transmission PONTIAC SOLSTICE 2009 User Guide

Parking the Vehicle (Manual
Transmission)
Before leaving the manual transmission vehicle, fully
press the clutch pedal in, move the shift lever in either
1 (First) gear or R (Reverse), and rmly apply the
parking brake. SeeManual Transmission Operation on
page 2-22.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under the vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.
2-26

Running the Vehicle While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see
Engine Exhaust on page 2-27.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
automatic transmission shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set. The
vehicle can roll. Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when it is on
fairly level ground, always set the parking brake
and move the automatic transmission shift lever to
P (Park), or the manual transmission shift lever to
Neutral.
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 2-24andParking the Vehicle (Manual
Transmission) on page 2-26.
2-28

Removing the Roof Panel
{CAUTION:
Do not try to remove a roof panel while the vehicle
is moving. Trying to remove the roof panel while
the vehicle is moving could cause an accident.
The panel could fall into the vehicle and cause
you to lose control, or it could y off and strike
another vehicle. You or others could be injured.
Remove the roof panel only when the vehicle is
parked.
Until you are sure you can remove the panel alone,
have someone help you.
Notice:If you drop or rest a roof panel on its
edges, the roof panel, paint and/or weatherstripping
may be damaged.Park on a level surface and set the parking brake. Shift
an automatic transmission into (P) Park. Shift a
manual transmission into (N) Neutral.
1. Make sure the ignition is off.
2. Lower the windows.
There are two release latches on the front of the
roof panel and one rear release latch on the back of
the roof panel.
3. To unlock the release latches on the front of the
roof panel, grasp each handle and pull it outward.
2-34

Installing the Roof Panel
{CAUTION:
An improperly attached roof panel may fall into or
y off the vehicle. You or others could be injured.
After installing the roof panel, always check that it
is rmly attached by pushing up on the underside
of the panel. Check now and then to be sure the
roof panel is rmly in place.
Notice:If you drop or rest a roof panel on its
edges, the roof panel, paint and/or weatherstripping
may be damaged. Always place the roof panel in
the stowage receivers after removing it from
the vehicle.
In most cases, it makes it easier if two people re-install
the roof panel.
1. Park on a level surface and set the parking brake.
Shift an automatic transmission into (P) Park. Shift
a manual transmission into (N) Neutral.
2. Check that the front release latches and the rear
release latch on the vehicle’s roof opening are in
their opened positions before attempting to
install the roof panel.3. Carefully place the roof panel over the top of the
vehicle.
4. Position the rear edge of the roof panel on the back
of the roof opening. Then align and t the pins at
the rear of the roof panel. Gently lower the
front edge of the roof panel to the front of the roof
opening.
5. Turn the front release
handles inward so that
they latch to the
closed position.
6. Push up on the handle of the rear roof release
handle to latch its hook in the closed position.
7. Push and pull the roof panel up and down and
side-to-side to ensure the roof panel is securely
installed.
2-36

Notice:Lowering the top if it is damp, wet, or dirty
can cause stains, mildew, and damage to the
inside of your vehicle. Dry off the top before
lowering it.
Notice:If you lower the top on your vehicle in cold
weather (0°F/-18°C or lower), you may damage
top components. Do not lower the top in cold
weather.
Notice:If you raise or lower the convertible top
while the vehicle is in motion, you could damage the
top or the top mechanism. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Always put an
automatic transmission in (P) Park or a manual
transmission in (1) First or (R) Reverse, turn
the ignition off and engage the parking brake before
raising or lowering the convertible top.
{CAUTION:
Moving parts of the convertible top can be
dangerous. People can be injured by the
convertible top and its mechanism. Keep people
away from your vehicle when you are lowering or
raising the top.
Lowering the Manual Convertible Top
1. Empty the trunk of all contents.
2. Park on a level surface and set the parking brake.
Shift an automatic transmission into (P) Park. Shift
a manual transmission into (1) First or (R) Reverse.
3. Turn the ignition off.
4. Open the trunk.
5. Pull down on the convertible top front latch, located
above the inside rearview mirror, and turn it
counterclockwise to unlatch it.
Leave the latch open and turned to prevent damage.
2-38

6. Pull rearward on the side edge (B) of the convertible
top and pull it off of the windshield frame.
7. Push the convertible top down into the trunk (E).
8. After the top is stored, as shown, push on the
convertible top to ensure that the top is fully
retracted and securely stored.
9. Close the trunk (E) by pressing down from the rear
center of it with a swift, rm motion.
Do not operate the rear defogger when the convertible
top is down.Raising the Manual Convertible Top
1. Park on a level surface, set the parking brake rmly
and shift an automatic transmission into (P) Park.
Shift a manual transmission into (1) First or
(R) Reverse.
2. Turn off the ignition, and lower the windows.
3. Push the trunk release button located in the glove
box, or on the remote keyless entry, if equipped.
4. Open the trunk.
5. Pull the convertible top forward by rmly gripping the
side edge (B) and applying a brisk upward and
forward motion to get the top in the full-up position.
2-39

