ignition PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2008 Service Manual

To change the time default setting from 12 hour to
24 hour, press the
Hbutton and then the pushbutton
located under the forward arrow label. Once the
time 12H and 24H are displayed, press the pushbutton
located under the desired option to select the default.
Press the
Hbutton again to apply the selected default,
or let the screen time out.
With Date Display
Single CD (MP3) Player
This type of radio has aHbutton for setting the time
and date.
To set the time and date, follow these instructions:
1. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN. Press the
Oknob, located in
the center of the radio, to turn the radio on.
2. Press the
Hbutton and the HR, MIN, MM, DD,
YYYY (hour, minute, month, day, and year)
displays.3. Press the pushbutton located under any one of
the labels that you want to change. Every time
the pushbutton is pressed again, the time or
the date if selected, increases by one.
Another way to increase the time or date,
is to press the right
¨SEEK arrow or
\FWD button.
To decrease the time or date, press the
left
©SEEK arrow orsREV button,
or turn the
fknob, located on the upper
right side of the radio.
The date does not automatically display. To see
the date press the
Hbutton while the radio is on.
The date with display times out after a few seconds
and goes back to the normal radio and time display.
3-51

Six-Disc CD (MP3) Player
This type of radio has a MENU button instead of
the
Hbutton to set the time and date.
To set the time and date, follow these instructions:
1. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN. Press the
Oknob, located in the
center of the radio, to turn the radio on.
2. Press the MENU button. Once the clock option
is displayed.
3. Press the pushbutton located under that label.
The HR, MIN, MM, DD, YYYY displays.
4. Press the pushbutton located under any one of
the labels you want to change. Every time the
pushbutton is pressed again, the time or the
date if selected, increases by one.
Another way to increase the time or date,
is to press the right
¨SEEK arrow or
\FWD button.
To decrease the time or date, press the
left
©SEEK arrow orsREV button,
or turn the
fknob, located on the upper
right side of the radio.The date does not automatically display. To see the
date press the MENU button and then the
Hbutton
while the radio is on. The date with display times
out after a few seconds and goes back to the normal
radio and time display.
To change the time default setting from 12 hour to
24 hour or to change the date default setting from
month/day/year to day/month/year, follow these
instructions:
1. Press the
Hbutton and then the pushbutton located
under the forward arrow label. Once the time 12H
and 24H, and the date MM/DD/YYYY (month, day,
and year) and DD/MM/YYYY (day, month, and year)
displays.
2. Press the pushbutton located under the desired
option.
3. Press the
Hor MENU button again to apply the
selected default, or let the screen time out.
3-52

Playing the Radio
O
(Power/Volume):Press this knob to turn the
system on and off.
Turn this knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the volume.
Speed Compensated Volume (SCV):Radios with
the Speed Compensated Volume (SCV) feature will
automatically adjust the radio volume to compensate
for road and wind noise as the vehicle’s speed changes
while driving, so that the volume level is consistent.
To activate SCV:
1. Set the radio volume to the desired level.
2. Press the MENU button to display the radio
setup menu.
3. Press the pushbutton under the AUTO VOLUM
(automatic volume) label on the radio display.
4. Press the pushbutton under the desired Speed
Compensated Volume setting (OFF, Low, Med,
or High) to select the level of radio volume
compensation. The display times out after
approximately 10 seconds. Each higher setting
allows for more radio volume compensation at
faster vehicle speeds.
Finding a Station
BAND:Press this button to switch between FM1 and
FM2, AM, or XM™ (if equipped). The selection displays.
f(Tune):Turn to select radio stations.
©SEEK¨:Press the arrows to go to the previous
or to the next station and stay there.
To scan stations, press and hold either arrow for a
few seconds until a beep sounds. The radio goes to a
station, plays for a few seconds, then goes on to the next
station. Press either arrow again to stop scanning.
The radio only seeks and scans stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
4(Information) (Radio with CD (Base)):Press to
switch the display between the radio station frequency
and the time. While the ignition is off, press this button
to display the time.
4(Information) (XM™ Satellite Radio Service, MP3,
and RDS Features):Press to display additional text
information related to the current FM-RDS or XM™
station, or MP3 song. A choice of additional information
such as: Channel, Song, Artist, and CAT (category) can
display. Continue pressing to highlight the desired label,
or press the pushbutton positioned under any one of the
labels and the information about that label displays.
While information is not available, No Info displays.
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Playing a CD (Single CD Player)
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up.
The player pulls it in and the CD should begin playing.
Playing a CD(s) (Six-Disc CD Player)
LOAD^:Press this button to load CDs into the
CD player. This CD player holds up to six CDs.
To insert one CD, do the following:
1. Press and release the
^button.
2. Wait for the message to insert the disc.
3. Load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls the CD in.
To insert multiple CDs, do the following:
1. Press and hold the
^button for two seconds.
A beep sounds and Load All Discs displays.
2. Follow the displayed instruction on when to insert
the discs. The CD player takes up to six CDs.
3. Press the
^button again to cancel loading
more CDs.
If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the
player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio
is turned on, the CD starts playing where it stopped,
if it was the last selected audio source.When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol displays on
the CD. As each new track starts to play, the track
number displays.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm)
single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and
the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner.
Care of Your CDs
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality can be reduced due
to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of
the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R
has been handled. Handle them carefully. Store CD-R(s)
in their original cases or other protective cases and
away from direct sunlight and dust. The CD player scans
the bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is
damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the
CD does not play properly or not at all. Do not touch the
bottom side of a CD while handling it; this could damage
the surface. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges
or the edge of the hole and the outer edge.
If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth
or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent
solution mixed with water, and clean it. Make sure the
wiping process starts from the center to the edge.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
3-59

