steering PONTIAC VIBE 2007 Owner's Guide

Remember, unless you have ABS, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you will just
slide. Brake so your wheels always keep rolling
and you can still steer.
Whatever your braking system, allow greater
distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a
patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay
with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to summon
help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you. If you do not have blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, oor
mats — anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R)
and a forward gear, or with a manual transaxle,
between FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and
REVERSE (R), spinning the wheels as little as
possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you
shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions,
you will cause a rocking motion that may free your
vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out
after a few tries, it may need to be towed out. Or,
you can use the recovery hook. If your vehicle
does need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 259.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. Two labels on your vehicle
show how much weight it may properly carry, the
Tire and Loading Information label and the
Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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Dinghy Towing
If your vehicle has an automatic transaxle, it
cannot be dinghy towed. See “Dolly Towing” for
more information regarding towing your vehicle.
If your vehicle has a manual transaxle, it can
be dinghy towed.
When dinghy towing, be sure to follow the posted
legal speed limit.
1. Put the shift lever in NEUTRAL.2. Turn the ignition to ACC to avoid locking the
steering wheel. Make sure the audio system
is turned off and that nothing is plugged
into the power outlets.
3. Release the parking brake.
After dinghy towing, let the engine idle for more
than three minutes before driving the vehicle.
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
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Dolly Towing
To tow your vehicle using a dolly, follow
these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P) for an automatic
transaxle and in NEUTRAL for a manual
transaxle.
3. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for
towing.
4. Release the parking brake.
Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment
and drive properly, you can lose control
when you pull a trailer. For example, if the
trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not
work well — or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured.
You may also damage your vehicle; the
resulting repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
the proper trailer towing equipment. To identify
the vehicle trailering capacity of your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the
Trailer” that appears later in this section.
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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.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal asher and/or extra wiring.
Check with your dealer. The arrows on your
instrument panel will ash whenever you signal a
turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps will also ash, telling other drivers you’re
about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs
on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
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Service........................................................ 272
Accessories and Modications................... 272
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 273
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 273
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle.......................................... 274
Fuel............................................................. 274
Gasoline Octane........................................ 274
Gasoline Specications.............................. 274
California Fuel........................................... 275
Additives................................................... 275
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 276
Filling the Tank......................................... 277
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 279
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 280
Hood Release........................................... 280
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 282
Engine Oil................................................. 284
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 288
Automatic Transaxle Fluid......................... 290Manual Transaxle Fluid............................. 292
Hydraulic Clutch........................................ 293
Engine Coolant.......................................... 294
Radiator Pressure Cap.............................. 297
Engine Overheating................................... 297
Cooling System......................................... 299
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 304
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 305
Brakes...................................................... 306
Battery...................................................... 309
Jump Starting............................................ 310
Bulb Replacement....................................... 315
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 315
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and
Parking Lamps....................................... 316
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL)................................ 317
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps...... 318
Back-Up Lamps......................................... 320
Replacement Bulbs................................... 320
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
269

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a re. These include
liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake uid,
windshield washer and other uids, and
plastic or rubber. You or others could be
burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the release
handle with this
symbol on it.
It is located below
the instrument panel
to the left of the
steering wheel.
280

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
“Adding Washer Fluid” underWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 305.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower
Steering Fluid on page 304.
C. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeRadiator Pressure
Cap on page 297.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 284.
E. Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 299.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine
Oil” underEngine Oil on page 284.G. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick (If
Equipped). See “Checking the Fluid Level”
underAutomatic Transaxle Fluid on page 290.
H. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir and
Hydraulic Clutch (If Equipped). See “Brake
Fluid” underBrakes on page 306andHydraulic
Clutch on page 293.
I. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 288.
J. Battery. SeeBattery on page 309.
K. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 367.
283

Power Steering Fluid
The power steering uid
reservoir is located in
the engine compartment
on the passenger’s
side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 282
for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power
steering uid unless you suspect there is a leak in
the system or you hear an unusual noise. A
uid loss in this system could indicate a problem.
Have the system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering Fluid
You can check your uid without taking the cap off.
Just look at the reservoir.
When the engine compartment is hot, the
level should be between the HOT marks.
When the engine compartment is cool, the
level should be between the COLD marks.
What to Use
To determine what kind of uid to use, see
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 394.
Notice:When adding power steering uid or
making a complete uid change, always
use the proper uid. Failure to use the proper
uid can cause leaks and damage hoses
and seals.
304

(D) Construction Code:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The
letter R means radial ply construction; the letter D
means diagonal or bias ply construction; and the
letter B means belted-bias ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in
inches.
(F) Service Description:These characters
represent the load range and the speed rating
of a tire. The load range represents the load carry
capacity a tire is certied to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a tire is certied to
carry a load. Speed ratings range from A to Z.
Tire Terminology and Denitions
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. Some examples
of optional accessories are, automatic
transmission/transaxle, power steering, power
brakes, power windows, power seats, 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 wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the plies
are laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees
to the centerline of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure:The amount of air pressure
in a tire, measured in pounds per square inch
(psi) or kilopascals (kPa) before a tire has built up
heat from driving. SeeInation - Tire Pressure
on page 329.
Curb Weight:This means the weight of a motor
vehicle with standard and optional equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and
coolant, but without passengers and cargo.
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