roof PONTIAC VIBE 2008 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-27
Airbag System
.........................................1-50
Restraint System Check
............................1-66
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-14
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-33
OnStar
®System
......................................2-35
Storage Areas
.........................................2-39
Sunroof
..................................................2-43
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-25
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-42Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-25
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-42
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-43
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-48
Tires
......................................................5-49
Appearance Care
.....................................5-82
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-90
Electrical System
......................................5-90
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-95
Maintenance Replacement Parts
.................5-96
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-16
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Pontiac Vibe Owner ManualM

Airbag System
Your vehicle has the following airbags:
A frontal airbag for the driver.
A frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
Your vehicle may have the following airbags:
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the driver.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the right
front passenger.
A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the passenger
seated directly behind the driver.
A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger and
the passenger seated directly behind the right
front passenger.
All of the airbags in your vehicle will have the word
AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the
middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and
on the instrument panel for the right front passenger.
With seat-mounted side impact airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the side of the seatback
closest to the door.With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear
along the headliner or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Even though today’s airbags
are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury
from the force of an inating bag, all airbags must inate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things to know about the
airbag system:
{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash
if you are not wearing your safety belt — even
if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt
during a crash helps reduce your chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or being
ejected from it. Airbags are “supplemental
restraints” to the safety belts. All airbags are
designed to work with safety belts, but do not
replace them.
1-50

{CAUTION:
Frontal airbags are designed to deploy in
moderate to severe frontal and near frontal
crashes. They are not designed to inate in
rollover, rear crashes, or in many side crashes.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags and roof-rail
airbags are designed to inate in moderate to
severe crashes where something hits the side
of your vehicle. They are not designed to
inate in frontal, in rollover, or in rear crashes.
Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety
belt properly — whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{CAUTION:
Airbags inate with great force, faster than
the blink of an eye. Anyone who is up against,
or very close to, any airbag when it inates
can be seriously injured or killed. Do not sit
unnecessarily close to the airbag, as you
would be if you were sitting on the edge of
your seat or leaning forward. Safety belts
help keep you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even
with airbags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or sleep against
the door or side windows in seating positions
with seat-mounted side impact airbags and/or
roof-rail airbags.
1-51

If your vehicle has roof-rail airbags for the driver, right
front passenger, and second row outboard passengers,
they are in the ceiling above the side windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the airbag might not inate properly
or it might force the object into that person
causing severe injury or even death. The path
of an inating airbag must be kept clear.
Do not put anything between an occupant and
an airbag, and do not attach or put anything
on the steering wheel hub or on or near any
other airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that block the
ination path of a seat-mounted side impact
airbag.
If your vehicle has roof-rail airbags, never
secure anything to the roof of your vehicle by
routing the rope or tie down through any door
or window opening. If you do, the path of an
inating roof-rail airbag will be blocked. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
1-54

Frontal airbags for the driver and right front passenger
may also deploy if a serious impact occurs to the
underside of your vehicle such as hitting a curb, falling
into a deep hole, or landing hard.
In addition, your vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to
crash severity. Your vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more severe
frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, dual-stage
airbags inate at a level less than full deployment.
For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
Your vehicle may or may not have seat-mounted side
impact and roof-rail airbags. SeeAirbag System on
page 1-50. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail
airbags are intended to inate in moderate to severe side
crashes. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags
will inate if the crash severity is above the system’s
designed threshold level. Your vehicle has sensors
which detect side impacts. These sensors signal the
appropriate side impact airbag to inate. The threshold
level can vary with specic vehicle design.Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are not
intended to inate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that
is struck. A roof-rail airbag is intended to deploy on the
side of the vehicle that is struck. It is possible that, in a
crash involving the rear side of your vehicle, that only the
roof-mounted airbag will deploy.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag
should have inated simply because of the damage to a
vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For
frontal airbags, ination is determined by what the vehicle
hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle
slows down. For seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail
airbags, deployment is determined by the location and
severity of the side impact.
1-56

What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from
the inator. Gas from the inator lls the airbag causing
the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The
inator, the airbag, and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to
the door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there
are airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near
the side windows that have occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s
upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 1-55for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
1-57

What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact
airbags inate, they quickly deate, so quickly that
some people may not even realize an airbag inated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least partially inated
for some time after they deploy. Some components
of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes.
For location of the airbag modules, seeWhat Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-57.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with
you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in
the deated airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent
the driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able
to steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from
leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there may be dust
in the air. This dust could cause breathing
problems for people with a history of asthma or
other breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone
in the vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing problems
but cannot get out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a window
or a door. If you experience breathing problems
following an airbag deployment, you should
seek medical attention.
Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically
unlock the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and turn
the hazard warning ashers on when the airbags inate.
You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off,
and turn the hazard warning ashers off by using the
controls for those features.
1-58

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about the vehicle that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts
of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner
or pillar garnish trim, front sensors, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger’s position, which
includes sensors that are part of the passenger’s
seat. The passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery or trim, or with
GM covers, upholstery or trim designed for a
different vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket
seat heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device,installed under or on top of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of the passenger sensing
system. This could either prevent proper deployment
of the passenger airbag(s) or prevent the passenger
sensing system from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 1-59.
If you have any questions about this, you should
contact Customer Assistance before you modify
your vehicle. The phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of
the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A:If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
In addition, your dealer/retailer and the service manual
have information about the location of the airbag sensors,
sensing and diagnostic module and airbag wiring.
1-65

Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation.......................................2-4
Doors and Locks.............................................2-7
Door Locks....................................................2-7
Power Door Locks..........................................2-8
Rear Door Security Locks................................2-9
Liftgate/Liftglass............................................2-10
Windows........................................................2-12
Manual Windows..........................................2-12
Power Windows............................................2-13
Sun Visors...................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-14
Immobilizer..................................................2-14
Immobilizer Operation (Canada Only)...............2-15
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-18
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-18
Ignition Positions..........................................2-19
Starting the Engine.......................................2-20
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-22
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-23
Overdrive Off...............................................2-25
Manual Transmission Operation......................2-26
Parking Brake..............................................2-27Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission)............................2-28
Shifting Out of PARK (P)...............................2-30
Parking Your Vehicle (Manual Transmission).....2-31
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-31
Engine Exhaust............................................2-32
Running the Engine While Parked...................2-32
Mirrors...........................................................2-33
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-33
Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStar®..............2-33
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror................2-34
Outside Remote Control Mirrors......................2-34
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-35
OnStar
®System.............................................2-35
Storage Areas................................................2-39
Glove Box...................................................2-39
Cupholder(s)................................................2-39
Coinholder(s)................................................2-39
Instrument Panel Storage...............................2-39
Center Console Storage.................................2-39
Floor Mats...................................................2-39
Luggage Carrier...........................................2-40
Rear Storage Area........................................2-41
Rear Cargo Accessory Track System...............2-42
Cargo Cover................................................2-42
Cargo Tie Downs..........................................2-42
Sunroof.........................................................2-43
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Sun Visors
To block out glare, swing down the sun visors. You can
also swing them to the side.
The visors can be slid along the rod for extended
coverage for the side windows unless your vehicle
has roof-mounted side impact airbags.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Swing down the sun visor to expose the vanity mirror.
The vanity mirror may have a cover. Lift the cover
to expose the mirror.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal.
Immobilizer
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
2-14