RDM (Random):With the random setting, you can
listen to the tracks in random, rather than sequential
order, on one CD or all CDs in a six-disc CD player.
To use random on the Radio with CD (Base), do one
of the following:
1. Press to play tracks from the CD you are listening
to in random order. The random icon displays.
2. Press again to turn off random play. The random
icon disappears from the display.
To use random on the Radio with CD (MP3) or the
Radio with Six-Disc player, do one of the following:
Press the CD/AUX button, or for a single CD player,
insert a disc partway into the slot of the CD player.
A RDM label displays.
To play the tracks from the single CD in random
order, press the pushbutton positioned under the
RDM label until Random Current Disc displays.
Press the pushbutton again to turn off random play.
Press the CD/AUX button, or for a six-disc CD
player, press and hold the LOAD
^button. A beep
sounds and Load All Discs displays. Insert one or
more discs partway into the slot of the CD player.
To play tracks from all CDs loaded in a six-disc
CD player in random order, press the pushbutton
positioned under the RDM label until Randomize
All Discs displays. Press the same pushbutton
again to turn off random play.RPT (Repeat):For Radios with CD (Base), one track
can be repeated by using the repeat setting.
To repeat the track you are listening to, press and
release the RPT button. An arrow symbol displays.
Press RPT again to turn off repeat play.
4(Information) (Radio with CD (Base)):Press to
switch the display between the track number, elapsed
time of the track, and the time. When the ignition is
off, press this button to display the time.
BAND:Press to listen to the radio while a CD is
playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future
listening.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary):Press to play a CD while
listening to the radio. The CD icon and a message
showing disc and/or track number displays when
a CD is in the player. Press again and the system
automatically searches for an auxiliary input device,
such as a portable audio player. If a portable audio
player is not connected, “No Aux Input Device” displays.
Playing an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW Disc
Radios with the MP3 feature are capable of playing
an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc. For more information
on how to play an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc, see
Using an MP3 on page 3-63later in this section.
3-61

When play enters a new folder, the display does not
automatically show the new folder name unless
the folder mode was chosen as the default display.
The new track name displays.
File System and Naming
The song name that displays is the song name that is
contained in the ID3 tag. If the song name is not present
in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the le name
without the extension (such as .mp3) as the track name.
Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages
are shortened. Parts of words on the last page of
text and the extension of the lename does not display.
Preprogrammed Playlists
Preprogrammed playlists that were created using
WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software,
can be accessed, however, they cannot be edited
using the radio. These playlists are treated as special
folders containing compressed audio song les.
Playing an MP3
Insert a CD-R or CD-RW partway into the slot
(Single CD Player), or press the load button and wait
for the message to insert disc (Six-Disc CD Player),
label side up. The player pulls it in, and the CD-R
or CD-RW should begin playing.If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD-R or
CD-RW in the player, it stays in the player. When
the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD-R starts to
play where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio
source.
As each new track starts to play, the track number
and song title displays.
ZEJECT:Press this button to eject CD-R(s) or
CD-RW(s). To eject the CD-R or CD-RW that is currently
playing, press and release this button. A beep sounds
and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected,
Remove Disc displays. The CD-R or CD-RW can be
removed. If the CD-R or CD-RW is not removed, after
several seconds, the CD-R or CD-RW automatically
pulls back into the player and begins playing. For the
Six-Disc CD player, press and hold this button for
two seconds to eject all discs.
f(Tune):Turn this knob to select MP3 les on the
CD-R or CD-RW currently playing.
©SEEK¨:Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the
start of the current MP3 le, if more than ten seconds
have played. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to
the next MP3 le. If either SEEK arrow is held or
pressed multiple times, the player continues moving
backward or forward through MP3 les on the CD.
3-65

