tow PONTIAC G5 2007 User Guide

You have to fully apply your regular brakes rst
and then press the shift lever button before
you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition key
is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P),
ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the shift lever button
and then move the shift lever into another gear.
SeeShifting Out of Park (P) (Automatic Transaxle)
on page 121.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage the
transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of
snow, ice, or sand without damaging your
transaxle, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 248.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is
being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine
is running at high speed is dangerous.
Unless your foot is rmly on the brake
pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive
gear while your engine is running at high
speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while the engine is running at
high speed may damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at
high speeds when shifting your vehicle.
114

DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving with
the automatic transaxle. It provides the best fuel
economy for your vehicle. If you need more power
for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator all the way down.
Downshifting the transaxle in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 232.
INTERMEDIATE (I):This position is also used for
normal driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed
without using your brakes for slight downgrades
where the vehicle would otherwise accelerate due
to steepness of grade. If constant upshifting or
downshifting occurs while driving up steep hills, this
position can be used to prevent repetitive types of
shifts. You might choose INTERMEDIATE (I)
instead of DRIVE (D) when driving on hilly, winding
roads and when towing a trailer, so that there is less
shifting between gears.LOW (L):This position reduces vehicle speed
more than INTERMEDIATE (I) without actually
using your brakes. You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever
is put in LOW (L), the transaxle will not shift into
LOW (L) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle. If
you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking
brake to hold the vehicle in place.
115

Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
Your vehicle can roll. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer (Manual
Transaxle) on page 256orTowing a Trailer
(Automatic Transaxle) on page 257.1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding
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.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
119

Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift
lock release system. The shift lock release is
designed to:
Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift
lever is in PARK (P) with the shift lever
button fully released, and
Prevent movement of the shift lever out of
PARK (P) unless the ignition is in a position
other than LOCK.
The shift lock release is always functional except
in the case of a an uncharged or low voltage
(less than 9 volt) battery.
If your vehicle has an uncharged battery or a
battery with low voltage, try charging or jump
starting the battery. SeeJump Starting on
page 304for more information.To shift out of PARK (P) use the following
sequence:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of PARK (P):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press
the shift lever button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from
PARK (P), consult your dealer or a professional
towing service.
121

Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 123.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your
vehicle even if the climate control fan is at
the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust — with
CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in
a garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 243.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. Do not leave
your vehicle when the engine is running
unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake and move
the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle
will not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle) on page 119.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer (Manual
Transaxle) on page 256orTowing a Trailer
(Automatic Transaxle) on page 257.
124

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
While sitting in a comfortable driving position, adjust
the mirror so you can see clearly behind your
vehicle. Grip the mirror in the center to move it up or
down and side to side. The control at the bottom of
the mirror is the day/night feature that allows
adjustment to the mirror so that the glare of
headlamps from behind is reduced. Push the
control for daytime use; pull it for night use.
Manual Rearview Mirror with
OnStar
®
Mirror Operation
Your vehicle may have a manual rearview mirror
with the OnStar®System. You can adjust the mirror
for day or night driving. Press the tab forward for
day driving. Pull the tab back for night driving.There are also three OnStar
®buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror. See your dealer for more
information on the system and how to subscribe
to OnStar
®. SeeOnStar®System on page 127for
more information about the services OnStar®
provides.
Cleaning the Mirror
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or
similar material dampened with glass cleaner. Do
not spray glass cleaner directly on the mirror
housing.
Outside Remote Control Mirror
Adjust the driver’s outside mirror with the control
lever located on the driver’s door. Adjust the
outside mirrors so that the side of the vehicle can
be seen while sitting in a comfortable driving
position.
To adjust the passenger’s outside mirror, sit in the
driver’s seat and have a passenger adjust the
mirror for you. The mirror is a manual fold design.
125

Outside Power Mirrors
The controls for the
outside power mirrors
are located on the
driver’s door armrest.
Move the selector switch located below the
four-way control pad to the left or right to choose
either the driver’s side or passenger’s side
mirror. To adjust a mirror, use the arrows located
on the four-way control pad to move the mirror
in the desired direction. The mirror will only move
right or left, up or down. Adjust each outside
mirror so that a little of the vehicle and the area
behind it can be seen while sitting in a comfortable
driving position. Keep the selector switch in the
center position when not adjusting either outside
mirror.Both mirrors can manually be folded by pulling
them toward the vehicle. This feature may
be useful when going through a car wash or a
conned space. Push the mirrors away from the
vehicle, to the normal position, before driving.
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
your right. Check your inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be
seen from the driver’s seat. It also makes things
appear farther away than they really are.
126

Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions
allow you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is nished, the lever will
return automatically.
An arrow on the
instrument panel cluster
will ash in the direction
of the turn or lane
change.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return
by itself when you release it.As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
ash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and
other drivers will not see your turn signal. If a bulb is
burned out, replace it to help avoid an accident.
If the arrows do not go on at all when you signal a
turn, check the fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 363.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high
beam, push the turn signal lever away from you.
When the high beams
are on, this light on
the instrument panel
cluster will also be on.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low
beam, pull the turn signal lever toward you.
140

Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam
headlamps to signal a driver in front of you that
you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever
toward you until the high-beam headlamps
come on, then release the lever to turn them off.
Windshield Wipers
Use this lever, located on the right side of the
steering wheel, to operate the windshield wipers.
9(Off):Move the lever to this position to turn off
the windshield wipers.
&(Intermittent; Speed Sensitive Wipers):
Move the lever to this position for intermittent or
speed sensitive operation. When you select this
position, the delay will vary depending on the
vehicles speed, as well as, the manually selected
delay.
x(Delay):When the lever is in the intermittent
position, turn the intermittent adjust band with this
symbol on it up or down to set for a shorter or
longer delay between wipes. To the left of the
adjust band are bars, increasing in size from bottom
to top, that indicate the frequency of the wipes.
Smaller bars mean the wipers movement is less
frequent. Larger bars mean the movement is more
frequent.
6(Low Speed):Move the lever up to the rst
setting past intermittent, for steady wiping at
low speed.
1(High Speed):Move the lever up to the
second setting past intermittent, for wiping at high
speed.
141

Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided
into two parts. If one part is not working, the other
part can still work and stop you. For good braking,
though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected
right away.
This light should come on briey when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it does not come on then,
have it xed so it will be ready to warn you if there
is a problem.When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will also come on when you set your parking
brake. The light will stay on if your parking brake
does not release fully. If it stays on after your
parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. Make sure the parking
brake is fully released. You may notice that the
pedal is harder to push or, the pedal may go closer
to the oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing Your Vehicle on page 254.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
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