Pontiac 1998 Grand Am Owner's Manual page 84

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(D):
This position is for
normal driving with the four-speed automatic transaxle.
If you need more power for passing, and you're:
Going less than about 35 mph (55
km/h),
push your
0
Going about 35 mph (55
km/h)
or more, push the
The transaxle will automatically shift down to the next
gear and provide more power.
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
NOTICE:
This NOTICE applies only if you have an
automatic overdrive transaxle. If your vehicle is
so equipped and if it seems to start up rather
slowly, or if it seems not to shift gears as you go
faster, something may be wrong with a transaxle
system sensor. If you drive very far that way,
your vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then,
you can use SECOND (2) when you are driving
less than 35
mph (56
km/h)
and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (0) for higher speeds.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(D). Here
are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
0
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
0
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use
your brakes off and
on.
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