child Restraint
Security While You Travel
.................................. 7-5 Service
....................................................... 5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
.............................................. 5-4
Doing Your Own Work
................................... 5-4
Engine Soon Light
....................................... 3-32
Publications Ordering Information
................... 7-10
Service Bulletins
............................................. 7-10
Service Engine Soon Light in the United States
or Check Engine Light in Canada
.................. 3-32
Service Manuals
............................................. 7-10
Setting Preset Stations
.................... 3-45, 3-49, 3-52
Setting the Time
............................................. 3-44
Setting the Tone (BassTTreble)
.......... 3-46, 3-49, 3-52
Sheet Metal Damage
....................................... 5-93
Shift Lock Release
.......................................... 2-20
Shifting Into Park (P)
....................................... 2-28
Shifting Out of Park (P)
................................... 2-30
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
........................... 1-14
Skidding
........................................................ 4-17
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
....................... 4-21
Special Fabric Cleaning Problems
..................... 5-89
Specifications, Capacities
............................... 5-1 02
Speedometer
.................................................. 3-25
Starter Switch Check
....................................... 6-11
Starting Your 3100
V6 Engine ........................... 2-21
Starting Your 3800 Series
II V6 Engine ................ 2-22
Starting Your Engine
....................................... 2-20
12