automatic transmission PONTIAC G5 2009 User Guide

Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly if
the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could overheat and even
catch re. You or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave an automatic transmission vehicle
with the engine running, be sure the vehicle is in
P (Park) and the parking brake is rmly set before you
leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into
P (Park), hold the brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from P (Park) without rst
pushing the button. If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too
much force on the parking pawl in the transmission.
You may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park). This is called “torque lock.” To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver seat. To nd
out how, seeShifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 2-31.
Move the shift lever out of P (Park) before you release
the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
2-32

Shifting Out of Park
(Automatic Transmission)
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 P (Park) with the shift lever button fully
released, and
Prevent movement of the shift lever out of
P (Park) unless the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in the
case of a an uncharged or low voltage (less than 9 volt)
battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery with
low voltage, try charging or jump starting the battery.
SeeJump Starting on page 5-34for more information.
To shift out of P (Park):
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 P (Park):
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 P (Park),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
Parking the Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
Before leaving the vehicle, fully press the clutch pedal
down, move the shift lever into R (Reverse), and rmly
apply the parking brake. Once the shift lever has been
placed in R (Reverse) with the clutch pedal pressed
down, the ignition key can be turned to LOCK/OFF,
then remove the key and release the clutch pedal.
SeeManual Transmission Operation on page 2-28.
2-33

Running the Vehicle 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 a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see
Engine Exhaust on page 2-34.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle
if the automatic transmission shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set.
The vehicle can roll. Do not leave the 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 the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake
and move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 2-31.
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer (Automatic Transmission) on page 4-31or
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission) on page 4-38.
2-35

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-20.
B.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-20.
C.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
D.Cruise Control on page 3-10(If Equipped).
E.Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-23.
F.Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-85
(If Equipped).
G.Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
H.Windshield Wipers on page 3-8andWindshield
Washer on page 3-9.
I.Audio System(s) on page 3-52.
J.Fog Lamps on page 3-14(If Equipped).
K. Trunk Release. SeeTrunk on page 2-12.
L.Instrument Panel Brightness on page 3-14.M.Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-39.
N.Horn on page 3-6.
O.Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-7
(If Equipped).Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
on page 4-6(If Equipped).
P. Cigarette Lighter (If Equipped). SeeAshtray(s) and
Cigarette Lighter on page 3-17.Accessory Power
Outlet(s) on page 3-16(If Equipped).
Q. Shift Lever (Manual Shown). SeeManual
Transmission Operation on page 2-28and
Automatic Transmission Operation on page 2-26.
R.Climate Control System on page 3-18.
S.Heated Seats on page 1-4(If Equipped).
T.Glove Box on page 2-41.
3-5

Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle’s
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed
you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon the vehicle speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills, you might have to
step on the accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle’s
speed. When going downhill, you might have to brake
or shift to a lower gear to keep the vehicle’s speed
down. Applying the brake will turn off the cruise control.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to end cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal or the clutch pedal if
the vehicle has a manual transmission. This will
only end the current cruise control session.
PressJto turn the system completely off.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased when
the cruise control or the ignition is turned off.
Headlamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp switch has the following four positions:
2(Headlamps):Turns on the headlamps, parking
lamps, and taillamps.
;(Parking Lamps):Turns on the parking lamps and
taillamps only.
AUTO (Automatic Headlamp System):Automatically
turns on the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) during
daytime, and the headlamps, parking lamps, and
taillamps at night. This position must be selected in
order for the Wiper Activated Headlamps to be activated.
SeeWiper Activated Headlamps on page 3-13.
3-12

