New Grand Am owner with questions

When you put the car in Park and turn it off will the doors unlock?

Most of my cars have done that. My current '96 Bonneville leaves the Check Oil light on for 30 seconds (usual) to a minuite or so. I too was told it was a sensor, but seeing how the oil level is fine, I don't feel the need to waste money on a little light that tells me what I should already know. lol

I think your first bet should be to check if the A/C clutch is coming on and off or not. If it is then you are likley out of freon, if its not coming on at all then you probably have another problem, but the clutch is an easy thing to check. :)

It could be a bad switch or wire... somewhere. Your 1993 car does not have auto unlock, only auto lock. The locks should lock when put in gear. If they lock when starting the car, then there is something wrong - probably a cold shift indicator module.

If it is really the check oil light and not the oil pressure light then I would not worry too much about it.

My 92 still has orig R-12. I've never had to add any and never had to work on the system. It still keeps me cool in Texas at 43F outlet temp.

Just to clarify... it locks when put into drive, not when started. Sorry... and come to think of it, I believe you're right that it doesn't unlock when turned off. That's where the rocker switch comes into play.

I read that the cig lighter fuse works with this switch and my cig lighter doesn't work so I'll check that. Keep in mind this is my first day with the car so I'll need time to look at these things.

Another question... in response to 80Knight, what is the air conditioning clutch?

Lock and unlock use the same fuse.

I don't like answering for others, but he probably meant the clutch on the front of the compressor that locks the pully and shaft together. It has a big electromagnet.

No worries :) But, yup thats what I meant. To PontiacFanatic, if you don't know what the clutch is, just look down at your A/C compressor while the A/C is on and see if you see anything start and stop moving, if you do that would be you're clutch. If you are low on freon then the clutch would be 'cycling' on and off.

I've had to replace the door mounted switch on a couple of cars to fix the door locking problem.

Hello nomail, sounds like the main panel switch on the drivers side door, remove the sitch and jump the electrical plug with a wire and see if that activates those locks, if so it=92s the switch itself. oil pressure light comes on for 5 min. if this happens stopping at a red light or going around turns, then it=92s main bearing wear in the engine,-----freon is very corrosive, most likely a leak, but if a charge holds for the summer-----be happy, unless you want to spend mucho $$$$ Mike De Vito

Thank you I will try jumping it. However wouldn't the passenger side switch work if it was just a switch fault on the driver's side?

No. Power runs through the driver's switch.

Hello, Maybe and maybe not. Mike De Vito

Thanks again Paul. Mike De ito