instrument panel PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2006 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-4
Child Restraints
.......................................1-18
Airbag System
.........................................1-30
Restraint System Check
............................1-43
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-16
Mirrors
....................................................2-29
OnStar
®System
......................................2-30
Storage Areas
.........................................2-33
Convertible Top
.......................................2-33
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-17
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-20
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-36
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-45Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-34
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Rear Axle
...............................................5-39
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-40
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-43
Tires
......................................................5-44
Appearance Care
.....................................5-69
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-77
Electrical System
......................................5-77
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-82
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Index................................................................ 1
2006 Pontiac Solstice Owner ManualM

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols
instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text
describing the operation or information relating to a
specic component, control, message, gage, or indicator.
If you need help guring out a specic name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-8

5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap
portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing
child restraint, you may nd it helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child restraint as you
tighten the belt. You should not be able to pull more
of the belt from the retractor once the lock has
been set.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions
to be sure it is secure.
8. If the airbag is off, the off indicator on the instrument
panel will be lit and stay lit when the vehicle is
started.
1-29

There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag
symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-24
for more information.Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel.
1-32

The right front passenger’s airbag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the bag might not inate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
1-33

Frontal airbags may inate at different crash speeds.
For example:
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could inate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.
If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the airbags
could inate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits an object does not deform.
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole) the
airbags could inate at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall).
If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle the
airbags could inate at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle goes straight into the object.
The frontal airbags are not intended to inate during
vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag
should have inated simply because of the damage to a
vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. Ination
is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the
impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inator, which inates the airbag. The inator, airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
in front of the right front passenger.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But airbags would
not help you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and many side impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion is not toward those
airbags. Airbags should never be regarded as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
1-35

What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After an airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the airbag inated.
Some components of the airbag module — the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s airbag or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag — will be hot for a
short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact
with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deated airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor
does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do
so. If you have breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an airbag inates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or a
door. If you experience breathing problems
following an airbag deployment, you should
seek medical attention.
Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on, turn the hazard
warning ashers on and turn off the HVAC when the
airbags inate (if battery power is available). You can
lock the doors again, turn the interior lamps off, turn the
hazard warning ashers off and turn the HVAC on by
using the controls for those features.
1-36

In many crashes severe enough to inate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional
windshield breakage may also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for your
airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include airbag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after a
crash. SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders on page 7-9.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that your airbag
system will not work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system. The
passenger airbag status indicator will be visible when you
turn your ignition key to RUN or START. The words ON
and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will be visible on
the instrument panel during the system check. When the
system check is complete, either the word ON or the word
OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbol for off will be
visible. SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on
page 3-25.
The passenger sensing system will turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver’s airbag is not part of the passenger sensing
system.Passenger
Airbag Status
Indicator – United States
Passenger
Airbag Status
Indicator – Canada
1-37

The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the passenger’s frontal airbag if:
the passenger seat is unoccupied
the system determines that an infant is present in a
rear-facing infant seat
the system determines that a small child is present
in a forward-facing child restraint
the system determines that a small child is present
in a booster seat
a passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for
a period of time
the passenger seat is occupied by a smaller
person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints
or if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off the
passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator in the
instrument panel will light and stay lit to remind you that
the airbag is off. SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 3-25.If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator
is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint following the
child restraint manufacturer’s directions and refer to
Securing a Child Restraint in the Passenger Seat Position
on page 1-27.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make sure that
the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child restraint
into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly recline the
vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat cushion if
possible.
If the on indicator is still lit, do not install a child restraint
in this vehicle and check with your dealer.
The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inate) the passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the
system senses that a person of adult size is sitting
properly in the passenger’s seat. When the passenger
sensing system has allowed the airbag to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbag is active.
For some children who have outgrown child restraints
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the passenger’s frontal airbag,
depending upon the person’s seating posture and body
build. Everyone in your vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should wear a safety belt properly — whether
or not there is an airbag for that person.
1-39