maintenance PONTIAC VIBE 2010 Owners Manual

Keys, Doors and
Windows............................ 1-1
Keys and Locks .............. 1-2
Doors ............................ 1-6
Vehicle Security .............. 1-7
Exterior Mirrors .............1-10
Interior Mirrors ..............1-11
Windows ...................... 1-11
Roof ............................ 1-13
Seats and Restraints......... 2-1
Head Restraints .............. 2-2
Front Seats .................... 2-3
Rear Seats .................... 2-7
Safety Belts ................... 2-8
Airbag System ..............2-23
Child Restraints .............2-37
Storage.............................. 3-1
Storage Compartments .... 3-1
Additional Storage Features ..................... 3-2
Roof Rack System .......... 3-5
Instruments and
Controls............................. 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview .................... 4-2
Controls ......................... 4-4
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ............. 4-8
Vehicle Personalization . . . 4-21
OnStar System .............4-23
Lighting............................. 5-1
Exterior Lighting .............. 5-1
Interior Lighting ............... 5-4
Lighting Features ............ 5-5
Infotainment System......... 6-1
Introduction .................... 6-1
Radio ............................ 6-4
Audio Players ................. 6-9
Climate Controls............... 7-1
Climate Control Systems ... 7-1
Air Vents ....................... 7-4
Maintenance ................... 7-4
Driving and Operating....... 8-1
Driving Information .......... 8-2
Starting and Operating . . . 8-16
Engine Exhaust .............8-23
Automatic Transmission .............8-24
Manual Transmission .....8-29
Drive Systems ..............8-31
Brakes ......................... 8-32
Ride Control Systems ....8-33
Cruise Control ...............8-36
Fuel ............................ 8-38
Towing ........................ 8-43
Conversions and Add-Ons ................... 8-50
Vehicle Care...................... 9-1
General Information ......... 9-2
Vehicle Checks ............... 9-4
Headlamp Aiming ..........9-32
Bulb Replacement .........9-33
Electrical System ...........9-37
2010 Pontiac Vibe Owner ManualM

Wheels and Tires..........9-43
Jump Starting ...............9-69
Towing ........................ 9-73
Appearance Care ..........9-75
Service and
Maintenance..................... 10-1
General Information .......10-1
Scheduled Maintenance ..............10-3
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and
Parts ...................... 10-15
Maintenance Records . . . 10-18
Technical Data.................11-1
Vehicle Identification ......11-1
Vehicle Data .................11-2
Customer Information......12-1
Customer Information .....12-1
Reporting Safety Defects ................... 12-13
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy .............12-14
Index................................... i-1

Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance
or replacement. Make sure the
airbag readiness light is working.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 4-12 for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering
is damaged, opened, or broken,
the airbag may not work properly.
Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any opened
or broken airbag covers, have
the airbag covering and/or airbag
module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules,
see What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? on page 2-27 . See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash
{CAUTION
A crash can damage the
airbag systems in your vehicle.
A damaged airbag system may not
work properly and may not protect
you and your passenger(s) in a
crash, resulting in serious injury or
even death. To help make sure
your airbag systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible. If an airbag inflates, you will need
to replace airbag system parts.
See your dealer/retailer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right away. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 4-12
for more information.
2-36 Seats and Restraints

Notice:Modications made
to the engine, transmission,
exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of the vehicle or the replacement
of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle’s emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modications to these
systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by the vehicle
warranty. This could also result
in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
test. See Accessories and
Modifications on page 9-3 .
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required. The following can prevent more
serious damage to the vehicle:
•Reduce vehicle speed.
•Avoid hard accelerations.
•Avoid steep uphill grades.
•If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled
as soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds, and restart the engine.
If the light is still flashing, follow the
previous steps and see your dealer/
retailer for service as soon as
possible.
Light On Steady: An emission
control system malfunction has been
detected on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required. An emission system malfunction
might be corrected by doing
the following:
•Make sure the fuel cap is fully
installed. See
Filling the Tank on
page 8-41. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly
installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap allows fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few driving
trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
•If the vehicle has been driven
through a deep puddle of water,
the vehicle’s electrical system
might be wet. The condition is
usually corrected when the
electrical system dries out.
A few driving trips should turn
the light off.
Instruments and Controls 4-15

