warning light PONTIAC G8 2008 Owner's Guide

Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
may need a different turn signal
asher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer/retailer. The arrows
on your instrument panel will
ash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked
up, the trailer lamps will also ash,
telling other drivers you are
about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows
on your instrument panel will
ash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are
seeing your signal when they
are not. It is important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Your vehicle has bulb warning
lights. When you plug a trailer
lighting system into your vehicle’s
lighting system, its bulb warning
lights may not let you know if one of
your lamps goes out. So, whenyou have a trailer lighting system
plugged in, be sure to check
your vehicle and trailer lamps from
time to time to be sure they are
all working. Once you disconnect the
trailer lamps, the bulb warning
lights again can tell you if one of
your vehicle lamps is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gearbeforeyou start down a
long or steep downgrade. If you do
not shift down, you might have
to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down to
a lower gear and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h)
to reduce the possibility of engine
and transmission overheating.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION
You really should not park your
vehicle, with a trailer attached,
on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to
move. People can be injured,
and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig
on a hill, here is how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do
not shift into P (Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes.
Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to P (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
9-90 Vehicle Service and Care
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

A
Accessories and
Modications...................... 9-3
Accessory Power Outlets........ 4-9
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . 1-30
Additives, Fuel.....................8-34
Add-On Electrical
Equipment .......................9-32
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine .......9-11
Air Conditioning...............7-1, 7-4
Airbag
Passenger Status
Indicator .......................4-14
Readiness Light . ...............4-13
System, Replacing Parts
After a Crash . ...............1-32
Airbag System.....................1-19
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle . .......................1-30
Check . . . . .........................1-31
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?.....................1-24Airbag System (cont.)
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle........................1-30
What Makes an Airbag
Inate?........................1-24
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates? . ............1-24
When Should an Airbag
Inate?........................1-22
Where Are the
Airbags?..............1-21, 1-26
Antenna, Fixed Mast . ...........6-24
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)..................8-15
Anti-lock Brake, System
Warning Light...................4-17
Appearance Care
Chemical Paint Spotting.....9-98
Exterior Cleaning . . ............9-94
Finish Damage.................9-98
Interior Cleaning . . .............9-91
Sheet Metal Damage........9-98
Underbody Maintenance....9-98
Vehicle Care/Appearance
Materials......................9-99
Appointments, Scheduling
Service . ..........................12-8
Audio System . . ...................... 6-1
Audio Steering Wheel
Controls .......................6-23
Fixed Mast Antenna ..........6-24
Radio Reception . . .............6-24
Setting the Clock . . . . . . .......... 6-2
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . 6-23
Audio System(s) . . . ................. 6-3
Automatic Climate Control
System ............................. 7-4
Automatic Headlamp System . . . 5-2
Automatic Transmission
Fluid...............................9-13
Operation . . . ....................... 8-6
B
Battery...............................9-26
Run-Down Protection . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Brakes...............................9-24
System Warning Light . . . . . . . 4-16
Braking...............................8-14
Break-In, New Vehicle............ 8-2
INDEX i-1
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Bulb Replacement................9-29
Halogen Bulbs . . ................9-29
Headlamp Aiming ..............9-27
Headlamps and Parking
Lamps . ........................9-29
Replacement Bulbs...........9-32
Taillamps . ........................9-31
Buying New Tires . . ...............9-56
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . ...............2-16
California Fuel . . . ..................8-33
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements....... 9-3
California Proposition 65
