PONTIAC G8 2008 Owners Manual

Driving in Rain and on
Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or owing water.
{CAUTION
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in
a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water
creates strong forces. Driving
through owing water could
cause your vehicle to be
carried away. If this happens,
you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to
drive through owing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle’s
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road
is wet enough and you are going
fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is
to slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
Allow extra following distance.
Pass with caution.
Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
Keep the windshield washer uid
reservoir lled.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. SeeTires on page 9-39.
Turn off cruise control,
if equipped.
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2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Before Leaving on a
Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, consider having it serviced
by your dealer/retailer before
departing.
Things to check on your own include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:
Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
All levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are
lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires
inated to recommended
pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to
travel? Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, nd a
safe place to park your vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on at or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to
let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
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{CAUTION
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will
have to do all the work of
slowing down and they could
get so hot that they would not
work well. You would then have
poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could
crash. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear
when going downhill.
Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
Top of hills: Be alert — something
could be in your lane (stalled car,
accident).
Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape
for winter.
You might want to put winter
emergency supplies in your
vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small
brush or broom, a supply of
windshield washer uid, a rag,
some winter outer clothing, a small
shovel, a ashlight, a red cloth,
and reective warning triangles.
And, if you will be driving under
severe conditions, include a small
bag of sand, a piece of old carpet, or
a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items in
your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 9-39.
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2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places
where the tires meet the road
probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice
between the tires and the road, you
can have a very slippery situation.
You have a lot less traction, or grip,
and need to be very careful.
What is the worst time for this?
Wet ice. Very cold snow or ice can
be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble
because it can offer the least traction
of all. You can get wet ice when it is
about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and
freezing rain begins to fall. Try to
avoid driving on wet ice until salt and
sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth
ice, packed, blowing, or loose
snow — drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break
the fragile traction. If you accelerate
too fast, the drive wheels will spin
and polish the surface under the tires
even more.The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you
have ABS, begin stopping sooner
than you would on dry pavement.
SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 8-15.
Allow greater following distance
on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots.
The road might be ne until you
hit a spot that is covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice
patches can appear in shaded
areas where the sun cannot
reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of
a curve or an overpass can
remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch
of ice ahead of you, brake before
you are on it. Try not to brake
while you are actually on the ice,
and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy
snow, you could be in a serious
situation. You should probably stay
with your vehicle unless you
know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do
to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning
ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to
alert police that you have been
stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a
blanket around you. If you do
not have blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators
from newspapers, burlap
bags, rags, oor mats — anything
you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing
to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep
warm, but be careful.
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{CAUTION
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and
kill you. You cannot see it or
smell it, so you might not know
it is in your vehicle. Clear away
snow from around the base of
your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust
pipe. And check around again
from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on
the side of the vehicle that is
away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you
must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less
fuel for the heat that you get and it
keeps the battery charged. You will
need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with the
headlamps. Let the heater run
for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close
the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. But do it as little as possible.
Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle and do some fairly
vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out on page 8-28.
{CAUTION
If you let your vehicle’s tires
spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an
engine compartment re or
other damage. Spin the wheels
as little as possible and avoid
going above 35 mph (55 km/h)
as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, seeTire
Chains on page 9-62.
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2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left
and right to clear the area around
the front wheels. Turn off any
stability system. SeeElectronic
Stability Program on page 8-16.
Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. By slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will
cause a rocking motion that could
free your vehicle. If that does not get
your vehicle out after a few tries,
it might need to be towed out. If your
vehicle does need to be towed
out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 9-84.
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certication label.{CAUTION
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
If you do, parts on the
vehicle can break, and it can
change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause
you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading
can shorten the life of the
vehicle.
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Tire and Loading Information
Label
A vehicle specic Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle’s center
pillar (B-pillar). With the driver’s
door open, you will nd the
label attached near the door
lock post. The Tire and Loading
Information label shows thenumber of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (B) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows
the tire size of the original
equipment tires (C) and the
recommended cold tire ination
pressures (D). For more
information on tires and ination
seeTires on page 9-39and
Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 9-46.
There is also important loading
information on the Certication
label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle. See “Certication
Label” later in this section.Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1.Locate the statement
“The combined weight
of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg
or XXX lbs” on your vehicle
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting gure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example,
if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will
be ve 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750
(5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
Label Example
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2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, the load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this
reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
SeeTowing a Trailer on
page 9-85for important
information on towing a
trailer, towing safety rules
and trailering tips.
A.Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 1=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
B.Subtract Occupant Weight
150 lbs (68 kg)×2=300 lbs
(136 kg).
C.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight=700 lbs
(317 kg).
A.Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 2=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
B.Subtract Occupant Weight
150 lbs (68 kg)×5=750 lbs
(340 kg).
C.Available Cargo
Weight=250 lbs (113 kg).
Example 1Example 2
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A.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
B.Subtract Occupant
Weight 200 lbs
(91 kg)×5=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
C.Available Cargo
Weight=0 lbs (0 kg).
Refer to the vehicle’s Tire and
Loading Information label for
specic information about
the vehicle’s capacity weightand seating positions. The
combined weight of the driver,
passengers, and cargo
should never exceed the
vehicle’s capacity weight.
Certication Label
A vehicle specic Certication
label, is attached to the driver
side center pillar. The label tells
you the gross weight capacity
of the vehicle, called the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The GVWR includesthe weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for the
vehicle, or the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for either the
front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load,
you should spread it out. See
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit” earlier in this section.
{CAUTION
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
If you do, parts on the vehicle
can break, and it can change
the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to
lose control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten
the life of the vehicle.Example 3
Label Example
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If you put things inside the
vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything
else — they will go as fast as the
vehicle goes. If you have to
stop or turn quickly, or if there is
a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION
Things you put inside the
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the trunk of
your vehicle. In a trunk,
put them as far forward as
you can. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured
child restraint in the
vehicle.
When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure it
whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded
down unless you need to.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is
an important part of the proper
maintenance of your vehicle.
To help keep the engine clean
and maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend the
use of gasoline advertised as
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
The 8th digit of the Vehicle
Identication Number (VIN) shows
the code letter or number that
identies your vehicle’s engine.
The VIN is at the top left of
the instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identification Number (VIN) on
page 10-1.
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