steering PONTIAC G5 2008 Owner's Manual

While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering wheel
controls if the vehicle has them.
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player,
CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking with your
dealer/retailer. Also, check federal rules covering
mobile radio and telephone units. If sound
equipment can be added, it is very important to do
it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere
with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or
other systems, and even damage them. Your
vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation
of sound equipment that has been added.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can be
played even after the ignition is turned off. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-24for more
information.
Setting the Clock
Without Date Display
AM/FM Base Radio with a Single CD Player
This type of radio has aHbutton for setting the time.
You can set the time by following these steps:
1. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN. Press the
Oknob, located in the
center of the radio, to turn the radio on.
2. Press the
Hbutton until the hour begins ashing
on the display. Press the button a second time and
the minute begins ashing on the display.
3. While either the hour or the minute numbers are
ashing, turn the
fknob, located on the upper
right side of the radio, clockwise or counterclockwise
to increase or decrease the time.
4. Press the
Hbutton again until the clock display
stops ashing to set the currently displayed time;
otherwise, the ashing stops after ve seconds and
the current time displayed is automatically set.
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The radio only seeks and scans stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
4(Information) (Radio with CD (Base)):Press to
switch the display between the radio station frequency
and the time. While the ignition is off, press this button to
display the time.
4(Information) (XM™ Satellite Radio Service, MP3,
and RDS Features):Press to display additional
text information related to the current FM-RDS or XM™
station, or MP3 song. A choice of additional information
such as: Channel, Song, Artist, and CAT (category)
can display. Continue pressing to highlight the desired
label, or press the pushbutton positioned under any
one of the labels and the information about that
label displays.
While information is not available, No Info displays.
Setting Preset Stations
(Radio with CD (Base Only))
Up to 18 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM), can
be programmed on the six numbered pushbuttons,
by performing the following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press BAND to select FM1, FM2, or AM.
3. Tune in the desired station.4. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons for three seconds until a beep sounds.
When that pushbutton is pressed and released,
the station that was set, returns.
5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for each pushbutton.
Storing a Radio Station as a Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up their radio station
favorites while the vehicle is parked. Tune to your
favorite stations using the presets, favorites button, and
steering wheel controls if the vehicle has this feature.
SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2.
FAV (Favorites):A maximum of 36 stations can be
programmed as favorites using the six pushbuttons
positioned below the radio station frequency labels and
by using the radio favorites page button (FAV button).
Press the FAV button to go through up to six pages
of favorites, each having six favorite stations available
per page. Each page of favorites can contain any
combination of AM, FM, or XM™ (if equipped)
stations. To store a station as a favorite, perform the
following steps:
1. Tune to the desired radio station.
2. Press the FAV button to display the page where
you want the station stored.
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Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Radio controls are located
on the inboard side of the
steering wheel. If your
vehicle has this feature,
some audio controls
can be adjusted at this
location. They include the
following:
wx(Previous/Next):Press the arrows to go to
the previous or to the next stored radio station and
stay there. Press and hold the arrows longer than
three-quarters of a second to advance to the previous
or to the next station with a strong signal in the
selected band.
When a CD is playing, press the arrows to go to the
previous or to the next track. Press and hold the arrows
longer than three-quarters of a second to continue
reversing back or advancing ahead, to other tracks
within the disc.
e+e−(Volume):Press the plus or minus button to
increase or to decrease the radio volume.
g(Mute/Voice Activation):Press this button to
silence the system. Press this button again to turn the
sound on. If your vehicle has OnStar
®, press and
hold this button for two seconds to activate voice on the
OnStar
®system. See theOnStar®System on
page 2-40in this manual for more information.
Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static can occur during
normal radio reception if items such as cell phone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external
electronic devices are plugged into the accessory
power outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the
item from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause station
frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio
reception, most AM radio stations boost the power levels
during the day, and then reduce these levels during the
night. Static can also occur when things like storms and
power lines interfere with radio reception. When this
happens, try reducing the treble on your radio.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-6
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).....................4-9
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)....................4-10
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-15
Passing.......................................................4-15
Loss of Control.............................................4-15
Driving at Night............................................4-17Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-17
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-18
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-18
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-19
Winter Driving..............................................4-20
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow.....................................4-24
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-24
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-25
Towing..........................................................4-30
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-30
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-30
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission)...........4-32
Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transmission)........4-32
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been
associated with the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator.
At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems than the tires and
road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your
vehicle. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-6,Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9,
andElectronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-10.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
4-3

Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the same
time. However, if you do not have ABS, your rst
reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it
down — might be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels
can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot
respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in
whatever direction it was headed when the wheels
stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very
thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control. If you do have
ABS, it is different. SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-5.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Control System (TCS)
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it
senses that the wheels are spinning too much or are
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the front brakes and reduces engine power
by closing the throttle and managing engine spark to limit
wheel spin.
If your vehicle has TCS, there is a ESC/TCS button
located on the instrument panel.
This light ashes while the
traction control system is
limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
SeeElectronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-35
for more information.
4-6

For more information, seeDriver Information Center
(DIC) on page 3-42andElectronic Stability Control
(ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning
Light on page 3-35.
This light ashes on the
instrument panel cluster
when the ESC system
is on and activated.
ESC activates when the computer senses a discrepancy
between your intended path and the direction the
vehicle is actually travelling. ESC selectively applies
braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s brakes to
help steer the vehicle in the direction which you are
steering.When the system activates, an ESC ACTIVE message
displays on the Driver Information Center. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-44. This light also
ashes on the instrument panel cluster when the
ESC system is on and activated. You may also hear a
noise or feel vibration in the brake pedal. This is
normal. Continue to steer the vehicle in the direction
you want it to go.
When the light is on solid and the message(s),
SERVICE ESC, ESC OFF, or both display, the system
will not assist the driver in maintaining directional
control of the vehicle. Adjust your driving accordingly.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-44.
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is
automatically enabled whenever you start your vehicle.
To assist the driver with vehicle directional control,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should always
leave the system on. But, you can turn ESC off if you
ever need to.
4-11

If the vehicle is in cruise control when the system
begins to assist the driver maintain directional control of
the vehicle, the ESC/TCS light will ash and the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. SeeCruise Control on
page 3-10.
The ESC/TCS button is
located on the instrument
panel.
The traction control system can be turned off or back on
by pressing the ESC/TCS button. To disable both
traction control and ESC, press and hold the button from
ve to ten seconds.
When the ESC system is turned off, the TRACTION
OFF and ESC OFF messages appear, and the
ESC/TCS light comes on to warn the driver that both
traction control and ESC are disabled.
It is recommended that the system remain on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the
system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice orsnow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to
free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high
wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in
Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-24.
ESC may also turn off automatically if it determines that
a problem exists with the system. The ESC OFF and
SERVICE ESC messages and the ESC/TCS light comes
on to warn the driver that ESC is disabled and requires
service. If the problem does not clear after restarting
the vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-44for more
information.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3for more information.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you
are able to stop your vehicle. If you lose power steering
assist because the electric power steering system is not
functioning, you can steer, but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in either direction several
times until it stops, or hold the steering wheel in the
stopped position for an extended amount of time, you
4-12

may notice a reduced amount of power steering assist.
The normal amount of power steering assist should
return shortly after a few normal steering movements.
The electric power steering system does not require
regular maintenance. If you suspect steering system
problems and/or the POWER STEERING message
comes on, contact your dealer/retailer for service
repairs. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-44.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of the tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you
are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems — steering and braking — have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
antilock brakes, adding the hard braking can demand
too much of those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems — steering and acceleration — can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road
and make you lose control. SeeEnhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while the front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can drive through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
4-13

Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can
avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering around
the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply the brakes — but, unless you have
antilock brakes, not enough to lock the wheels.
SeeBraking on page 4-4. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer
around the problem, to the left or right depending on the
space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-14