manual transmission PONTIAC GTO 2004 Owners Manual

Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-4
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-5
Doors and Locks.............................................2-6
Door Locks....................................................2-6
Leaving Your Vehicle......................................2-7
Trunk............................................................2-8
Windows........................................................2-10
Power Windows............................................2-11
Sun Visors...................................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent System..................................2-12
Immobilizer..................................................2-12
Immobilizer Operation....................................2-13
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-14
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-15
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-15
Ignition Positions..........................................2-16
Starting Your Engine.....................................2-17Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-18
Manual Transmission Operation......................2-21
Parking Brake..............................................2-23
Shifting Into Park (P).....................................2-24
Shifting Out of Park (P).................................2-26
Parking Your Vehicle/Key Removal..................2-26
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-27
Engine Exhaust............................................2-27
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked. . . .2-28
Mirrors...........................................................2-29
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-29
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-29
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-30
Storage Areas................................................2-30
Glove Box...................................................2-30
Cupholder(s)................................................2-31
Front Storage Area.......................................2-31
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-31
Vehicle Personalization...................................2-32
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle is equipped with a Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) feature which will allow the radio to
continue to work for one hour after the ignition is turned
to OFF. The windows will also be accessible for
15 minutes or until either door is opened.
Starting Your Engine
Automatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position – that’s a
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in neutral and the parking
brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal to the floor and
start the engine. Your vehicle won’t start if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down – that’s a safety feature.
Starting Your Engine
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal and the
parking brake firmly applied, turn your ignition
key to START. When the engine starts, let go of the
key. The idle speed will go down as your engine
gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start, wait about 15 seconds and try
again to start the engine by turning the ignition
key to START. Wait about 15 seconds between
each try.
When your engine has run about 10 seconds to
warm up, your vehicle is ready to be driven. Don’t
run your engine at high speeds when it is cold.
If the weather is below freezing (32°F or 0°C), let
the engine run for a few minutes to warm up.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly.
2-17

Manual Transmission Operation
This is the shift pattern for
the six-speed manual
transmission.
Here is how to operate your transmission:
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re going less
than 40 mph (64 km/h). If you come to a complete stop
and it’s hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift
lever in NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST (1).SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and
SIXTH (6):Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5)
and SIXTH (6) the same way you do for SECOND (2).
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
your engine. Your shift lever is in NEUTRAL when it is
centered in the shift pattern, not in any gear.
REVERSE (R):To back up, press down the clutch
pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Just apply pressure
to get the lever past FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6) into
REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly while
pressing the accelerator pedal.
2-21

Shift Speeds
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Don’t shift down
more than one gear at a time when you
downshift.
This chart shows when to shift to the next gear for the
best fuel economy.
Manual Transmission Recommended
Shift Speeds
1to2 2to3 3to4 4to5 5to6
16 mph
(25 km/h)22 mph
(35 km/h)30 mph
(48 km/h)40 mph
(65 km/h)50 mph
(80 km/h)
If your speed drops below 20 mph (32 km/h), or if the
engine is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear.
One to Four Shift Light
(Manual Transmission)
When this light comes on,
you can only shift from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4)
instead of FIRST (1) to
SECOND (2).
You must complete the shift into FOURTH (4) to turn off
this feature. This helps you get the best possible fuel
economy.
After shifting to FOURTH (4), 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.
2-22

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You must fully apply your regular brakes
before you can press the button on the shift lever to
shift from PARK (P) while the ignition is in ON.
SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation on page 2-18.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever by pushing it all the way into PARK (P)
while keeping the brake pedal down. Release the shift
lever button. Then move the shift lever out of PARK (P),
being sure to press the shift lever button.
Shift Lock Release
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still cannot
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the ignition to OFF and remove the key.
2. Unclip the console cap and remove the screw
slightly to the right of the front center.
3. Remove console cap to expose the yellow
release lever.
4. Push the release lever forward and press the button
on the shift lever to move lever out of park.
5. Replace the console cap.
6. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
Parking Your Vehicle/Key Removal
Before leaving a manual transmission vehicle, fully press
the clutch pedal in, move the shift lever into
REVERSE (R), and firmly apply the parking brake. Once
the shift lever has been placed in REVERSE (R) with
the clutch pedal pressed in, you can turn the ignition key
to LOCK, remove the key, and release the clutch.
2-26