{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down and they
could get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could crash.
Always have the engine running and your
vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds
that let you stay in your own lane.
Top of hills: Be alert — something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks
area, winding roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You might want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer uid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a ashlight, a red cloth, and a
couple of reective warning triangles. And, if you will be
driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of
sand, a piece of old carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to
help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 5-51.
4-19

How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System
The Engine Oil Life System calculates when to change
your engine oil and lter based on vehicle use. Whenever
the oil is changed, reset the system so it can calculate
when the next oil change is required. If a situation occurs
where you change the oil prior to a CHANGE OIL SOON
message being turned on, reset the system.
After changing the engine oil, the system must be reset:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN, with the engine off.
2. Press the information and reset buttons on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) at the same
time to enter the personalization menu.
SeeDIC Vehicle Personalization on page 3-44.
3. Press the information button to scroll through the
available personalization menu modes until the
DIC display shows OIL-LIFE RESET.
4. Press and hold the reset button until the DIC
display shows ACKNOWLEDGED. This will tell
you the system has been reset.
5. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
If the CHANGE OIL SOON message comes back on
when you start your vehicle, the engine oil life system
has not reset. Repeat the reset procedure.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that can be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from
the lter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it
by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you have
a problem properly disposing of used oil, ask your
dealer/retailer, a service station, or a local recycling
center for help.
5-20

Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlet. Turn off the
radio and all lamps that are not needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save the radio!
4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminal locations on
that vehicle.
You will not need to access your battery for jump
starting. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) and
a remote negative (−) jump starting terminal.
The remote positive (+)
terminal is located under a
red plastic cover on the
engine compartment fuse
block. Open the red plastic
cover to access the
terminal.Do not remove fuse block cover to jump start the
vehicle.
The remote negative (−)
ground bracket is located
in the rear of the engine
compartment, on the
passenger’s side of the
vehicle, and is marked
GND (−).
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for more information on the location of the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminals on
your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
5-42

Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) is designed
to warn the driver when a low tire pressure condition
exists. TPMS sensors are mounted onto each tire
and wheel assembly. The TPMS sensors monitor the
air pressure in the vehicle’s tires and transmits the
tire pressure readings to a receiver located in the
vehicle.
When a low tire pressure
condition is detected, the
TPMS illuminates the low
tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument
panel cluster.
At the same time a message to check the pressure
in a specic tire appears on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) display. The low tire pressure warning light
and the DIC warning message come on at each ignition
cycle until the tires are inated to the correct ination
pressure. Using the DIC, tire pressure levels can be
viewed by the driver. For additional information and
details about the DIC operation and displays seeDIC
Operation and Displays on page 3-38andDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-40.The low tire pressure warning light may come on in
cool weather when the vehicle is rst started, and then
turn off as you start to drive. This could be an early
indicator that the air pressure in the tire(s) are getting
low and need to be inated to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label, attached to
your vehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressure for your
vehicle’s tires when they are cold. SeeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 4-24, for an example of the Tire and
Loading Information label and its location on your vehicle.
Also seeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-58.
Your vehicle’s TPMS system can warn you about a low
tire pressure condition but it does not replace normal
tire maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-65andTires on page 5-51.
Notice:Using non-approved tire sealants could
damage the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
sensors. TPMS sensor damage caused by using
an incorrect tire sealant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use the GM approved
tire sealant available through your dealer/retailer.
Your vehicle, when new, included a factory-installed
Tire Inator Kit. This kit uses a GM approved liquid
tire sealant. Using non-approved tire sealants could
damage the TPMS sensors. SeeTire Sealant and
Compressor Kit on page 5-76for information regarding
the inator kit materials and instructions.
5-61