The main components of the instrument panel are the
following:
A. Side Window Outlets. SeeClimate Control System
on page 3-16.
B.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-19.
C.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6.
D.Cruise Control on page 3-9(If Equipped).
E.Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-20.
F.Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-79
(If Equipped).
G.Instrument Panel Brightness on page 3-14.
H.Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-24.
I.Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-5.
J.Fog Lamps on page 3-13(If Equipped).
K. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Button (If Equipped). SeeElectronic
Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-6orTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-8.
L.Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-34.
M.Horn on page 3-5.
N.Windshield Wipers on page 3-8andWindshield
Washer on page 3-9.
O.Climate Control System on page 3-16.P. Cigarette Lighter (If Equipped).Ashtray(s) and
Cigarette Lighter on page 3-15andAccessory Power
Outlet(s) on page 3-14(If Equipped).
Q. Shift Lever. SeeManual Transmission Operation on
page 2-22. SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation
on page 2-19(If equipped with automatic
transmission).
R.Parking Brake on page 2-23.
S.Audio System(s) on page 3-46.
T.Cupholders on page 2-33.
U. Trunk Release. SeeTrunk on page 2-8.
V.Glove Box on page 2-33.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flasher):Press this button
located on the instrument panel, to make the front and
rear turn signal lamps ash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble.
Press
|again to turn the ashers off.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the center pad on the steering
wheel.
3-5

Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to increase speed.
1. Disengage the cruise control by applying the brake
pedal but do not turn it off. Accelerate to a higher
speed and reset the cruise control.
2. If the cruise control system is already engaged,
press the RES+ button. Press it until the desired
speed is reached, and then release the button.
To increase the vehicle speed in small amounts,
press the RES+ button briey and then release
it. Each time this is done, the vehicle goes about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
If the cruise control system is already engaged,
Push and hold the SET−part of the button until the
lower speed desired is reached, then release it.
To slow down in small amounts, push the SET−
part of the button briey. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle’s
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed
set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works on hills depends upon
the vehicle speed, load, and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you might have to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle
speed. When going downhill, you might have to brake
or shift to a lower gear to keep the vehicle speed down.
When the brakes are applied the cruise control will
turn off.
Ending Cruise Control
To end cruise control, step lightly on the brake
pedal or the clutch pedal if the vehicle has a manual
transmission.
Stepping on the brake pedal or clutch pedal will only
end the current cruise control session.
Press
Ito turn the system completely off.
3-11

Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased when
the cruise control or the ignition is turned off.
Headlamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp switch has the following four positions:
2(Headlamps):Turns on the headlamps, parking
lamps, and taillamps.
;(Parking Lamps):Turns on the parking lamps and
taillamps only.AUTO (Automatic Headlamp System):Automatically
turns on the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) during
daytime, and the headlamps, parking lamps, and
taillamps at night.
P(Off/On):Turns the Automatic Headlamp System
on or off. In Canada, this applies to vehicles with
an automatic transmission set to P (Park) and manual
transmission vehicles with the parking brake engaged.
When operating in AUTO, a brief turn of the switch
to off/on will turn off the Automatic Headlamp System.
An AUTO LIGHTS OFF message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) and a chime will sound.
Turning the switch to off/on again will turn the Automatic
Headlamp System back on. An AUTO LIGHTS ON
message will display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
The Automatic Headlamp System is always turned on at
the beginning of an ignition cycle for vehicles with
manual transmission. When the parking brake is
engaged, the automatic headlamps will turn off.
For vehicles with an automatic transmission, when the
shift lever is shifted out of P (Park), the Automatic
Headlamp System turns on. Shifting the lever back to
P (Park) will turn off the automatic headlamp system.
3-12

Headlamps on Reminder
If the drivers door is opened with the ignition off and the
lamps on, a warning chime will sound. This indicates
that the headlamps are still on.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. Fully functional daytime running lamps are required
on all vehicles rst sold in Canada.
The vehicle has a light sensor on top of the instrument
panel that helps control the DRL. Do not cover this
sensor or the headlamps will come on when they are
not needed.
The DRL system makes both low beam headlamps turn
on at reduced intensity when the following conditions
are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamp control is turned to AUTO.
The light sensor detects daytime light.
The shift lever is not in P (Park).
While the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker
lamps, and instrument panel lights will not be on.The DRL system turns off on U.S. vehicles by using the
on/off switch for one ignition cycle, if the vehicle is in
the P (Park) position, or if the vehicle speed is less than
5 mph (8 km/h) after the vehicle is started.
For vehicles rst sold in Canada the DRL system will
turn off when a automatic transmission vehicle is in the
P (Park) position or the park brake is set on a manual
transmission vehicle and the vehicle speed is less than
8 mph (13 km/h).
The regular headlamp system should be turned on
when it is needed.
Fog Lamps
For vehicles with fog lamps, the button is located on the
instrument panel, to the right of the steering wheel.
The ignition must be on to use the fog lamps.
#:Press to turn the fog lamps on and off. An indicator
light on the button comes on when the fog lamps
are on.
The parking lamps automatically turn on and off when
the fog lamps are turned on and off.
The fog lamps will turn off while the high-beam
headlamps are turned on.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
3-13