fuel additives PONTIAC G8 2008 Owners Manual

Driving and
Operating
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In.........8-2
Ignition Positions................8-2
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP).....................8-3
Starting the Engine.............8-4
Engine Coolant Heater.......8-5
Automatic Transmission
Operation..........................8-6
Parking Brake.....................8-9
Shifting Into Park
(Automatic
Transmission)
..................8-10
Shifting Out of Park..........8-11
Parking Over Things
That Burn........................8-11
Engine Exhaust.................8-12
Running the Vehicle
While Parked..................8-12
Driving Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving..............8-13
Drunk Driving....................8-13
Control of a Vehicle..........8-14
Braking.............................8-14
Antilock Brake
System (ABS).................8-15
Electronic Stability
Program..........................8-16
Steering............................8-19
Off-Road Recovery............8-20
Passing.............................8-21
Loss of Control.................8-21
Driving at Night.................8-22
Driving in Rain and on
Wet Roads......................8-23
Before Leaving on a
Long Trip........................8-24
Highway Hypnosis.............8-24
Hill and Mountain Roads. . . .8-24
Winter Driving...................8-25
If Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow
..........................8-27
Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out.......................8-28
Loading the Vehicle..........8-28
Fuel
Fuel..................................8-32
Gasoline Octane...............8-33
Gasoline Specications. . . . .8-33
California Fuel..................8-33
Additives...........................8-34
Fuels in Foreign
Countries........................8-34
Filling the Tank.................8-35
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container........................8-36
Driving and Operating 8-1
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Gasoline Octane
If your vehicle has a V8 engine, use
regular unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 87 or higher.
If the octane rating is less than 87,
you might notice an audible
knocking noise when you drive,
commonly referred to as spark
knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. If you are using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher
and you hear heavy knocking, the
engine needs service.
If your vehicle has the 3.6L V6
engine (VIN Code 7), use regular
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher.
For best performance or trailer
towing, you could choose to
use middle grade 89 octane
unleaded gasoline. If the octane
rating is less than 87, you might
notice an audible knocking noise
when you drive, commonly referred
to as spark knock.If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon
as possible. If you are using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher
and you hear heavy knocking, the
engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should
meet ASTM specication D 4814
in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in Canada.
Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 8-34for additional information.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specications.
See the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available
in states adopting California
emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on
fuels meeting federal specications,
but emission control system
performance might be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp could
turn on and your vehicle might fail
a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 4-18.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized dealer/retailer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of
fuel used, repairs might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Driving and Operating 8-33
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now required
to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits
from forming, allowing the emission
control system to work properly.
In most cases, you should not have
to add anything to the fuel. However,
some gasolines contain only the
minimum amount of additive required
to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations.
To help keep fuel injectors and intake
valves clean, or if your vehicle
experiences problems due to dirty
injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline. Also, your
dealer/retailer has additives that will
help correct and prevent most
deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might
be available in your area.We recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed
for those fuels.
Notice:Your vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under your
warranty.
Some gasolines that are not
reformulated for low emissions can
contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT); ask
the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT.We recommend against the use of
such gasolines. Fuels containing
MMT can reduce the life of spark
plugs and the performance of the
emission control system could be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp might turn on. If this occurs,
return to your dealer/retailer for
service.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the United States or
Canada, the proper fuel might be
hard to nd. Never use leaded
gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text
on fuel. Costly repairs caused
by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an
auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
8-34 Driving and Operating
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

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