Pontiac 2008 G5 User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-30
Airbag System ......................................... 1-51
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-66
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-9
Windows ................................................. 2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-20
Mirrors .................................................... 2-38
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-40
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-43
Sunroof .................................................. 2-44
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-25
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-42
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-55
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-30
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-39
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-42
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-47
Tires ...................................................... 5-48
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-86
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-95
Electrical System ...................................... 5-96
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-102
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy ........... 7-17
Index ................................................................ 1
2008 Pontiac G5 Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC,
the PONTIAC Emblem are registered trademarks,
and the name G5 is a trademark of General Motors
Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of
Canada Limited” for Pontiac Division whenever it
appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that may be available in
this model, but your vehicle may not have all of them.
For example, more than one entertainment system may
be offered or your vehicle may have been ordered
without a front passenger or rear seats.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer/retailer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français
auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:
Helm Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 15864495 A First Printing
©
2007 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Using this Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle to learn
about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures
and words work together to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. A
box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things
that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the
warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
We tell you what the hazard is and what to do to help
avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions.
If you do not, you or others could be hurt.
A circle with a slash
through it is a safety
symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do Not do this”
or “Do Not let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
You will also find notices in this manual.
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly.
The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
iv

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Manual Seats ................................................1-2
Seat Height Adjuster .......................................1-3
Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-3
Heated Seats .................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-4
Head Restraints .............................................1-7
Easy Entry Seat (Coupe) .................................1-8
Rear Seats .......................................................1-9
Split Folding Rear Seat ...................................1-9
Safety Belts ...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-15
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-23
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-29
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-29
Child Restraints .............................................1-30
Older Children ..............................................1-30
Infants and Young Children ............................1-32
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-36
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-38
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) ..................................................1-39
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position ....................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position ............................1-48
Airbag System ...............................................1-51
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-54
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-56
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-57
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-58
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-58
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-60
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-64
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-65
Restraint System Check ..................................1-66
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-66
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-67
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar.
Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is
locked in place.
1-2

Seat Height Adjuster
The driver’s seat height adjuster is located on the
outboard side of the seat.
To raise the seat, move the lever upward repeatedly
until the seat is at the desired height. To lower the seat,
move the lever downward repeatedly until the seat is
at the desired height.
Manual Lumbar
On vehicles with this
feature, the knob is
located on the front of the
driver seat lower cushion
on the inboard side.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the lumbar support.
1-3

Heated Seats
Your vehicle may have heated front seats. The switches
are located on the instrument panel above the climate
control system.
Press the side of the
switch with the double
indicator lights to turn on
the heated seat at the
highest setting.
Both indicator lights will be lit to indicate that the setting
is on high. Press the side of the switch with the single
indicator light to go to the low setting. The indicator light
will be lit to indicate that the setting is on low. Return
the switch to the center to turn off the heated seat.
If your vehicle has been turned off, the last heated
seat setting will be retained when the vehicle is
started again.
Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
Driver’s Switch Shown,
Passenger’s Switch
Similar
1-4

Your seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The lever
used to operate them is located on the outboard side
of the seats.
To recline the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift the recline lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then
release the lever to lock the seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
To return the seatback to an upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the
seatback and the seatback will return to the upright
position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
1-5

{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it
will not be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a
crash, the belt could go up over your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not
at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious
internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
1-6