Pontiac 2004 Grand Prix Owner's Manual page 88

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you're:
•
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
•
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
Notice: If your vehicle 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 (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) for higher speeds.
2-24
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving,
but 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.
•
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
•
When going down a steep hill.
•
When driving in non-highway scenarios
(i.e. city streets, etc.).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). 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.
Notice: Don't drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) as
much as possible. Don't shift into SECOND (2)
unless you are going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h)
or you can damage your engine.