ignition PONTIAC G6 2008 Service Manual

Maximum Air Conditioning
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the
system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the
Cvent mode.
2. Select the highest fan speed.
3. Select
#air conditioning.
4. Select the
?recirculation mode.
5. Select the coolest temperature.
Using these settings together for long periods of time can
cause the air inside of the vehicle to become too dry. To
prevent this from happening, after the air in the vehicle
has cooled, turn the recirculation mode off.
If your vehicle has the remote start feature, it will turn
on using the last settings selected on the climate control
before the vehicle was turned off.
The fan and air delivery knobs can be used during
remote start. The buttons will not work until the ignition
is turned on by the key.
The climate control system changes back to manual
operation when the vehicle key is turned to ON/RUN.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of windows is a result of high humidity
(moisture) condensing on the cool window glass. This
can be minimized if the climate control system is
used properly. There are two modes to choose from to
clear fog or frost from your windshield. Use the
defog mode to clear the windows of fog or moisture and
warm the passengers. Use the defrost mode to
remove fog or frost from the windshield more quickly.
Turn the right knob to select the defog or defrost mode.
-(Defog):Turn the knob to this setting to direct
the air between the windshield and the oor outlets with
a small amount directed to the side windows. This
mode automatically turns off recirculation. The air
conditioning compressor runs unless the outside
temperature is at or below freezing. The air conditioning
compressor operates although the indicator light is
not on. The air conditioning indicator light turns off when
defog is selected. If the air conditioning button is
pressed while in defog mode, the indicator light turns
on. If the button is pressed again, the light turns off. The
recirculation mode cannot be selected while in the
defog mode. Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
3-21

If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer/retailer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be wrong with the
airbag system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 3-30for more on this, including
important safety information.
Charging System Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn on
the ignition, but the engine
is not running, as a
check to show you it is
working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. A charging system
Driver Information Center (DIC) message may also
appear. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-46
for more information. This light could indicate that you
have problems with a generator drive belt, or another
electrical problem. Have it checked right away. 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.
3-33

Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on briey when you start the
engine. If it does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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. 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. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-25.
{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. United States
Canada
3-34

Antilock Brake System Warning
Light
For vehicles with the
Antilock Brake System
(ABS), this light will come
on briey when you
start the engine.
That 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.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off, if the light
comes on when you are 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 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 antilock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you do not have antilock brakes
and there is a problem with your regular brakes. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-34.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC), see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-46for all
brake related DIC messages.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
If the traction control
warning light comes on
and stays on, there may be
a problem with the
traction control system.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-5for
more information.
3-35

When the Light Flashes First and Then is
Solid
This indicates that there may be a problem with the Tire
Pressure Monitor System. The light will ash for
about a minute and then stay on solid for the remainder
of the ignition cycle. This sequence will repeat with
every ignition cycle. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 5-70for more information.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems. It makes
sure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
The check engine light
comes on to indicate that
there is an OBD II
problem and service is
required.Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. This can prevent more serious
damage to your vehicle. This system is also designed
to assist your service technician in correctly diagnosing
any malfunction.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after a while, the emission controls
might not work as well, your vehicle’s fuel economy
might not be as good, and the engine might not
run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs
that might not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
your vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This could
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-4.
3-38

This light comes on, as a check to show it is working,
when the ignition is turned ON/RUN but the engine is not
running. If the light does not come on, have it repaired.
This light also comes on during a malfunction in
one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and could damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service might be
required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following can prevent more serious damage to your
vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If 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 the vehicle.
Turn the ignition 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/retailer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You might 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 5-9. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your vehicle’s electrical system might be wet. The
condition is usually corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
3-39

Cruise Control Light
This light comes on
whenever you set the
cruise control.
The light goes out when the cruise control is turned off.
SeeCruise Control on page 3-10for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when
the high-beam headlamps
are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8
for more information.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left, when the ignition is on. SeeLow Fuel Warning
Light on page 3-42for more information.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light, on the fuel gage, comes on when the fuel
tank is low on fuel. To turn if off, add fuel to the
fuel tank.
United StatesCanada
3-42

Driver Information Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC) provides the
following:
A way to personalize your vehicle
Trip information
Warning messages
The buttons used to activate the DIC are located on the
left side of the vehicle’s audio system.
INFO/
4(Information):Press this button to scroll
through the vehicle information mode displays.
MENU:Press this button to enter and scroll through the
menu mode.ENTER/
r(Enter):Press this button to select a
menu option or to acknowledge a warning message.
The DIC messages will be read through your audio
system display.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. If your
vehicle has the uplevel audio system, the time and
outside temperature is shown on the rst line of
the display and the DIC information is shown on the
second line of the display.
The DIC has different modes which can be accessed by
pressing the DIC buttons. The button functions are
detailed in the following section.
Information Modes
INFO/4(Information):Press this button to scroll
through the vehicle information mode displays in the
following order:
TRIP A
TRIP B
FUEL RANGE (Fuel Range Until Empty)
MPG (L/100 KM) AVG (Average Fuel Economy) United States
Canada
3-43

OIL LIFE:Press the information button until OIL LIFE
displays. The engine oil life system shows an estimate of
the oil’s remaining useful life. It shows 100% when
the system is reset after an oil change. It alerts you to
change the oil on a schedule consistent with your driving
conditions.
In addition to the engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is recommended in
the Maintenance Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4andEngine Oil on
page 5-21.
Always reset the engine oil life system after an oil
change. See “How to Reset the Engine Oil Life System”
underEngine Oil Life System on page 5-24.
Tire Pressure:The pressure for each tire can be
viewed in the DIC. The tire pressure is shown in either
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa).
Press the information button until LF ## PSI (kPa) ## RF
displays for the front tires. Press the information
button again until LR ## PSI (kPa) ## RR displays for
the rear tires.
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. SeeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-68andDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-46for more information.Personalization
MENU:Press this button while the ignition is on to
scroll through each of the personalization options in the
following order. To avoid excessive drain on the
battery, it is recommended that the headlamps are
turned off. If the vehicle is moving faster than 2 mph
(3 km/h), the personalization menu options are not
available, except for the UNITS option. All of the
personalization options may not be available on your
vehicle. Only the options available display on the DIC.
Oil Life Reset
Units Selection (English/Metric)
Tire Learn?, on vehicles without the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) system
Remote Start Capability
Horn Chirp During Remote Keyless Entry Locking
Horn Chirp During Remote Keyless Entry Unlocking
Exterior Light Flash During Remote Keyless
Entry Locking or Unlocking
Delayed Locking
Automatic Vehicle Unlocking: Specic Doors
Automatic Vehicle Unlocking: When Key is Off or
When Shift To Park
3-45

Exterior Perimeter Lighting During Remote Keyless
Entry Unlock
Select Language: (English, French, Spanish or
German)
When the desired option is reached, press the enter
button to toggle between the modes of that option. To
make a selection, press the MENU button again.
If no selection is made within 10 seconds, the display
reverts back to the previous information displayed.
The MENU mode is exited when the information button
is pressed, a 10 second time period has elapsed,
the ignition is turned off, or the end of the MENU list is
reached.
SeeDIC Vehicle Personalization on page 3-50for more
information on the personalization options.
Enter
ENTER/r(Enter):Press this button to reset certain
functions and to turn off or acknowledge messages
on the DIC display. This button also toggles through the
options available in each personalization menu.
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 uid level is low. The brake system warning
light on the instrument panel cluster also comes on. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-34for more
information. Have the brake system serviced by
your dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
3-46