headlamp PONTIAC GTO 2005 User Guide

To prevent the battery from draining, the headlamp and
parking lamps will turn off when the ignition has been
turned off and the driver’s door is opened, because the
vehicle senses that the driver has forgotten to turn
off the lights. The lights stay off until the ignition is again
turned on, or the lights are turned back on manually
by the headlamp switch. The headlamps can be set to
automatically turn off after you have locked the
vehicle and walked away. To set or adjust the time
delay from when the driver’s door is opened to when the
lights automatically turn off, seeVehicle Personalization
on page 2-30. If you wish to have the lights on when
leaving the vehicle, wait until they have been
automatically turned off, then turn the light control first
to off, then to parking lamps or headlamps.
Fog Lamps
The control to the left of the steering wheel on the
instrument panel also controls the fog lamps.
-(Fog Lamp):When using the fog lamps, the
ignition must be on and the parking lamps or the
low-beam headlamps. If the high-beam headlamps are
activated or flashed, the fog lamps will turn off.
Pull the exterior lamp adjuster control out to turn the fog
lamps on, and push the control in to turn the fog
lamps off. The indicator light in the knob will come on
when the fog lamps are working.
Instrument Panel Brightness
Slide the control to
increase or decrease
the instrument
panel brightness.
Courtesy Lamps
When a door is open, the courtesy lamps will
automatically come on.
3-15

Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
Security Light
This light flashes when the
vehicle security system is
activated.
Please seeTheft-Deterrent Systems on page 2-13for
more information.
Fog Lamp Light
This light will come on
when the fog lamps are
in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are turned off.
SeeFog Lamps on page 3-15for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light will come on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
3-31

Here are some tips on night driving.
•Drive defensively.
•Do not drink and drive.
•Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
•Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
•Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
•In remote areas, watch for animals.
•If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But
as we get older these differences increase. A
50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you
are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They
may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare, as from a driver
who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your
eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness — the inability to see in dim
light — and are not even aware of it.
4-15

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{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
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 your 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
your 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.
4-27

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 the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-21
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-29Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-34
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-35
Brakes........................................................5-36
Battery........................................................5-39
Jump Starting...............................................5-40
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-45
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-47
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-47
Headlamps..................................................5-47
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-49
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-50
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-52
Tires..............................................................5-52
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-54
Tire Terminology and Definitions.....................5-56
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-63
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-64
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-66
Wheel Replacement......................................5-66
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Headlamp Aiming
The vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming
system. The aim has been preset at the factory and
should need no further adjustment
However, if the vehicle is damaged in an accident, the
headlamp aim may be affected and adjustment may
be necessary.
If oncoming vehicles flash their high beams at you, this
may also mean the vertical aim needs to be adjusted.
It is recommended that the vehicle is taken to your
dealer for service if the headlamps need to be re-aimed.
It is possible however, to re-aim the headlamps as
described in the following procedure.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
•The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps
are 15 ft. (4.6 m) from a light colored wall or
other flat surface.
•The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other flat surface.
•The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other flat surface.
•The vehicle should not have any snow, ice, or mud
on it.
•The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being
performed.
•The vehicle should be normally loaded with a full
tank of fuel and one person or 160 lbs (75 kg)
sitting on the driver’s seat.
•Tires should be properly inflated.
•The spare tire is in its original location in
the vehicle.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle’s low-beam
headlamps. The high-beam headlamps will be correctly
aimed if the low-beam headlamps are aimed properly.
5-45

To adjust the vertical aim on the headlamps, do the
following:
1. Open the hood. SeeHood Release on page 5-11
for more information.
2. Find the aim dot on the lens of the low-beam
headlamp.
3. Measure the distance from the ground to the aim
dot on the low-beam headlamp. Record the
distance.
4. At the wall or other flat surface, measure from the
ground upward the recorded distance from Step 2
and mark it.
5. Draw or tape a horizontal line the width of the
vehicle at the wall or other flat surface where it
was marked it Step 4.Notice:Do not cover a headlamp to improve beam
cut-off when aiming. Covering a headlamp may
cause excessive heat build-up which may cause
damage to the headlamp.
6. Turn on the low-beam headlamps and place a
piece of cardboard or equivalent in front of the
headlamp not being aimed. This should allow only
the beam of light from the headlamp being
aimed to be seen on the flat surface.
7. Locate the vertical headlamp aiming screws, which
are under the hood near each headlamp assembly.
The adjustment screw can be turned with a
No. 2 Phillips head screwdriver.
5-46

8. Turn the vertical aiming screw (A) until the
headlamp beam is aimed to the horizontal tape line.
If you turn it clockwise, it will raise the beam and
if you turn it counterclockwise, it will lower the beam.
The top edge of the cut-off should be positioned
at the bottom edge of the horizontal tape line.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 for the opposite headlamp.
Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulbs, seeReplacement Bulbs on
page 5-51.
For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this
section, contact your dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
{CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
Driver’s Side
To replace the driver’s side headlamp bulbs, first do the
following:
1. Open the hood. SeeHood Release on page 5-11
for more information. Passenger’s Side Shown
5-47

2. Remove the five screws in the radiator cover.
3. Unclip and remove the radiator cover.
A hole is provided in the air intake duct so that the
bulbs can be accessed for replacement.
After following the procedure to replace the bulbs, clip
the radiator cover to the radiator fan shroud and reinstall
the five screws.
Passenger’s Side
To replace the passenger’s side headlamp bulbs,
first do the following:
1. Open the hood. SeeHood Release on page 5-11
for more information.
2. Disconnect the battery clamp.
3. Remove the battery retaining plate and slide the
battery out of the way toward the rear of the vehicle.
4. Disconnect the battery terminals. If your vehicle is
equipped with a larger battery, it must be completely
removed from the vehicle.
After following the procedure to replace the bulbs,
reinstall and reconnect the battery.
1. Access the bulbs by following the previous
instructions for either the driver’s side or
passenger’s side of the vehicle.
2. Turn the dust caps
counterclockwise and
remove from the rear
of the headlamp
assembly to gain
access to the bulb.
5-48

3. Remove the wiring harness connector by squeezing
the two tabs on the connector and pulling the
connector down.
4. Remove the old bulb
by twisting the bulb
counterclockwise.
5. Install the new bulb without touching it.
6. Reverse the steps to reinstall the headlamp
assembly.Front Turn Signal and
Parking Lamps
To replace a front turn signal or parking lamp bulb,
do the following:
1. Open the hood. SeeHood Release on page 5-11
for more information.
2. Follow the removal procedure for either the driver’s
side or passenger’s side of the vehicle to access
the bulbs. SeeHeadlamps on page 5-47for
more information.
3. Disconnect the wiring harness connector from the
bulb assembly.
4. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise and remove.
5. Lightly press the bulb and twist counterclockwise
out of the socket.
6. Insert the new bulb and install the bulb socket.
The bulb should be colored orange.
7. Reconnect the wiring harness connector.
8. Reinstall the battery or radiator cover. See
Headlamps on page 5-47for more information.
5-49