2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX instrument panel

The passenger sensing system may suppress the
airbag deployment when liquid soaks 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/retailer 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. Your dealer/retailer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle and
the airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7-15.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition 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.
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Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about the vehicle that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts
of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner
or pillar garnish trim, front sensors, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger’s position, which
includes sensors that are part of the passenger’s
seat. The passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery or trim designed for a different
vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device,installed under or on top of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of the passenger sensing
system. This could either prevent proper deployment
of the passenger airbag(s) or prevent the passenger
sensing system from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 1-60.
If you have any questions about this, you should
contact Customer Assistance before you modify
your vehicle. The phone numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A:If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
In addition, your dealer/retailer and the service manual
have information about the location of the airbag sensors,
sensing and diagnostic module and airbag wiring.
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Keys
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons, children
or others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power windows or
other controls or even make the vehicle move.
The windows will function with the keys in the
ignition and they could be seriously injured
or killed if caught in the path of a closing
window. Do not leave the keys in a vehicle
with children.
The key can be used for the ignition, as well as the
driver’s door lock and storage compartments.
The key comes with a bar coded tag attached to the
key ring. Keep this bar coded tag and give it to
your dealer/retailer if a new key needs to be made.
The vehicle has the PASS-Key
®III vehicle theft system.
The key has a transponder in the key head that
matches a decoder in the vehicle’s instrument panel.
2-2

Trunk
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk
lid open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas
can come into your vehicle. You cannot see or
smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness and
even death. If you must drive with the trunk
lid open or if electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through the seal
between the body and the trunk lid:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select
the control setting that will force outside
air into your vehicle. See Climate Control
System.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 2-36.To unlock and open the trunk from the outside,
press the trunk button on the remote keyless entry
transmitter. SeeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2-4.
To open the trunk from the inside, use the power door
lock switch located on the driver’s or front passenger’s
door. See “Remote Trunk Release” following.
The vehicle must be in PARK (P) in order for the
trunk to open.
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Your vehicle may have
a red light located on top
of the instrument panel,
toward the center of
the vehicle and near
the windshield, that 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 Vehicle Customization on
page 3-89. 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 (RKE) 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.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 Vehicle Customization on page 3-89.
When the doors are locked using the power door
lock switch of either front door, the red light, if your
vehicle has one, 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,
if your vehicle has one, will begin to ash at a very
slow rate indicating the system is armed.
2-19

Arming with the RKE Transmitter
The alarm system will arm when the RKE transmitter
is used to lock the doors after the key is removed
from the ignition. The red light, if your vehicle has
one, 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, if your vehicle
has one, will begin ashing at a very slow rate
to show the system is armed.
Arming Conrmation
Your vehicle may have a red light located on top
of the instrument panel, towards the center of the
vehicle and near the windshield, that will ash
slowly to conrm when the system is armed.
Disarming with the RKE Transmitter
The alarm system will disarm when the RKE transmitter
is used to unlock the doors. The red light, if your
vehicle has one, will go out to show that the system
is disarmed.
Disarming with Your Key
The alarm system will disarm when the key is used
to unlock the doors. The red light, if your vehicle has
one, will stop ashing when the system is disarmed.
If you would like the key to disarm the alarm system,
see “Personal Programming Mode Screens” under
DIC Vehicle Customization on page 3-89for more
information.
PASS-Key®III Electronic
Immobilizer
Your PASS-Key III system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
2-20

Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time the new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer on page 4-29for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch is located on the instrument panel,
to the right of the steering column.
There are four different
positions. Insert the
key in the ignition and
turn it to the right for
each position.
In order to shift out of PARK (P), ignition must be in the
ON/RUN and the regular brake pedal must be applied.
Notice:Using a tool to force the key from the
ignition switch could cause damage or break the key.
Use the correct key and turn the key only with your
hand. Make sure the key is all the way in. If none of
this works, then your vehicle needs service.
9(LOCK/OFF):This position locks the ignition,
steering wheel and transmission. It is a theft-deterrent
feature. This is the only position from which the key
can be removed.
2-23

3. The paddles are
located on the steering
wheel. They are used to
up-shift or down-shift
the transmission.
4. Push either paddle once to up-shift to the next
gear. Pull either paddle once to down-shift to
the next gear.
The vehicle will begin moving in rst gear upon
acceleration. For better control in icy or slippery
conditions, the vehicle may start out in SECOND (2),
rather than FIRST (1). This will only occur if you
have “tapped up” to second gear.
The up-shift light on the
instrument panel cluster,
or the up-shift symbol on
the HUD, if equipped, is
given as a prompt to use
the TAP-Shift
®paddle.For more information, seeUp-Shift Light on page 3-45
The up-shift light will only appear in the instrument
panel cluster if the HUD is off or if the vehicle does
not have HUD.
This prompt to up-shift, as needed, will be given
throughout acceleration. If up-shifting does not occur
when prompted, the vehicle speed will be limited
to protect the engine.
The gear position will display on the DIC and HUD,
if equipped, when in manual mode.
Pressing the accelerator while driving in the highest
gear (FOURTH (4)) between 20 mph (32 km/h)
and 50 mph (80 km/h), will make the transmission
automatically downshift. As your speed gets closer to
50 mph (80 km/h), you will need to increase accelerator
pedal travel to get the vehicle to downshift. At 50 mph
(80 km/h), even with the accelerator fully depressed,
the transmission will always remain in FOURTH (4).
The transmission will also automatically downshift as
the vehicle decelerates and comes to a stop.
If a paddle is pushed or pulled and the vehicle cannot
respond to a transmission gear change, a chime will
sound. The system will not allow either an up-shift or a
down-shift if the vehicle speed is too fast or too slow,
nor will it allow a start from THIRD (3) or higher gear.
2-32