tow PONTIAC VIBE 2005 Service Manual

When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short trip/city
maintenance schedule:
Most trips are less than 5 miles (8 km). This is
particularly important when outside temperatures
are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling, such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top
of your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi,
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and lter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months — whichever
occurs rst.
If none of them are true, use the long trip/highway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and lter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months — whichever
occurs rst. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine
under highway conditions will cause engine oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
lter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you have a
problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask
your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center
for help.
5-20

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Check the uid in the transaxle and differential every
30,000 miles (48 000 km). Change the uid every
60,000 miles (100 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven
under one or more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
SeePart A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 6-4.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice:Too much or too little uid can damage the
transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the uid
could come out and fall on hot engine or exhaust
system parts, starting a re. Too little uid could
cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure to get an
accurate reading if you check the transaxle uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
uid level if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic — especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 158°F to 176°F
(70°C to 80°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
15 miles (24 km) when outside temperatures are
above 50°F (10°C). If it is colder than 50°F (10°C),
you may have to drive longer.
5-23

Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three to ve minutes.Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The automatic transaxle
dipstick has an orange
handle and is located near
the front of the engine
compartment. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more
information on location.
1. Release the tab and pull out the dipstick and wipe it
with a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
5-24

If No Steam Is Coming From
Your Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped,
pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you are parked. If you still
have the warning,turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicleuntil it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-31

Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See “Wiper Blade
Check” underAt Least Twice a Year on page 6-14for
more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. Here’s how to remove
the wiper blade:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield.
2. Push the release lever and slide the wiper assembly
toward the driver’s side of the vehicle.
3. Install a new blade by reversing Steps 1 and 2.
5-56

4. Press and hold the SET (reset) button until the
low-tire warning light comes on and ashes
on/off three times. The tire pressure warning reset
button starts the reset (initialization) process.
If the low-tire pressure warning light does not ash
when you hold the reset button the system may
be malfunctioning and needs service. See your
GM dealer for service.
The system completes the reset (initialization) process
after driving at vehicle speeds of at least 19 mph
(30 km/h) to 62 mph (100 km/h) for more than one hour.
Do not push the SET (reset) button while driving,
if you do the initialization process will not be performed.
The initialization process can take up to approximately
one hour of driving under the following conditions:
The vehicle speed is between 31 mph (50 km/h)
and 62 mph (100 km/h).
The roads are dry, smooth and straight.
The number of passengers is one or two
(including the driver).The low-tire pressure warning light may not come on
even if the tire ination pressure is low, or it may come
on when the tire ination pressure is set correctly
under the following circumstances:
A compact spare tire, snow tires, or tire chains
are installed on your vehicle.
The tires are over-inated, or the tire ination
pressure suddenly drops due to a tire bursting
or other causes.
The vehicle is driven on a slippery road surface
such as rough or frozen roads.
The vehicle speed is less than 19 mph (30 km/h),
and the driving duration is less than ve minutes.
The tires are made by a different manufacturer
or differ in tread pattern than the original
equipment tires.
Rapid acceleration/deceleration or multiple
consecutive sharp turns.
Towing a trailer.
The vehicle is loaded over the limit or not
balanced properly.
The initialization (reset) procedure was not performed
correctly after replacing or rotating tires or wheels.
The outside temperature is below 32°F (0°C) or
above 104°F (40°C).
5-67

After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures to the amounts shown on
the Tire and Loading Information label. Make certain
that all wheel nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities and Specications on
page 5-100.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to the vehicle.
In an emergency, you can use a cloth or a
paper towel to do this; but be sure to use a
scraper or wire brush later, if you need to,
to get all the rust or dirt off. SeeChanging a
Flat Tire on page 5-75.
Vehicles equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system will need to reset (initialize) the system after
each tire rotation. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 5-65.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of
tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
5-69

If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
5-74

Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The jack, wheel wrench, jack handle and spare tire
are stowed in the rear of the vehicle, underneath the
oor of the cargo area. To remove the spare tire
and tools do the following:
1. Turn the two lock
knobs on the oor of
the cargo area to
UNLOCK.
2. Lift up the cargo area oor panel, remove the hook
attached to the bottom side of the panel and hook it
over the weatherstripping.
Notice:If you do not put the hook in the proper
location, you could damage your vehicle. Always put
the hook in the proper location in order to avoid
damaging the vehicle.
3. Remove the jack from the tray on the right side of
the compartment and the jack handle and wheel
wrench from the top side of the compartment.
5-76

{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
the places where the wheel attaches to the
vehicle. In an emergency, you can use a cloth
or a paper towel to do this; but be sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you need to,
to get all the rust or dirt off.8. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
9. Place the compact spare tire on the wheel-mounting
surface.
{CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel
could fall off, causing a serious accident.
5-81