tires PONTIAC G3 2010 User Guide

.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

Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips
include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTireson page 6‑50.
.Turn off cruise control.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having
it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own include:
.Windshield Washer Fluid:Reservoir full? Windows
clean —inside and outside?
.Wiper Blades: In good shape?
.Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: All levels checked?
.Lamps:Do they all work and are lenses clean?
.Tires:Are treads good? Are tires inflated to
recommended pressure?
.Weather and Maps: Safe to travel? Have
up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, find a safe
place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan the road ahead
and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments
often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different
than driving on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for driving in
these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, cooling
system, and transmission.
.Going down steep or long hills, shift to a
lower gear.
5-10

{WARNING:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could get so
hot that they would not work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{WARNING:
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down and they could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in gear when
going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that
let you stay in your own lane.
.Top of hills: Be alert—something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks
area, winding roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow or ice between the
tires and the road, creating less traction or grip. Wet ice
can occur at about 0°C (32°F) when freezing rain
begins to fall, resulting in even less traction. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the condition. Accelerate
gently so traction is not lost. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the surface under
the tires slick, so there is even less traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
5-11

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

Tire and Loading Information
Label‐United States
Label Example
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the vehicle's center pillar
(B‐pillar). With the driver's door open, you will
find the label attached below the door lock
post (striker). The Tire and Loading Information
label shows the number of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity
weight (B) in kilograms and pounds. The Tire and Loading Information label also
shows the tire size of the original equipment
tires (C) and the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (D). For more information on tires and
inflation see
Tires
on page 6‑50andInflation - Tire
Pressure
on page 6‑57.
There is also important loading information on the
Certification label. See “Certification Label”later in
this section.
5-15

Tire and Loading Information
Label‐Canada
Label Example
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the driver's side, center pillar
(B‐pillar). This label shows the Maximum Load amount, the number of occupant seating
positions, the original equipment tires, and
the recommended cold tire inflation pressure.
For more information on tires and inflation see
Tires
on page 6‑50and
Inflation - Tire Pressureon
page 6‑57
.
There is also important loading information on the
Certification label. See “Certification Label”later in
this section.
5-19

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-11
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24 Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-45
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) (Hatchback) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) (Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-49
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
6-1

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

Brake Wear
This vehicle has front disc brakes and could have rear
drum brakes or rear disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound can come
and go or be heard all the time the vehicle is moving,
except when applying the brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
the brakes will not work well. That could lead to
an accident. When the brake wear warning sound
is heard, have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates can cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
the brakes. Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to torque specifications in
Capacities and Specifications on page 6‑93.
If the vehicle has rear drum brakes, they do not have
wear indicators, but if a rear brake rubbing noise is
heard, have the rear brake linings inspected
immediately. Rear brake drums should be removed and
inspected each time the tires are removed for rotation or
changing. When the front brake pads are replaced,
have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer/retailer if the brake pedal does not
return to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign that brake service
might be required.
Brake Adjustment
Every moderate brake stop, the disc brakes adjust for
wear. If rarely making moderate or heavier brake stops,
the brakes might not adjust correctly. Very carefully
making a few moderate brake stops about every
1 600 km (1,000 miles) will adjust the brakes properly.
6-36

2. Press the retaining clip (A) and pull the wiper bladeoff the arm.
3. Install a new blade by reversing Steps 1 and 2.
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires
made by a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever
have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service, see your vehicle
Warranty booklet for details. For additional
information refer to the tire manufacturer.
{WARNING:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
.Overloading your vehicle's tires can
cause overheating as a result of too
much flexing. You could have an air-out
and a serious accident. See Loading the
Vehicle
on page 5‑14.
.Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting
accident could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to maintain the
recommended pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when your vehicle's
tires are cold. See Inflation - Tire
Pressure
on page 6‑57.
(Continued)
6-50