Pontiac 2009 G8 User manual

Seats and Restraints ......... 1-1
Front Seats .................... 1-2
Rear Seats .................... 1-5
Safety Belts ................... 1-5
Airbag System .............. 1-20
Child Restraints ............. 1-34
Keys, Doors and
Windows ............................ 2-1
Keys ............................. 2-2
Doors and Locks ............ 2-8
Theft-Deterrent
Systems ................... 2-11
Windows ...................... 2-14
Mirrors ......................... 2-16
Sunroof ........................ 2-18
Storage .............................. 3-1
Storage ......................... 3-1
Instruments and
Controls ............................. 4-1
Instrument Panel
Overview .................... 4-2
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators .................. 4-10
Driver Information
Center (DIC) ............. 4-22
OnStar
®
System ............ 4-35
Lighting ............................. 5-1
Lighting ......................... 5-1
Infotainment ...................... 6-1
Audio System(s) ............. 6-1
Climate Controls ............... 7-1
Climate Controls ............. 7-1
Driving and Operating ....... 8-1
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle ............... 8-2
Driving Your Vehicle ...... 8-16
Fuel ............................ 8-34
Vehicle Service
and Care ............................ 9-1
Service .......................... 9-2
Owner Checks ................ 9-5
Headlamp Aiming .......... 9-28
Bulb Replacement ......... 9-31
Electrical System ........... 9-36
Tires ........................... 9-42
Tire Changing ............... 9-66
Jump Starting ............... 9-84
Towing ........................ 9-88
Appearance Care .......... 9-95
Technical Data ................. 10-1
Vehicle Identification ...... 10-1
Capacities and
Specifications ............ 10-2
Service and
Maintenance ..................... 11-1
Service and
Maintenance .............. 11-1
Customer Information ...... 12-1
Customer Information ..... 12-1
Reporting Safety
Defects ................... 12-14
Vehicle Data Recording
and Privacy ............. 12-16
Index ....................................i-1
2009 Pontiac G8 Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM
Emblem, PONTIAC, the PONTIAC
Emblem, are registered trademarks
of General Motors Corporation,
and the name G8 is a trademark of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest
information at the time it was
printed. GM reserves 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
wherever it appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your
specific vehicle.
Read this manual from beginning to
end to learn about the vehicle’s
features and controls. Pictures,
symbols, and words work together
to explain vehicle operation.
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
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
helminc.com
Index
To quickly locate information about
the vehicle use 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.
ii Preface
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 92213381 A First Printing
©
2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Cautions and Notices
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.”
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.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and
what to do to avoid or reduce the
hazard. Read these cautions.
A notice tells about something that
can damage the vehicle.
Notice: These mean there is
something that could damage
your vehicle.
Many times, this damage would not
be covered by the vehicle’s warranty,
and it could be costly. The notice
tells what to do to help avoid the
damage.
There are also warning labels on
the vehicle which use the same
words, CAUTION or Notice.
Preface iii

✍NOTES
iv Preface

Seats and
Restraints
Front Seats
Front Seats ........................1-2
Manual Seats .....................1-2
Power Seat(s) .....................1-2
Lumbar Seat Adjustment ....1-2
Reclining Seatbacks ...........1-3
Head Restraints ..................1-4
Heated Seats .....................1-5
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation ...........1-5
Safety Belts
Safety Belts ........................1-5
How to Wear Safety
Belts Properly ...................1-8
Lap-Shoulder Belt .............1-14
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy .......................1-18
Safety Belt Extender .........1-18
Safety Belt Check .............1-18
Care of Safety Belts .........1-19
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts After
a Crash ...........................1-19
Airbag System
Airbag System ..................1-20
Where Are the Airbags? ....1-22
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? ............................1-23
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? ............................1-25
How Does an Airbag
Restrain? ........................1-25
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inflates? ..........1-25
Passenger Sensing
System ............................1-27
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ............................1-31
Adding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ............................1-32
Airbag System Check .......1-33
Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash .........1-33
Child Restraints
Older Children ..................1-34
Infants and Young
Children ..........................1-36
Child Restraint Systems ....1-39
Where to Put the
Restraint .........................1-40
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH) ..........................1-42
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash ...........1-47
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat) ......................1-48
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat) ............1-50
Seats and Restraints 1-1

