Pontiac 1997 Grand Prix User manual

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The 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner’s Manual
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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.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
4- 1 Your DrivingandtheRoad
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
This section tells what to do
if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
5-1 Problems on the Road
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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 CustomerAssistanceInformation
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.
Here’s an alphabetical listingof almost every subject in this manual.You can useit to quickly find
something you want to read.
9-1 Index
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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
PONTIAC, the
PONTIAC Emblem and the name
GRAND PRIX are registered trademarks of General
MotorsCorporation.
This manual 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
vehiclesfirst sold in Canada, substitute the name
“GeneralMotors of Canada Limited” for Pontiac
Division whenever
it 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 you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new
owner can use it,
Litho in
U.S.A.
Part No, 10405301 A Third Edition
..
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We supp’ortvoluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire dece guide
en frarqais chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
DGN Marketing ServicesLtd.
15800 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T IC7
‘Copyright General Motolrs Corporation 1996
A€€ Rights Reserved

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to endwhen they first receive their new vehicle.
If you
do this, itwill 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 to look 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 will find a number of safety cautionsin this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION
to tell you
aboutthings that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
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These mean there is something that ( dd hurt
you or other people.
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In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to doto help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please readthese cautions. If
you don’t,you or
others could behurt.
k 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.’’
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Vehicle Damage Warnings
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage
your vehicle. Many times, thisdamage would
1, in this book you will findthese notices: not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
I I But the notice will tell you what to do tohelpavoid
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I the damage.
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When you read other manuals, you mightsee CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different collors or in
different words.
You’ll also see warning labels
on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
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Vehicle Symbols
These are someof the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
originalbattery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
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:
n
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
q4
AIR BAG p\
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
PARKING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols
are
on someof
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
~3
FAN
These symbols
are used
on
warning and
indicatorlights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
h
COOLANT
ENGINEOIL
w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER m
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL la
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7 Section 1 SeatsandRestraintSystems
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.
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Seats and Controls
Manual Seats
Power Seats
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Seatback Latches
Why Safety Belts Work
Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
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Questions and Answers About Air Bags
Rear Safety Belt 'Comfort Guides
How to Use Child Restraints
How to Use the Built-In Child Restraint
Important Information
for Buckling Children
in Child Restraints
Child Restraint Top Straps
How to Obtain a Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Parts After a Crash
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6-Way Power Driver’s Seat (If Equipped)
This switch is designed to mimic the movements of your
seat cushion. It is located on the left side of the driver’s
seat cushion. To move the seat forward or rearward,
push the switch forward or rearward.
To raise or lower
the seat, push the switch up
or down. To raise or lower
the front portion
of your seat, push the front of the
switch up or down. To raise or lower the rear portion
of your seat, push the rear of the switch up ordown.
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2-Way Manual Lumbar (If Equipped)
4-Way Power Lumbar Driver’s Seat
(If Equipped)
The knob that controlsthis feature is located on the right
side
of the driver’s seat, about half of the way down the
seatback.Turn the knob clockwise toincrease lumbar
support.
Turn the knob counterclockwise to decrease
lumbar support.
If you have this option, there will be a toggle switch on
the left side of the driver’s seat cushion,just in front of
the reclining seatbacklever. To increase or decrease
lumbar support, push the switch forward or rearward,
To adjust the lumbar support up or down, push the
switch
up or down.
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Heated Seat (If Equipped)
If your vehiclehas this
option,the switch
is on the
center console,just behind
the open storage bin,
Press LO towarm the seat toa lower temperature. Press
HI to warm the seat to a higher temperature. To turn this
feature
off, place the switch in the centerposition.
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Lift thelever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback towhere you want
it. Release the lever to
lock the seatback in place. Pull up on thelever
without pushing on the seatback, and the seatback
will move forward.

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
Sittingin a reclined position whenyour vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous.Even if youbuckle
up, your safety beltscan’t
do theirjob when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t
do its job because it
wonstbe against your body. Instead, it will be in
front
of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neckorother injuries.
The lapbelt canst
do its job either. In a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would bethere, not atyour pelvic bones.
Thiscould causeseriousinternal injuries.
For properprotection when the vehicle is
in
motion,have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back inthe seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
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Head Restraints
Slidethe 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 aneck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches (2-Door Models)
After someone gets into the rear seat area, move the
right front seatback to its original position. Then move
the seat rearward until it locks.
To get out, tilt the seatback fully forward.
On two-door models, the right front seat
is designed to
make it easyto get in and out
of the rear seat. Tilt the right
seatback fully forward, the whole seat willnow slide
forward.
If the seat will not tilt, lift the seatback latch,
located on
the back of the seat, to tilt the seatback forward.
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward
in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury
to the person sitting there. Always press rearward
on the seatback to be sure it is locked.
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Safety Belts: They’re for 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 safetybelts.
And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS), or air bag system.
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Don’t let anyoneride wherehe orshecan’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you arein a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt,your injuries
can be much worse.
You can hitthings insidethe
vehicle
or be ejectedfrom it. You can be seriously
injured orkilled. In the samecrash, you might
not be if
you arebuckled up. Alwaysfastenyour
safety belt,and check that
your passengers’ belts
arefastened properly too.
’ A CAUTION:
Itis extremelydangeroustoride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areasaremore likely
to be
seriouslyinjured orkilled.
Do not allow peopleto
ridein any area
of your vehicle that is not
equipped
with seatsandsafety belts. Be sure
everyoneinyour vehicle
is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
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Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safetybelts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do havea
crash,you don’t know if it will bea bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashescan 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 surviveand sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt orkilled.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Takethe simplest vehicle. Suppose it’sjust a seat
on wheels.
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Put someone on it. Get it
up to speed. Then stupthe vehicle. Therider
doesn’t stop.
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The person keeps going until stoppedby something.
in a real vehicle, it couldbe the windshield
...
or the instrumentpanel ...
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or the safety belts !
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time tostop. You stop over more distance,
and your
strongest bones take the forces.That’s why
safetybelts 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?
A: 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.
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