ESP PONTIAC G3 2010 User Guide

Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by
not overdriving those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to the vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip
and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid,
too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
the vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, slow
down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause thetires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until the vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
—such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface —and slow down
when you have any doubt.
If the vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If the
vehicle does not have ABS, then in a braking skid,
where the wheels are no longer rolling, release enough
pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again.
This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal
down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long
as the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired —by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
.Drive defensively.
.Do not drink and drive.
.Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
.Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light
up so much road ahead.
5-8

.Watch for animals.
.When tired, pull off the road.
.Do not wear sunglasses.
.Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
.Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean—inside and out.
.Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and deep‐standing or
flowing water.
{WARNING:
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a
car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal
until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you
and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very cautious about
trying to drive through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build up under
your vehicle's tires so they actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it
has little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when the road is wet.
5-9

TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)on page 5‑4improves vehicle stability during hard stops on slippery
roads, but whether the vehicle has ABS or not, apply
the brakes sooner than when on dry pavement. Without
ABS, if the vehicle begins to slide, let up on the brake
pedal a little and apply steady pedal pressure to get the
most traction. On vehicles without ABS, braking so hard
that the wheels stop rolling can cause the vehicle to
slide —brake so the wheels always keep rolling so you
can still steer.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road
and watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can occur on
otherwise clear roads in shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped, on slippery surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a serious situation. Stay
with the vehicle unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use the Roadside Assistance Program
on page 8‑6.
To get help and keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasherson
page 4‑3.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{WARNING:
Snow can trap engine exhaust under the vehicle.
This may cause exhaust gases to get inside.
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around the base of
your vehicle, especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm (two inches) on
the side of the vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under the
instrument panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting
that circulates the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the Index.
(Continued)
5-12

WARNING: (Continued)
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3‑32.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods only as needed to
keep warm, but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only short periods as
needed to warm the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of the way to save heat.
Repeat this until help arrives but only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. Moving about to
keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to arrive, now and then
when you run the engine, push the accelerator pedal
slightly so the engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to restart the vehicle
and to signal for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible to save fuel.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 5‑14.
{WARNING:
If you let your vehicle's tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others could be
injured. The vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other damage. Spin
the wheels as little as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph) as shown on the
speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
see Tire Chains on page 6‑68.
5-13

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-61
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-63
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-63
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-68
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-69
Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-71
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing theSpare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-73
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . 6-78
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-78
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-79
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-79
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-80
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-81
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-81
Interior Plastic Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-81 Glass Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-81
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-83
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-83
Aluminum Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-84
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-84
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-84
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-84
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
Headlamp Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
Windshield Wiper Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-86
Power Windows and Other Power Options . . . . . 6-86
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-87
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-87
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-93
6-2

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Check the automatic transmission fluid level at least
twice a year. Add fluid if needed. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 7‑3.
How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealer/retailer service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission. Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Too little fluid
could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid. Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
.When outside temperatures are above
90°F (32°C).
.At high speed for quite a while.
.In heavy traffic
—especially in hot weather.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 158°F to 176°F (70°C
to 80°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it is colder than 50°F (10°C), you may have to
drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare the vehicle as follows: 1. Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the
shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
6-21

includes the Tire Identification Number (TIN), an
alphanumeric designator which can also identify
the tire manufacturer, production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. See
Loading the Vehicle
on page 5‑14.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the
front axle. See Loading the Vehicle
on page 5‑14.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the
rear axle. See Loading the Vehicle
on page 5‑14.
Intended Outboard Sidewall
:The side of an
asymmetrical tire, that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric unit for air
pressure.
Light Truck (LT‐Metric) Tire
:A tire used on light
duty trucks and some multipurpose passenger
vehicles.
Load Index
:An assigned number ranging from
1 to 279 that corresponds to the load carrying
capacity of a tire. Maximum Inflation Pressure
:The maximum air
pressure to which a cold tire can be inflated. The
maximum air pressure is molded onto the
sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:The load rating for a
tire at the maximum permissible inflation pressure
for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight
:The sum of
curb weight, accessory weight, vehicle capacity
weight, and production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
:The number of
occupants a vehicle is designed to seat multiplied
by 150 lbs (68 kg). See Loading the Vehicle
on
page 5‑14
.
Occupant Distribution
:Designated seating
positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall
:The side of an
asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that
faces outward when mounted on a vehicle. The
side of the tire that contains a whitewall, bears
white lettering, or bears manufacturer, brand, and/
or model name molding that is higher or deeper
than the same moldings on the other sidewall of
the tire.
6-55

Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver's responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under‐inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start‐ups as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur
for a variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle
that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after
replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function properly.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor Operation
on page 6‑59for
additional information.
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and Industry and Science Canada
See Radio Frequency Statementon page 8‑17for
information regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and
RSS-210/211 of Industry and Science Canada.
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS). The TPMS is designed to warn the driver when
a low tire pressure condition exists. If your vehicle has
this feature, the TPMS sensors are mounted onto each
tire and wheel assembly, excluding the spare tire and
wheel assembly. The TPMS sensors monitor the air
pressure in your vehicle's tires and transmit tire
pressure readings to a receiver located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure
condition is detected, the
TPMS illuminates the low
tire pressure warning light
on the instrument panel
cluster.
The low tire pressure warning light comes on at each
ignition cycle until the tires are inflated to the correct
inflation pressure.
6-59

Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability, and
resistance to rollover . Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as, antilock brakes, traction
control, and electronic stability control, the performance
of these systems can be affected.
{WARNING:
If you add different sized wheels, your vehicle
may not provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not recommended
for those wheels are selected. You may increase
the chance that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use GM specific wheel and tire
systems developed for your vehicle, and have
them properly installed by a GM certified
technician.
See Buying New Tires
on page 6‑63andAccessories
and Modificationson page 6‑3for additional
information.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum selection width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the Unites States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use spare
tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform
to federal safety requirements.
6-65

Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half (1½) times
as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction—AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature —A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law. It should
be noted that the temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation,
or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
6-66