PONTIAC G8 2009 Owners Manual

Wait at least 15 seconds between
each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briey but then stops again,
repeat the procedure. This clears
the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice:The engine is designed
to work with the electronics
in the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer/retailer. If you do not, the
engine might not perform
properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater, if
available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below 0°F (−18°C)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting your
vehicle. An internal thermostat in the
plug-end of the cord will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above 0°F (−18°C).
To Use The Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
The electrical cord is located on
the driver side of the engine
compartment, behind the
air cleaner for V8 models.
The electrical cord is located
on the passenger side of
the engine compartment, behind
the engine compartment fuse
block for V6 models.3. Plug it into a normal, grounded
110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be
sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep
it away from moving engine
parts. If you do not it could be
damaged.
Driving and Operating 8-5

The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer/retailer
in the area where you will be
parking the vehicle for the best
advice on this.
Automatic Transmission
Operation
The shift lever is located on the
center console between the
front seats.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever. When the
position of the shift lever is changed,a message is shown in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The
selected gear is magnied in the
DIC, and changes according to the
shift lever’s movement. There
are also messages for Sport Shift
Mode, Normal Shift Mode and Driver
Shift Control.
P (Park):This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position
to use when the engine is started
because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
{CAUTION
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have
to. If you have left the engine
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into
Park (Automatic Transmission) on
page 8-12. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 9-89.
Make sure the shift lever is fully
in P (Park) before starting the
engine. The vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock
control system. Fully apply the brake
pedal rst and then press the shift
lever button before shifting from
P (Park) when the ignition key is in
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY.
If you cannot shift out of P (Park),
8-6 Driving and Operating

ease pressure on the shift lever and
push the shift lever all the way
into P (Park) while maintaining brake
application. Then press the shift
lever button and move the shift lever
into another gear. SeeShifting
Out of Park on page 8-13.
Notice:Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse)
only after the vehicle is stopped.
R (Reverse):Use this gear to
back up.
At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse)
can also be used to rock the vehicle
back and forth to get out of snow, ice,
or sand without damaging the
transmission. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 8-29for additional information.N (Neutral):In this position, the
engine does not connect with
the wheels. To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
{CAUTION
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
rmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into
a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure
the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.D (Drive):This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If more power is needed
for passing, and the vehicle is:
Going less than 35 mph
(55 km/h), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or
more, push the accelerator all the
way down.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding, see Skidding under
Loss of Control on page 8-23
Notice:Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one place
on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Driving and Operating 8-7

Sport Shift Mode
The automatic transmission has a
Sport Shift Mode. When you
are in the Sport Shift Mode the
vehicle will still shift automatically.
The transmission may remain
in a gear longer than it would in the
normal driving mode based on
braking, throttle input, and vehicle
lateral acceleration. To use this
feature, move the shift lever
over from D (Drive) to the right
quadrant. The Sport Shift message
in the DIC displays. If the shift
lever is not moved forward or
rearward, the vehicle remains in
sport mode.Performance Mode Lift Foot Mode
Within Sport Shift Mode there is a
further performance feature called
Performance Mode Lift Foot (PMLF)
Mode. The feature is activated
automatically when sports oriented
driving is detected, based on
cornering and on/off throttle
application. PMLF allows the
transmission to hold the current gear
instead of upshifting when the
throttle is lifted.
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice:If you drive your vehicle
at high RPMs without upshifting
while using Active Select Mode,
you could damage the vehicle.
Always upshift when necessary
while using Active Select Mode.The automatic transmission has a
DSC mode that allows gear changes
similar to a manual transmission.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever over from
D (Drive) to the right quadrant.
The Sport Shift message in
the DIC displays.
2. To enter the DSC mode, press
the shift lever forward to upshift
or rearward to downshift.
The Active Select On message
in the DIC will come on.
The DIC will indicate the requested
gear range when moving the
shift lever forward or rearward.
8-8 Driving and Operating

While using the DSC mode, the
vehicle has rmer shifting and
increased performance. This can be
used for sport driving or when
climbing or descending hills, to stay
in gear longer, or to down shift
for more power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow the
driver to shift into gears appropriate
for the vehicle speed and engine
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). The
transmission will not automatically
shift to the next lower gear if the
engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any
reason, the currently selected gear
will ash multiple times, indicating
that the transmission has not
shifted gears.While in the DSC mode, the
transmission automatically
downshifts when the vehicle comes
to a stop.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
1st, 2nd or 3rd gear starts can
be selected from a standing start.
This is useful for gentle acceleration
on slippery surfaces.
To return to Normal Shift mode,
slide the shift lever over from
the right quadrant to the left into
D (Drive). A Normal Shift message
will be displayed in the DIC.
Normal Shift Mode is recommended
for normal or freeway driving, as
it provides optimum fuel economy.Powertrain Braking
For vehicles with a 6 speed
automatic transmission, there is
an additional feature known as
Powertrain Braking. When driving
on steep descents where frequent
braking is required, the vehicle
will automatically downshift to
provide engine braking assistance.
This feature also reduces brake
temperatures and wear.
Downshifting will only occur when
the driver’s foot is applied to
the brake. Active Select Mode can
be switched on to override the
feature and gain complete control of
shifts if desired.
Driving and Operating 8-9

Manual Transmission
Operation
This is the shift pattern for the
six-speed manual transmission.Here is how to operate the
transmission:
1 (First):Press the clutch pedal
and shift into 1 (First). Then slowly
let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into 1 (First) when
you are going less than 40 mph
(64 km/h). If you come to a complete
stop and it is hard to shift into
1 (First), put the shift lever in Neutral
and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then shift
into 1 (First).
2 (Second):Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth) and
6 (Sixth):Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth) and 6 (Sixth) the
same way you do for 2 (Second).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake
pedal. Just before the vehicle stops,
press the clutch pedal and the
brake pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral:Use this position when you
start or idle the engine. The shift
lever is in Neutral when it is centered
in the shift pattern, not in any gear.
R (Reverse):To back up, press
down the clutch pedal and shift into
R (Reverse). Apply pressure to
get the lever past 5 (Fifth) and
6 (Sixth) into R (Reverse). Let up on
the clutch pedal slowly while
pressing the accelerator pedal.
8-10 Driving and Operating

One to Four Shift Light
When this light comes on, you can
only shift from 1 (First) to 4 (Fourth)
instead of 1 (First) to 2 (Second).
The light will be displayed on theinstrument panel cluster and a
message will be displayed in
the Driver Information Center.
You must complete the shift into
4 (Fourth) to turn off this feature.
This helps you get the best possible
fuel economy.
After shifting to 4 (Fourth), you may
downshift to a lower gear if you
prefer.
Notice:Forcing the shift lever
into any gear except FOURTH (4)
when the 1 TO 4 SHIFT light
comes on may damage the
transmission. Shift only from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) when the
light comes on.
This light will come on when:
The engine coolant temperature
is higher than 169°F (76°C),
you are going 15 to 19 mph
(24 to 31 km/h) and
you are 21 percent throttle
or less.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, pull up on
the parking brake handle. If the
ignition is in the ON/RUN position,
the brake system warning light
will come on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 4-15. Instrument Panel
Cluster
Driver Information
Center
Driving and Operating 8-11

To release the parking brake:
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Pull the parking brake handle up
until you can press the release
button.
3. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake handle all the
way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature wear
or damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Driving with the park brake applied
will cause a warning chime to
sound and the Park Brake message
to appear in the DIC. The message
will remain on until:
the park brake is released
the vehicle comes to a stop.
If you are towing a trailer and you
are parking on a hill, seeTowing a
Trailer on page 9-89.
Shifting Into Park
(Automatic
Transmission)
{CAUTION
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 9-89.Use this procedure to shift into
P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down and
set the parking brake.
SeeParking Brake on page 8-11
for more information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)
by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing the
lever all the way toward the front
of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to
LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with
you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
8-12 Driving and Operating

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it
could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured.
Do not leave the vehicle with the
engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is rmly set before you leave it.
After you have moved the shift lever
into P (Park), hold the brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from P (Park) without
rst pushing the button.If you can, it means that the
shift lever was not fully locked
into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and
you do not shift the automatic
transmission into P (Park) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too
much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may nd it
difficult to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park). This is called torque lock.
To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave
the driver seat. To nd out how, see
“Shifting Into Park” previously in the
section.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle
push yours a little uphill to takesome of the pressure from the
parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out
of P (Park).Shifting Out of Park
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever
button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and
press the shift lever button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), seeShift Lock
Manual Release on page 9-88.
Driving and Operating 8-13

Parking the Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, before you get out of
the vehicle, move the shift lever into
R (Reverse), and rmly apply the
parking brake. Once the shift lever
has been placed into R (Reverse)
with the clutch pedal pressed in,
turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF,
remove the key and release the
clutch.
If you are parking on a hill, or if the
vehicle is pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 9-89.
Parking Over Things
That Burn
{CAUTION
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the vehicle
and ignite. Do not park over
papers, leaves, dry grass, or other
things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION
Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airow or tail pipes).
The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
(Continued)
8-14 Driving and Operating