Warning ............................ 9-3
Canadian Owners..................... ii
Capacities and
Specications . . . ................10-2
Carbon
Monoxide . . ......2-10, 8-12, 8-25
Care, Safety Belts................1-18
Cautions and Notices............... iii
CD, MP3 ............................6-19
Center Console
Storage Area..................... 3-1
Chains, Tire . . . . . ...................9-62
Charging System Light . . ........4-15Check
Engine Light....................4-18
Chemical Paint Spotting........9-98
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems.....1-37
Infants and Young
Children.......................1-34
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children..................1-40
Older Children..................1-32
Securing ..................1-46, 1-48
Where to Put the
Restraint......................1-38
Cleaning
Exterior...........................9-94
Interior............................9-91
Underbody Maintenance....9-98
Climate Control System.......... 7-1
Automatic.......................... 7-4
Outlet Adjustment............... 7-8
Clock, Setting . . ...................... 6-2
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 12-10
Compact Spare Tire . ............9-79
Compass............................2-16
Compressor Kit, Tire
Sealant...........................9-64
Content Theft-Deterrent.........2-13
Control of a Vehicle . . ............8-14
Convenience Net................... 3-1Coolant
Engine . ...........................9-13
Engine Temperature Gage . . . 4-17
Cooling System . . . . ...............9-17
Cruise Control . . ..................... 4-5
Customer Assistance
Information
Courtesy
Transportation.......12-4, 12-9
Customer Assistance
Offices .........................12-4
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure....................12-1
GM Mobility
Reimbursement
Program . . . ....................12-5
Reporting Safety Defects to
General Motors...........12-14
Reporting Safety Defects to
the Canadian
Government ................12-14
Reporting Safety Defects to
the United States
Government ................12-14
Roadside Assistance
Program . . . ....................12-6
Service Publications
Ordering Information . . . . . 12-15
i-2 INDEX
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

D
Daytime Running Lamps......... 5-2
Daytime Running Lamps
Indicator Light..................4-21
Defensive Driving . . ...............8-13
DIC Vehicle Customization . . . . 4-32
Disc, MP3 . . .........................6-19
Doing Your Own
Service Work..................... 9-4
Dome Lamps........................ 5-4
Door
Ajar Light . .......................4-21
Locks . . . . . . . ........................ 2-8
Power Door Locks.............. 2-9
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . 2-9
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . ...........4-23, 4-32
DIC Operation and
Displays .......................4-23
DIC Warnings and
Messages....................4-27
Driving
At Night ..........................8-22
Before a Long Trip............8-24
Defensive . .......................8-13
Drunken ..........................8-13
Highway Hypnosis............8-24
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . 8-24Driving (cont.)
In Rain and on
Wet Roads...................8-23
Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get it Out ....................8-28
Winter .............................8-25
E
EDR .................................12-16
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment . ...........9-32
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block...........................9-35
Headlamp Wiring . . ............9-33
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block...........................9-33
Power Windows and Other
Power Options . . ............9-33
Rear Compartment
Fuse Block...................9-38
Windshield Wiper Fuses....9-33
Electronic Stability Program . . . 8-16
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . .............9-11
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light...................4-18
Coolant...........................9-13
Coolant Heater................... 8-5Engine (cont.)
Coolant
Temperature Gage.........4-17
Drive Belt Routing...........11-14
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . .................. 9-6
Exhaust . ..........................8-12
Oil ................................... 9-8
Oil Life System.................9-10
Overheating.....................9-16
Starting ............................. 8-4
Event Data Recorders .........12-16
Extender, Safety Belt ............1-17
Exterior Lamps . ..................... 5-1
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner ............9-11
Finish Damage....................9-98
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . .........6-24
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . 4-4
Flat Tire . . . ...........................9-62
Flat Tire, Changing . . .............9-71
Flat Tire, Storing . . . . ..............9-78
