own '-' , , The 1998 Pontiac GrandAm Owner's Manual 1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tellsyou how to use your seats and safety belts properly. also explains the "SRS"system. It 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 Features and Controls This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle. Comfort Controlsand AudioSystems 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. Problems on the Road This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a or overheated engine, etc. flat tire 6- 1 Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good. you 7-1 8- 1 9-1 Maintenance Schedule This section tellsyou when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also givesyou information on "Reporting Safety Defects" on page 8-10. Index Here's an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. can useit to quickly find You something you wantto read. i 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. WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH National Institutefor AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE This manual includes the latest information at the time it EXCELLENCE was printed.We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold Canada, substitute the name in For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a "General Motorsof Canada Limited" for Pontiac Division whenever it appears in this manual. French Language Manual: Please keep this manual your vehicle,so it will be in Aux propriCtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous there if you ever needit when you're on the road.If you procurer un exemplairede ce guide enfraqais chez sell the vehicle, please leave this manual it so the new in votre concessionaireou au: owner can use it. DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1500 Bonhill Rd. Mississauga, Ontario L5T IC7 Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 10296282 A First Edition @Copyright General Motors Corporation 1997 All Rights Reserved How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner's manual beginning from to end when they first receive theirnew vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In manual, you'll find this that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. 1 A CAUTION: These mean there something that could hurt is you or other people. -1 Index A good place to look what you need the Index in for is back of the manual. It's an alphabetical of what's in list the manual, and page number where you'll find it. the In the caution area,we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don't, or you others could be hurt. Safety Warnings and Symbols You will finda number of safety cautions in book. this and We use a box the word CAUTIONto tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. a You will also find circle with a slash through in it this book. This safety symbol means "Don't," "Don't do this" 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, tell you about something that can we damage your vehicle.Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, it could be costly. and But the notice will tell you what do to help avoid to the damage. When you read other m u a l s , you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words,CAUTION or NOTICE. iv Vehicle Symbols These are some the symbolsyou may find on your vehicle. of For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTlC .~ .. ~ 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: These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: COOLANT TEMP TURN SIGNALS 6 PC WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER I-1 FUSE BAllERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES x PARKING LAMPS BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHTER n FASTEN SEAT BELTS BRAKE (a) HORN )tr COOLANT POWER WINDOW WINDOW DEFOGGER ENGINE OIL PRESSURE a SPEAKER b p3 V w, FLAME EXPLODE BAllERY FOG LAMPS #0 VENTILATING ANTI-LOCK BRAKES (e) FUEL b % NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you'll find information about the seats in your Pontiac to use your safety belts properly. can also and how You i learn aboutsome things you shouldnot do with a r bags and safety belts. 1-2 1-7 1-12 Seats andSeat Controls Safety Belts: They're for Everyone Ask Here Are Questions Many People About Safety Belts-- and the Answers How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Driver Position Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Right Front Passenger Position Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Rear Seat Passengers 1-3 1 1-33 1-35 1-38 1-49 1-52 1-52 1-52 1-13 1-13 1-20 1-21 1-21 1-28 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 Parts Replacing Restraint System After a Crash 1-1 Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you about the seatshow to adjust -and them, and also about reclining front seatbacks head restraints. 1 I Move the control lever under the front seatto of the unlock it. Slide the `seat to where want it. Then you release the lever and try tothe move seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked into place. Manual Seats I A CAUTION: You can lose control the vehicleif you try to of is adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you,or make you pusha pedal when you don't want to. Adjust the driver's seat when only the vehicle i not s moving. I I 1-2 Manual Lumbar Support(If Equipped) Power Seat Controls(If Equipped) Turntheknob on the right front of the driver's seat cushion to the right or to the left to adjust support for the lower back. To adjustthepowerseat on somemodels: FRONT CONTROL (A): the front of the seat by holding the switch up. Lower the of the seatby front holding the switch down. CENTER CONTROL ( ) Move the seat forward or B: back by holding the control to the front back. or the Move the seat higher by holding con^^ up. Lower the seatby holding the control down. 1-3 REAR CONTROL (C): Raise the rear the seatby of of holding the switch up. Lower the rear the seatby holding the switch down. + A Reclining Front Seatbacks I To adjust the seatback, lift the leverthe outer side on of the seat and move the seatback to where want it. you up on Release the lever to lock the seatback. Pull the lever and the seat willgo to an upright position. But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-4 Head Restraints Sitting in a reclined position your vehicleis when in motion can be dangerous. Even buckle if you up, your safety belts can't their job when do you're reclined like this. The shoulder belt can't its job because it do won't be against yourbody. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could gointo it, receiving neckor other injuries. The lap belt can't its job either. In a crash the do belt couldgo up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, notat your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehiclein is motion, have the seatback upright.. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your d e t y belt properly. Slide the head restraint up down so that the top the or of restraint is closest tothe top of your ears. This position reduces the chance a neck injury in a crash. of Seatback Latches (2-Door Models) The front seatback folds forward to let people get into the back seat. 1-5 To fold a front seatbackforward, lift the seatback latch. When you return theseatback to its original position, the seatback will lock. Easy Entry Seat (2-Door Models) The right front seat your vehicle makes it easy to get of in and out of the rear seat. Tilt the right front seatback completely forward and the whole seat will slide forward. Move the right front seatback its original position to the move after someone gets into rear seat area. Then the seat rearward until it locks. Tilt the seatback completelyforward again to get out. I A CAUTION: I If the seatback isn't locked, could move it forward ina sudden stopor crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback be to sure it is locked. I A CAUTION: If an easy entry right front seat isn't locked, it can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the person sitting there could be injured. After you've used it, be sure to push rearward on an easy entry seat to be sure it is locked. 1-6 Rear Seats Folding the Rear Seat Equipped) (If Safety Belts: They'refor Everyone This part of the manual tells you how use safety belts to you properly. It also tells you some things should not do with safety belts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or air bag system. I To open, pull forward on the seat tab. To close, push the seatback up to its original position. Push the seatback completely against the back plate up to ensurethat the latch will hook. A Don't let anyone ride where or she can't wear he a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you're not wearinga safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected 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 properlytoo. A CAUTION: 1-7 I It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more to be likely seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area your vehicle that is not of equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in yourvehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. c A CAUTION: 1 I I I Your vehicle has a light that comeson as a reminder to buckle up. (See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) In most statesand Canadian provinces, the law says to They work. wear safety belts. Here's why: You never know if you'llbe in a crash.If you do have a crash, you don'tknow if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes canso be serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive. In But most crashes are in between. many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than30 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 you ridein or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. P- I Put someone on it. I Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's a seat just on wheels. 1-9 L 1 Get it up to speed. Then stop thevehicle. The rider doesn't stop. The person keeps goinguntil stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could bethe windshield ... 1-10 or the instrument panel... or the safety belts! With safety belts, youslow down asthe vehicle does. You get more timeto stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongestbones take the forces. That's why safety belts make suchgood sense. 1-11 HereAreQuestionsMan `~ople Ask About Safety Belts-- and the Answers @ If I'm a good driver, and never drive far from I home, why shouldI wear safety belts? You may be an excellent driver,but if you're in an Q ? I be trappedin the vehicle after an . Won't accident ifI'm wearing a safety belt? A: A: You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety belt or not. But can unbucklea safety belt, you even if you're upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after accident, so an you can unbuckle andget out, is much greater if you are belted. accident -- even one that isn't your fault you and -your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn't protect you from things beyond your control, suchas bad drivers. Most accidents occur within miles (40km) of 25 home. And the greatest number serious injuries of and deaths occur at speeds less than 40 mph of (65 kmk). Q." my vehicle hasair bags, why shouldI have to If wear safety belts? Safety belts are for everyone. A: Air bags arein many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; they work with so safety belts-- not insteadof them. Everyair bag system ever offered sale has required the use of for safety belts. Even if you're a vehicle that has in air bags, you still have to buckle up get the most to protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. 1-12 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Adults This part is only people of adult size. for Be awareta there are special things to know about safety ht belts and children. And there are Merent rules forsmaller children andbabies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this manual called "Children." Follow those rules for everyone's protection. First, you'llwant to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We'll start wt the driver position. ih Driver Position This part describes the driver's restraint system. Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear a it properly. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see "Seats" in the Index) so you can sit up straight. 3. Pick up thelatch plate and pull the across you. belt Don't letit get twisted. 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. 1-13