light PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2007 User Guide

Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems
in your vehicle. A damaged restraint
system may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in serious injury
or even death in a crash. To help make
sure your restraint systems are working
properly after a crash, have them inspected
and any necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.
If you have had a crash, do you need new belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be
necessary. But if the belts were stretched, as they
would be if worn during a more severe crash,
then you need new parts.If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have
safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced. New
parts and repairs may be necessary even if the belt
was not being used at the time of the collision.
If an airbag inates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part on the airbag system
earlier in this section.
If the frontal airbags inate, you will also need
to replace the driver’s and passenger’s safety belt
retractor assembly. Be sure to do so. Then the
new retractor assembly will be there to help protect
you in a collision.
After a crash you may need to replace the driver
and front passenger’s safety belt retractor
assemblies, even if the frontal airbags have not
deployed. The driver and front passenger’s safety
belt retractor assemblies contain the safety belt
pretensioners. Have your safety belt pretensioners
checked if your vehicle has been in a collision,
or if your airbag readiness light stays on after
you start your vehicle or while you are driving.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 131.
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Remote Trunk Release
To open the trunk from inside the vehicle, press
the remote trunk release button located in the
glovebox.
The remote trunk release will only work when
either the ignition is off or in ACC, the parking
brake is engaged, or the vehicle speed is less than
2 mph (3 km/h).
Emergency Trunk Release Handle
Notice:Do not use the emergency trunk
release handle as a tie-down or anchor point
when securing items in the trunk as it
could damage the handle. The emergency
trunk release handle is only intended to aid a
person trapped in a latched trunk, enabling
them to open the trunk from the inside.
There is a glow-in-the-dark emergency trunk
release handle located inside the trunk on
the driver’s side. This handle will glow following
exposure to light. If someone is locked in the trunk,
they can pull the release handle and push the
trunk lid open from the inside to open the trunk.
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Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some
cities. Although your vehicle has a number of
theft-deterrent features, we know that nothing we
put on it can make it impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle may have a content theft-deterrent
alarm system.
The security light,
located on the
instrument panel cluster,
will turn on to indicate
that arming has
been initiated.
Once the system is armed, the security light will
ash once every three seconds.
If the security light is ashing twice per second,
this means that a door is open.
Arming the System
While the ignition is off, press the remote keyless
entry transmitter lock button, to arm the system.
The system will arm after either of these
things occur:
Thirty seconds after all the doors are closed.
Sixty seconds with any door open.
If you press the lock button on the transmitter a
second time while all the doors are closed,
the system will arm immediately. The system arms
in 60 seconds if a door is open, or after the
open door is closed.
If you do not want to arm the system, lock the car
with the manual door lock knobs.
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Disarming the System
You can disarm the system by doing any one of
the following:
Press the unlock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
Turn the ignition on.
If the system is armed and the trunk is opened
using the trunk release button on the transmitter,
the system will temporarily disarm itself and re-arm
when the trunk has been closed. This allows you to
exit the vehicle, lock the doors using the transmitter,
or open the trunk using the transmitter without
having to disarm and re-arm the system.
Once the system is disarmed, the security light will
stop ashing.
How the System Alarm is Activated
If the system is armed, it can be activated by:
Opening the driver’s door or trunk. This causes
a ten second pre-alarm chirping noise followed
by the horn sounding and lights ashing for
30 seconds.
Opening a passenger’s door. This immediately
causes a full alarm of the horn sounding and
lights ashing for 30 seconds.
After the 30 second alarm ends, the system will
re-arm itself.
How to Turn Off the System Alarm
To turn off the system alarm, do one of the
following:
Press the lock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter. The system will then
re-arm itself.
Press the unlock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter. This will also disarm the
system.
Insert the key in the ignition and turn it on.
This will also disarm the system.
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When the PASS-Key®III+ system senses that
someone is using the wrong key, it prevents
the vehicle from starting. Anyone using a
trial-and-error method to start the vehicle will be
discouraged because of the high number of
electrical key codes.
When trying to start the vehicle if the engine does
not start and the security light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on, the key may have a
damaged transponder. Turn the ignition off and
try again.
If the engine still does not start, and the key
appears to be not damaged, try another ignition
key. At this time, you may also want to check the
fuse, seeFuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 326. If the engine still does not start with the
other key, your vehicle needs service. If your
vehicle does start, the rst key may be faulty. See
your dealer who can service the PASS-Key
®III+
to have a new key made. In an emergency,
contact Roadside Assistance. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 368.It may be possible for the PASS-Key
®III+ decoder
to “learn” the transponder value of a new or
replacement key. Up to 10 keys may be
programmed for the vehicle. The following
procedure is for programming additional keys only.
