electrical PONTIAC VIBE 2004 User Guide

Charging System Light
This light will come on
brie¯y when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine is
not running, as a check to
show you it is working.
Then it should go out when
the engine starts.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you may
have a problem with the electrical charging system. It
could indicate that you have a loose generator drive belt
or another electrical problem. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the charging
system light on, be certain to turn off all your
accessories, such as the radio and air conditioner.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle's hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part isn't working, the other part can still
work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need
both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this light should
come on when you turn the key to START. If it doesn't
come on then, have it ®xed so it will be ready to
warn you if there's a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake doesn't
release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem.
United StatesCanada
3-31

If the Light Is On Steady
You also may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See
Filling Your Tank on page 5-7. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-4. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, mis®ring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has the
proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to ®x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.
3-36

Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch, platform and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You'll need more passing distance up ahead when
you're towing a trailer. And, because you're a good deal
longer, you'll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you're turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this so your trailer won't strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
4-38

Appearance Care............................................5-89
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-89
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-92
Weatherstrips...............................................5-92
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-92
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-94
Finish Damage.............................................5-94
Underbody Maintenance................................5-95
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-95
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-95Vehicle Identi®cation......................................5-97
Vehicle Identi®cation Number (VIN).................5-97
Service Parts Identi®cation Label.....................5-97
Electrical System............................................5-97
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-97
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-98
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-98
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-98
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-98
Capacities and Speci®cations........................5-101
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts.........5-103
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
·They contain acid that can burn you.
·They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
·They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn't be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
won't work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other system isn't a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be
damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake ®rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in
neutral before setting the parking brake.
5-45

9. Connect the other end of the negative (-) cable at
least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical
connection is just as good there, and the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is much less.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that has the dead battery. If
it won't start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice:Damage to your vehicle may result from
electrical shorting if jumper cables are removed
incorrectly. To prevent electrical shorting, take care
that the cables don't touch each other or any
other metal. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
5-49

Vehicle Identi®cation
Vehicle Identi®cation Number (VIN)
This is the legal identi®er for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on
the driver's side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certi®cation and Service Parts
labels and the certi®cates of title and registration.
Engine Identi®cation
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, speci®cations
and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identi®cation Label
You'll ®nd this label on your spare tire cover. It's very
helpful if you ever need to order parts. On this label is:
·your VIN,
·the model designation,
·paint information and
·a list of all production options and special
equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Don't add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your dealer ®rst.
Some electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as they
should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to add anything electrical to your vehicle, see
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-56.
5-97

Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker.
An electrical overload will cause the lamps to go on and
off, or in some cases to remain off. If this happens,
have your headlamp wiring checked right away.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow or ice, the wiper will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some electrical problem,
and not snow or ice, be sure to get it ®xed.
Power Windows and Other Power
Options
Circuit breakers protect the power windows and other
power accessories. When the current load is too heavy,
the circuit breaker opens and closes, protecting the
circuit until the problem is ®xed or goes away.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by fuses, circuit breakers and fusible
thermal links in the wiring itself. This greatly reduces the
chance of ®res caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted, replace the fuse.
Be sure you replace a bad fuse with a new one of the
correct size.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don't have
a spare fuse, you can borrow one. Just pick some
feature of your vehicle that you can get along
without ± like the radio or air conditioner ± and use its
fuse, if it is of the value you need. Replace it as soon as
you can.
Before replacing a fuse, turn every electrical switch off.
5-98

Reporting Safety Defects to
General Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in
a situation like this, we certainly hope you'll notify us.
Please call us at 1-800-762-2737, or write:
Pontiac-GMC Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 33172
Detroit, MI 48232-5172
In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English)
or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Service Publications Ordering
Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair
information on engines, transmission, axle, suspension,
brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $120.00
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer
Case Unit Repair Manual
This manual provides information on unit repair service
procedures, adjustments, and speci®cations for GM
transmissions, transaxles, and transfer cases.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $50.00
7-11

A
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-17
Adding Washer Fluid.......................................5-39
Additional Program Information........................... 7-9
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment............................5-97
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)......3-45, 3-54
Air Bag .........................................................3-30
Readiness Light..........................................3-30
Air Bag System, Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS).............................................1-47
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-21
All-Wheel Drive...............................................5-51
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System........................... 4-9
Aluminum Wheels...........................................5-94
AM ...............................................................3-63
Antenna, Fixed Mast.......................................3-64
Antenna, XMŸ Satellite Radio Antenna
System......................................................3-64
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-32
Anti-lock Brake System..................................... 4-7
Appearance Care............................................5-89
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-92
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-95
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle................5-89Appearance Care (cont.)
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-92
Finish Damage............................................5-94
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-94
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-95
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-95
Weatherstrips..............................................5-92
Arming the System.........................................2-14
Ashtrays........................................................3-19
Audio System(s).............................................3-41
Care of Your CD Player...............................3-64
Care of Your CDs........................................3-64
Fixed Mast Antenna.....................................3-64
Navigation/Radio System..............................3-63
Radio with CD............................................3-42
Radio with Six-Disc CD................................3-52
Setting the Time..........................................3-41
Understanding Radio Reception.....................3-63
XMŸ Satellite Radio Antenna System............3-64
Automatic Headlamp System............................3-13
Automatic Transaxle........................................2-18
Fluid..........................................................5-23
Operation...................................................2-20
Automatic Transaxle Shift Lock Control
System Check.............................................6-22
1