2005 PONTIAC GRAND AM steering wheel

Windshield Wiper Lever
Use this lever located on the right side of the steering
wheel to operate the windshield wipers.
OFF:Move the lever to OFF to turn off the windshield
wipers.INT (Intermittent):Move the lever to INT to choose a
delayed wiping cycle. Turn the INT ADJ band down
for a longer delay or up for a shorter delay. The further
the INT ADJ band is turned upward, the shorter the
delay will be and the further the INT ADJ band is turned
downward, the longer the delay will be. The wiper
speed can only be adjusted when the lever is in the INT
position. Use this position for light rain or snow.
LO (Low Speed):Move the lever up to the first setting
past INT, for steady wiping at low speed.
HI (High Speed):Move the lever up to the second
setting past INT, for steady wiping at high speed.
MIST:Move the lever all the way down to MIST for a
single wiping cycle. Hold it there until the windshield
wipers start; then let go. The windshield wipers will stop
after one wipe. If you want more wipes, hold the
band on mist longer.
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.
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Cruise Control
The cruise control buttons are located on the bottom of
the steering wheel.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below
25 mph (40 km/h).
The cruise control will turn off if any of the following
occur:
•The brakes are applied,
•the automatic transaxle is shifted to NEUTRAL (N),
•the parking brake is applied, or
•the brake system warning light is on.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
Your vehicle may have Enhanced Traction
System (ETS). SeeEnhanced Traction System (ETS)
on page 4-8. If your vehicle is in cruise control while the
ETS begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise
control back on.
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The DRL and automatic headlamp systems will only be
affected when the light sensor sees a change in
lighting lasting longer than this delay.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position. See “Instrument
Panel Brightness Control” underInstrument Panel
Brightness on page 3-17.
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.Fog Lamps
The button to turn your fog
lamps on and off 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 and off.
An indicator light on the button will glow while the fog
lamps are on. The fog lamps will turn off while the
high-beam headlamps are turned on.
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Instrument Panel Brightness
The thumbwheel for this feature is located on the
instrument panel to the left of the steering wheel.
Move the thumbwheel right to brighten the lights and left
to dim them.
Dome Lamp
The switch on this lamp has three positions. The ON
position will turn on the light. The DOOR position
will turn on the light whenever a door is opened or when
the instrument panel brightness thumbwheel is moved
up. The OFF position will shut off the lamp completely,
even when a door is opened. If your vehicle is
equipped with a sunroof, the dome lamp also has
reading lamps for the rear seat passengers. Press the
left switch for the left reading lamp and the right
switch for the right reading lamp.
Entry/Exit Lighting
The lamps inside your vehicle will go on when you open
any door. These lamps will fade out after about
10 seconds after all of the doors have been closed or
when the ignition is turned to ON. These lamps will also
go on when you press the trunk release, unlock
symbol button or the horn symbol on the keyless entry
system transmitter.
The lamps inside your vehicle will stay on for about
10 seconds after your key is removed from the ignition
to provide an illuminated exit.
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Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, some audio controls can
be adjusted at the steering wheel. They include the
following:
QSEEKR:Press the up or the down arrow to go to
the next or to the previous radio station and stay
there. The radio will only seek stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow
to fast forward or reverse.PRESET:Press this button to play stations that are
programmed on the radio preset pushbuttons. The radio
will only seek preset stations with a strong signal that
are in the selected band.
When an MP3 CD is playing, press this button to go to
the next folder.
BAND:Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2,
AM, or XM1 or XM2 (if equipped).
When a CD is playing, press this button to listen to the
radio. The inactive CD will remain safely inside the
radio for future listening.
QVOLUMER:Press the up or the down arrow to
increase or to decrease the volume.
PLAY:When listening to the radio, press this button to
play a CD.
MUTE:Press this button to silence the system. Press it
again, or any other radio button, to turn the sound on.
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Remember: Anti-lock does not 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 will not 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
Do not 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
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have anti-lock, your
first reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold
it down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels
can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot
respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in
whatever direction it was headed when the wheels
stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very
thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.If you do not have anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel
the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help
you retain steering control. If youdohave anti-lock, it is
different. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on
page 4-6.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction
System (ETS) 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 reduces engine power and
may also upshift the transaxle to limit wheel spin.
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To turn the system on or off, press the ETS button on
the instrument panel.
When you turn the system off, the Enhanced Traction
System warning light will come on and stay on. If
the Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button to turn the system off,
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 Enhanced Traction
System warning light should go off.
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.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you
can control.
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Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems — steering and braking — have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much of those places. You can lose
control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems — steering and acceleration — can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the
road and make you lose control. SeeEnhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-8.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
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 cannot; there is not room. That is the time
for evasive action — steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you
have anti-lock, not enough to lock your wheels.
SeeBraking on page 4-5. 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.
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