1 1996 { The 1996 PontiacGrandPrix Owner's Manual SeatsandRestraintSystems ............................................................. This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the"SRS" system. FeaturesandControls ................................................................... This section explains how to start and operate your Pontiac. ComfortControlsandAudioSystems ..................................................... This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system. 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 YourDrivingandtheRoad Here you'll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions. ProblemsontheRoad This section tells youwhat to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flattire or overheated engine, etc. Service and Appearance Care. Here the manual tells you how to keep your Pontiac running properly and looking good. Maintenanceschedule This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. CustomerAssistanceInformation This section tellsyou how to contact Pontiacfor assistance and how to get service and owner pubiications. It also gives you information on "Reporting Safety Defects" on page 8-9. Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Here's an alphabetical listing of almost every subjectin this manual. You can useit to qbicklyfind something you want to read. .............................................................. .................................................................. 5-1 ........................................................... 6-1 .................................................................. 7-1 ........................................................ 8-1 9-1 i I I PONTlAC `II GM 3 I We support voluntary technician certification. CERTIFIED y I GENERAL MOTORS, GM, theGM Emblem, PONTIAC, the PONTIAC Emblem and the name GRAND PRIX are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the .timeit was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles f i s t sold in Canada, substitute the name "General Motors of Canada Limited" for Pontiac Division -wheneverit appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your Pontiac, so it will be there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If yon sell the vehicle, please leavethis manual in it so the new owner can use it. k.rl -wT WE SUPPORT VQUNTABY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH ~naltnstttute for AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE For Canadian Owners V h Prefer a Vo French Language Manual: Aux propribtaires canadiens:Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guideen fransais chez votre concessionaire au: ou DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1500 Bonhill Rd. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7 .Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 10273393 3 a First Edition I' ,. `Copyright General Motors Corporation 1995 All RightsReserved 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. In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together to explain . things quickly. A CAUTION: These mean there something thatcould hurt is you or other people. 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, youor others could be hurt. Index A good place tolook for what you need is the Index in the back of the manual. It's an alphabetical list of all that's in the manual, and the page number where you'll find it. 1 a circle You will also find with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means "Don't,'' "Don't do this," or "Don't let this happen." Safety Warnings and Symbols You wdl find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this book you will find these notices: NOTICE: These mean there something thatcould is damage your vehicle. In the notice area, we tell you about something that can 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 to do to help avoid the damage. When you readother manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors orin different words. You'll also seewarning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. , . .. .. 1 Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may findon your vehicle. For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC ACIEEZ CAUSE BURNS AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY FASTEN SEAT BELTS A These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: These symbols have to do with your lights: 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 e9 PC COOLANT TEMP BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM 1-1 FUSE LIGHTER P m )cr PARKING LAMPS BRAKE () 0 HORN COOLANT POWER WINDOW c FOG LAMPS a w, () @ SPEAKER b e3 V ,\I/, ENGINE OIL PRESSURE FUEL $0 'VENTILATING FAN ANTI-LOCK BRAKES 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 some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts. Manual Front Seat Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you how to adjust the seats and explains reclining seatbacks and head restraints. IA CAUl ON: You canlose controlof the vehicleif you try to is adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you,or make you push a pedal when you Adjust the driver's seat only when don't want to. the vehicle is not moving. 1-1 Power Seat (Option) Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it, Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar, Ty to r move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. FRONT (A): Raise the front of the seat by holding the switch UP. Hold the switch down to lower the front of the seat. CENTER (B): Move the seat forward or backward by holding the control to the front or back. Raise or lower the seat by holding the control up or down. REAR (C):Raise the rear of the seat by holding the switch up. Hold the switch down to lower the rear of the seat. 1-2 Reclining Front Seatbacks r Lift the lever to release the seatback, thenmove the seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever without pushing on the seatback, and the seatback will move forward. 2-Door Models 4-Door Models But don't have a seatback reclined vehicle is moving. if your Sitting i a reclined position when n your vehicle is in motion m dangerous. Evenif you buckle ibe up, yuur safety belts can't do their when job you're reclinedlike The shoulder belt can'tdo its job because it won't be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neckor other injuries. The lap belt can't do its job either. In a crash the belt couldgo up over your abdomen. The belt forces wouldbe there, not at your pelvic bones. This could causeserious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, havethe seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat .andwear your safety belt properly. ti. hs Head Restraints Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injuryin a crash. Safety Belts: They'refor Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or air bag system. Seatback Latches(2-Door Models) The front seat folds forward to let people get into the back seat. Your seatback will move back and forth freely, unless you come to a sudden stop. Then it will lock in place. A CAUTION: Don't let anyone ride where he or she can't wear a safety belt properly. you are in a crash and If you're not wearing a safety belt, injuries your can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejectedfrom it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,and check that your passengers' belts are fastened properly too. If your vehicle is parked going down a fairly steep hill, the seatback may not fold without some help from you. To fold the locked seatback forward, push the seatback toward the rear as you lift this latch. Then the seatback will fold forward. The latch must be down for the seat to work properly. 8 Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) Why Safety BeltsWork When you ridein or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here's why: They work. You never know if you'll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don'tknow if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, andsome crashes can be so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts theycould have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter .., a lot! Tike the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on wheels. 1-6 I Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. 1-7 The person keeps going until stopped something. by or the instrument panel ... In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ... 1-8 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts-- and the Answers Q: Won't I be trapped i the vehicle after an n accident if I'm wearing a safety belt? A3 You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you're upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. Q: At 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 the forces. That's why safety belts make such good sense. If my vehicle has air bags, whyshould I have to wear safety belts? Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be i n 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 for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you're in a vehicle that has air bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. 1-9 @ If I'm a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? A: ., , 1- . ; : =,. ., . .. * - . \ .. 8 -. ,.: 6 ., -. :.I, ,- , . , . . . `: F, .I_ First, you'll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. You may be an excellent driver, but if you're in an We'll start with the driver position, accident -- even one that isn't your fault -- you and Driver Position (2-Door Models) your passengers can be`hurt.Being a good driver This part describes the driver's restraint system.you If doesn't protect you fiom things beyond your (4-Door have a four-door model, see "Driver Position control, such as bad drivers. Models)" lateri.n this.section. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40km) of Lap-Shoulder Belt (2-Door Models) home. And the greatest numberof serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than mph 40 The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear it properly. (65 km/h). 1. Close and lock the door. Safety belts are for everyone. 2. Adjust the seat (to seehow, see "Seats" in the Index) so you can situp straight. How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Adults This part is only for people o'f adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children.,And there are different rules f ...