PONTIAC VIBE 2004 Owners Manual

Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
·Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
may have to do this more than once.
·Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if
you do not get them off quickly. Use a clean cloth
and vinyl cleaner. See your dealer for this product.
Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Then, let
the leather dry naturally. Do not use heat to dry.
·For stubborn stains, use a leather cleaner.
·Neveruse oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
·Soiled or stained leather should be cleaned
immediately. If dirt is allowed to work into the ®nish,
it can harm the leather.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument
Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones
or waxes may cause annoying re¯ections in the
windshield and even make it difficult to see through the
windshield under certain conditions.
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components
Use only a mild soap and water solution on a soft cloth
or sponge. Commercial cleaners may affect the
surface ®nish.
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner or a
liquid household glass cleaner will remove normal
tobacco smoke and dust ®lms on interior glass. See
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-95.
Notice:Don't use abrasive cleaners on glass,
because they may cause scratches. Avoid placing
decals on the inside rear window, since they
may have to be scraped off later. If abrasive cleaners
are used on the inside of the rear window, an
electric defogger element may be damaged. Any
temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
5-91

Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
{CAUTION:
Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do, it
may severely weaken them. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide adequate
protection. Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them
last longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak.
Apply silicone grease with a clean cloth at least
every six months. During very cold, damp weather
more frequent application may be required. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-26.
Cleaning the Outside of Your
Vehicle
The paint ®nish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle's ®nish is
to keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm
or cold water.
Don't wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Use a car washing soap. Don't use strong soaps
or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle
well, removing all soap residue completely. You can get
GM-approved cleaning products from your dealer.
See
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-95.
Don't use cleaning agents that are petroleum based,
or that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be ¯ushed promptly and not allowed to dry on the
surface, or they could stain. Dry the ®nish with a soft,
clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to avoid surface
scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
5-92

Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a
car washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions under ªWashing Your Vehicle.º
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the
paint ®nish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. See
Vehicle Care/Appearance
Materials on page 5-95.
If your vehicle has a ªbasecoat/clearcoatº paint ®nish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint
®nish.
Notice:Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint ®nish may
dull the ®nish or leave swirl marks.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc.,
can damage your vehicle's ®nish if they remain
on painted surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon aspossible. If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that
are marked safe for painted surfaces to remove
foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a
period of years. You can help to keep the paint ®nish
looking new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Windshield, Backglass and Wiper
Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running,
wax, sap or other material may be on the blade or
windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a full-strength
glass cleaning liquid. The windshield is clean if beads do
not form when you rinse it with water.
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by
wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked in full-strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade
with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
5-93

Aluminum Wheels
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don't use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners,
cleaners with acid, or abrasive cleaning brushes on
them because you could damage the surface. Do not
use chrome polish on aluminum wheels.
Don't take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicone carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with tire cleaner.
Notice:When applying a tire dressing, always take
care to wipe off any overspray or splash from all
painted surfaces on the body or wheels of the
vehicle. Petroleum-based products may damage the
paint ®nish and tires.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will provide the
corrosion protection while maintaining the warranty.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the
®nish should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode quickly and may develop into major repair
expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials avaliable from your dealer. Larger areas of
®nish damage can be corrected in your dealer's
body and paint shop.
5-94

Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, corrosion and rust can develop on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, ¯oor pan and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, ¯ush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close areas of
the frame should be loosened before being ¯ushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ring-shaped discolorations,
and small, irregular dark spots etched into the paint
surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs ®rst.
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
See your GM dealer for more information on purchasing
the following products.
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
Description Usage
Polishing Cloth
Wax-TreatedInterior and exterior
polishing cloth.
Tar and Road Oil
RemoverRemoves tar, road oil and
asphalt.
Chrome Cleaner and
PolishUse on chrome or
stainless steel.
White Sidewall Tire
CleanerRemoves soil and black
marks from whitewalls.
Vinyl CleanerCleans vinyl tops,
upholstery and
convertible tops.
Glass CleanerRemoves dirt, grime,
smoke and ®ngerprints.
Chrome and Wire Wheel
CleanerRemoves dirt and grime
from chrome wheels and
wire wheel covers.
5-95

Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
(cont'd)
Description Usage
Finish EnhancerRemoves dust,
®ngerprints, and surface
contaminants. Spray on
wipe off.
Swirl Remover PolishRemoves swirl marks,
®ne scratches and other
light surface
contamination.
Cleaner WaxRemoves light scratches
and protects ®nish.
Foaming Tire Shine Low
GlossCleans, shines and
protects in one easy step,
no wiping necessary.
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
(cont'd)
Description Usage
Wash Wax ConcentrateMedium foaming
shampoo. Cleans and
lightly waxes.
Biodegradable and
phosphate free.
Spot LifterQuickly and easily
removes spots and stains
from carpets, vinyl and
cloth upholstery.
Odor EliminatorOdorless spray odor
eliminator used on
fabrics, vinyl, leather and
carpet.
See your General Motors parts department for these
products. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-26.
5-96

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

Instrument Panel Fuse Block
The instrument panel fuse block is located underneath
the instrument panel on the driver's side of the
vehicle.
Fuses Usage
TAILFront Parking Lamps, Taillamps,
License Plate Lamps, Instrument
Panel Lights, Engine Control System
OBD On-Board Diagnostic System
WIPER Windshield Wipers
AM2Charging System, Air Bag System,
Starter System, Engine Control
Fuses Usage
STOPStop Lamps, CHMSL, Engine
Control System, Anti-lock Brakes,
Cruise Control
DOOR Power Door Locks, Liftglass Lock
AM1Cigarette Lighter, Gauge, ECU-IG,
Wiper, Rear Wiper, Washer Fuses
ECU-IGCruise Control, Anti-Lock Brakes,
Theft Deterrent System, Automatic
Transaxle Control System, Electric
Cooling Fan
RR WIPERRear Window Wiper, Rear Window
Defogger
A/C Air Conditioning
INV Power Outlets
P/POINT Power Outlets
ECU-B Daytime Running Lamps
CIGCigarette Lighter, Power Rearview
Mirrors, Power Outlets, Audio
System, Automatic Transaxle
Control System
GAUGEGauges and Meters, Back-Up
Lamps, Charging System, Power
Door Locks, Power Windows,
Sunroof, Air Conditioning, Cruise
Control
WASHER Windshield Washers
*1 Engine Control System
5-99

Engine Compartment Fuse Block
This engine compartment fuse block is located in the
engine compartment on the driver's side of the vehicle
near the air cleaner. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12for more information on location.
Fuses Usage
HEAD MAINRight Headlamp, Left Headlamp
Fuses
ALT-S Charging System
EFI Electronic Fuel Injection System
HAZARDTurn Signal Lamps, Emergency
Flasher
HORN Horn
DOMEInterior Lights, Gauges and Meters,
Audio System, Remote Keyless
Entry System
Fuses Usage
MAIN Starter System, AM2 Fuse
AMP Audio Ampli®ers
MAYDAY Not Used
SPARE Spare Fuse
SPARE Spare Fuse
SPARE Spare Fuse
ABS NO. 2 Anti-lock Brake System
RDI FAN Electronic Cooling Fan System
ABS NO. 1 Anti-lock Brake System
ALTCharging System, DEFOG,
HEATER, GAUGE, ECU-IG,
WIPER, RR WIP, WASHER, ABS
NO. 1, ABS NO. 2, RDI FAN, FOG,
GAUGE, INV, AM1 Fuses
HEAD RH Right-hand Headlamp
HEAD LH Left-hand Headlamp
FOG Front Fog Lamps
Relays Usage
DIMMER Headlamp Dimmer
FAN NO. 2 Cooling Fan System
FAN NO. 1 Cooling Fan System
EFI Electronic Fuel Injection System
5-100