towing PONTIAC G6 2007 User Guide

The hardtop will not operate if the vehicle has an
electrical failure. If an electrical failure occurs,
see your dealer for service.
If your vehicle has an electrical failure while
operating the hardtop, and must be towed to a
dealer for service, your vehicle should be towed
by atbed with the vehicle facing backwards.
Consult your dealer or professional towing service
if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program on page 456.Raising the Retractable Hardtop
1. Park on a level surface and apply the parking
brake. Shift the automatic transaxle into
PARK (P). The vehicle must be in PARK (P),
and the engine must be running, or the ignition
turned to the ON position, to operate the
retractable hardtop.
2. The trunk cargo cover must be fully closed,
and the trunk must be closed before raising
the hardtop.
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After the hardtop has raised completely, release
the switch. If you continue to press the switch for
about two seconds after the hardtop has raised
completely, the windows will automatically close.
If pressure is released from the switch before the
hardtop cycle is complete, the cycle will stop and
the Driver Information Center (DIC) will display the
TOP NOT SECURE message. Always press and
hold the switch until a chime sounds, if the engine
is on, and the Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays the TOP MOVE COMPLT to signal the
procedure is complete. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 212for more information.The hardtop will not operate if the vehicle has an
electrical failure. If an electrical failure occurs,
see your dealer for service.
If your vehicle has an electrical failure while
operating the hardtop, and must be towed to a
dealer for service, your vehicle should be towed by
atbed with the vehicle facing backwards. Consult
your dealer or professional towing service if you
need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 456.
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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 293.
{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.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
If your vehicle has the
anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), this light will
come on when your
engine is started and
may stay on for several
seconds. That is normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if
the light comes on when you are driving, stop
as soon as possible and turn the ignition off. Then
start the engine again to reset the system. If
the light still stays on, or comes on again while
you are driving, your vehicle needs service. If the
regular brake system warning light is not on,
you still have brakes, but you do not have anti-lock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light
is also on, you do not have anti-lock brakes
and there is a problem with your regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 199.
The ABS warning light will come on briey when
you turn the ignition key to ON. This is normal. If the
light does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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This light should come on, as a check to show
you it is working, when the ignition is on and the
engine is not running. If the light does not
come on, have it repaired. This light will also
come on during a malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has
been detected. A misre increases vehicle
emissions and may damage the emission
control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis and
service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount
of cargo being hauled as soon as it is
possibleIf the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do
so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park
your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light
remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady”
following. If the light is still ashing, follow the
previous steps, and see your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 313.
The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving trips
with the cap properly installed should turn the
light off.
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Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 254
Defensive Driving...................................... 254
Drunken Driving........................................ 255
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 258
Braking...................................................... 258
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 259
Braking in Emergencies............................. 261
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 262
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).............. 263
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 265
Steering.................................................... 266
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 269
Passing..................................................... 269
Loss of Control.......................................... 271
Driving at Night......................................... 272Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 274
City Driving............................................... 277
Freeway Driving........................................ 278
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 279
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 280
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 280
Winter Driving........................................... 282
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 287
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 288
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 288
Towing........................................................ 293
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 293
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 294
Towing a Trailer........................................ 296
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
253

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
If your vehicle has a traction system, you
should turn your traction system off. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 262,Enhanced
Traction System (ETS) on page 263,or
StabiliTrak
®System on page 265. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear, or with a manual transaxle, between
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R),
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle
is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions, you will cause
a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that
does not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it
may need to be towed out. If your vehicle
does need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 293.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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4. The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in
Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
If your vehicle can tow a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer on page 296for important information
on towing a trailer, towing safety rules,
and trailering tips.
Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity
Weight for Example 1=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract
Occupant Weight
150 lbs (68 kg)×2=300 lbs (136 kg)
CAvailable Occupant
and Cargo Weight=700 lbs (317 kg) Example 1
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{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can
strike and injure people in a sudden stop
or turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the trunk or rear area of
your vehicle. In a trunk, put them as
far forward as you can. Try to spread
the weight evenly. If you have
fold-down rear seats, you will nd four
anchors on the back wall of your
trunk. You can use these anchors to
tie down lighter loads. They are not
strong enough for heavy things,
however, so put them as far forward
as you can in the trunk or rear area.
Never stack heavier things, like
suitcases, inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above the tops of
the seats.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Do not leave an unsecured child
restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded down
unless you need to.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. SeeRoadside Assistance Program on
page 456.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind
a motorhome), see “Recreational Vehicle
Towing” following.
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Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle – such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy
towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing
your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See
“Dinghy Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer’s recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they
can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as
you would prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore Leaving on
a Long Trip on page 279.
Dinghy Towing
If you have the 3.9L V6 engine with the four-speed
automatic transaxle, your vehicle cannot be
dinghy towed.
If your vehicle does not have the 3.9L V6 engine
with a four-speed automatic transaxle, it can
be dinghy towed. When dinghy towing your
vehicle, the vehicle should be run at the beginning
of each day and at each RV fuel stop for about
ve minutes. This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components.
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For vehicles that can be dinghy towed with all
four wheels on the ground, follow these steps:
1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. To prevent your battery from draining while
the vehicle is being towed, remove the
following fuse from the instrument panel fuse
block: (IGN SENSOR). SeeInstrument
Panel Fuse Block on page 416for more
information.5. Turn the ignition to ACC.
6. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
7. Release the parking brake.
Notice:If you exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while
towing your vehicle, it could be damaged.
Never exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while towing
your vehicle.
Notice:Towing your vehicle from the rear
could damage it. Also, repairs would not
be covered by the warranty. Never have your
vehicle towed from the rear.
295