steering PONTIAC VIBE 2005 User Guide

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
While sitting in a comfortable driving position, adjust the
mirror so you can see clearly behind your vehicle. Grip the
mirror in the center to move it up or down and side to side.
The control at the bottom of the mirror is the day/night
feature that allows adjustment to the mirror so that the
glare of headlamps from behind is reduced. Pull the
control for night driving to reduce glare; push it to return
to the day position.
The mirror may have map lights beneath the mirror.
Push the lens to turn each light on or off.
Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStar®
The vehicle may have an inside rearview mirror with
OnStar®. See your GM dealer for more information
on the system and how to subscribe to OnStar®.
SeeOnStar®System on page 2-35for information
on the services OnStar®provides.
While sitting in a comfortable position, adjust the
mirror so you can see clearly behind your vehicle.
Grip the mirror in the center to move it up or down and
side to side. The control at the bottom of the mirror
is the day/night feature that allows adjustment to
the mirror so that the glare of headlamps from behind is
reduced. Move the control from left to right for day or
night conditions.
Outside Remote Control Mirrors
The vehicle has outside power adjustable mirrors.
The controls are located
to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
To adjust either mirror, push the button labeled L (left)
or R (right). Use the arrows on the control pad to adjust
the direction of the mirror.
Once both mirrors have been adjusted, move the
selector switch back to the center. This prevents the
mirrors from being moved once they have been adjusted.
2-34

Storage Areas
Glove Box
Open the glove box by pulling the bottom of the handle
upward. Close the glove box with a rm push.
Cupholder(s)
There are two xed cupholders located in the console
area between the two front seats. There are also
two cupholders that fold out of the rear of the console
storage unit.
Coinholder(s)
Your instrument panel has a coinholder located to the
left of the steering wheel and on the center console near
the parking brake.
Instrument Panel Storage Area
There are storage compartments located on the
instrument panel in two places. They are below the
interior/instrument panel brightness dial and below the
shift lever. Pull the top of the door toward you to open it
or for the compartment below the shift lever, push the
button to open it.
Center Console Storage Area
A storage area is located in the console between the
seats. There may also be an accessory power
outlet located in the storage area.
To access the storage area, pull up the lock release
lever while raising the lid.
2-37

Y. Power Outlet. SeePower Outlet 115 Volt Alternating
Current on page 3-18.
Z. Parking Brake. SeeParking Brake on page 2-28.
AA. Center Console Storage Area. SeeCenter Console
Storage Area on page 2-37.
AB. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-37.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning ashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal lamps will ash on and off.
The hazard warning
asher button is located
near the center of the
instrument panel.
Your hazard warning ashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key is not in.Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps ash on and off. Press the button again to
turn the ashers off.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, your turn
signals will not work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reective triangles, you can set them up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Horn
Press near or on the horn symbols on your steering
wheel pad to sound the horn.
3-6

Tilt Wheel
A tilt steering column allows you to adjust the steering
column before you drive. You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
The tilt lever is located
underneath, on the left
side of the steering
wheel column.
To tilt the column, move the lever downward. Adjust the
steering wheel to a comfortable position, then move
the lever upward to lock the column in place.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The turn signal/multifunction lever is located on the left
side of the steering column.
This lever operates the following:
Exterior Lamps. SeeExterior Lamps on page 3-13.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals. SeeTurn and
Lane-Change Signals on page 3-8.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer. SeeHeadlamp
High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
Flash-to-Pass. SeeFlash-to-Pass on page 3-8.
Fog Lamps. SeeFog Lamps on page 3-15.
3-7

