tow PONTIAC G5 2010 Owners Manual

In Brief........................................................... 1-1
Instrument Panel ........................................ 1-2
Initial Drive Information ............................... 1-4
Vehicle Features ...................................... 1-14
Performance and Maintenance ...................1-18
Seats and Restraint System ............................. 2-1
Front Seats ............................................... 2-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 2-9
Safety Belts ............................................. 2-11
Child Restraints ....................................... 2-32
Airbag System ......................................... 2-55
Restraint System Check ............................2-71
Features and Controls ..................................... 3-1
Keys ........................................................ 3-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 3-8
Windows ................................................. 3-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................3-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ...........3-19 Mirrors
.................................................... 3-35
Storage Areas ......................................... 3-36
Sunroof .................................................. 3-37
Instrument Panel ............................................. 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 4-3
Climate Controls ...................................... 4-14
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........4-19
Driver Information Center (DIC) ..................4-35
Audio System(s) ....................................... 4-49
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 5-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle ....... 5-2
Towing ................................................... 5-30
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 6-1
Service ..................................................... 6-3
Fuel ......................................................... 6-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ...............6-10
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 6-38
Bulb Replacement .................................... 6-41
2010 Pontiac G5 Owner ManualM

Mirror Adjustment
Exterior Mirrors
Controls for the outside
power mirrors are located
on the driver door
armrest.
1. Use the selector switch located above the four-way control panel to choose either the left or right
outside mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control pad to move the mirror to the desired direction.
3. Adjust each outside mirror so that a little of the vehicle and the area behind it can be seen.
Keep the selector switch in the center position when not
adjusting either outside mirror. Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To fold, pull
the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror outward,
to return it to the original position.Interior Mirror
Hold the inside rearview mirror in the center to move it
for a clearer view of behind the vehicle. Adjust the
mirror to reduce the glare of headlamps from behind.
Push the tab forward for daytime use and pull it for
nighttime use. See
Manual Rearview Mirror on
page 3-35.
1-10

Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here are some
driving tips to get the best fuel economy possible.
•Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
•Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
•Avoid idling the engine for long periods of time.
•When road and weather conditions are appropriate,
use cruise control, if equipped.
•Always follow posted speed limits or drive more
slowly when conditions require.
•Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
•Combine several trips into a single trip.
•Replace the vehicle’s tires with the same TPC Spec
number molded into the tire’s sidewall near the size.
•Follow recommended scheduled maintenance.
Roadside Assistance Program
U.S.:1-800-ROADSIDE (762-3743)
TTY Users: 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new Pontiac, you are automatically
enrolled in the Roadside Assistance program. This
program provides technically trained advisors who are
available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, minor repair
information or towing arrangements.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
If you have a current OnStar subscription, press the
OnStar button and the current GPS location will be sent
to an OnStar Advisor who will assess your problem,
contact Roadside Assistance, and relay exact location to
get you the help you need.
Online Owner Center
The Online Owner Center is a complimentary service
that includes online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner manual, special
privileges and more.
Sign up today at: www.gmownercenter.com/pontiac
(U.S.) or www.gm.ca (Canada).
1-21

2. Tilt the seatback forward completely while pushingthe seat forward.
3. Move the seat rearward until it locks into place after someone gets into the rear seat area.
4. Move the seatback to its original position and make sure the seatback is locked.
Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
You can fold either side of the rear seatback down for
more cargo space. To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Open the trunk and pull one or both of the small handles located in the center of the trunk.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
2. Push the seatback open through the trunk, or pull it down from inside the vehicle.
2-9

To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The
belt should return to its stowed position.
Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of
the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt,
damage can occur to both the belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
(Sedan Only)
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger position.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away
from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.Press the release
button (A) and move the
height adjuster to the
desired position. The
adjuster can be moved up
by pushing up on the
shoulder belt guide.
After the height adjuster is set to the desired position,
try to move it down without pressing the release
button to make sure it has locked into position.
2-27

Notice:Do not let the LATCH attachments rub
against the vehicle’s safety belts. This may damage
these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety
belts to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt
buckled. This could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its
stowed position, before folding the seat.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired seating position
does not have lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and the safety belts.
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child restraint to the lower anchors. 2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped.
Refer to the child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Open the top tether anchor cover to expose the anchor.
2.3. If you have an adjustable headrest or head restraint, raise the headrest or head restraint.
2.4. Route, attach, and tighten the top tether according to your child restraint instructions
and the following instructions:
If the position you are
using does not have a
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a
single tether, route the
tether over the seatback.
2-47

If the vehicle is equipped with a passenger sensing
system, and the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off
indicator on the passenger airbag status indicator should
light and stay lit when the vehicle is started.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint” underPassenger Sensing System on
page 2-64 for more information.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle
safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.
If the seat has a safety belt guide, insert the safety belt
into the guide on the head restraint by sliding the
webbing through the opening on the guide.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
•A frontal airbag for the driver.
•A frontal airbag for the right front passenger Your vehicle may also have the following airbags:
•A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the passenger
seated directly behind the driver.
•A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger and
the passenger seated directly behind the right
front passenger.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will have the word
AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the
middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and
on the instrument panel for the right front passenger.
With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear
along the headliner or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Even though today’s airbags
are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury
from the force of an inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
2-55

Roof-rail airbags are not intended to inflate in frontal
impacts, near-frontal impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts.
A roof-rail airbag is intended to deploy on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by
what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For roof-rail airbags,
deployment is determined by the location and severity of
the side impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from
the inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing
the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The
inflator, the airbag, and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
roof-rail airbags, there are airbag modules in the ceiling
of the vehicle, near the side windows that have
occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. Roof-rail airbags
distribute the force of the impact more evenly over
the occupant’s upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inate? on page 2-60 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
2-61

Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which
helps the passenger sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child
Restraints” in the Index for additional information
about the importance of proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or
cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect
how well the passenger sensing system operates.
We recommend that you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when approved by GM for
your specific vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 2-70 for more
information about modifications that can affect how the
system operates.
A wet seat can affect the performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:
•The passenger sensing system may turn off the
passenger airbag when liquid is soaked into the
seat. If this happens, the off indicator will be lit, and
the airbag readiness light on the instrument
panel will also be lit.
•Liquid pooled on the seat that has not soaked in
may make it more likely that the passenger
sensing system will enable (turn on) the passenger
airbag while a child restraint or child occupant is
on the seat. If the passenger airbag is turned on, the
on indicator will be lit.
If the passenger seat gets wet, dry the seat immediately.
If the airbag readiness light is lit, do not install a child
restraint or allow anyone to occupy the seat. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 4-23 for important safety
information.
The on indicator may be lit if an object, such as a
briefcase, handbag, grocery bag, laptop or other
electronic device, is put on an unoccupied seat. If this is
not desired, remove the object from the seat.
{WARNING:
Stowing of articles under the passenger seat or
between the passenger seat cushion and seatback
may interfere with the proper operation of the
passenger sensing system.
2-68

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast or
slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not
make full-throttle starts. Do not exceed 5,000
engine rpm. Avoid downshifting to brake or slow
the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time the new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See Towing
a Trailer (Automatic Transmission) on page 5-33
or Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission) on
page 5-39 for the trailer towing capabilities
of your vehicle and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can be
gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different positions.
In order to shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY and the brake pedal
must be applied.
Notice: Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
9(LOCK/OFF): This position locks the steering
column when the key is removed. The key can only be
removed in LOCK/OFF.
3-19