2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX tow

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Airbag System
.........................................1-52
Restraint System Check
............................1-67
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-21
Mirrors
....................................................2-35
OnStar
®System
......................................2-38
Storage Areas
.........................................2-40
Sunroof
..................................................2-43
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-26
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-35
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-52
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-94Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-38
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-50
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-53
Windshield Replacement
...........................5-60
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-60
Tires
......................................................5-60
Appearance Care
.....................................5-99
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-110
Electrical System
....................................5-111
Capacities and Specications
...................5-118
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-13
Index................................................................ 1
2006 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner ManualM

Passenger Folding Seatback
{CAUTION:
If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo
is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inating
airbag might force that object toward a person.
This could cause severe injury or even death.
Secure objects away from the area in which an
airbag would inate. For more information, see
Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-55and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33.
{CAUTION:
Things you put on this seatback can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash. Remove or secure all items
before driving.
If the vehicle has this feature, the front passenger seat
can be folded at for more cargo space.
1-7

{CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt.
The belt can not properly spread the impact
forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A belt
must be used by only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt
is very close to the child’s face or neck?
A:If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window,
move the child toward the center of the vehicle.
Also seeRear Safety Belt Comfort Guides on
page 1-26. If the child is sitting in the center rear
seat passenger position, move the child toward the
safety belt buckle. In either case, be sure that
the shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder, so
that in a crash the child’s upper body would
have the restraint the belts provide.
1-31

Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a
motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed
to restrain or position a child on a continuous at
surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward
the center of the vehicle.A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with the
seating surface against the back of the infant. The
harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash,
acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.
1-36

Your vehicle may or may not have side impact airbags.
SeeAirbag System on page 1-52. Side impact airbags
are intended to inate in moderate to severe side
crashes. A side impact airbag will inate if the crash
severity is above the system’s designed threshold level.
The threshold level can vary with specic vehicle design.
Side impact airbags are not intended to inate in frontal or
near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts. A side
impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, ination is determined by
what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For side impact
airbags, ination is determined by the location and
severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inator, which inates the airbag. The inator, airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
in front of the right front passenger. For vehicles
with side impact airbags, there are also airbag modules
in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags 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 the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including many
frontal or near frontal collisions, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those airbags. Airbags 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 for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for side impact airbags.
1-59

You may want to consider not using seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment if your vehicle has the passenger
sensing system. SeeAdding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-66for more
information about modications that can affect how the
system operates.
The passenger sensing system may suppress the
airbag deployment when liquid is soaked into the seat. If
this happens, the off indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator and the airbag readiness light on
the instrument panel will be lit. The system should
resume normal operation after the seat is allowed to dry.
If the system operates incorrectly after the seat has
dried, have your dealer check the system.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s seat
or between the passenger’s seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the proper
operation of the passenger sensing system.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. You do not want the system to
inate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-14.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
1-65

Sun Visors
To help block out glare, pull the sun visors down. Pull
on the inside edges of the sun visors to swing them from
the front windshield to the side window.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Raise the cover on the top of the sun visor to expose
the vanity mirror. If the vehicle has lighted vanity mirrors,
the lamps come on when the cover is opened.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
The vehicle has a content theft-deterrent alarm system.
A red light located on top
of the instrument panel,
toward the center of
the vehicle and near
the windshield, will ash
slowly when the system
is armed.
The theft-deterrent alarm system needs to be activated
through the Driver’s Information Center (DIC). See “Theft
Deterrent” under the Personal Programming Mode
Screens inDIC Controls and Displays (Base Level DIC)
on page 3-52orDIC Controls and Displays (Uplevel DIC
with Trip Computer) on page 3-60. While armed, the
doors will not unlock with the power door lock switch. The
remote alarm will sound if someone tampers with the
trunk or enters the vehicle without using the remote
keyless entry transmitter or key to unlock the doors. The
horn will sound and the headlamps will ash for up to
two minutes. The system will also cut off the fuel supply,
preventing the vehicle from being driven.
2-17

Arming with the Power Lock Switch
The vehicle’s content theft-deterrent alarm system can
be activated when the key is removed from the ignition
and the power door lock switch of either the driver’s or
front passenger’s door is used to lock the vehicle. The
door needs to be in the open position when pressing the
power door lock switch. The alarm system will not
activate if the door is closed and the power door lock
switch is pressed. This system can be activated through
the Driver’s Information Center (DIC). See “Lock Switch
Arm” under the Personal Programming Mode Screens in
DIC Controls and Displays (Base Level DIC) on
page 3-52orDIC Controls and Displays (Uplevel DIC
with Trip Computer) on page 3-60.
When the doors are locked using the power door lock
switch of either front door, the red light, on top of the
instrument panel will start ashing indicating that the
system is arming. After all the doors are closed there will
be a time delay and then the red light will begin to ash at
a very slow rate indicating the system is armed.
Arming with the Remote Keyless
Entry Transmitter
The alarm system will arm when the remote keyless
entry transmitter is used to lock the doors after the key
is removed from the ignition. The red light will come
on to indicate that the system is arming. After all doors
are closed and locked, and after a time delay, the
red light will begin ashing at a very slow rate to show
the system is armed.
Arming Conrmation
A red light located on top of the instrument panel,
towards the center of the vehicle and near the
windshield, will ash slowly to conrm when the
system is armed.
2-18