2007 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX battery

Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management
(EPM) that estimates the battery’s temperature and
state of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for
best performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the
voltage is raised slightly to quickly put the charge
back in. When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging.
If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage or voltage
display on the Driver Information Center (DIC), you
may see the voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for all
vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator)
may not be spinning fast enough at idle to
produce all the power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s
output and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It
can increase engine idle speed to generate more
power, whenever needed. It can temporarily
reduce the power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels,
without being noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action, this action may
be noticeable to the driver. If so, a Driver
Information Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as Battery Saver Active. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the
driver reduce the electrical loads as much as
possible. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 200.
150

Battery Run-Down Protection
The vehicle has a feature to help prevent the
battery from draining in case the interior, trunk, or
underhood lamps are accidentally left on. If
any of these lamps are left on while the ignition is
in OFF, they will automatically turn off after
10 minutes. The lamps will not come back on
again until any of the following are done:
The ignition is turned to RUN or ACC.
The interior lamps control is turned completely
to the right, then back slightly to the left.
Open, or close and reopen, a door that is
closed.
If the vehicle has less than 15 miles (25 km) on
the odometer, the battery saver will turn off
the lamps after only three minutes.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright or too high
in your eld of view, it may take you more
time to see things you need to see when it
is dark outside. Be sure to keep the HUD
image dim and placed low in your eld
of view.
If the vehicle has the Head-Up Display (HUD),
some information concerning the operation of the
vehicle is projected onto the windshield. This
includes the speedometer reading, transaxle
positions, compass direction, outside air
temperature, the tap shift gear and the upshift
symbol if active, and a brief display of the current
radio station, including XM information or CD
track. It will also display turn-by-turn guidance
information if the vehicle is has a navigation radio.
The images are projected by the HUD lens
located on the driver’s side of the instrument panel.
151

Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The vehicle has two
12-volt outlets which
can be used to plug in
electrical equipment.
One accessory power outlet is located on the
center console, below the front edge of the storage
console. The other is located inside the console.
Remove the tethered cap to use the outlet.
When not using the outlet, be sure to cover it with
the protective cap.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment plugged
in for an extended period of time while the
vehicle is off will drain the battery. Power is
always supplied to the outlets. Always unplug
electrical equipment when not in use and
do not plug in equipment that exceeds
the maximum 20 ampere rating.Certain electrical accessories may not be
compatible with the accessory power outlet and
could result in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. See
your dealer for additional information on
accessory power outlets.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to
your vehicle may damage it or keep other
components from working as they should. The
repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not use equipment exceeding
maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Check with your dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to
follow the proper installation instructions included
with it.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by your warranty.
Do not hang any type of accessory or
accessory bracket from the plug because the
power outlets are designed for accessory
power plugs only.
156

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 338. Poor fuel
quality will cause your engine not to run as
efficiently as designed. You may notice this as
stalling after start-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is
warmed up.) This will be detected by the system
and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the
light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light
turn off, your dealer can check the vehicle.
Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
check engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if
the OBD (on-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not
been completely diagnosed by the system.
The vehicle would be considered not ready for
inspection. This can happen if you have recently
replaced your battery or if your battery has
run down. The diagnostic system is designed to
evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and
your vehicle still does not pass the inspection for
lack of OBD system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
183

