fuel PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2007 Owners Manual

Service and Appearance Care
.................. 233
Service
................................................. 235
Fuel
...................................................... 237
Checking Things Under the Hood
......... 242
Rear Axle
............................................. 279
Bulb Replacement
................................ 280
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
..................................... 283
Tires
..................................................... 284
Appearance Care
.................................. 314
Vehicle Identication
............................. 325Electrical System
.................................. 326
Capacities and Specications
................ 332
Maintenance Schedule
.............................. 333
Maintenance Schedule
.......................... 334
Customer Assistance Information
............. 361
Customer Assistance and
Information
........................................ 362
Reporting Safety Defects
...................... 379
Index
.......................................................... 383
2

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.
84

Oil Pressure Light..................................... 142
Security Light............................................ 143
Reduced Engine Power Light
(2.4L Engine Only)................................. 143
Highbeam On Light................................... 143
Trunk Ajar Light........................................ 144
Service Vehicle Soon Light
(2.4L Engine Only)................................. 144
Fuel Gage................................................. 144
Low Fuel Warning Light............................ 145
Driver Information Center (DIC).................. 145
DIC Operation and Displays...................... 146
DIC Warnings and Messages.................... 148
DIC Vehicle Personalization....................... 152Audio System(s)......................................... 157
Setting the Time (Without Date Display).... 158
Setting the Time (With Date Display)......... 159
Radio with CD (Base)............................... 161
Radio with CD (MP3)................................ 166
Using an MP3........................................... 176
XM Radio Messages................................. 183
Theft-Deterrent Feature............................. 185
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.................. 185
Radio Reception........................................ 186
Care of Your CDs..................................... 187
Care of the CD Player.............................. 187
Fixed Mast Antenna.................................. 187
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System....... 187
Section 3 Instrument Panel
106

Temperature:Turn the left knob on the control
panel to adjust the temperature of the air in
the vehicle. Turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease
the temperature.
#(Air Conditioning):If your vehicle has air
conditioning press the left knob on the control
panel to turn the air conditioning system on or off.
An indicator light on the button will come on to
let you know the air conditioning is activated.
When the system is on, this setting cools
and dehumidies the air entering your vehicle.
The air conditioning will not function if the fan is
turned off. If air conditioning is selected with
fan off, the LED light will ash three times and
then turn off.
You may notice a slight change in engine
performance when the air conditioning compressor
turns off and turns on again. This is normal. The
system is designed to make adjustments to
help with fuel economy while still maintaining the
selected temperature.Air conditioning does not operate at temperature
below 40°F (4°C). In temperatures above 40°F
(4°C), the air conditioning cannot be turned off in
defrost, oor/defog, and recirculation modes
because it helps to remove moisture from the
vehicle. It also helps to keep the windows clear.
On hot days, open the windows to let the hot
inside air escape; then close them. This helps
reduce the time it takes for your vehicle to
cool down. It also helps the system to operate
more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the vent mode.
2. Select recirculation mode.
3. Select the air conditioning to on.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed.
Using these settings together for long periods of
time may cause the air inside of your vehicle
to become too dry. To prevent this from
happening, after the air in your vehicle has cooled,
turn the recirculation mode off.
123

Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You
will know how fast you are going, about how much fuel is left in the tank, and many other things you will
need to drive safely and economically.
United States Cluster shown, Canada and Turbo model similar
128

Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briey when you turn
your ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on, the coolant
level in your vehicle is low. If the light is on along
with an overheat warning, you may have a
serious overheating problem.
Notice:Driving with the low coolant warning
light on could cause your vehicle to overheat.
See “Engine Overheating” underEngine
Coolant on page 257. Your vehicle could be
damaged and the damages might not be
covered by your warranty.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 257for information
on what to do. Your vehicle should be serviced as
soon as possible.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle has a
computer which
monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition,
and emission control
systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable
levels for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce
a cleaner environment. The check engine light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be
indicated by the system before any problem is
apparent. This may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle. This system is also designed to
assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
138

Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with
this light on, after awhile, your emission
controls may not work as well, your fuel
economy may not be as good, and your engine
may not run as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that may not be covered by your
warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of your vehicle or the replacement of the
original tires with other than those of the same
Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect
your vehicle’s emission controls and may
cause this light to come on. Modications to
these systems could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty. This may also
result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 235.This light should come on, as a check to show
you it is working, when the ignition is on and the
engine is not running. If the light does not
come on, have it repaired. This light will also
come on during a malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has
been detected. A misre increases vehicle
emissions and may damage the emission
control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis and
service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
139

If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do
so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park
your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light
remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady”
following. If the light is still ashing, follow the
previous steps, and see your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 240.
The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving trips
with the cap properly installed should turn the
light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The
condition will usually be corrected when the
electrical system dries out. A few driving trips
should turn the light off.
140

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 237. Poor fuel
quality will cause your engine not to run as
efficiently as designed. You may notice this as
stalling after start-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is
warmed up.) This will be detected by the system
and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the
light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light
turn off, your dealer can check the vehicle.
Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
check engine light is on or not working properly.
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 dealer
can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
141

Trunk Ajar Light
This light will come on
and a chime will sound
if the trunk is ajar.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
(2.4L Engine Only)
This light will come on
briey when the ignition
is turned on.
This light will come on if you have problems that
may require the vehicle to be taken in for service.
If the light comes on, take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer for service as soon as possible.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel
you have left.
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the service station, the gas pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than
the gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated the tank was half full, but it
actually took a little more or less than half the
tank’s capacity to ll the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner
or speed up.
The gage doesn’t go back to empty when you
turn off the ignition.
For your fuel tank capacity, seeCapacities and
Specications on page 332.
144