Front Seats A. Head Restraints on page 1-4.
B. Lumbar Seat Adjustment
on page 1-2.
C. Reclining Seatbacks on
page 1-3.
D. Power Seat(s) on page 1-2.
E. Manual Seats on page 1-2.
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.
To adjust a manual seat:
1. Lift the bar (E) to unlock the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the desired
position and release the bar.
Try to move the seat to be sure it is
locked in place.
Power Seat(s)
•Move the seat forward or
rearward by moving the
control (D) forward or rearward.
•Move the whole seat up or down
by moving the control up or down.
•Tilt the seat by turning the control
forward or rearward.
Lumbar Seat Adjustment
Adjust the lumbar support (B) by
turning the control forward or
rearward.
1-2 Seats and Restraints

Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION
You can lose control of the vehicle
if you try to adjust the 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
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.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
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.
Adjust the reclining seatback by
turning the knob (C). Do not lean on
the seatback while adjusting it.
Seats and Restraints 1-3

Head Restraints
The front seats have adjustable
head restraints in the outboard
seating positions.
The rear seats have head rests in
the outboard seating positions.
They are not adjustable.
{CAUTION
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/spinal
injury in a crash. Do not drive
until the head restraints for all
occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
Adjust the head restraint so that the
top of the restraint is at the same
height as the top of the occupant’s
head. This position reduces the
chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Pull the head restraint up to raise it.
To lower the head restraint, press
the button, located on the top of
the seatback, and push the
restraint down.
Push down on the head restraint
after the button is released to make
sure that it is locked in place.
The vehicle’s head restraints are not
designed to be removed.
1-4 Seats and Restraints

Heated Seats
On vehicles with heated front seats,
the controls are located on the center
console. To operate the heated seats
the ignition must be on.
L(Heated Seat): Press to turn on
the heated seat.
A light indicates that the feature is
working. The number of indicator
lights shows the level of heat
selected: one for low, two for
medium, and three for high. Press
the button to cycle through the
temperature settings and to turn the
heat off.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
The center seatback folds forward
to allow access to the trunk.
Press the button at the top of the
seatback to release it, then fold
it forward.
Lift the seatback to return it to the
sitting position. Move the safety belt
out of the way, and push the
seatback until it is locked in place.
Safety Belts
This section of the manual describes
how to use safety belts properly.
It also describes some things not to
do with safety belts.
{CAUTION
Do not let anyone ride where a
safety belt cannot be worn
properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing
safety belts, the injuries can be
much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be
ejected from the vehicle. You and
your passenger(s) can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash,
you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your
passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
Seats and Restraints 1-5

{CAUTION
It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area, inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or
killed. Do not allow people to ride
in any area of your vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and
safety belts. Be sure everyone in
your vehicle is in a seat and using
a safety belt properly.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
See Safety Belt Reminders on
page 4-12 for additional information.
In most states and in all Canadian
provinces, the law requires
wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be
in a crash. If you do have a crash,
you do not know if it will be a
serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some
crashes can be so serious that even
buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are
in between. In many of them, people
who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without
safety belts they could have been
badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety
belts in vehicles, the facts are clear.
In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything,
you go as fast as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose
it is just a seat on wheels.
1-6 Seats and Restraints

Put someone on it.
Get it up to speed. Then stop the
vehicle. The rider does not stop.
The person keeps going until
stopped by something. In a real
vehicle, it could be the windshield...
or the instrument panel...
or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as
the vehicle does. You get more time
to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the
forces. That is why safety belts make
such good sense.
Seats and Restraints 1-7

Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. But
your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is
much greater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety
belt, even if you are upside down.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags,
why should I have to wear
safety belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they work with
safety belts — not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have
to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in
frontal collisions, but especially in
side and other collisions.
Q: If I am a good driver, and I
never drive far from home,
why should I wear safety
belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver,
but if you are in a crash — even
one that is not your fault — you
and your passenger(s) can be
hurt. Being a good driver does not
protect you from things beyond
your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of home. And
the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at
speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
Be aware that there are special
things to know about safety
belts and children. And there are
different rules for smaller children
and infants. If a child will be riding in
the vehicle, see Older Children on
page 1-34 or Infants and Young
Children on page 1-36. Follow those
rules for everyone’s protection.
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up
can be thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are
wearing safety belts.
1-8 Seats and Restraints