The compass is self-calibrating, which eliminates
the need to manually set the compass. However,
under certain circumstances, such as during a long
distance cross-country trip, it will be necessary
to compensate for compass variance and reset the
zone through the DIC. SeeDIC Compass
(Uplevel DIC) on page 198for more information.
The buttons on the DIC trip computer are gages,
trip odometer, set/reset, options, and fuel.
Gages
2(Gages):Press this button to access the OIL
LIFE REMAINING, TRANSMISSION FLUID
TEMPERATURE, BATTERY, ENGINE HOURS,
ENGINE BOOST, and MAXIMUM Gs modes.
OIL LIFE REMAINING:Press the gages button
until OIL LIFE REMAINING is displayed. This
screen indicates the percentage of oil life in thevehicle’s engine that has not degraded. See
Engine Oil on page 350for more information.
After the oil has been changed in the vehicle, reset
the ENGINE OIL MONITOR screen in the
options menu. To reset the engine oil monitor
system, seeEngine Oil Life System on page 353.
Press the gages button again to advance to
the next screen.
TRANSMISSION FLUID TEMP:This screen
displays this message along with the temperature
(F° or C°) of the transmission uid.
Press the gages button again to advance to the
next screen.
BATTERY:This screen displays the amount of
volts the battery is generating.
Your vehicle’s charging system regulates voltage
based on the state of the battery. The battery
voltage may uctuate when viewing this
information on the DIC. This is normal.
SeeElectric Power Management on page 150for
more information.
Press the gages button again to advance to the
next screen.
191

AJAR
This symbol appears
with this message.
This message displays when a door or the trunk is
not closed properly. If your vehicle has the
remote start feature, this message also displays
when the hood is not closed properly. The graphic
highlights the hood or trunk if either one is not
closed properly. The graphic indicates a
highlighted, open door to show which door or
doors are not closed properly. Make sure that the
area indicated is closed completely.
This message displays while the ignition is in
RUN. A chime sounds for two seconds when the
ignition is shifted out of PARK (P). Press the
set/reset button to acknowledge this message and
to clear it from the screen.This message continues to display for
three seconds if it has not been acknowledged
when the engine is turned off. It also re-displays
for three seconds if the message has been
acknowledged, but the condition still exists when
the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the system detects
that the battery voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable level. The battery saver system starts
reducing certain features of the vehicle which
you may be able to notice. At the point that the
features are disabled, this message is displayed.
It means that the vehicle is trying to save the
charge in the battery. Turn off all unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery to recharge. The
normal battery voltage range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
If your vehicle has the uplevel DIC, you can
monitor battery voltage on the DIC by pressing the
gages button until BATTERY appears.
201

CHANGE OIL SOON
This symbol comes on
with this message.
This message displays when service is required
for the vehicle. See your dealer. SeeEngine Oil on
page 350andScheduled Maintenance on
page 473for more information.
The CHANGE OIL SOON message is reset by
acknowledging the message. The ENGINE OIL
MONITOR SYSTEM screen under the options
menu on the DIC must also be reset. See “Engine
Oil Monitor System” in options underDIC Controls
and Displays (Base Level DIC) on page 186orDIC
Controls and Displays (Uplevel DIC with Trip
Computer) on page 190for more information.
This message displays while the ignition is in RUN.
Press the set/reset button to acknowledge this
message and to clear it from the screen.This message continues to display for
three seconds if it has not been acknowledged
when the engine is turned off. It also re-displays
for three seconds if the message has been
acknowledged, but the condition still exists when
the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE
This symbol comes on
with this message.
This message displays when there is a problem
with the generator and battery charging systems.
Driving with this problem could drain the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories. Stop
and turn off the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so. Have the electrical system checked by your
dealer as soon as possible.
202

KEY FOB BATTERY LOW
This symbol comes on
with this message.
This message displays when the battery in the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter needs to
be replaced. To replace the battery, see “Battery
Replacement” underRemote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 87.
This message displays while the ignition is in
RUN. A chime sounds for two seconds when this
message is displayed. Press the set/reset
button to acknowledge this message and to clear
it from the screen.This message continues to display if it has not
been acknowledged when the engine is turned off.
It also re-displays for three seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
The message re-appears when the engine is
turned on and the condition still exists.
KEY IN IGNITION
This message displays and a chime sounds
continuously when the driver exits the vehicle while
the key is in the ignition after the engine is
turned off.
This message cannot be acknowledged.
This message disappears and the chiming stops
when the key is removed from the ignition.
208