tow PONTIAC G3 2009 User Guide

Shifting Into Park
(Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake. SeeParking Brake on page 2-26for more
information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pressing the
button on the shift lever and pushing the lever all
the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat
and even catch re. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine
running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure the vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking brake
is rmly set before you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the brake pedal down.
Then see if you can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without rst pushing the shift lock release
button. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into P (Park).
2-27

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Hold the inside rearview mirror in the center to move it
for a clearer view behind your vehicle. Adjust the mirror to
avoid glare from the headlamps behind you. Push the tab
forward for daytime use and pull it for nighttime use.
Outside Manual Mirrors
Adjust the mirrors to see a little of the side of your
vehicle.
Controls for the outside manual mirrors are located next
to each mirror.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To fold, push
the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror outward, to
return it to the original position.
2-32

Outside Power Mirrors
The control is located on
the instrument panel, left
of the steering wheel.
The ignition must be turned to ON/RUN to adjust the
mirrors.
To adjust the mirrors:
1. Select the mirror you want to adjust by moving the
selector switch to L for the driver side mirror or
R for the passenger side mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control
pad to move the mirror to the desired direction.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To fold, push
the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror outward,
to return to its original position.
Outside Convex Mirror
{CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you could
hit a vehicle on the right. Check the inside mirror
or glance over your shoulder before changing
lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex shaped. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.
Outside Heated Mirrors
For vehicles with this feature:
<(Rear Window Defogger):Press to heat the
mirrors. See “Rear Window and Outside Mirror Defogger”
underClimate Control System on page 3-18for more
information.
2-33

Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
The headlamps must be on for this feature to work.
Push the turn signal lever away from you to turn the high
beams on.
This instrument panel cluster light
3comes on while
the high beams are on and the ignition is turned to
ON/RUN.
Pull the lever towards you to return to low beams.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature is used to signal to the vehicle ahead that
you want to pass.
Pull the turn signal/multifunction lever towards you until
the high-beam headlamps come on, then release
the lever to turn them off.
Windshield Wipers
Sedan shown
Hatchback shown
3-8

The lever is located on the right side of the steering
column. The ignition must be turned to ON/RUN
to operate the windshield wipers.
Move the lever to one of the following positions:
HI (High Speed):For steady wiping at high speed.
LO (Low Speed):For steady wiping at low speed.
INT (Intermittent):Move to this position for a delayed
wiping cycle. Turn the band on the windshield wiper
toward FAST or SLOW for a shorter or longer
delay between wipes. The wiper speed can only be
adjusted when the lever is in the INT position.
OFF:Turns the windshield wipers off.
Misting Function
Move the lever toward INT for a single wiping cycle.
Hold it there until the windshield wipers start; then let go.
The windshield wipers will stop after one wipe. If more
wipes are needed, hold the band toward INT longer.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using
them. If they are frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. If the blades become damaged,
get new blades or blade inserts. SeeWindshield
Wiper Blade Replacement on page 5-49.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wipers. A circuit
breaker stops them until the motor cools.
Windshield Washer
To use this feature the ignition must be turned to
ON/RUN. Pull the windshield washer/wiper lever
toward you to spray washer uid on the windshield.
The spray continues until the lever is released.
The wipers will run a few times and either stop or
will resume at the speed being used previously.
SeeWindshield Washer Fluid on page 5-31for
information on lling the windshield washer uid.
{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.
3-9

{CAUTION:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.This light should come on briey when the ignition is
turned to ON. If it does not come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn if there is a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when the parking brake is set.
The light will stay on if the parking brake does not fully
release. If it stays on after the parking brake is fully
released, it means there is a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving, carefully pull off the
road and stop. The pedal may be harder to push or
may go closer to the oor. It may take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the vehicle towed for service.
SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-28. United States
Canada
3-29

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-4
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-6
Steering........................................................4-6
Off-Road Recovery.........................................4-8
Passing........................................................4-8
Loss of Control..............................................4-8
Driving at Night............................................4-10Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-11
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-12
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-12
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-13
Winter Driving..............................................4-14
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-17
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-18
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-18
Towing..........................................................4-28
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-28
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-28
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-30
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a forward gear, or with a manual
transmission, between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be
towed out. If the vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-28.
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight or maximum load amount and
includes the weight of all occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options. Two labels on your
vehicle show how much weight it may properly
carry, the Tire and Loading Information label and
the Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or
either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on the
vehicle can break, and it can change the way
your vehicle handles. These could cause you
to lose control and crash. Also, overloading
can shorten the life of the vehicle.
4-18

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement ‘‘The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs’’ on your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to
tow a trailer.
4-20

There is also important loading information on the
Certication label. See “Certication Label” later in
this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the “Maximum Load” amount.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from the Maximum Load
amount.
4.The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the Maximum Load amountequals 1400 lbs (635 kg) and there will be
ve 150 lb (68 kg) passengers in your vehicle,
the amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs (295 kg).
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Your vehicle is not designed nor intended to tow a
trailer.
4-23