First, before you or your
passenger(s) wear a safety belt,
there is important information
you should know.
Sit up straight and always keep your
feet on the floor in front of you.
The lap part of the belt should be
worn low and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs. In a crash,
this applies force to the strong pelvic
bones and you would be less likely
to slide under the lap belt. If you
slid under it, the belt would apply
force on your abdomen. This could
cause serious or even fatal injuries.
The shoulder belt should go over
the shoulder and across the chest.
These parts of the body are best able
to take belt restraining forces.
The shoulder belt locks if there is a
sudden stop or crash.
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose.
It will not give as much
protection this way.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously hurt if your
shoulder belt is too loose. In a
crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase
injury. The shoulder belt should fit
snugly against your body.
Seats and Restraints 1-9

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The lap belt is too loose. It will
not give nearly as much
protection this way.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously hurt if your
lap belt is too loose. In a crash,
you could slide under the lap belt
and apply force on your abdomen.
This could cause serious or even
fatal injuries. The lap belt should
be worn low and snug on the
hips, just touching the thighs.
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong
buckle.
1-10 Seats and Restraints

{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured if
your belt is buckled in the wrong
place like this. In a crash, the belt
would go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be there,
not on the pelvic bones. This
could cause serious internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt
into the buckle nearest you.
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The belt is over an armrest.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured if
your belt goes over an armrest
like this. The belt would be much
too high. In a crash, you can slide
under the belt. The belt force
would then be applied on the
abdomen, not on the pelvic
bones, and that could cause
serious or fatal injuries. Be sure
the belt goes under the armrests.
Seats and Restraints 1-11

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under
the arm. It should be worn over
the shoulder at all times.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured if
you wear the shoulder belt under
your arm. In a crash, your body
would move too far forward, which
would increase the chance of
head and neck injury. Also, the
belt would apply too much force
to the ribs, which are not as
strong as shoulder bones.
You could also severely injure
internal organs like your liver or
spleen. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across
the chest.
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The belt is behind the body.
1-12 Seats and Restraints

{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured by
not wearing the lap-shoulder belt
properly. In a crash, you would not
be restrained by the shoulder belt.
Your body could move too far
forward increasing the chance of
head and neck injury. You might
also slide under the lap belt. The
belt force would then be applied
right on the abdomen. That could
cause serious or fatal injuries.
The shoulder belt should go over
the shoulder and across the chest.
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across
the body.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured by a
twisted belt. In a crash, you would
not have the full width of the belt
to spread impact forces. If a belt
is twisted, make it straight so it
can work properly, or ask your
dealer/retailer to fix it.
Seats and Restraints 1-13

Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.
The following instructions explain
how to wear a lap-shoulder belt
properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is
adjustable, so you can sit up
straight. To see how, see
“Seats” in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull
the belt across you. Do not let
it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you
very quickly. If this happens,
let the belt go back slightly
to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
If the shoulder portion of a
passenger belt is pulled out all
the way, the child restraint
locking feature may be engaged.
If this happens, let the belt go
back all the way and start again.
3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure. If the belt
is not long enough, see Safety
Belt Extender on page 1-18.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
1-14 Seats and Restraints

4. To make the lap part tight,
pull up on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull
stitching on the safety belt
through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller
occupants.
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should
return to its stowed position.
Slide the latch plate up the safety
belt webbing, when the safety belt
is not in use. The latch plate
should rest on the stitching on the
safety belt, near the guide loop
on the side wall.
Before a door is closed, be sure the
safety belt is out of the way. If a
door is slammed against a safety
belt, damage can occur to both the
safety belt and the vehicle.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for the front outboard
occupants. Although the safety
belt pretensioners cannot be seen,
they are part of the safety belt
assembly. They can help tighten
the safety belts during the early
stages of a moderate to severe
frontal or near frontal crash if
the threshold conditions for
pretensioner activation are met.
And, if the vehicle has side impact
airbags, safety belt pretensioners
can help tighten the safety belts in
a side crash.
Pretensioners work only once.
If the pretensioners activate in a
crash, they will need to be
replaced and probably other new
parts for the safety belt system.
See Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts After a Crash on page 1-19.
Seats and Restraints 1-15

Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides
may provide added safety belt
comfort for older children who have
outgrown booster seats and for some
adults. When installed on a shoulder
belt, the comfort guide positions the
shoulder belt away from the neck
and head.
There is one guide for each
outboard passenger position in the
rear seat. Here is how to install
a comfort guide to the safety belt:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from the
side of the seatback to remove
the guide from its storage pocket.
2. Place the guide over the belt and
insert the two edges of the belt
into the slots of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted
and it lies flat. The elastic cord
must be under the belt and the
guide on top.
1-16 Seats and Restraints