Page 2 of 378

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  
     
        
        Page 6 of 378
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  
     
        
        Page 9 of 378
Front Seats 
Manual Seats 
You can lose control of the vehicle  if you  try  to 
adjust a manual driver’s  seat  while  the  vehicle 
is moving.  The sudden movement could startle 
and  confuse  you,  or make you  push 
a pedal 
when  you  don’t  want  to.  Adjust the  driver’s 
seat  only  when the vehicle is not moving. 
If your  vehicle is  equipped with manual  seats,  lift the 
lever, located  under the front 
of the seat,  using  a twisting 
motion. This will  unlock the  seat. Slide the  seat to 
where  you  want  it and release the lever. 
Try to move 
the  seat  back  and  forth to make  sure the  seat  is locked 
in  place. 
1 -2  
     
        
        Page 11 of 378
Heated Seats 
If your vehicle  is equipped 
with this feature, the  heated seat  switch  is 
located on the center 
console, behind the 
open storage  bin. 
Reclining Seatbacks 
The  recliner lever for  the  driver’s and passenger’s  front 
seatback  is located on  the  outboard  side  of each 
front  seat  cushion. 
Press 
LO to  warm  the seat to a  lower temperature. 
Press 
HI to warm  the seat to  a  higher temperature. 
To  turn  this feature 
off, place the  switch in the center 
position. This feature only works when the  ignition 
is  turned  on. 
Lift the lever to  release the  seatback, then move  the 
seatback 
to where  you want  it.  Release  the  lever  to  lock 
the  seatback in place.  Pull  up on the lever  without 
pushing on the  seatback and the  seatback  will  move 
forward. 
1 -4  
     
        
        Page 19 of 378

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  
     
        
        Page 20 of 378
Make sure the release button  on  the buckle  is 
positioned 
so you  would  be  able to unbuckle  the 
safety belt quickly 
if you  ever  had to. 
3. Pick  up the  latch plate  and pull the belt across you. 
Don’t  let it get twisted. 
The  shoulder  belt  may lock 
if you pull the  belt 
across  you  very  quickly. 
If this happens,  let the  belt 
go  back  slightly  to unlock it.  Then pull the  belt 
across  you  more  slowly. 
4. Push the  latch plate into the  buckle until  it clicks. 
Pull  up  on  the latch plate  to make  sure it  is secure. 
If 
the belt  isn’t  long  enough,  see  Safety  Belt Extender 
on page 1-28 at  the end of this section. 
5. To make  the  lap  part tight,  pull  down  on the  buckle 
end 
of the  belt  as you  pull up  on  the shoulder belt. 
1-13  
     
        
        Page 21 of 378

The lap part  of the  belt  should  be worn  low  and snug  on 
the hips,  just touching the thighs.  In a crash,  this applies 
force  to  the  strong pelvic bones.  And  you’d  be less likely 
to  slide under  the lap belt. 
If you  slid under  it, the  belt 
would  apply force  at  your abdomen. This could cause 
serious  or even  fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should  go 
over the shoulder  and across the  chest. These  parts of 
the  body are  best  able  to take belt restraining forces. 
The  safety  belt locks 
if there’s a sudden stop  or crash, 
or  if you  pull the belt  very quickly  out  of the retractor. 
Shoulder  Belt  Height  Adjuster 
Before you  begin  to drive,  move  the  shoulder  belt 
adjuster  to the height  that  is  right  for  you. 
To  move  it down,  squeeze  the  release  lever  and  the 
shoulder  belt guide  as shown  and  move  the  height 
adjuster  to  the desired position.  You  can  move 
the  adjuster  up  just by pushing  up  on  the  shoulder  belt 
guide.  After  you  move the  adjuster  to  where  you 
want  it,  try  to  move  it down  without  squeezing  the 
release lever  to make  sure  it has  locked  into  position. 
1-14  
     
        
        Page 27 of 378

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