Pontiac Solstice 2008 User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts .............................................. 1-6
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-22
Airbag System ......................................... 1-36
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-50
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-7
Windows ................................................. 2-10
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-17
Mirrors .................................................... 2-31
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-32
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-35
Convertible Top ....................................... 2-36
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-17
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-20
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-37
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-49
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-29
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-45
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-46
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-50
Tires ...................................................... 5-51
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-85
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-94
Electrical System ...................................... 5-95
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-101
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 Solstice Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC,
the PONTIAC Emblem, and the name SOLSTICE are
registered trademarks 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. 15859546 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 .......................................1-2
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-3
Seatback Latches ...........................................1-5
Safety Belts .....................................................1-6
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-6
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-11
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-18
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-20
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-21
Child Restraints .............................................1-22
Older Children ..............................................1-22
Infants and Young Children ............................1-25
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-29
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) ......................................1-31
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position ............................1-32
Airbag System ...............................................1-36
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-38
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-40
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-41
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-41
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-42
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-43
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-48
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-48
Restraint System Check ..................................1-50
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-50
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-51
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 lever located
under the front of
the seat to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the
lever. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure
the seat is locked in place.
Seat Height Adjuster
Your vehicle may have a power driver’s seat height
adjuster.
The switch is located on the front of the driver’s seat on
the outboard side. To use the adjuster, first move the seat
to where you want it. See Manual Seats on page 1-2.
To raise or lower the seat, hold the switch up or down.
1-2

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.
To adjust the seatback, turn the knob on the outboard
side of the seatback until the seatback is in the desired
position.
1-3

{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. 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.
1-4

Seatback Latches
The seats have a latch
located on the outboard
side near the top of
the seatback that enables
the front seatback(s) to
fold forward.
This allows access to the map pocket on the rear of
the seatback.
To fold the seatback forward, lift the latch and push
the seatback forward.
{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.
1-5

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected
from it and 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.
{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.
Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your
safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-23.
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 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!
1-6

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.
Put someone on it.
1-7

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...
1-8

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.
1-9

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.
1-10

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 babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-22
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-25. 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.
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.
1-11

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give nearly
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.
1-12

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give 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.
1-13

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
{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.
1-14

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.
1-15

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.
1-16