brake PONTIAC G5 2010 Owner's Manual

Brake System Warning Light
The vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part
can still work and stop the vehicle. For good braking
both parts need to be working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have the brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on briefly when the engine is
started. If it does not come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is a problem.When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
also comes on when the parking brake is set. The light
stays on if the parking brake does not fully release. If it
stays on after the parking brake is fully released, it means
the vehicle has a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off the road and
stop carefully. Make sure the parking brake is fully
released. The pedal might be harder to push or, the pedal
could go closer to the floor. It can take longer to stop.
Try turning off and restarting the vehicle one or two times,
if the light is still on, have the vehicle towed for service.
See
Towing Your Vehicle on page 5-30 .
{WARNING:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.
United StatesCanada
4-26

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
For vehicles with the
Antilock Brake System
(ABS), this light comes on
briefly when the engine is
started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer. If the system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off. If the light
comes on while driving, stop as soon as it is safely
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the ABS light stays on, or
comes on again while driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning light is not on, the
vehicle still has brakes, but not antilock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on, the vehicle
does not have antilock brakes and there is a problem with
the regular brakes. See Brake System Warning Light on
page 4-26.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC),
see DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4-38 for all
brake related DIC messages.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Indicator/Warning Light
For vehicles with the
Enhanced Traction
System (ETS), this light
serves as an indicator
and warning light.
This light comes on briefly while the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer/
retailer. If the system is working normally the indicator
light then goes off.
If the indicator/warning light is on and not flashing, the
ETS system could have been disabled. Check all related
Driver Information Center (DIC) messages to determine
whether the system has been turned off or if the system
is not working properly and the vehicle requires service.
If the ETS has been disabled, wheel spin is not limited.
If the indicator/warning light is on and flashing, the ETS
is actively working. The LOW TRACTION DIC message
also appears when the system is actively limiting
wheel spin.
See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 5-11
and DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4-38 for
more information.
4-27

If a low tire pressure condition is detected by the system
while driving, a message advising you to check the tire
pressure appears in the display. SeeInation - Tire
Pressure on page 6-55 andDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4-38 for more information.
DIC Warnings and Messages
These messages appear if there is a problem detected
in one of your vehicle’s systems.
A message clears 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
comes 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, while the ignition is on, when
the brake fluid level is low. The brake system warning
light on the instrument panel cluster also comes on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 4-26 for more
information. Have the brake system serviced by your
dealer/retailer 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 this message is acknowledged and cleared from
the display, the engine oil life system must still be reset
separately. See Engine Oil Life System on page 6-16
and Scheduled Maintenance on page 7-3 for 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.
4-38

LOW TRACTION
If your vehicle has the Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
or Traction Control System (TCS), this message displays
and the ETS light or the ESC/TCS light on the instrument
panel cluster flashes when the system is actively limiting
wheel spin. Slippery road conditions may exist if this
message is displayed, so adjust your driving accordingly.
This message stays on for a few seconds after the
system stops limiting wheel spin. SeeEnhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 5-11 orTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 5-8 andEnhanced Traction System (ETS)
Indicator/Warning Light on page 4-27 orElectronic
Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS)
Indicator/Warning Light on page 4-28 for more
information.
PARKING BRAKE
This message displays if the parking brake is left
engaged. See Parking Brake on page 3-29 for more
information.
POWER STEERING
This message displays if a problem has been detected
with the electric power steering. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer/retailer immediately.
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays when there is a problem with
the airbag system. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer immediately.
SERVICE ESC (ELECTRONIC STABILITY
CONTROL)
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), this
message displays and a chime sounds if there has been
a problem detected with ESC. The ESC/TCS light also
appears on the instrument panel cluster. This light stays
on solid as long as the detected problem remains
present. When this message displays, the system is not
working. Adjust your driving accordingly. See Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) on page 5-6 andElectronic
Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS)
Indicator/Warning Light on page 4-28 for more
information.
If this message turns on while you are driving, pull off the
road as soon as possible and stop carefully. Try resetting
the system by turning the ignition off and then back on.
If this message still stays on or turns back on again while
you are driving, your vehicle needs service. Have the
ESC inspected by your dealer/retailer as soon as
possible.
4-41