•Make sure to fuel the vehicle
with quality fuel. Poor fuel quality
causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may
cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration, or
stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand
used. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn
the light off.
See Fuel on page 8-38.
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer/retailer can
check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical
or electrical problems that might
have developed.Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local
governments have or might begin
programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on the vehicle.
Failure to pass this inspection could
prevent getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things to know to
help the vehicle pass an inspection:
•The vehicle will not pass this
inspection if the check engine
light is on with the engine
running, or if the key is in the
ON/RUN and the light is not on.
•The vehicle will not pass this
inspection if the OBD II (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 the battery has recently been
replaced or if the battery has run
down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer/
retailer can prepare the vehicle
for inspection.
4-16 Instruments and Controls

SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 8-33 for more information.
Contact your dealer/retailer, if
the light does not come on or if it
stays on.
Traction Control System
(TCS) Warning Light
This warning light comes on briefly
when the ignition is turned to
ON/RUN.
It also comes on when the Traction
Control System is turned off by
pressing the TRAC OFF button.
See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 8-33 for more information. If it stays on or comes on while
driving, there is a problem with the
Traction Control System (TCS),
contact your dealer/retailer.
Tire Pressure Light
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started.
If there is a tire with low tire
pressure, the light will stay on
or come back on.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 9-52 for more
information.
Engine Oil Pressure
Light
{CAUTION
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine
oil maintenance can damage
the engine. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this
manual for changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started. If it
does not come on have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer/retailer.
Instruments and Controls 4-19

Climate Controls
Climate Control SystemsClimate Control Systems........7-1
Air VentsAir Vents............................
.7-4
MaintenancePassenger Compartment
Air Filter ............................
.7-4
Climate Control Systems
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
this system.
A. Air Delivery Mode Control
B. Fan Control
C. Temperature Control D. Recirculation
E. Rear Window Defogger
F. Air Conditioning
Climate Controls 7-1

Fan Control
9(Fan):Turn the center knob
toward 4 to turn the system on or
increase fan speed.
If the airflow seems low when the
fan is at the highest setting, the
passenger compartment air filter
may need to be replaced. For
more information, see Passenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 7-4
and Scheduled Maintenance on
page 10-3.
Temperature Control
Turn the right knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the temperature inside the
vehicle. Air Delivery Mode Control
Turn the left knob to select from the
following modes:
H(Vent):
Air is directed to the
upper instrument panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level): Air is directed to the
upper instrument panel outlets
and the floor outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor and side window outlets.
-(Defog): Air is directed between
the windshield, side windows,
instrument panel outlets and the floor
outlets. Use the defog mode to clear the
inside of the windshield of fog
or moisture and to warm the
passengers. The air conditioning
compressor runs automatically in this
setting without pressing A/C, unless
the outside temperature is at or
below 32°F (0°C).
1(Defrost):
Air is directed to the
windshield, instrument panel
outlets and the side windows.
Use the defrost mode to remove
fog or frost from the outside of the
windshield more quickly. The air
conditioning compressor runs
automatically in this setting without
pressing A/C, unless the outside
temperature is at or below
32°F (0°C).
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
7-2 Climate Controls

Air Vents
Use the air outlets located in the
center and outboard sides of the
instrument panel, to change the
direction of the air flowing through
the vents.
Operation Tips•
Clear away any ice, snow or
leaves from the outside air
inlets at the base of the
windshield.
•Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
•Keep the area under the
front seats clear of objects for
more effective air circulation.
•If the airflow seems low when
the fan is at the highest setting,
the passenger compartment air
filter might need to be replaced.
For more information, see
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 7-4.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
Both outside and recirculated air
are routed through a passenger
compartment air filter. Pollen, dust
particles and other contaminants
are removed by the filter. Airflow
reductions indicate that the filter
needs to be replaced. For a
replacement filter see your dealer/
retailer. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 10-3 for replacement
intervals. The access panel for the air filter is
behind the glove box. To replace
the filter:
1. Open the glove box door. Push
each side of the glovebox in
and pull out to remove.
7-4 Climate Controls

Driving Information
Driving for Better
Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving
tips to get the best fuel economy
possible.
•Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
•Brake gradually and avoid abrupt
stops.
•Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
•When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control, if equipped.
•Always follow posted speed limits
or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
•Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
•Combine several trips into a
single trip.
•Replace the vehicle’s tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire’s sidewall
near the size.
•Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
your safety belt, seeSafety Belts on
page 2-8.
{CAUTION
Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other
drivers) are going to be careless
and make mistakes. Anticipate
what they might do and be ready.
In addition:
•Allow enough following
distance between you and
the driver in front of you.
•Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause
collisions resulting in injury or
possible death. These simple
defensive driving techniques
could save your life.
8-2 Driving and Operating