2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX brake

If you still are unable to shift out of PARK (P):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the
shift lever button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from PARK (P),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other
things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you cannot see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
The exhaust system sounds strange
or different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over
road debris.
Repairs were not done correctly.
Your vehicle or the exhaust system has
been modied improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows down
to blow out any CO; and
Have your vehicle xed immediately.
2-36

Running the Vehicle While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running.
But if you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 2-36.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle
even if the climate control fan is at the highest
setting. One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 4-17.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set the parking brake and move the shift lever
to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into PARK (P) on page 2-34.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a trailer,
also seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-29.
2-37

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Other Warning Devices...................................3-6
Horn .............................................................3-6
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-7
Turn and Lane-Change Signals........................3-8
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer..................3-9
Flash-to-Pass.................................................3-9
Windshield Wiper Lever.................................3-10
Cruise Control..............................................3-12
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-16
Headlamps on Reminder................................3-17
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).......................3-17
Fog Lamps ..................................................3-18
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver........................3-19
Interior Lamps..............................................3-19
Instrument Panel Brightness...........................3-19
Courtesy Lamps...........................................3-19
Dome Lamp .................................................3-20
Entry Lighting...............................................3-20
Delayed Entry Lighting...................................3-20
Delayed Exit Lighting.....................................3-21
Front Reading Lamps....................................3-21
Overhead Console Reading Lamps.................3-21
Rear Assist Handle Reading Lamps................3-21
Electric Power Management...........................3-22Battery Run-Down Protection..........................3-22
Head-Up Display (HUD).................................3-23
Accessory Power Outlet(s).............................3-26
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter......................3-27
Climate Controls............................................3-28
Climate Control System.................................3-28
Dual Automatic Climate Control System...........3-32
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-36
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-36
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators............3-38
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-39
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-40
Tachometer.................................................3-40
Safety Belt Reminders...................................3-41
Airbag Readiness Light..................................3-42
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator...................3-43
Up-Shift Light...............................................3-45
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-45
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light. . . .3-47
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light . . .3-47
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light.........3-48
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light......3-48
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-49
Tire Pressure Light.......................................3-49
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-50
Oil Pressure Light.........................................3-52
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

Cruise control will not work if your parking brake is set,
or if the master cylinder brake uid level is low.
{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 excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
If cruise control is on when the Traction Control System
(TCS), if your vehicle has one, begins to limit wheel
spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6. When
road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you
may turn cruise control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch to on.
2. Get up to the speed desired.
3. Press in the set button at the end of the lever
and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
This symbol, along with
the CRUISE SET
message, will briey
appear in the Driver
Information Center (DIC)
when the cruise control
is set.
3-13

The CRUISE SET message will also appear briey on
the Head-Up Display (HUD), if your vehicle has one,
when the cruise control lever is pushed to the minus
(set) or the plus (resume/accelerate) positions.
A cruise control light will also appear on the instrument
panel cluster when the cruise control is on. This light
will disappear when the brakes are applied or the
cruise control is cancelled. It will reappear when the set
cruise speed is resumed. The light will go out when
the cruise control is turned off. SeeCruise Control Light
on page 3-53.
Resuming a Set Speed
Once you are going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch briey from on
to resume/accelerate.
Your vehicle will go back up to your previously chosen
speed and stay there.
If you hold the switch at resume/accelerate the vehicle
will keep going faster until you release the switch or
apply the brake. Do not hold the switch at resume/
accelerate, unless you want the vehicle to go faster.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Press the set button at the end of the
lever, then release the button and the accelerator
pedal. You will now cruise at the higher speed. If the
accelerator pedal is held longer than 60 seconds,
cruise control will turn off.
Move the cruise switch from on to
resume/accelerate. Hold it there until you get up
to the speed desired, and then release the
switch. To increase the vehicle speed in
very small amounts, move the switch briey to
resume/accelerate. Each time this is done,
the vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
The acceleration feature will only work after the
cruise control speed has been set by pushing the
cruise control set button.
3-14

Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce the vehicle’s speed while
using cruise control:
Press and hold the set button until you reach the
lower speed desired, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, briey press
the set button. Each time this is done, the vehicle
will slow down about one mph (1.6 km/h).
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle’s
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed
set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon the vehicle’s speed, its load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills, the accelerator
pedal might have to be used in order to maintain
the vehicle’s speed. When going downhill, the brakes
might have to be applied, or the transmission might have
to be shifted to a lower gear to keep the vehicle’s
speed down. Doing either of these things will take the
vehicle out of cruise. It may be better not to use
the cruise control if the brakes constantly have to be
applied, or the vehicle continuously needs to be shifted
to a lower gear.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
Move the cruise control switch to off.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased when
the cruise control or the ignition is turned off.
3-15

;(Parking Lamp):Turn the band to this position to
turn on the parking lamps together with the following:
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
The parking brake indicator light comes on and stays
on when the parking lamps are on with the engine
in LOCK/OFF and the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY.
5(Headlamps):Turn the control to this position
to turn on the headlamps together with the following
lamps listed below. A warning chime sounds if the
driver’s door is opened while the ignition switch is off
and the headlamps are on.
Parking Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
Headlamps on Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the vehicle’s ignition is
off and the driver’s door is opened when the exterior
lamp control is left on in either the headlamp or
parking lamp position.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset. Daytime running
lamps are required to function at all times on all
vehicles rst sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes
the DRL work, so be sure it is not covered.
The DRL system will make the low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is off.
The parking brake is released.
While the DRL are on, only the vehicle’s low-beam
headlamps will be on at reduced brightness. The turn
signal, taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps will not be
on. The instrument panel cluster will not be lit up either.
3-17

Up-Shift Light
If your vehicle has this
light, it will come on when
the shift lever is in the
manual transmission
position.
It will appear as a prompt to up-shift to the next gear
using one of the Tap-Shift
®paddles located on the
steering wheel.
If your vehicle has the Head-Up Display (HUD), it will
only appear on it.
SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation on page 2-28
andHead-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-23for more
information.
Brake System Warning Light
The vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part
can still work and stop the vehicle. For good braking,
though, both parts should be working well.
This light should come on briey when the engine is
started. If it does not come on then, have it xed so it
will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
United StatesCanada
3-45