User manual PONTIAC GRANDAM 1997

1997 U d . . 7 1-1 2- 1 The 1997 Pontiac Grand Am Owner's Manual Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the "SRS" system. Features and Controls This section explains how to start and operate your Pontiac. 3-1 4- 1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system. Your Driving and the Road Here you'll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions. 5-1 6-1 7-1 Problems on the Road This section tells what to do if you have a problem whiledriving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc. Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells you how to keep your Pontiac running properly and looking good. Maintenance Schedule This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. 8-1 Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on "Reporting Safety Defects" on page 8- 10. 9- 1 Index Here's an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. i WB U PONTIAC We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS,GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC, the PONTIAC Emblem and the name GRAND AM are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes thelatest information at thetime it was printed. We reserve the right to make changesin the product afterthat time withoutfurther notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name "General Motorsof Canada Limited" for Pontiac Division wheneverit appears ___ this manual. Please keep this manual in yourPontiac, so it will be there if you ever need it when you're on road. If you the sell thevehicle, please leave this manual init so the new owner can use it. WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH National Institute for AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual: Aux propriktaires canadiens:Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en franqais chez votre concessionaire ou au: DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1500 Bonhill Rd. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7 Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 10273369 B First Edition @CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1996 All Rights Reserved ii How to Use this Manual Many peopleread their owner's manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle.If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. Inthis manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together explain to things quickly. I A CAUTION: These mean thereis something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard Then is. we tell you whatto doto help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don't, you or others could be hurt. Index A good placeto look for what you needis the Index in the backof the manual. It's an alphabetical list of what's in the manual, andthe page number where you'll find it. 1-I Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to you tell about thingsthat could hurt you if you were ignore to the warning. You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means "Don't,'' "Don't dothis," or "Don't let this happen.'' iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this book you will find these notices: NOTICE: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. In the notice area, we tell you about something can that damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what do to help avoid to the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warningsin different colors or in different words. You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION NOTICE. or iv Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC BATTERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS A These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: These symbols have to do with your lamps: These symbols are on some of your controls: WINDSHIELD WIPER These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: DOOR LOCK UNLOCK TURN SIGNALS e WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER COOLANT TEMP BA'ITERY CHARGING SYSTEM I-1 FUSE -% LIGHTER t n )tr FASTEN SEAT BELTS BRAKE (a) HORN COOLANT a w, (@) SPEAKER b SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BA'ITERY ,\I/, FOG LAMPS ENGINE OIL PRESSURE FUEL $0 m V ANTI-LOCK BRAKES $@b NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you'll find information about the seats in your Pontiac and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about somethings you should not do with air bags and safetybelts. 1-2 Seats 1-7 1- 12 and Seat Controls Safety Belts: They're for Everyone Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers 1-13 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly 1-13 Driver Position 1-20 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy 1-21 Right Front Passenger Position 1-21 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) 1-27 Rear Seat Passengers 1-31 1-33 1-35 1-37 1-45 1-48 1-48 1-48 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults Center Passenger Position Children Child Restraints Larger Children Safety Belt Extender Checking Your Restraint Systems Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 1-1 Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them -- and also about reclining seatbacks and head restraints. Manual Seats You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to while the vehicle is adjust a manual driver's seat moving. The suddenmovement could startle and confuse you, or makeyou push a pedal whenyou don't want to. Adjust the driver's seat only when the vehicle is not moving. I Move the control lever under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the lever and try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the-seat is locked into place. 