Pontiac 1996 Grand Prix User manual

1
1996

{ The 1996 PontiacGrandPrix Owner’s Manual
SeatsandRestraintSystems ............................................................. 1-1
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
This section explains how to start and operate your Pontiac.
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your
audio system.
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flattire or
overheated engine, etc.
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Pontiac running properly and looking good.
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and how to get service and owner pubiications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8-9.
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can useit to qbickly find
something you want to read.
FeaturesandControls ................................................................... 2-1
ComfortControlsandAudioSystems ..................................................... 3-1
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 4-1
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 5-1
Service and AppearanceCare. ........................................................... 6-1
Maintenanceschedule .................................................................. 7-1
CustomerAssistanceInformation ........................................................ 8-1
Index ................................................................................. 9-1
i

I
I PONTlAC
II GM
‘3 I
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
PONTIAC, the PONTIAC Emblem and the name
GRAND PRIX are registered trademarks of General
Motors Corporation.
Thismanual includes the latest information
at the.time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles fist sold in Canada, substitute the name
“GeneralMotors 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 theroad. If yon
sell the vehicle, please leavethis manual in it so the new
owner can use it.
Litho
in U.S.A.
Part No. 10273393 €3 a First Edition
CERTIFIED y
k- .rl
I
-wT
WE SUPPORT
VQUNTABY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
~naltnstttute for
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
AUTOMOTIVE
We support voluntary
techniciancertification.
For Canadian Owners VVho Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurerun exemplaire de ce guide en fransais chez
votre concessionaire
ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga,OntarioL5T 1C7
I’
. - ,.
‘Copyright General Motors Corporation 1995
All Rights Reserved

How to Use This Manual
Many peopleread their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when theyfirst 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.
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.
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 wereto ignore
the warning.
A CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
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.
1 You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book.
This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t
do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings In the notice area, we tell you aboutsomething that can
damage your vehicle.Many times, this damagewould
But
the notice will tell you whatto do to help avoid
the damage.
When you read
other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
You'll also seewarning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words,
CAUTION or NOTICE.
Also, in this book youwill find these notices: not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
, . ..
..

1
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may findon your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
originalbattery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACIEEZ
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW c
These symbols
have to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e 9
TURN
PARKING PC
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are
on someof
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
'VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicatorlights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING 1-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (0)
COOLANT
a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER m
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL e3
V

NOTES
\
vi -
-

Section 1 SeatsandRestraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Manual Front Seat
Pontiac and how to useyour safetybelts properly. You
can also learn about some things you should not do with
air bags and safety belts.
Seats and Seat Controls
This sectiontells you how to adjust the seats and
explainsreclining seatbacks and head restraints.
I A CAUl ON:
You canlose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjustamanual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you,
or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to.
Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
1- 1

Power Seat (Option)
FRONT (A): Raise the front of the seat by holding the
Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it, Slide switch
UP. Hold the switch down to lower the front of
the seatto where you want it and release the bar, Try to the seat.
move the seat with yourbody to
be sure the seat is
CENTER (B): Move the seat forward or backward by
locked in place. 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 pushingon the seatback,and the seatback
will move
forward.
2-Door Models

4-Door Models
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.
Sitting in a reclined position whenyour vehicle is
in motion mi be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, yuur safetybelts can’t do their job when
you’re reclinedlike
this.
The shoulderbelt can’tdo its job because it
won’t be againstyour 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 could go up over your abdomen. Thebelt
forces wouldbethere, not
at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, havethe seatbackupright. Then sit
well back
in the seat .and wear your safety
belt properly.

Head Restraints
Slidethe head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of yourears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injuryin a crash.
Seatback Latches (2-Door Models)
Thefront 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.
If your vehicle isparked going down
a fairly steephill,
the seatbackmay not fold without somehelp from you.
To fold the locked seatbackforward, push the seatback 8
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.
Safety Belts: They’refor Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells
you somethings you should not do
with safetybelts.
And it explains the SupplementalRestraint System
(SRS), or air bag system.
A CAUTION:
Don’t let anyoneride wherehe orshe can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crashand
you’re not wearing a safety belt,your injuries
canbe much worse.You can
hit thingsinside the
vehicleorbe ejectedfrom
it. You canbe seriously
injuredorkilled. In the samecrash, you might
not be
if you arebuckled up. Always fastenyour
safety belt,and check that your passengers’ belts
arefastened properly too.

Your vehiclehas a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the
Index.)
In most statesand Canadian provinces,the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll bein a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t
know if it will be a badone.
A
few crashes are mild, andsomecrashes 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 beltsin vehicles,
the facts
are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter .. , a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ridein or on anything, you go as fast as
itgoes.
Tike the simplest vehicle. Supposeit’sjust 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 by something.
In a real vehicle,it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...
1-8

or the safety belts!
With safetybelts, 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.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
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: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
At 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
safetybelts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
systemever offered for sale has required
the use of
safetybelts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle
up to get the most
protection. That’strue
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 First,you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
home, why should I wear safety belts? vehiclehas.
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers canbe‘hurt.Being
a good driver
doesn’t protect you
fiom things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur
within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And
the greatest number of serious injuries
., , ;.:, =,. . and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
1- .
-,
..
- ..
.- * :.I, (65 km/h).
,.: -.
..
-8
, ,. .
6 ‘F:,
- \ ,. . .I_ Safetybelts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part isonly 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 for smaller
children and babies.
If a child will be riding in your
Pontiac, see the part of this manud called “Children.”
Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.
We’ll start with the driver position,
Driver Position (2-Door Models)
This part describes the driver’s restraint system. If you
have a four-door model, see “Driver Position
(4-Door
Models)” later i.n this. section.
Lap-Shoulder Belt (2-Door Models)
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
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.
1-10

1
3. Pick up thelatch plate and pull the belt acrossyou.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t letit get twisted.
Pull up on the latch plate
to make sure it issecure. If
the belt isn’tlong enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” atthe end ofthis section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned
so you wouldbe able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly
if you everhad to.
The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snugon
the hips, just touching the thighs.
In a crash, this applies
force to
the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less likely
to slide under the lap belt.
If you slid under it, the belt
would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries.The shoulder belt should.go
over the shoulder and across the chest. These
parts of the
body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety beltlocks if there’s a suddenstop or crash.

Q: What's wrong with this?
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose. In a crash, you would move forward
too much,' which could increase injury. The '
shoulder belt should fit against your body.
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly
as much protection thisway.
1-12

Q: what's wrong withthis?
.. .
. .
'1-
..
'.' ,. .. :. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
. #' '
You can be seriouslyinjured if your belt is
buckled in thewrong place like this.In a crash,
the belt would goup over your abdomen. The
belt forces would bethere, not atthe pelvic
bones. This could causeseriousinternalinjuries.
Always buckle your .beltinto the buckle
nearest you.