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-13
Power Steering.................9-21
Windshield Washer . ..........9-22
INDEX i-3
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Fog Lamp
Fog .................................. 5-3
Fog Lamp Light . . . ................4-21
Front Seats . .......................... 1-2
Fuel...................................8-32
Additives . ........................8-34
California Fuel . . ................8-33
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . ..................8-36
Filling the Tank . . ...............8-35
Fuels in Foreign
Countries . . . ..................8-34
Gage ..............................4-22
Gasoline Octane . ..............8-33
Gasoline Specications......8-33
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block ...........................9-35
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block ...........................9-33
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block ...........................9-38
Windshield Wiper ..............9-33G
Gage
Engine Coolant
Temperature.................4-17
Fuel . . . . . ...........................4-22
Oil Pressure.....................4-22
Speedometer...................4-12
Tachometer......................4-12
Voltmeter Gage................4-15
Gasoline
Octane............................8-33
Specications...................8-33
Glove Box............................ 3-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program..........................12-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers . ....... 4-4
Head Restraints . .................... 1-4
Headlamp
Aiming............................9-27
Headlamp System
Automatic.......................... 5-2
Headlamp Wiring.................9-33Headlamps
Bulb Replacement . ............9-29
Daytime Running Lamps . . . . . 5-2
Exterior Lamps ................... 5-1
Halogen Bulbs..................9-29
Headlamps and Parking
Lamps .........................9-29
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 4-7
Heater...........................7-1, 7-4
Engine Coolant . ................. 8-5
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . ........4-21
High-Speed Operation, Tires . . . 9-48
Highway Hypnosis . . . .............8-24
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 8-24
Hood
Release............................ 9-5
Horn.................................... 4-4
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly............................ 1-8
i-4 INDEX
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

I
Ignition Positions . . ................. 8-2
Immobilizer ..........................2-11
Immobilizer Operation...........2-12
Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . .......................1-34
Ination - Tire Pressure.........9-46
Inator Kit, Tire....................9-64
Instrument Panel
Brightness ......................... 5-3
Cluster............................4-11
Overview........................... 4-2
J
Jump Starting......................9-80
K
Keyless Entry System . . .......... 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..................... 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . ........9-40
Lamps
Dome . . . . . . . ........................ 5-4
Reading . . . . . . . ..................... 5-4
Lap-Shoulder Belt . ...............1-14LATCH System
Child Restraints................1-40
Replacing Parts After
a Crash.......................1-45
Light
Airbag Readiness . ............4-13
Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . ............4-17
Brake System Warning......4-16
Charging System . . ............4-15
Daytime Running Lamps
Indicator.......................4-21
Door Ajar .........................4-21
Fog Lamp........................4-21
Highbeam On...................4-21
Malfunction Indicator.........4-18
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator.......................4-14
Safety Belt Reminders.......4-12
Security...........................4-21
Tire Pressure...................4-18
Lighting
Perimeter.......................... 5-4
Lights
Exterior Lamps................... 5-1
High/Low Beam Changer ..... 4-7
Loading Your Vehicle . ...........8-28Locks
Door................................. 2-8
Power Door . . . . . .................. 2-9
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . 2-9
Loss of Control....................8-21
Lumbar Seat Adjustment......... 1-2
M
Maintenance Schedule
Additional Required
Services .......................11-6
At Each Fuel Fill..............11-9
At Least Once a Month . . . . . 11-9
At Least Once a Year......11-10
Introduction . .....................11-1
Maintenance Footnotes . . . . . . 11-7
Maintenance Record . . . . . . . . 11-15
Maintenance
Requirements . . .............11-2
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts.......11-13
Owner Checks and
Services .......................11-9
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . ................11-12
INDEX i-5
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Maintenance Schedule (cont.)
