instrument panel PONTIAC G5 2007 Owner's Guide

Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system,
then your instrument panel has a passenger airbag
status indicator. SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 73.
When the ignition key is turned to RUN or START,
the passenger airbag status indicator will light ON
and OFF, or the symbol for on and off, for several
seconds as a system check. Then, after several
more seconds, the status indicator will light either
ON or OFF, or either the on or off symbol to let you
know the status of the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the
passenger airbag status indicator, it means that
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag is enabled
(may inate).{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you have
a rear-facing child restraint installed in the
right front passenger’s seat, it means that
the passenger sensing system has not
turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag inates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
inating airbag. Do not use a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger’s
seat if the airbag is turned on.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun
visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing
child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
United StatesCanada
162

Charging System Light
The charging system
light will come on briey
when you turn on the
ignition, and the engine
is not running, as a
check to show you it is
working.
Then it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your dealer. Driving
while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on,
be certain to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio and air conditioner.
Up-Shift Light
Your vehicle may have an up-shift light. When this
light comes on, you should shift to the next higher
gear if weather, road, and traffic conditions allow
you to.
This light is located in
your instrument panel
cluster to the left of
the tachometer.
SeeManual Transaxle Operation on page 116for
more information.
United States Only
164

Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center
(DIC). The DIC display gives you the status of
many of your vehicle’s systems. The DIC is also
used to display driver personalization menu modes
and warning/status messages. All messages will
appear in the DIC display, located at the bottom of
the instrument panel cluster.
The DIC buttons are
located on the left side
of the steering wheel.
q(Information):Press this button to scroll
through the vehicle information mode displays.
r(Reset):Press this button to reset some
vehicle information mode displays, select a
personalization menu mode setting, or
acknowledge a warning message.
Press and hold the information and reset buttons
at the same time for one second, then release
the buttons to enter the personalization menu.
SeeDIC Vehicle Personalization on page 179for
more information.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. The
DIC has different modes which can be accessed
by pressing the DIC buttons. The button functions
are detailed in the following.
174

DIC Warnings and Messages
These messages appear if there is a problem
detected in one of your vehicle’s systems.
A message will clear when the vehicle’s condition
is no longer present. To acknowledge a message
and clear it from the display, press and hold
any of the DIC buttons. If the condition is still
present, the warning message will come back on
the next time the vehicle is turned off and back
on. With most messages, a warning chime sounds
when the message displays. Your vehicle may
have other warning messages.
AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS OFF
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is disabled with the headlamp switch.
AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS ON
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is enabled with the headlamp switch.
BRAKE FLUID
This message displays to inform the driver that the
brake uid level is low while the ignition is on.
The brake system warning light on the instrument
panel cluster also comes on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 165for more information.
Have the brake system serviced by your dealer
as soon as possible.
CHANGE OIL SOON
This message displays when the life of the engine
oil has expired and it should be changed.
When you acknowledge the CHANGE OIL SOON
message by clearing it from the display, you still
must reset the engine oil life system separately.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 282and
Scheduled Maintenance on page 375for more
information.
CHECK GAS CAP
This message displays if the fuel cap has not been
fully tightened. Recheck the fuel cap to make sure
that it is on properly. A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the message off.
177

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by
heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with
traffic. This is a mistake. The brakes may not have
time to cool between hard stops. The brakes
will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and
allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you
are driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder
to push down. If the engine stops, you will still
have some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake
pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 268.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking
system that will help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel will
come on briey when
you start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin
to drive away, your ABS will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This
is normal.
223

Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to come in
contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When you are turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal. Do this so your trailer will not
strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers.
Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal asher and/or extra wiring.
Check with your dealer. The arrows on your
instrument panel will ash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also ash, telling other
drivers you are about to turn, change lanes
or stop.When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs
on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It is important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Notice:Do not tow on steep continuous
grades exceeding 6 miles (9.6 km). Extended,
higher than normal engine and transaxle
temperatures may result and damage your
vehicle. Frequent stops are very important to
allow the engine and transaxle to cool.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you
do not shift down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get hot and
no longer work well.
Pay attention to the engine coolant gage. If the
indicator is in the red area, turn off the air
conditioning to reduce engine load. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 290.
262

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 319
Tires............................................................ 320
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 321
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 324
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 327
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 328
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 330
Buying New Tires...................................... 330
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 332
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 333
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 334
Wheel Replacement.................................. 335
Tire Chains............................................... 336
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 337
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 338
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 339
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 344
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 349
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 352Appearance Care........................................ 353
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 353
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 354
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 355
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 356
Weatherstrips............................................ 356
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 356
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 357
Finish Care............................................... 357
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 358
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 358
Tires......................................................... 359
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 359
Finish Damage.......................................... 359
Underbody Maintenance............................ 360
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 360
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 360
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
266

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airow around it. This may
cause wind noise and affect windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of your vehicle. To
help keep your engine clean and maintain optimum
vehicle performance, GM recommends the use
of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN) shows the code letter or number
that identies your engine. You will nd the VIN at
the top left of the instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identication Number (VIN) on page 361.
Gasoline Octane
If your vehicle has the 2.2L L4 engine (VIN Code F),
use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less
than 87, you may notice an audible knocking noise
when you drive, commonly referred to as spark
knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If you are
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
If your vehicle has the 2.4L L4 engine
(VIN Code B), use premium unleaded gasoline
with a posted octane rating of 91 or higher. You
may also use regular unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration
may be slightly reduced, and you may notice a
slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to
as spark knock. If the octane is less than 87, you
may notice a heavy knocking noise when you drive.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might
damage your engine. If you are using gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher and you hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.
270

Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following.
1. Pull the interior hood
release lever with
this symbol on it. It
is located under the
instrument panel on
the driver’s side of
the vehicle.
2. Then go to the front of the vehicle and push
the secondary hood release lever to the left.
It is located under the front center of the hood
toward the driver’s side of the vehicle.
3. After you have partially lifted the hood, a gas
strut will automatically take over to lift and
hold the hood in the fully open position.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the ller
caps are on properly. Lower the hood until the
lifting force of the strut is reduced, then release
the hood to latch fully. Check to make sure the
hood is closed and repeat the process if
necessary.
277

Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper
DEX-COOL®coolant mixture at the coolant surge
tank, but only when the engine is cool. If the coolant
surge tank is empty, a special ll procedure is
necessary. SeeEngine Overheating on page 290
for instructions on “How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank.”
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant
on hot engine parts. Coolant contains
ethylene glycol, and it will burn if the
engine parts are hot enough. Do not
spill coolant on a hot engine.
When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is
hand-tight and fully seated.
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and possible engine
damage may occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
The coolant surge tank pressure cap must be fully
installed on the coolant surge tank. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 278for more
information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will nd an engine coolant temperature
warning light on your vehicle’s instrument panel.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature Warning
Light on page 167for more information.
290