instrument panel PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2008 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-6
Child Restraints
.......................................1-22
Airbag System
.........................................1-36
Restraint System Check
............................1-50
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-10
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
®System
......................................2-32
Storage Areas
.........................................2-35
Convertible Top
.......................................2-36
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-17
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-20
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-37
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-49Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-29
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Rear Axle
...............................................5-45
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-46
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-50
Tires
......................................................5-51
Appearance Care
.....................................5-85
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-94
Electrical System
......................................5-95
Capacities and Specications
...................5-101
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-17
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Pontiac Solstice Owner ManualM

or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more
distance, and your strongest bones take the forces.
That is why safety belts make such good sense.
1-9

Airbag System
Your vehicle has the following airbags:
A frontal airbag for the driver.
A frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the
middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and
on the instrument panel for the right front passenger.
Airbags are designed to supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Even though today’s airbags
are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury
from the force of an inating bag, all airbags must
inate very quickly to do their job.Here are the most important things to know about
the airbag system:{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash
if you are not wearing your safety belt — even
if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt
during a crash helps reduce your chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or being ejected
from it. Airbags are “supplemental restraints”
to the safety belts. All airbags are designed to
work with safety belts, but do not replace them.
1-36

{CAUTION:
Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer the
best protection for adults, but not for young
children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s
safety belt system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young children and infants
need the protection that a child restraint
system can provide. Always secure children
properly in your vehicle. To read how, see
Older Children on page 1-22orInfants and
Young Children on page 1-25.
There is an airbag
readiness light on
the instrument panel
cluster, which shows
the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-24
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-38

The right front passenger’s airbag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the bag might not inate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
1-39

Frontal airbags are not intended to inate during vehicle
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair
costs were. For frontal airbags, ination is determined
by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact,
and how quickly the vehicle slows down.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends
an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inator. Gas from the inator lls the airbag causing
the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The
inator, the airbag, and related hardware are all part
of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 1-40for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
1-41

In many crashes severe enough to inate the airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from
the right front passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for the
airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include airbag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to
replace other parts.
Your vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic
module which records information after a crash.
SeeVehicle Data Recording and Privacy on
page 7-17andEvent Data Recorders on page 7-18.
Let only qualied technicians work on the airbag
system. Improper service can mean that the
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger’s position. The passenger airbag
status indicator will be visible on the instrument panel
when you start your vehicle.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
will be visible during the system check. If you are
using remote start to start your vehicle from a distance,
if equipped, you may not see the system check.
When the system check is complete, either the word
ON or the word OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbol
for off, will be visible. SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 3-25. United States
Canada
1-43

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on,
it means that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. If this ever happens, have
the vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 3-24for more on this, including
important safety information.A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket
or cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect
how well the passenger sensing system operates.
We recommend that you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment other than any that GM has
approved for your specic vehicle. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-48for more information about modications
that can affect how the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat cushion
and seatback may interfere with the proper
operation of the passenger sensing system.
1-47

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer/retailer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle and
the airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7-16.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition is turned
off and the battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an airbag when
it inates. Avoid yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the airbag system. Be sure to
follow proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for you is
qualied to do so.
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about the vehicle that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system
from working properly. Changing or moving
any parts of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag
sensing and diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, front sensors, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger’s position,
which includes sensors that are part of the
passenger’s seat. The passenger sensing
system may not operate properly if the original
seat trim is replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery or trim, or with GM covers, upholstery
or trim designed for a different vehicle.
1-48

Trunk
To release the trunk lid use either the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter, or see “Remote
Trunk Release” following.
To close the trunk, push down rmly from the rear
center of the trunk lid.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk lid
open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You cannot see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even
death. If you must drive with the trunk lid open
or if electrical wiring or other cable connections
must pass through the seal between the body
and the trunk lid:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select the
control setting that will force outside air
into your vehicle. See Climate Control
System.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 2-29.
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/ACCESSORY, the parking
brake is engaged, or the vehicle speed is less than
2 mph (3 km/h).
2-9