If your vehicle was rst sold in Canada, or if all
the currently programmed keys are lost or do not
operate, you must see your dealer or a locksmith
who can service PASS-Key
®III+ to have keys
made and programmed to the system.
See your dealer or a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key
®III+ to get a new key blank that is cut
exactly as the ignition key that operates the
system.
To program the new key do the following:
1. Verify that the new key has a
1stamped on it.
2. Insert the already programmed key in the
ignition and start the engine. If the engine
will not start, see your dealer for service.
3. After the engine has started, turn the key to
LOCK, and remove the key.
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4. Insert the key to be programmed and turn it to
the RUN position within ve seconds of the
original key being turned to the LOCK position.
5. The security light will turn off once the key has
been programmed.
6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 if additional keys
are to be programmed.
If you are ever driving and the security light comes
on and stays on, you may be able to restart
your engine if you turn it off. Your PASS-Key
®III+
system, however, is not working properly and
must be serviced by your dealer. Your vehicle is
not protected by the PASS-Key
®III+ system at
this time.
If you lose or damage your PASS-Key
®III+ key,
see your dealer or a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key
®III+ to have a new key made.
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines
for the rst 500 miles (805 km):
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow.
Do not exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
Do not make full-throttle starts; also refrain
from using the full throttle while driving.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
If these break-in procedures are not followed,
the vehicle’s engine, axle, or other parts
could be damaged.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your 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.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
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R(RUN):This is the position the switch returns to
after you start your engine and release the
switch. The switch stays in RUN when the engine
is running. But even when the ignition is not
running, you can use RUN to operate your
electrical accessories and to display some warning
and indicator lights.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ACC or RUN position with the engine
off. You may not be able to start your vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
/(START):This position starts the engine.
When the engine starts, release the key.
The ignition switch will return to RUN for
normal driving.
A warning tone will sound if you open the driver’s
door while in LOCK or ACC, when the key has
not been removed from the ignition.
Key In the Ignition
Never leave your vehicle with the keys inside, as it
is an easy target for joy riders or thieves. If you
leave the key in the ignition and park your vehicle,
a chime will sound when you open the driver’s
door. Always remember to remove the key
from the ignition and take it with you. This will lock
the ignition and transmission. Also, always
remember to lock the doors.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ignition while your vehicle is parked.
You may not be able to start your vehicle after it
has been parked for an extended period of time.
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DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
It provides better fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
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.
The transmission will shift down to a lower gear
and have more power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 208.
Notice:If your vehicle seems to start up
rather slowly or not shift gears when you go
faster, and you continue to drive your vehicle
that way, you could damage the transmission.
Have your vehicle serviced right away. You
can drive in LOW (L) when you are driving less
than 35 mph (55 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds until then.
FOURTH (4):This position is also used for
normal driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You might choose FOURTH (4) instead of
DRIVE (D) when driving on hilly, winding roads
and when going down a steep hill.INTERMEDIATE (I):This position is also used for
normal driving. However, it reduces the vehicle’s
speed without using your brakes, for slight
downgrades where the vehicle would otherwise
accelerate due to steepness of grade. If constant
upshifting or downshifting occurs while driving
on steep hills, this position can be used to prevent
repetitive types of shifts. You might choose
INTERMEDIATE (I) instead of DRIVE (D) when
driving on hilly and winding roads.
LOW (L):This position reduces vehicle speed
more than INTERMEDIATE (I) without using your
brakes. You can use it on very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
LOW (L), the transmission will not shift into
low gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
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.
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REVERSE (R):To back up, press the clutch
pedal. After the vehicle stops, shift into
REVERSE (R). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal. If it is hard
to shift, let the shift lever return to NEUTRAL and
release the clutch pedal. Then press the clutch
pedal again and shift into REVERSE (R). Do
not attempt to shift into the fth gear position prior
to shifting into REVERSE (R). Your transmission
has a lock out feature which prevents a fth
gear to reverse gear shift.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
Also, use FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R), along with
the parking brake, for parking your vehicle.Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located between the
front seats.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the
ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 134.
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To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the release button in
as you move the brake lever all the way down.
If you forget to release your parking brake, a chime
will sound and a warning message will be
displayed in the Driver Information Center (DIC)
when the vehicle is moving faster than 5 mph
(8 kph). SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 148.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding
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.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
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