Audio System(s)
Determine which radio the vehicle has and read the
following pages to become familiar with its features.
{WARNING:
Taking your eyes off the road for extended periods
could cause a crash resulting in injury or death to
you or others. Do not give extended attention to
entertainment tasks while driving.
This system provides access to many audio and non
audio listings.
To minimize taking your eyes off the road while driving,
do the following while the vehicle is parked:
•Become familiar with the operation and controls of
the audio system.
•Set up the tone, speaker adjustments, and preset
radio stations. For more information, see
Defensive Driving on
page 5-2.
Notice: Contact your dealer/retailer before adding
any equipment.
Adding audio or communication equipment could
interfere with the operation of the vehicle’s engine,
radio, or other systems, and could damage them.
Follow federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment.
Notice: The chime signals related to safety belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the radio/entertainment system.
If that equipment is replaced or additional equipment
is added to your vehicle, the chimes may not work.
Make sure that replacement or additional equipment
is compatible with your vehicle before installing it.
See Accessories and Modifications on page 6-3 .
The vehicle has Retained Accessory Power (RAP).
With RAP, the audio system can be played even after
the ignition is turned off. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 3-22 for more information.
4-49

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............5-2
Defensive Driving .......................................... .5-2
Drunk Driving ................................................ .5-2
Control of a Vehicle ....................................... .5-3
Braking ........................................................ .5-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS) ...........................5-4
Braking in Emergencies .................................. .5-5
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......................5-6
Traction Control System (TCS) .........................5-8
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) ....................5-11
Steering ..................................................... .5-13
Off-Road Recovery ...................................... .5-15
Passing ...................................................... .5-15
Loss of Control ............................................ .5-15
Driving at Night ........................................... .5-17Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
..................5-18
Before Leaving on a Long Trip .......................5-19
Highway Hypnosis ....................................... .5-19
Hill and Mountain Roads ................................5-20
Winter Driving ............................................. .5-21
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow .................................................. .5-23
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out .................5-24
Loading the Vehicle ..................................... .5-24
Towing ......................................................... .5-30
Towing Your Vehicle .................................... .5-30
Recreational Vehicle Towing ...........................5-30
Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transmission) ........5-33
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission) ...........5-39
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
5-1

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 the 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 the vehicle.See
Traction Control System (TCS) on page 5-8 ,
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 5-11 , and
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 5-6 .
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. See Accessories and Modications
on page 6-3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on page 4-26 .
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a second.
But that is only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination,
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 feet). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping enough space between the vehicle and others
is important.
5-3

And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or
gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of
the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
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 might not have time to cool between
hard stops. The brakes will wear out much faster with a
lot of heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic and
allowing realistic following distances eliminates a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being driven,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If the brakes
are pumped, the pedal could get harder to push down.
If the engine stops, there will still be some power brake
assist but it will be used when the brake is applied. Once
the power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 6-3.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The vehicle might have the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
If the vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel comes on
briefly when the vehicle is
started.
When the engine is started, or when the vehicle begins
to drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor
or clicking noise might be heard while this test is going
on, and it might even be noticed that the brake pedal
moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
5-4

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed to get
a foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to apply the brakes if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let antilock work. A slight brake pedal
pulsation might be felt or some noise noticed, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If the vehicle has ABS, it allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. However, if the vehicle does not
have ABS, the first reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard
and hold it down — might be the wrong thing to do. The
wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot
respond to the driver’s 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 the driver was trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If the vehicle does not have ABS, use a “squeeze”
braking technique. This gives maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. 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 helps retain steering control. With ABS, it is
different. SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 5-4 .
In many emergencies, steering can help more than
even the very best braking.
5-5

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
The vehicle may have an Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system which combines antilock brake, and
traction and stability control systems that help the driver
maintain directional control of the vehicle in most
driving conditions.
When the vehicle is started and begins to move, the
system performs several diagnostic checks to ensure
there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with the vehicle. The system
should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph
(32 km/h).
If the system fails to turn on or activate, the ESC/TCS
light comes on, and the ESC OFF and/or SERVICE ESC
message displays.
For more information, seeDriver Information Center
(DIC) on page 4-35 andElectronic Stability Control
(ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning
Light on page 4-28. This light flashes on the
instrument panel cluster
when the ESC system
is on and activated.
ESC activates when the computer senses a discrepancy
between the 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. See DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4-38 . This light also
flashes on the instrument panel cluster when the
ESC system is on and activated. A noise may be heard
or a vibration felt in the brake pedal. This is normal.
Continue to steer the vehicle in the intended direction.
5-6