lock PONTIAC VIBE 2007 Repair Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: PONTIAC, Model Year: 2007, Model line: VIBE, Model: PONTIAC VIBE 2007Pages: 432, PDF Size: 2.54 MB
Page 189 of 432

Radio Data System (RDS)
The audio system has a Radio Data System
(RDS). RDS features are available for use only on
FM stations that broadcast RDS information.
With RDS, the radio can do the following:
Seek to stations broadcasting the selected
type of programming
Receive announcements concerning local and
national emergencies
Display messages from radio stations
Seek to stations with traffic announcements
This system relies upon receiving speci c
information from these stations and only works
when the information is available. In rare cases, a
radio station can broadcast incorrect information
that causes the radio features to work improperly.
If this happens, contact the radio station.
While the radio is tuned to an RDS station, the
station name or the call letters display instead of
the frequency. RDS stations can also provide
the time of day, a program type (PTY) for current
programming, and the name of the program
being broadcast.
Playing the Radio
PWR (Power):Push this knob to turn the system
on and off.
VOL (Volume):Turn this knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or to decrease the
volume.
RCL (Recall):Push this button to switch the
display between the radio station frequency and
the time. When the ignition is turned off, push this
button to display the time.
To change the default on the display, push the
RCL button until the desired option displays, then
hold the button until the display ashes. The
selected display becomes the default.
Finding a Station
BAND:Press this button to switch between FM1,
FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2 (if equipped). The
display shows the selection.
TUNE:Turn this knob to select radio stations.
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Page 198 of 432

Radio with Six-Disc CD
If your vehicle has the Monsoon audio system, it
includes seven speakers. The radio displays
MONSOON while the radio or the ignition is turned
on. See your dealer for details.
The radio has a theft-deterrent feature. A red light
blinks while the engine is off to indicate the
radio is protected. It will not operate if it is installed
in a different vehicle.
Playing the Radio
PWR (Power):Push this knob to turn the system
on and off.
VOLUME:Turn this knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or to decrease the
volume.
RCL (Recall):Press this button to display the
current radio station frequency. While the ignition
is off, press this button to display the time.
To change the default on the display, press the
RCL button until the desired option displays, then
hold the button until the display ashes. The
selected display is now the default.
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Page 216 of 432

XM Radio Messages
Radio Display Message Condition Action Required
XL (Explicit Language
Channels)XL on the radio display,
after the channel name,
indicates content with
explicit language.These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a
customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Updating Updating encryption code The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process should take no longer
than 30 seconds.
No Signal Loss of signal The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a
location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When the vehicle
moves into an open area, the signal should return.
Loading XM Acquiring channel audio
(after a four second delay)The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text
data. No action is needed. This message should disappear
shortly.
CH Off Air Channel not in service This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another
channel.
CH Unavail Channel no longer
availableThis previously assigned channel is no longer assigned. Tune
to another station. If this station was one of the presets,
choose another station for that preset button.
No Info Artist Name/Feature
not availableNo artist information is available at this time on this channel.
The system is working properly.
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Radio Display Message Condition Action Required
No Info Song/Program Title not
availableNo song title information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info Category Name not
availableNo category information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info No Text/Informational
message availableNo text or informational messages are available at this time
on this channel. The system is working properly.
Not Found No channel available for
the chosen categoryThere are no channels available for the selected category.
The system is working properly.
XM Locked Theft lock active The XM™ receiver in the vehicle could have previously
been in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™
receivers cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this
message is received after having your vehicle serviced,
check with the servicing facility.
Radio ID Radio ID label (channel 0) If tuned to channel 0, this message alternates with the
XM™ Radio eight digit radio ID label. This label is needed
to activate the service.
Unknown Radio ID not known
(should only be if
hardware failure)If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there
could be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer.
Chk XMRcvr Hardware failure If this message does not clear within a short period of time,
the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer.
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Page 221 of 432

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 222
Defensive Driving...................................... 222
Drunken Driving........................................ 223
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 226
Braking...................................................... 226
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 227
Braking in Emergencies............................. 229
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 230
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 231
Panic Brake Assist.................................... 231
Steering.................................................... 232
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 234
Passing..................................................... 235
Loss of Control.......................................... 237
Driving at Night......................................... 238Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 239
City Driving............................................... 242
Freeway Driving........................................ 243
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 244
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 245
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 246
Winter Driving........................................... 248
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 252
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 253
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 253
Towing........................................................ 259
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 259
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 259
Towing a Trailer........................................ 261
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
221
Page 227 of 432

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by
heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with
traffic. This is a mistake. The brakes may not have
time to cool between hard stops. The brakes
will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and
allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modi cations on page 272.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking
system that will help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS, this warning light on the
instrument panel will come on brie y when
you start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to
drive away, ABS 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 ABS, the anti-lock brake
system warning light will stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning Light on page 167.
United StatesCanada
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Page 229 of 432

If your vehicle has the vehicle stability control
system, it includes a brake assist system which
provides more powerful braking during a sudden,
hard brake application. See “Vehicle Stability
Control System” underTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 230.
Remember: ABS does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal
or always decrease stopping distance. If you get
too close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not
have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down rmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel a slight brake pedal pulsation
or notice some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a
situation that requires hard braking.If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have ABS, your
rst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold
it down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your
wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle
cannot respond to your steering. Momentum will
carry it in whatever direction it was headed when
the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the
road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or
into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You can do this
by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily
increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to
squeeze the brakes hard without locking the
wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease
off the brake pedal. This will help you retain
steering control. If you do have ABS, it is different.
SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 227.
In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
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Page 231 of 432

StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle may have this feature. 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®.
Panic Brake Assist
Your vehicle has a panic brake assist system that
monitors the intention of the driver while braking.
If the system senses that the driver has applied
hard/fast pressure to the brake pedal, the system
will generate additional pressure, making it
easier for the driver to maintain brake application.
When this happens the brake pedal will feel
easier to push. Just hold the brake pedal down
rmly and let the system work for you. You
may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice
some noise but this is normal. The brakes
will return to normal operation after the brake
pedal has been released.
The brake assist system becomes operational
after the vehicle has accelerated to a speed
in excess of approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). It
stops operating when the vehicle decelerates to a
speed below approximately 3 mph (5 km/h).
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Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the
engine stops or the system is not functioning,
you can steer but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable
speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents
mentioned on the news happen on curves.
Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is
subject to the same laws of physics when driving on
curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change
its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the
same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a
vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this.The traction you can get in a curve depends on
the condition of your tires and the road surface, the
angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both
control systems — steering and braking — have
to do their work where the tires meet the road.
Unless you have four-wheel anti-lock brakes,
adding the hard braking can demand too much of
those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering
through a sharp curve and you suddenly
accelerate. Those two control systems — steering
and acceleration — can overwhelm those
places where the tires meet the road and make
you lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the
vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down.
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Speed limit signs near curves warn that you
should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted
speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of
the curve, and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modi cations on page 272.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 — if you can stop in time. But sometimes
you cannot; there is not room. That is the time for
evasive action — steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes — but, unless
you have anti-lock brakes, not enough to lock
your wheels.
SeeBraking on page 226. 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.
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