steering PONTIAC VIBE 2003 User Guide

2-35
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you've left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won't
move. See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you're pulling a
trailer, also see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
Horn
To sound the horn, press anywhere on the horn pad on
your steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt steering column allows you to adjust the steering
column before you drive. You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
The tilt lever is located
underneath the steering
wheel column.
To tilt the column, move the lever downward. Adjust the
steering wheel to a comfortable position, then move the
lever upward to lock the column in place.

2-36
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The turn signal/multifunction lever is located on the left
side of the steering column.
This lever operates the following:

Turn and Lane
-Change Signals

Headlamp High/Low
-Beam Changer

Flash
-to-Pass
For more information on the exterior lamps, see
ªExterior Lampsº later in this section.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has an upward (for right) and a
downward (for left) position. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return automatically.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you complete
your lane change. The lever will return by itself when
you release it.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will flash in
the direction of the turn or
lane change.
If you signal a turn or a lane change and notice the
arrow flashing rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won't see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, have it replaced to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don't go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned
-out bulbs and then check
the fuse. See ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in the Index.

2-37 Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
The headlamps must be on for this feature to work. For
high beams, push the turn signal lever away from you.
When the high beams
are on, this light on the
instrument panel
cluster also will be on.
It will go off when you switch to the low beams. To
switch back to low beams, pull the lever toward you.
Flash-to-Pass
With the lever in the low-beam position, pull the lever
toward you to momentarily switch to high beams (to
signal that you are going to pass). If you have the
headlamps on when you release the lever, they will
return to the low beams.
Windshield Wipers
The lever on the right side of the steering column
controls the windshield wipers and washer.
The available positions are the following:
OFF: The wipers are off.
INT (Intermittent): Move the lever to INT to choose a
delayed wiping cycle. In light rain or snow, you might
want to use this position rather than continuous wiping.
You can change the time between wipes by turning the
INT TIME band. Turn the band forward or rearward for
longer or shorter delay interval. This position works the
same for the rear wiper.

2-39 Cruise Control (Option)
The cruise control lever is located on the right side of
the steering wheel.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below
about 25 mph (40 km/h).
CAUTION:

Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can't drive safely at a steady speed. So,
don't use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.

Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don't
use cruise control on slippery roads.

2-42
Exterior Lamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
(Exterior Lamps): Turn the outside part of the
lever with the symbol on it, to operate the lamps.The exterior lamp switch has three positions:
OFF: Turning the switch to this position turns off all
lamps, except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
 (Parking Lamps): Turning the switch to this
position turns on the parking lamps together with the
following:

Sidemarker Lamps

Taillamps

License Plate Lamp

Instrument Panel Lights
(Headlamps): Turning the switch to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
Turn the switch to OFF to turn off the lamps.
(Fog Lamps): You can also use the control lever to
turn on the fog lamps.

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When it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL to the regular
headlamps. See ªAutomatic Light Controlº earlier in
this section.
When you turn the exterior lamp switch off, the regular
lamps will go off and your headlamps will change to the
reduced brightness of DRL provided it is not dark
outside. DRL also comes on if only the parking lamps
are being used.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, do the following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition off.
3. Turn the ignition back on.
The DRL will stay off until you release the
parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.Interior Lamps
Interior/Instrument Panel Brightness Dial
The interior/instrument
panel brightness dial is
located to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
The brightness of the instrument panel lights will not
decrease when the headlamps are on. It is recommended
that the brightness level is kept at the maximum setting
for all daytime driving to insure proper visibility.

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The mirror moves so that you can adjust it up and down
or side to side. You can adjust the mirror for day or night
driving. Pull the tab for night driving to reduce glare.
Push the tab for daytime driving.
Power Remote Control Rearview Mirrors
These controls are
located to the left of
your steering wheel on
the instrument panel.
To adjust either mirror, push the button labeled L (left)
or R (right). Then use the arrows on the control pad to
adjust the mirror.
Once you have adjusted both mirrors, move the selector
switch back to the center. This prevents moving the
mirrors accidentally once you have adjusted them.

4-
4-1
Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions.
We've also included many other useful tips on driving.
4
-2 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-6 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-9 All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System (Option)
4
-10 Steering
4
-12 Off-Road Recovery
4
-12 Passing
4
-14 Loss of Control
4
-15 Driving at Night4
-17 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-21 City Driving
4
-22 Freeway Driving
4
-23 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-24 Highway Hypnosis
4
-24 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-26 Winter Driving
4
-30 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-34 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-36 Towing a Trailer

4-6
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That's perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That's reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that's only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it's pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.

4-9
Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti
-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you don't have anti
-lock, your
first reaction
-- to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it
down
-- may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can
stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle can't respond to
your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever
direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling.
That could be off the road, into the very thing you were
trying to avoid, or into traffic.If you don't have anti
-lock, use a ªsqueezeº braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You do this by pushing on
the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This
will help you retain steering control. If you do have
anti
-lock, it's different. See ªAnti-Lock Brakesº in
the Index.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
(Option)
If your vehicle has all-wheel drive (AWD), the AWD
system operates automatically without any action
required by the driver. If the front drive wheels begin to
slip, the rear wheels will automatically begin to drive
the vehicle as required. There may be a slight
engagement noise during hard use but this is normal.