steering PONTIAC VIBE 2005 Owners Manual

There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, 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 3-29
for more information.Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
If your vehicle has a seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the driver, it is in the side of the driver’s seatback
closest to the door.
If your vehicle has a seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the right front passenger, it is in the side of the
passenger’s seatback closest to the door.If your vehicle has a roof-mounted side impact airbag
for the driver and the person seated directly behind the
driver, it is in the ceiling above the side windows.
If your vehicle has a roof-mounted side impact airbag
for the right front passenger and the person seated
directly behind that passenger, it is in the ceiling above
the side windows.
{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. Do not let seat covers block
the ination path of a side impact airbag.
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{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. And, if your vehicle has side
impact airbags, never secure anything to the
roof of your vehicle by routing the rope or
tiedown through any door or window opening.
If you do, the path of an inating side impact
airbag will be blocked. The path of an inating
airbag must be kept clear.
When Should an Airbag Inate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags
are designed to inate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inate
only if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds take into account
a variety of desired deployment and non-deployment
events and are used to predict how severe a crash
is likely to be in time for the airbags to inate and help
restrain the occupants. Whether your frontal airbags
will or should deploy is not based on how fast your
vehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact and how quickly your
vehicle slows down.
In addition, your vehicle has “dual stage” frontal airbags,
which adjust the restraint according to crash severity.
Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal sensors,
which help the sensing system distinguish between a
moderate frontal impact and a more severe frontal
impact. For moderate frontal impacts, these airbags
inate at a level less than full deployment. For more
severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
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What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash.
For both frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator,
which inates the airbag. The inator, the airbag and
related hardware are all part of the airbag modules.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, the airbag modules
are located in the seatback closest to the driver’s
and/or right front passenger’s door. For vehicles with
roof-mounted side impact airbags, the airbag modules
are located in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the
side windows.
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. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But a
frontal airbag would not help you in many types of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward a frontal airbag. A side impact airbag
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward a side airbag. Airbags should never
be regarded as anything more than a supplement to
safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal collisions for frontal airbags,
and only in moderate to severe side collisions for
side impact airbags.
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What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After the airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the airbag inated.
Some components of the airbag module – the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s airbag, the instrument panel for
the right front passenger’s bag, the side of the seatback
closest to the front doors for the seat-mounted side
impact airbags (if equipped), and the ceiling of your
vehicle near the side windows for the roof-mounted side
impact airbags (if equipped) – will be hot for a short time.
The parts of the bag that come into contact with you may
be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some
smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deated
airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent the driver from
seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can not get out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
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In many crashes severe enough to inate an 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
your 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 is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after
a crash. SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders on page 7-9.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that an
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer for service.Notice:If you damage the covering for the frontal
airbags, the airbag covering on the driver’s and right
front passenger’s seatback or the airbag covering
on the ceiling near the side windows, the airbags
may not work properly. You may have to replace
the airbag module in the steering wheel, both the
airbag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s airbag, or the airbag
modules, the seatback, and the ceiling covering
for the side impact airbags (if equipped). Do not
open or break the airbag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water – such as
water up to the carpeting or higher – or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the airbag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens,
and then you start your vehicle, the damage could make
the frontal and side impact airbags inate and safety
belt pretensioners activate, even if there is no
crash. You would have to replace the airbags, all the
sensors and related parts, parts of the safety belt system
and parts of the driver and right front passenger’s
seatbacks. If your vehicle is ever in a ood, or if it is
exposed to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid
needless repair costs by turning off the vehicle
immediately and disconnecting the battery cables.
Do not let anyone start the vehicle under any
circumstances. See your dealer for service.
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Liftgate/Liftglass Release
To unlock and open the liftgate using the key, insert the
key into the keyhole and turn counterclockwise to the
rst position. Raise the liftgate by hand.
When closing the liftgate, use the handle to pull it down.
To lock the liftgate, turn the key clockwise.To open the liftglass using the key, insert the key into
the keyhole and turn counterclockwise to the second
position. Use the handle in the center of the liftglass to
help in lifting the glass.
Your vehicle may have a
liftglass release button
which is located on
the instrument panel to the
left of the steering
wheel. Press this button to
release the liftglass.
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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
If your vehicle has this feature, the theft-deterrent
system is designed to activate an alarm if any of the
side doors or the liftgate is forcibly unlocked or if
the battery terminal is disconnected and then
reconnected while the system is set.
The alarm will sound the horn intermittently and ash
the headlamps, turn signal lamps and interior lights.
If the driver’s or front passenger’s side doors are
unlocked forcibly, the other side doors and the liftgate
will be locked automatically.
Arming the System
To arm the system, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position and
remove it.
2. Close and lock all doors and liftgate with the key or
remote keyless entry transmitter.
The indicator light located
on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering
wheel will come on when
all doors and liftgate
are closed and locked.
The system will be automatically set after
30 seconds. When the system is set, the indicator
light will start ashing.
3. After the indicator light starts ashing, you may
leave the vehicle.
Do not leave anyone in the vehicle when you set
the system, because unlocking the vehicle from the
inside will activate the system.
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Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition switch, you can turn it to four
different positions.
Notice:If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you
can not turn it, be sure you are using the correct
key; if so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. Turn the key only with your hand. Using a
tool to force it could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none of these works, then your vehicle
needs service.(A) LOCK:This is the only position from which you can
remove the key. This locks your steering wheel,
ignition and automatic transaxle. Push in the ignition
switch as you turn the key toward you.
If you have an automatic transaxle, the ignition switch
cannot be turned to LOCK unless the shift lever is
in PARK (P).
{CAUTION:
On manual transaxle vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK and removing it will lock the steering
column and result in a loss of ability to steer
the vehicle. This could cause a collision. If you
need to turn the engine off while the vehicle is
moving, turn the key only to ACC. Do not push
the key in while the vehicle is moving.
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(B) ACC (ACCESSORY):This position operates some
of your electrical accessories, such as the radio, but
not the ventilation fan. It unlocks the steering wheel and
ignition. To move the key from ACC to LOCK, push in
the key and then turn it to LOCK.
(C) ON:This is the position the switch returns to after
you start your engine and release the switch. The switch
stays in the ON position when the engine is running.
But even when the ignition is not running, you can use
ON to operate your electrical accessories, including
the ventilation fan and 115 volt power outlet, and
to display some warning and indicator lights.
(D) START:This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON for normal driving.
When the engine is not running, ACC and ON allow you
to operate some of your electrical accessories.
A warning tone will sound if you open the driver’s door
when the ignition is still in ACC or LOCK and the
key is in the ignition.Starting Your Engine
Automatic Transaxle
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position — that is
a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Shifting into PARK (P) with the vehicle
moving could damage the transaxle. Shift into
PARK (P) only when your vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transaxle
The shift lever should be in NEUTRAL and the parking
brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal to the oor
and start the engine. Your vehicle will not start if the
clutch pedal is not all the way down — that is a
safety feature.
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