belt PONTIAC VIBE 2004 Workshop Manual

Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows the air bag symbol. The system
checks the air bag's electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an electrical problem.
The system check includes the air bag sensors, the air
bag modules, the wiring and the diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) on page 1-47.
This light will come on for
about seven seconds
when you start your
vehicle. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air
bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
{CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on or keeps
¯ashing after you start your vehicle, it means
the air bag system and safety belt pretension
system may not be working properly. The air
bags in your vehicle may not in¯ate in a crash,
or they could even in¯ate without a crash.
To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have
your vehicle serviced right away if the air bag
readiness light stays on after you start your
vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should come on for about
seven seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON.
If the light doesn't come on then, have it ®xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
3-30

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

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. See
Safety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-8.
Defensive driving really means ªbe ready for anything.º
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
ªalways expect the unexpected.º
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to
be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following
distance. It is the best defensive driving maneuver, in
both city and rural driving. You never know when
the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn
suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on
the driving task. Anything that distracts from the
driving task Ð such as concentrating on a cellular
telephone call, reading, or reaching for something onthe ¯oor Ð makes proper defensive driving more
difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting
injury. Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or
pull off the road in a safe place to do them yourself.
These simple defensive driving techniques could save
your life.
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor
to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle:
·Judgment
·Muscular Coordination
·Vision
·Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been
associated with the use of alcohol, with more than
300,000 people injured.
4-2

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ®nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking Ð if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can not; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action Ð steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes Ð but, unless you
have anti-lock, not enough to lock your wheels.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-11

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
·start your engine,
·shift into a gear, and
·release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle ¯uid (don't over®ll),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you ®nd them quickly. If you're trailering,
it's a good idea to review this information before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-30.
4-40

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

Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a typical
passenger car tire size.
A. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
B. Tire Width
C. Aspect Ratio
D. Belt Rating
E. Rim Diameter
F. Load Range
G. Speed RatingPassenger (P-Metric) Tire:The United States version
of a metric tire sizing system. The letter ªPº as the
®rst character in the tire size means a passenger vehicle
tire engineered to standards set by the U. S. Tire and
Rim Association.
Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates the tire
section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements. For example, if the
tire size aspect ratio is ª70,º as shown in item ªCº of the
illustration, it would mean that the tire's sidewall is
70% as high as it is wide.
Belt Rating:A letter code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire. The letter ªRº means
radial ply construction; the letter ªDº means diagonal or
bias ply construction; and the letter ªBº means
belted-bias ply construction.
Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in inches.
Load Range:The load range represents the load carry
capacity a tire is certi®ed to carry.
Speed Rating:The maximum speed that a tire
is certi®ed to carry a load. Speed ratings range
from ªAº to ªZº.
5-64

Tire Terminology and De®nitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure
is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:This means the combined weight
of optional accessories, for example, automatic
transmission, power steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, radio and air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:The relationship of a tire's height to
its width.
Belt:A rubber coated layer of cords that is located
between the plies and the tread. Cords may be made
from steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead:The tire bead contains steel wires that hold the
tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at alternate angles
substantially less than 90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold In¯ation Pressure:The amount of air pressure in
a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascal (kPa), before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-67.Curb Weight:This means the weight of a motor
vehicle with standard and optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and coolant, without
passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings:A code molded into the sidewall of a
tire signifying that the tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of Transportation motor vehicle safety
standards. The DOT code includes the Tire Identi®cation
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric designator which can
also identify the tire manufacturer, production plant,
brand and date of production.
GVWR:Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, see
Loading
Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
GAWR FRT:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front
axle, see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
GAWR RR:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle,
see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
Intended Outboard Sidewall:The side of an
asymmetrical tire that must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa):The metric unit for air pressure.
There are 6.9 kPa's to one psi.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire:A tire used on light duty
trucks and some multipurpose passenger vehicles.
5-65

Buying New Tires
To ®nd out what kind and size of tires you need, look
at the tire and loading information label. For more
information about this label and where to ®nd it, see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
Make sure the replacements are the same size,
load capacity, speed rating and construction type
(bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels. It's all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, it was developed
for use on your vehicle. See ªCompact Spare
Tireº in the index.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim ¯anges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
5-71

Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
{CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision,
loose equipment could strike someone. Store
all these in the proper place.
Return the jack, jack handle and wheel wrench to the
storage area. The compact spare tire storage area
is designed only for the compact spare tire, the standard
tire cannot be stored there.
To store the ¯at tire do the following:
1. If your vehicle has aluminum wheels, remove the
center wheel cap before storing the ¯at tire.
2. Place the ¯at tire on the rear cargo area ¯oor panel
with the outer side of the wheel facing up.
3. Use the tire tie-down belts located under the ¯oor
panel to secure the ¯at tire.4. Hook the belts (end closest to the buckle) to the
rear, upper tie-down hooks.
5-85