1-2 Manual Lumbar Support(If Equipped) Power Seat Controls (If Equipped) Turn the knob on the right frontof the driver's seat cushion clockwiseor counterclockwise to adjust support for the lower back. To adjust the power seat on some models: FRONT CONTROL (A): Raise the frontof the seat by holding the switch up. Lower the front the seat by of holding the switch down. CENTER CONTROL(B): Move the seat forward or or back by holding the control to the front back. Move the seat higher by holding control up. Lower the the seat by holding the control down. REAR CONTROL (C): Raise the rear of the seat by holding the switch up. Lower the rear the seat by of holding the switch down. 1-3 Reclining Front Seatbacks To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of the seat and move the seatback to where you wantit. Release the lever to lock the seatback. Pull up on the lever and the seat will go to an upright position. But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-4 A CAUTION: Sitting ina reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous, Even you buckle if up, your safety belts can't do their when job you're reclined like this. The shoulder belt can't do job because it its won't be against your body. Instead, itwill be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt can't do itsjob either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen, The belt forces wouldbe there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then well sit back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. 1 Head Restraints Slide the head restraint up or downso that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in acrash. Seatback Latches(2-Door Models) The front seatback folds forward to letpeople get into the back seat. 1-5 To fold a front seatback forward, lift the seatback latch. When youreturn the seatback to itsoriginal position, the seatback will lock. Easy Entry Seat (2-Door Models) The right front seat of your vehicle makes it easy to get in and out of the rear seat. Tilt the right front seatback completely forward and the whole seat will slide forward. If the seatbackisn't locked, it could move forward ina sudden stopor crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearwardon the seatbackto be sure it is locked. Move the right front seatback to its original position after someone gets into the rear seat area. Then move the seat rearward until it locks. Tilt the seatback completely forward again to get out. I 6h CAUTION: If an easy entry right front seat locked,it isn't can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the person sitting there could injured. Afteryou've used be it, be sure to push rearward an easy entry seat on to be sure itis locked. I 1-6 Rear Seats Folding the Rear Seat Equipped) (If Safety Belts: They're for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safetybelts properly. It also tells yousome things you shouldnot do with safetybelts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or air bag system. A CAUTION: Don't let anyone ride where he or she wear can't a safety belt properly,If you are ina crash and you're not wearinga safety belt, yourinjuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or beejected from it. You can be seriously injured orkilled, In the same crash, might you not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers' belts are fastened properly too. To open, pull forward on the seat tab. To close, push the seatback up to original position. its Push the seatback completely up against the back plate to ensure that thelatch will hook. 1-7 It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outsideof a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured orkilled. Do not allow peopleto ride in any area your vehicle that is not of equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is ina seat andusing a safety belt properly. Your vehicle has a light that comes on asa reminder to buckle up. (See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) In most states and Canadianprovinces, the law saysto wear safety belts. Here's why:They work. You never knowif you'll be ina crash. If you do have a crash, you don't know it will be a bad one. if A few crashes are mild, and some crashes be so can serious that even buckled up person wouldn't survive. a But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can surviveand sometimes walk away. been badly hurt orkilled. Without belts they could have After more than 25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot! 1-8 Why Safety Belts Work When youride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Put someone on it. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on wheels. 1-9 I Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In areal vehicle, it could bethe windshield ... 1-10 or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take theforces. That's why safety beltsmake such good sense. 1-11 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts-- and the Answers @' If I'm a good driver, I never drivefar from and home, why shouldI wear safety belts? You may be an excellent driver, but if you're in an accident -- even one that isn't your fault -- you and your passengers can behurt. Being a good driver doesn't protect you from things beyond your control, such as baddrivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 k ) m of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. &: A: Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I'm wearing a safety belt? You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle safety belt, a even if you're upside down. And yourchance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle andget out, is much greater if you are belted. A: &: A: If my vehicle hasair bags, why shouldI have to wear safety belts? Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only;so they work with safety belts-- not instead of them. Every air bag system ever offered sale has required the use for of safety belts. Even if you're in a vehicle that has air bags, you still have tobuckle up to get the most protection. That's true not only infrontal collisions, but especiallyin sideand other collisions. 1-12 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Adults This part is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. a child will be riding If in your Pontiac, see the part this manual called of "Children." Follow those rules for everyone's protection. First, you'll want to know whichrestraint systems your vehicle has. We'll start with the driver position. Driver Position This part describes the driver's restraint system. Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's howto wear it properly. 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don't let it get twisted. 4. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see "Seats" in the Index) so you can sit up straight. 1-13