tow PONTIAC G3 2010 Owners Manual

2010 Pontiac G3 Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Seats and Restraint System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-33
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-57
Restraint System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-72
Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Storage Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Audio System(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Driving Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Service and Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11

Press3to sound the panic alarm on the hatchback
model. Press any of the buttons on the transmitter to
turn off the alarm.
The LED light (A) on the transmitter flashes when the
buttons on the transmitter are pressed. If the light does
not flash the transmitter battery needs to be replaced.
See Keys
on page 3‑2andRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on page 3‑4.
Door Locks
From the outside, lock or unlock the door using the key
or the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
From the inside, all of the doors can be locked and
unlocked by pushing or pulling the manual door lock on
each door.
On vehicles equipped with the central door unlocking
system, lock or unlock all the doors from the inside
using the driver door lock switch.
For more information see:
.Door Locks on page 3‑6.
.Central Door Unlocking System on page 3‑7.
Liftgate
To unlock the liftgate on the hatchback model from
outside the vehicle, use the key in the lock cylinder or
use the RKE transmitter, if equipped.
The handle is located above the right side of the license
plate. Pull the handle toward you and raise the liftgate.
To lock the liftgate, use the key or the RKE transmitter,
if equipped.
The liftgate can also be locked or unlocked by the
central door unlocking system.
For more information see Liftgate (Hatchback)
on
page 3‑11.
1-4

Mirror Adjustment
Exterior Mirrors
Manual Outside Mirrors
The control 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, pull
the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror outward,
to return to its original position.
Power Outside 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. 1. Select the mirror by moving the selector switch to L for the driver side mirror or R for the
passenger side.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control pad to move the mirror to the desired direction.
For more information, see:
.Outside Power Mirrors on page 3‑35.
.Outside Manual Mirrors on page 3‑34.
1-10

Hatchback shown
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.
HI : Fast wipes.
LO : Slow wipes.
INT : 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. For several wipes, hold the band toward INT longer.
Windshield Washer
Pull the windshield washer/wiper lever toward you to
spray washer fluid on the windshield.
SeeWindshield Wipers
on page 4‑6andWindshield
Washeron page 4‑7. For vehicles with a Rear
Window Wiper/Washer, see Rear Window Wiper/
Washer on page 4‑7.
1-13

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.
Roadside Assistance Program
U.S.:1-800-ROADSIDE (762-3743)
TTY Users: 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new Pontiac, you are automatically
enrolled in the Roadside Assistance program. This
program provides technically trained advisors who are
available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, minor repair
information or towing arrangements.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
If you have a current OnStar subscription, press the
OnStar button and the current GPS location will be sent
to an OnStar Advisor who will assess your problem,
contact Roadside Assistance, and relay exact location
to get you the help you need.
Online Owner Center
The Online Owner Center is a complimentary service
that includes online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner manual, special
privileges and more.
Sign up today at: www.gmownercenter.com/pontiac
(U.S.) or www.gm.ca (Canada).
1-22

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation (Sedan)
Folding the Seatbacks
The rear seatbacks can be folded down to increase
cargo space.
To fold down the seatbacks:
Notice:Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still
fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and
return them to their normal stowed position before
folding a rear seat.
1. Remove the safety belt strap from the safety belt guide by pulling it through the slot.
2. Push the head restraints all the way down.
3. Unlatch the center safety belt by pressing the red button on the buckle.
2-8

3. Detach the center safety belt from the mini buckleby inserting the key into the slot in the mini buckle,
pressing the release button, and allowing it to
retract.4. Pull up the release knob, located on the top ofthe seatbacks, and fold the seatbacks forward
and down.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still
fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and
return them to their normal stowed position before
folding a rear seat.
5. Move the safety belt buckles and safety belt in the center seating position out of the space between
the seatbacks and the seat cushion so they are not
in the way as the seat is being folded.
2-11

To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle.
The belt should return to its stowed position.
Before a door is closed, be sure the belt is out of the
way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage
can occur to both the safety belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger seating positions.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away
from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce
the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
To move it down, press
the release button (A) and
move the height adjuster
to the desired position.
After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to
move it down without pressing the release button to
make sure it has locked into position.
2-31

Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt
buckled. This could damage the safety belt or the
seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its
stowed position, before folding the seat.1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired seating position
does not have lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and the safety belts.
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1. 1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating position.
1. 2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1. 3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child restraint to the lower anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped.
Refer to the child restraint instructions and the
following steps:
2. 1. Find the top tether anchor.
2. 2. Flip the cover to access the top tether anchors. 2. 3. For hatchback models, remove the cargo
shade before installing the top tether. The
cargo shade should remain off while the top
tether is in use.
2. 4. Raise the headrest or head restraint if the desired seating position has an adjustable
headrest or head restraint. See Head
Restraints on page 2‑2.
2. 5. Route and tighten the top tether according to your child restraint instructions and the
following instructions:
If the position you are
using does not have a
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a
single tether, route the
tether over the seatback.
2-49

Seat-mounted side impact airbags are not intended to
inflate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts, rollovers,
or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact airbag is
intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is
struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what
the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat-mounted side
impact airbags, deployment is determined by the
location and severity of the side impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the
airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to
the door.
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. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact
airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly
over the occupant's upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward
those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag Inflate?
on
page 2‑62for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
2-63