warning PONTIAC VIBE 2005 User Guide

Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both
miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your odometer shows how far your vehicle has
been driven, in miles.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed. If the new one can be set to
the mileage total of the old odometer, then it must
be. But if it cannot, then it is set at zero and a label must
be put on the driver’s door to show the old mileage
reading when the new odometer was installed.
Trip Odometers
The trip odometers can tell you how far your vehicle has
been driven since you last set the trip odometer to zero.
The button located on the
right side of the instrument
panel cluster allows you
to switch between the
odometer and the two
trip odometers.Press the button once to switch to TRIP A and again to
switch to TRIP B. To return the display to the odometer
reading, press the trip odometer button again.
To set the trip odometers to zero, press and hold
the button.
Tachometer
The tachometer shows
engine speed in
thousands of revolutions
per minute (rpm).
Notice:If you operate the engine with the
tachometer in the shaded warning area, your vehicle
could be damaged, and the damages would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not operate
the engine with the tachometer in the shaded
warning area.
3-27

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.If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the
oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light on page 3-33andTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-37.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service. United States
Canada
3-32

Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake system, the light will come on
when your engine is started and may stay on for several
seconds. That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to LOCK. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the light still stays on,
or comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle
needs service. If the regular brake system warning light
isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t haveanti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s a problem with your regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-32.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briey when you turn the ignition key to ON. This is
normal. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Low Tire Pressure Warning Light
This light should come on
briey as you start the
engine. It will then come on
only when a low tire
pressure condition exists.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-65for
more information. United StatesCanada
3-33

Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
This light should come on
briey when you start the
engine. If it stays on or
comes on while you
are driving, there is a
problem with your traction
control system.
The traction control system warning light comes on for a
few seconds when the ignition is turned to ON. It will
come on again when you press the TRAC OFF button to
turn off the traction control system. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9for more information.
In the following cases, contact your dealer:
The indicator light does not come on when the
ignition is turned to ON.
The indicator light remains on after the ignition is
turned ON.
The indicator light comes on with the normal driving
mode while driving.
Stabilitrak®Indicator Light
This light warns that there
is a problem somewhere in
the traction control system
or the vehicle stability
control (VSC) system.
The light will come on when the ignition is turned to ON
and will go off after a few seconds.
If the light comes on while driving, the system does not
work. However, as conventional braking operates
when applied, there is no problem to continue driving.
In the following cases, contact your dealer:
The warning light does not come on after the
ignition is turned to ON.
The warning light remains on after the ignition is
turned to ON.
The warning light comes on while driving.
The traction control system light will come on when the
VSC warning light comes on, even if the TRAC OFF
button is not pressed.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9for
more information on Vehicle Stability Control System.
3-34

Overdrive Off Light
Your automatic transaxle
has overdrive. The light
will come on whenever you
turn off the overdrive.
SeeOverdrive Off
on page 2-24for more
information.
Highbeam On Light
This light will illuminate
when the headlamp high
beams are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
This light will come on
when your windshield
washer uid is low.
SeeWindshield Washer Fluid on page 5-38for more
information.
Door Ajar Light
This light will come on if
any door, the rear liftgate
or the rear liftglass are
not completely closed.
Canada Only
3-40

Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage shows about how much fuel is in your
tank. There is an arrow on the fuel gage that indicates
that the fuel ller door is on the driver’s side of your
vehicle. The fuel gage works only when the ignition
switch is ON. When the gage rst indicates E or empty,
you still have a little fuel left, about 1 or 2 gallons
(3.8 L or 7.6 L), but you need to get more right away.
When your vehicle is low on fuel the low fuel warning
light, located below the empty mark, will also come on to
remind you to add fuel.Here are ve things some owners ask about. None of
these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before
the gage reads F or full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took
more or less than half the tank’s capacity to ll it.
It takes the gage several minutes to read F or full
after lling the vehicle with fuel.
The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or
speed up.
The gage doesn’t go back to E or empty when you
turn off the ignition.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light is located on the fuel gage and comes on
when the fuel tank is low on fuel. To turn it off, add fuel
to the fuel tank. SeeFuel on page 5-5for more
information. United States
Canada
3-41

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light on
the instrument panel will come on briey when you
start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system,
the anti-lock brake system warning light will stay on.
SeeAnti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-33.Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels. United States
Canada
4-7

The TRAC OFF button
is located to the left
of the steering wheel
below the instrument
panel cluster.
When getting the vehicle out of mud or newly fallen
snow, turn off the traction control system. The system
that controls engine performance interferes with the
process of freeing the front wheels. To turn off traction
control, press the TRAC OFF button. The traction
control system warning light will come on. The vehicle
stability control system (Stabilitrak
®) is always activated,
even when the traction control system is turned off.
To turn the traction control system back on, press the
TRAC OFF button again. The traction control system
warning light will go off. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) Warning Light on page 3-34for more information.
Stabilitrak®System
The Stabilitrak®system helps provide integrated control
of the systems such as anti-lock brake system, traction
control and engine control. This system automatically
controls the brakes and engine to help prevent the
vehicle from skidding when cornering on a slippery road
surface or turning the steering wheel abruptly.
This system will activate when your vehicle speed
reaches or exceeds 9 mph (15 km/h), and will
deactivate when the vehicle speed reduces to below
9 mph (15 km/h).
You may hear a sound in the engine compartment for a
few seconds when the engine is started or just after the
vehicle begins to move. This means that the system is in
the self-check mode, but does not indicate a malfunction.
If the vehicle is going to skid during driving, the traction
control system warning light will blink and an alarm
will sound intermittently. Adjust your driving accordingly.
This light warns that there
is a problem somewhere
in the traction control
system or Stabilitrak
®.
4-10

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored surface — and
slow down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember:
It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid, where the wheels
are no longer rolling, release enough pressure on the
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
4-16

Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and
you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reections
from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and
raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice:If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If you cannot avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through owing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle
can be carried away. As little as six inches of
owing water can carry away a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through owing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTires
on page 5-57.
4-20