Pausing Cruise Control
To pause cruise control, press the brake pedal on
automatic transmissions or the clutch pedal on
manual transmissions, or press the ON-OFF/CANCEL
switch once.
This deactivates the cruise control but retains the speed
in its memory. The CRUISE ACTIVE message and
cruise control symbol on the display will turn off.
To regain the memory speed momentarily, turn the lever
up to the RES-ACCEL position, provided you are
travelling over 25 mph (40 km/h). Holding the lever in
the RES-ACCEL position for longer than one second
causes the vehicle to accelerate.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load, and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may have to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
drivers find this to be too much trouble and don’t use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
Press the ON-OFF/CANCEL switch twice. The cruise
control symbol and message will turn off.
Pressing the ON-OFF/CANCEL switch once pauses the
cruise control but keeps the system ready and the
speed in memory.
A second press turns the system off completely and
wipes the speed memory clear.
A third press turns the system back on to ready, without
any speed memory.
Turning off the ignition completely turns off cruise
control and wipes the speed memory clear.
Cruise control will be canceled if the Traction Control
System (TCS) becomes active. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-8.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-11

Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear
the anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the
brake pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle has a Traction Control System (TCS) that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system reduces engine power and applies the
brakes, as necessary.
Traction control helps you to keep control of the vehicle
and reminds you to match your speed to the road
conditions. In addition, traction control when activated,
provides feedback to the driver by pulsing the
accelerator pedal.You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal. The TCS is automatically turned on whenever
the ignition is turned from off to on. A Low Traction
message is displayed on the trip computer, indicating
traction control is limiting wheel spin, until the MODE
button on the trip computer is pressed. The message
then goes back to the original trip computer display with
a small low traction symbol on the left. The symbol
will remain as long as the low traction situation exists.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the TCS on.
But you can turn the system off if you prefer.
To turn the system off,
press the T/C button.
On manual transmission
vehicles the button is
located on the driver’s side
of the center console.
On automatic transmission
vehicles the button is
located on the passenger’s
side of the shift lever.
4-8

Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn the system off.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-8. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
For a manual transmission, shift slowly between
either FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R),
allowing the wheels to stop before shifting into
gear. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and
press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels
in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause
a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that does
not get you out after a few tries, you may need to be
towed out. If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-29.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
4-29

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-23
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-24
Engine Coolant.............................................5-25
Engine Overheating.......................................5-28
Cooling System............................................5-31
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-36Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-47
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-47
Headlamps..................................................5-47
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-49
Rear Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-Up Lamps........................................5-49
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-50
Tires..............................................................5-51
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-58
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-64
Buying New Tires.........................................5-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-67
Wheel Replacement......................................5-68
Tire Chains..................................................5-69
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-70
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-71
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-77
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the fluid in your manual transmission
doesn’t require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be difficult, you may choose
to have this done at your dealership service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading.
Notice:Too much or too little uid can damage
your transmission. Too much can mean that some
of the uid could come out and fall on hot engine
part or exhaust system parts, starting a re.
Too little uid could cause the transmission to
overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission uid.Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the transmission
is cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the reverse light switch.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
the switch hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the switch and be
sure it is fully seated. If the fluid level is low, add
more fluid as described in the next steps.
How to Add Fluid
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine what kind of fluid to use. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-13.
1. Remove the reverse light switch.
2. Add fluid at the switch hole. Add only enough
fluid to bring the fluid level up to the bottom of
the switch hole.
3. Install the reverse light switch. Be sure the switch is
fully seated.
5-23