P(Off/On):When operating in AUTO, a momentary
turn of the switch to Off/On will turn the Automatic
Headlamp System off or back on. For vehicles rst
sold in Canada, the automatic transmission must be
in P (Park) or the manual transmission must have
the park brake set, before the Automatic Headlamp
System can be turned off.
Wiper Activated Headlamps
The headlamps and parking lamps are activated
15 seconds after the windshield wipers are turned on.
For this feature to work, automatic lighting must be
enabled. SeeHeadlamps on page 3-12for additional
information.
When the ignition is turned off, the wiper-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. They also turn
off 15 seconds after the windshield wiper control
is turned off.
Headlamps on Reminder
If the drivers door is opened with the ignition off and the
lamps on, a warning chime will sound. This indicates
that the headlamps are still on.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional daytime
running lamps are required on all vehicles rst sold in
Canada.
The vehicle has a light sensor on top of the instrument
panel. Make sure it is not covered or the headlamps
will come on when you do not need them.
The DRL system will make the headlamps come on at
reduced intensity when the following conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamp control is turned to AUTO.
The light sensor detects daytime light.
The shift lever is not in P (Park).
While the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker
lamps, and instrument panel lights will not be illuminated.
The DRL system will be off any time the vehicle is in
P (Park). The DRL system on U.S. vehicles can also be
turned off by using the off/on switch for one ignition cycle.
The regular headlamp system should be used when
needed.
3-13

Instrument Panel Cluster
The instrument panel cluster is designed to show how the vehicle is running. It shows how fast the vehicle is going,
about how much fuel is left in the tank, and many other things needed to drive safely and economically.
United States, Manual Transmission Version shown, Canada and Automatic Transmission similar
3-23

DELAY LOCK
This feature, which delays the actual locking of the
vehicle, can be enabled or disabled. When DELAY LOCK
appears on the display, press and hold the reset button
for at least one second to scroll through the available
settings:
ON (default):The doors will not lock until ve seconds
after the last door is closed. You can temporarily
override delayed locking by pressing the power lock
switch or the lock button on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter a second time.
OFF:The doors will lock immediately when pressing
the power lock switch or the lock button on the
RKE transmitter.
SeePower Door Locks on page 2-9,Delayed Locking
on page 2-9, andRemote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2-3for more information.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the information button while the desired setting is
displayed on the DIC.
AUTO UNLK (Unlock)
This feature, which allows the vehicle to automatically
unlock certain doors, can be enabled or disabled.
When AUTO UNLK appears on the display, press
and hold the reset button for at least one second
to scroll through the available settings:
ALL (default):All of the doors will automatically unlock.
DRIVER:The driver’s door will automatically unlock.
NONE:None of the doors will automatically unlock.
You will need to manually unlock the doors.
If you have a manual transmission vehicle, the door(s)
will automatically unlock when the ignition is turned off.
If you have an automatic transmission vehicle, you
can select when the automatic unlocking will occur.
See “UNLK (Unlock) (Automatic Transmission Only)”
following.
SeeProgrammable Automatic Door Unlock on page 2-10
for more information.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the information button while the desired setting is
displayed on the DIC.
3-50

UNLK (Unlock) (Automatic
Transmission Only)
This screen displays only if your vehicle has an
automatic transmission and DRIVER or ALL is
selected for the AUTO UNLK feature. This feature
determines when the automatic door unlocking will
occur. When UNLK appears on the display, press and
hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll
through the available settings:
KEY OFF:The door(s) will unlock when the key is
turned off.
SHIFT TO P (Park) (default):The door(s) will unlock
when the vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
SeeProgrammable Automatic Door Unlock on
page 2-10for more information.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the information button while the desired setting is
displayed on the DIC.
EXT (Exterior) LIGHTS
If your vehicle has Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), this
feature, which allows the vehicle’s exterior perimeter
lighting to turn on each time the unlock button on
the RKE transmitter is pressed, can be enabled or
disabled. When EXT LIGHTS appears on the display,
press and hold the reset button for at least one second
to scroll through the available settings:
OFF:The exterior perimeter lighting will not turn on
when the unlock button on the RKE transmitter is
pressed.
ON (default):The exterior perimeter lighting will turn
on when the unlock button on the RKE transmitter
is pressed.
SeeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on
page 2-3for more information.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the information button while the desired setting is
displayed on the DIC.
3-51

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)......................4-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-7
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)....................4-10
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-13
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-14
Driving at Night............................................4-15Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-16
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-17
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-17
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-18
Winter Driving..............................................4-19
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-21
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-22
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-22
Towing..........................................................4-28
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-28
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-28
Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transmission)........4-31
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission)...........4-38
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1