Windshield Wipers
The lever on the right side of the steering column
controls the windshield wipers and washer.
The available positions are the following:
MIST:For a single wiping cycle, move the lever to
MIST. Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go.
The wipers will stop after one wipe.
OFF:The wipers are off.INT (Intermittent):Move the lever to INT to choose a
delayed wiping cycle. In light rain or snow, you might
want to use this position rather than continuous wiping.
You can change the time between wipes by turning
the INT TIME band. Turn the band forward or rearward
for longer or shorter delay interval.
LO (Low):Move the lever to LO for steady wiping at
low speed.
HI (High):Move the lever to HI for steady wiping at
high speed.
REAR:To turn on the rear window wiper, twist the end
of the lever upward to ON. For intermittent wiping,
twist the end of the lever to INT. The wiper does not
work with the rear liftglass open.
Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before using them. If they’re frozen to the windshield,
carefully loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
3-9

Windshield Washer
Pull the lever toward you to spray washer uid on the
windshield. The spray will continue until you release the
lever. The wipers will run a few times. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-38.
To squirt washer uid on the rear window, twist the knob
upward and downward as far as it will go. The knob
automatically returns from these positions after you
release it. You can twist the lever downward to create a
large ow of water on the rear window, then twist the
lever back up to wipe the window. This feature is helpful
to quickly clear the rear liftglass when very dirty.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
Cruise Control
If your vehicle has cruise control, the lever is located on
the right side of the steering wheel.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of 25 mph
(40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on the
accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise
control does not work at speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
3-10

Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased. The set
speed memory is also erased when the vehicle speed
drops below 25 mph (40 km/h).
Exterior Lamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
O(Exterior Lamps):Turn the outside part of the lever
with the symbol on it, to operate the lamps. For vehicles
sold in the U. S., this symbol will appear on the
instrument panel cluster when your exterior lamps are on.The exterior lamp switch has three positions:
OFF:Turning the switch to this position turns off all
lamps, except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
O(Parking Lamps):Turning the switch to this position
turns on the parking lamps together with the following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamp
Instrument Panel Lights
A symbol will appear on the instrument panel cluster
when your parking lamps are on. SeeLights On
Reminder on page 3-39andTaillamp Indicator Light
on page 3-39for additional information.
3(Headlamps):Turning the switch to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
Headlamps on Reminder
If you turn the ignition to LOCK or ACC and leave
the lamps on, you’ll hear a tone when you open the
driver’s door.
3-13

Automatic Headlamp System
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic light sensor
on the top left corner of the instrument panel, so be sure it
is not covered or the headlamps will be on continuously.
When it is dark enough outside, your automatic
headlamp system will turn on your low-beam headlamps
at the normal brightness along with other lamps such
as the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps and
instrument panel lights. This is indicated by the
headlamp symbol on your instrument panel cluster.
SeeInstrument Panel Cluster on page 3-26.
If you are driving through a parking garage, overcast
weather, or a tunnel, the automatic headlamp system
may turn on your low-beam headlamps at a normal
brightness along with the taillamps, sidemarker, parking
lamps and the instrument panel lights. The radio
lights will be dimmer, and the instrument panel cluster
lights may dim. There will be a delay before the
lights will turn on when starting the car at night.
Fog Lamps
-(Fog Lamps):Turn the band on the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the fog lamp symbol to turn
the fog lamps on. They will come on only when the
headlamps are on low beam.
Instrument Panel Brightness
The instrument panel
brightness control is
located to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
Turn the wheel on the
left of the control up
or down to increase or
decrease brightness.
The brightness of the instrument panel lights will
decrease when the headlamps are on.
6(Maximum Setting):It is recommended that the
brightness level be kept at the maximum setting for
all daytime driving to ensure proper visibility.
3-15

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-9
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Stabilitrak
®System.......................................4-10
Panic Brake Assist........................................4-11
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.......................4-11
Steering......................................................4-11
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-14
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-16
Driving at Night............................................4-17Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-18
City Driving..................................................4-21
Freeway Driving...........................................4-22
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-23
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-24
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-24
Winter Driving..............................................4-26
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-30
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-30
Recovery Hook.............................................4-31
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-32
Towing..........................................................4-37
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-37
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-37
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-40
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice,
it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
4-6