Scheduled Maintenance.....11-4
Using ..............................11-2
Your Vehicle and the
Environment . . ...............11-2
Malfunction Indicator Light.....4-18
Manual
Shift Lock Release............9-84
Manual Seats . . . . . ................... 1-2
Manual, Using . . . ....................... ii
Message
DIC Warnings and
Messages....................4-27
Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror.....2-16
Outside Convex Mirror.......2-18
Outside Power Mirrors.......2-17
MP3 ...................................6-19
MyGMLink.com....................12-3
N
Navigation System, Privacy . . . 12-17
New Vehicle Break-In............. 8-2
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts..........11-13
Notices and Cautions............... iii
O
Off-Road Recovery...............8-20
Oil
Engine.............................. 9-8
Pressure Gage.................4-22
Oil, Engine Oil Life System....9-10
Older Children, Restraints......1-32
Online Owner Center............12-3
OnStar, Privacy . .................12-17
OnStar
®System, see
OnStar®Manual...............4-36
Outlet Adjustment.................. 7-8
Outlets
Accessory Power................ 4-9
Outside
Convex Mirror..................2-18
Power Mirrors..................2-17
Owner Checks and
Services..........................11-9
Owner Checks, Service.......... 9-5
Owners, Canadian.................... ii
P
Paint, Damage.....................9-98
Park
Shifting Into.....................8-10
Shifting Out of..................8-11
Park Brake........................... 8-9
Parking
Over Things That Burn......8-11
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . .........................4-14
Passing . . ............................8-21
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements, California . . . . . . 9-3
Perimeter Lighting . ................. 5-4
Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . .............. 2-9
Electrical System . . . . . . ........9-33
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 8-3
Seat................................. 1-2
Steering Fluid . . . . ...............9-21
Windows .........................2-15
Privacy.............................12-16
Event Data Recorders . . . . . 12-16
Navigation System . . . . . .....12-17
OnStar..........................12-17
Radio Frequency
Identication ................12-17
i-6 INDEX
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Security Light . . ....................4-21
Service . . . . ............................ 9-2
Accessories and
Modications.................. 9-3
Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle..... 9-4
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . 9-3
California Proposition 65
Warning . . . . . . . . . ................ 9-3
Doing Your Own Work........ 9-4
Engine Soon Light............4-18
Owner Checks . . ................. 9-5
Publications Ordering
Information . . . ..............12-15
Service, Scheduling
Appointments . . . ................12-8
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . 1-30
Setting the Clock . . ................. 6-2
Sheet Metal Damage............9-98
Shift Lock Manual Release . . . . 9-84
Shifting Into Park . . ...............8-10
Shifting Out of Park ..............8-11Signals, Turn and
Lane-Change . .................... 4-7
Spare Tire
Compact.........................9-79
Installing..........................9-73
Removing........................9-72
Storing............................9-78
Specications, Capacities......10-2
Speedometer.......................4-12
Start Vehicle, Remote............. 2-6
Starting the Engine................ 8-4
Steering . . . . ..........................8-19
Steering Wheel Controls,
Audio . . . . ..........................6-23
Steering Wheel, Tilt Wheel...... 4-4
Storage Areas
Center Console
Storage Area.................. 3-1
Convenience Net................ 3-1
Glove Box......................... 3-1
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow..........................8-27
Sun Visors..........................2-15
Sunroof . . . . ..........................2-18T
Tachometer .........................4-12
Taillamps . ...........................9-31
Theft-Deterrent, Radio . . .........6-23
Theft-Deterrent Systems........2-11
Content Theft-Deterrent .....2-13
Immobilizer . . ....................2-11
Immobilizer Operation........2-12
Tilt Wheel . ............................ 4-4
Time, Setting . . ....................... 6-2
Tire
Pressure Light..................4-18
Tires..................................9-39
Buying New Tires . ............9-56
Chains . ...........................9-62
Changing a Flat Tire.........9-71
Compact Spare Tire ..........9-79
Different Size . . . . ...............9-58
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . 9-48
If a Tire Goes Flat ............9-62
Ination - Tire Pressure .....9-46
Inspection and Rotation .....9-54
Installing the Spare Tire .....9-73
i-8 INDEX
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

W
Warning Lights, Gages and
Indicators . . . . . ...................4-10
Warnings
DIC Warnings and
Messages....................4-27
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . 4-4
Wheels
Alignment and Tire
Balance . . .....................9-60
Different Size . . . ................9-58
Replacement....................9-61
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . 1-38
Windows.............................2-14
Power.............................2-15Windshield
Washer............................. 4-8
Washer Fluid....................9-22
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . 9-23
Wiper Fuses....................9-33
Wipers.............................. 4-8
Winter Driving......................8-25
Y
Your Vehicle and the
Environment.....................11-2
i-10 INDEX
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual