seats PONTIAC VIBE 2009 Workshop Manual

New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure
a forward-facing child restraint.
SeeWhere to Put the Restraint
on page 1-43.
In addition, your vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which
is designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal and seat-mounted
side impact airbag under certain
conditions. SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 1-28and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 4-15for more information,
including important safety
information.A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front.” This is because the risk
to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or
killed if the right front passenger
airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
right front passenger airbag
inates and the passenger seat is
in a forward position.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag is
off. If you secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger
seat as far back as it will go. It is
better to secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 1-28for additional
information.
1-50 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-44for how to install the child
restraint using LATCH. If a child
restraint is secured in the seating
position using a safety belt and it
uses a top tether, seeLower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 1-44for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored,
or if the instructions that come with
the child restraint say that the
top strap must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether
be attached.You will be using the lap-shoulder
belt to secure the child restraint in
this position. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
1. Move the seat as far back as it
will go before securing the
forward-facing child restraint.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the
right front passenger frontal
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag, the off indicator on
the passenger airbag status
indicator should light and stay lit
when you start the vehicle.
SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 4-15.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run
the lap and shoulder portions
of the vehicle’s safety belt
through or around the restraint.
The child restraint instructions
will show you how.4. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
Seats and Restraints 1-51
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to
set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, push down
on the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint
in different directions to be sure
it is secure.If the airbags are off, the off
indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator will come on
and stay on when the vehicle
is started.
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit, see “If the
On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint” underPassenger Sensing
System on page 1-28for more
information.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
1-52 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seats)
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is compatible
with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 1-44for how to install the
child restraint using LATCH. If a
child restraint is secured in a seating
position using a safety belt and it
uses a top tether, seeLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-44for top tether
anchor locations.
Do not secure a child restraint
in a position without a top tether
anchor if a national or local
law requires that the top tether be
anchored, or if the instructions
that come with the child restraint
say that the top strap must be
anchored.In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether
be attached.
If the child restraint does not have
the LATCH system, you will be using
the safety belt to secure the child
restraint in this position. Be sure to
follow the instructions that came
with the child restraint. Secure the
child in the child restraint when
and as the instructions say.
If more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the
rear seat, be sure to readWhere to
Put the Restraint on page 1-43.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and
run the lap and shoulder portions
of the vehicle’s safety belt
through or around the restraint.
The child restraint instructions
will show you how.3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
If the latch plate will not go fully
into the buckle, check if the
correct buckle is being used.
Position the release button
on the buckle so that the safety
belt could be quickly unbuckled
if necessary.
Seats and Restraints 1-53
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to
set the lock.5. To tighten the belt, push down
on the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt
to tighten the lap portion of the
belt, and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. When
installing a forward-facing child
restraint, it may be helpful to use
your knee to push down on
the child restraint as you tighten
the belt.6. If the child restraint has a top
tether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. SeeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 1-44for more
information.
7. Push and pull the child restraint
in different directions to be sure
it is secure.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it.
1-54 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Storage
Storage
Glove Box..........................3-1
Cupholders.........................3-1
Overhead Console..............3-2
Center Console Storage.....3-2
Luggage Carrier..................3-2
Driver Storage
Compartment....................3-3
Floor Mats..........................3-3
Hooks.................................3-3
Cargo Cover.......................3-4
Cargo Tie Downs...............3-6
Cargo Management
System.............................3-6
Storage
Glove Box
Lift up on the glovebox lever to
open it.
Cupholders
There are cupholders located in
the console area between the
front seats.
The cupholder size can be adjusted
by changing the location of the
provided insert.There are also cupholders that fold
out from the back of the center
console.
There are also molded bottle
holders located in the front and
rear doors.
Storage 3-1
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Recirculation
?(Recirculation):Press to
turn the recirculation mode on or off.
An indicator light shows that it is on.
This mode recirculates the air inside
the vehicle and helps to heat or cool
the air more quickly. It can be used to
prevent outside air and odors from
entering the vehicle.
Press the button again to turn
the recirculation mode off and the
outside air mode on. Recirculation
is automatically turned off when the
climate control system mode knob
is turned to defog, defrost, or is
positioned between modes.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to clear fog from
the rear window. It will only work
when the ignition is in the ON/RUN
position.
=(Rear Defogger):Press to turn
the rear window defogger on or off.
An indicator light shows that it is on.
The rear window defogger stays on
until it is manually turned off. Clear
any snow from the rear window.
If the ignition is turned off, while
the rear window defogger is on, the
defogger turns back on automatically
when the ignition is in the ON/RUN
position again.
Notice:Do not use a razor blade
or sharp object to clear the inside
rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid lines
in the rear glass. These actions
may damage the rear defogger.
Repairs would not be covered
by your warranty.
Outlet Adjustment
Use the air outlets located in
the center and outboard sides of
the instrument panel, to change the
direction of the air owing through
the vents.
Operation Tips

Clear away any ice, snow or
leaves from the outside air
inlets at the base of the
windshield.
Use of non-GM approved hood
deectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Keep the area under the
front seats clear of objects for
more effective air circulation.
If the airow seems low when
the fan is at the highest setting,
the passenger compartment air
lter might need to be replaced.
For more information, see
Passenger Compartment Air
Filter later in this section.
Climate Controls 7-3
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

4. Before starting the engine, be
sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep
it away from moving engine
parts. If you do not, it could
be damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer/retailer
in the area where you will be parking
the vehicle for the best advice
on this.Automatic Transmission
Operation (Four Speed)
The shift lever is located on the
console between the seats.
P (Park):This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
{CAUTION
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have
to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into
Park on page 8-13. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer on page 9-77.
Make sure the shift lever is
fully in P (Park) before starting
the engine. The vehicle has
an automatic transmission
shift lock control system.
8-6 Driving and Operating
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

It can help control vehicle speed as
you go down steep mountain roads,
but then you would also want to use
the brakes off and on.
L (Low):This position reduces
vehicle speed even more than
2 (Second) without using the brakes.
You can use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in L (Low),
the transmission will not shift
into low gear until the vehicle
is going slow enough.Automatic Transmission
Operation (Five Speed)
The shift lever is located on the
console between the seats.
P (Park):This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{CAUTION
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have
to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into
Park on page 8-13. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer on page 9-77.
Make sure the shift lever is
fully in P (Park) before starting
the engine. The vehicle has
an automatic transmission
shift lock control system.
8-8 Driving and Operating
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel,
and cargo. Never exceed the
GVWR for the vehicle, or the
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for either the front
or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy
load, you should spread it out.
See “Steps for Determining
Correct Load Limit” earlier in
this section.
{CAUTION
Do not load the 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
the 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 the vehicle.Notice
:Overloading your
vehicle may cause damage.
Repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Do not
overload your vehicle.
If you put things inside your
vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything
else — they will go as fast as the
vehicle goes. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a
crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION
Things you put inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the rear area
of your vehicle. Try to
spread the weight evenly.
If you have fold-down rear
seats, you will nd four
anchors on the back wall
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
of your trunk. You can use
these anchors to tie down
lighter loads. They are not
strong enough for heavy
things, however, so put
them as far forward as
you can in the trunk or
rear area.
Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded
down unless you need to.
Driving and Operating 8-35
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual