Pontiac Solstice 2010 User manual

In Brief ........................................................... 1-1
Instrument Panel ........................................ 1-2
Initial Drive Information ............................... 1-4
Vehicle Features ...................................... 1-13
Performance and Maintenance ................... 1-18
Seats and Restraint System ............................. 2-1
Front Seats ............................................... 2-2
Safety Belts .............................................. 2-6
Child Restraints ....................................... 2-22
Airbag System ......................................... 2-36
Restraint System Check ............................ 2-50
Features and Controls ..................................... 3-1
Keys ........................................................ 3-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 3-8
Windows ................................................. 3-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 3-14
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 3-17
Mirrors .................................................... 3-30
Storage Areas ......................................... 3-31
Roof Panel .............................................. 3-32
Convertible Top ....................................... 3-35
Instrument Panel ............................................. 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 4-3
Climate Controls ...................................... 4-13
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 4-17
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 4-33
Audio System(s) ....................................... 4-45
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 5-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle ....... 5-2
Towing ................................................... 5-28
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 6-1
Service ..................................................... 6-3
Fuel ......................................................... 6-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 6-10
2010 Pontiac Solstice Owner Manual M

Rear Axle ............................................... 6-40
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 6-41
Bulb Replacement .................................... 6-42
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 6-46
Tires ...................................................... 6-47
Appearance Care ..................................... 6-90
Vehicle Identification ................................. 6-98
Electrical System ...................................... 6-98
Capacities and Specifications ................... 6-104
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 7-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 7-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 8-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 8-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 8-16
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy ........... 8-18
Index ................................................................ 1

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC,
the PONTIAC Emblem, and the name Solstice are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual describes features that may or may not be
on your specific vehicle either because they are options
that you did not purchase or due to changes subsequent
to the printing of this owner manual. Please refer to the
purchase documentation relating to your specific vehicle
to confirm each of the features found on your vehicle.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Pontiac Motor
Division wherever it appears in this manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners
Propriétaires Canadiens
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer/retailer or from:
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français
auprès du concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
Numéro de poste 6438 de langue française
www.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.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 25859620 A First Printing
©
2009 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
iii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
Warning Messages found on vehicle labels and in this
manual describe hazards and what to do to avoid
or reduce them.
Danger indicates a hazard with a high level of risk
which will result in serious injury or death.
Warning or Caution indicates a hazard that could result
in injury or death.
{WARNING:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
Notice: This means there is something that could
result in property or vehicle damage. This would not
be covered by the vehicle’s warranty
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.”
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.
M:This symbol is shown when you need to see your
owner manual for additional instructions or information.
*:This symbol is shown when you need to see a
service manual for additional instructions or information.
iv

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar
®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
v

✍NOTES
vi

Instrument Panel ..............................................1-2
Initial Drive Information ....................................1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System ................1-4
Remote Vehicle Start ......................................1-5
Door Locks ....................................................1-5
Trunk Release ...............................................1-6
Windows .......................................................1-6
Seat Adjustment .............................................1-7
Safety Belt ....................................................1-8
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag ...............1-9
Mirror Adjustment ...........................................1-9
Steering Wheel Adjustment ............................1-10
Interior Lighting ............................................1-11
Exterior Lighting ...........................................1-11
Windshield Wiper/Washer ...............................1-12
Climate Controls ...........................................1-13
Vehicle Features .............................................1-13
Radio(s) ......................................................1-13
Satellite Radio ..............................................1-15
Portable Audio Devices (Auxiliary Input or
USB Port) ................................................1-16
Steering Wheel Controls ................................1-16
Bluetooth
®
...................................................1-17
Cruise Control ..............................................1-17
Power Outlets ..............................................1-18
Performance and Maintenance .........................1-18
Traction Control System (TCS) .......................1-18
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ....................1-18
Towing ........................................................1-18
Tire Pressure Monitor ....................................1-19
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit ....................1-19
Engine Oil Life System ..................................1-20
Driving for Better Fuel Economy .....................1-20
Roadside Assistance Program ........................1-21
OnStar
®
......................................................1-21
Section 1 In Brief
1-1

Instrument Panel
1-2

A. Side Window Outlets. See Climate Control System
on page 4-13.
B. Outlet Adjustment on page 4-17.
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 4-4.
D. Cruise Control on page 4-7 (If Equipped).
E. Instrument Panel Cluster on page 4-18.
F. Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 4-79
(If Equipped).
G. Instrument Panel Brightness on page 4-11.
H. Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4-22.
I. Hazard Warning Flashers on page 4-3.
J. Fog Lamps on page 4-11 (If Equipped).
K. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Button (If Equipped). See Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) on page 5-6 or Traction
Control System (TCS) on page 5-9.
L. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on page 4-33.
M. Horn on page 4-3.
N. Windshield Wipers on page 4-5 and Windshield
Washer on page 4-6.
O. Climate Control System on page 4-13.
P. Cigarette Lighter (If Equipped). Ashtray(s) and
Cigarette Lighter on page 4-13 and Accessory
Power Outlet(s) on page 4-12 (If Equipped).
Q. Shift Lever. See Manual Transmission Operation on
page 3-23. See Automatic Transmission Operation on
page 3-21 (If equipped with automatic transmission).
R. Parking Brake on page 3-25.
S. Audio System(s) on page 4-45.
T. Cupholders on page 3-31.
U. Trunk Release. See Trunk on page 3-10.
V. Glove Box on page 3-31.
1-3

Initial Drive Information
This section provides a brief overview about some of
the important features that may or may not be on your
specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer to each of the
features which can be found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System
The RKE transmitter is used to remotely lock and
unlock the doors from up to 60 m (195 feet) away from
the vehicle.
Press Kto unlock the
driver door. Press again
within five seconds to
unlock all remaining doors.
Press Qto lock all doors.
Lock and unlock feedback can be personalized.
Press and hold Vfor approximately one second to
open the trunk.
Press Land release to locate the vehicle.
Press Land hold for three seconds to sound the panic
alarm.
Press Lagain to cancel the panic alarm.
See Keys on page 3-2 and Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 3-4.
1-4

Remote Vehicle Start
With this feature the engine can be started from outside
of the vehicle.
Starting the Vehicle
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press Q.
3. Immediately after completing Step 2, press and
hold /until the turn signal lamps flash.
When the vehicle starts, the parking lamps will turn
on and remain on as long as the engine is running.
The doors will be locked and the climate control system
may come on.
The engine will continue to run for 10 minutes. Repeat
the steps for a 10-minute time extension. Remote
start can be extended only once.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start:
•Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle and press
and hold /until the parking lamps turn off.
•Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
•Turn the ignition switch out of LOCK/OFF position
and then back to LOCK/OFF.
See Remote Vehicle Start on page 3-6.
Door Locks
Manual Locks
From outside the vehicle, use the key. From inside the
vehicle, pull up or down on the manual door lock
knob located on the windowsill.
See Manual Door Locks on page 3-8.
Power Door Locks
In vehicles with power door locks, the switches are
located on the doors.
T:Press the top of the switch to lock all doors.
Press the bottom of the switch to unlock all doors.
For more information, see:
•Power Door Locks on page 3-9.
•Delayed Locking on page 3-9.
•Automatic Door Lock on page 3-9.
•Automatic Door Unlock on page 3-9.
1-5

Trunk Release
In addition to the trunk
release button on the RKE
transmitter, there is a
remote release button
located in the glove box.
See Trunk on page 3-10.
Windows
On vehicles with power windows, the driver door has
switches for both windows and the passenger door has
one switch for itself.
Press down or pull up on a window switch to lower or
raise the window.
For more information, see Power Windows on
page 3-13.
1-6

Seat Adjustment
Manual Seats
1. Lift the handle under
the seat to unlock
the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the
desired position and
release the handle.
Try to move the seat to be sure it is locked in place.
See Manual Seats on page 2-2.
Seat Height Adjuster
On vehicles with this feature, raise or lower the seat by
holding the switch up or down.
See Seat Height Adjuster on page 2-2.
1-7

Reclining Seatbacks
Turn the knob forward or rearward to raise or recline the
seatback.
See Reclining Seatbacks on page 2-3.
Safety Belt
Refer to the following sections for important information
on how to use safety belts properly.
•Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 2-6.
•How to Wear Safety Belts Properly on page 2-11.
•Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 2-19.
•Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 2-31.
1-8

Sensing System for Passenger
Airbag
The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver airbags are not affected by this.
The passenger airbag status indicator will be visible on
the instrument panel when the vehicle is started.
See Passenger Sensing System on page 2-43 for
important information.
Mirror Adjustment
Exterior Mirrors
Adjust the outside mirrors to see a little of the side of
the vehicle, and the area beside the vehicle.
For vehicles with outside
power mirrors, the controls
are located on the
driver door.
1. Press the left or right side of the selector switch
located next to the control pad to choose the
driver or passenger side mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control
pad to move the mirror in the desired direction.
United States Canada
1-9

Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage when
going through an automatic car wash. To fold, push the
mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror outward, to
return to its original position.
For more information, see:
•Outside Manual Mirrors on page 3-30.
•Outside Power Mirrors on page 3-30.
Interior Mirror
Hold the mirror in the center to move it up or down and
side to side. Adjust the mirror to avoid glare from the
headlamps behind your vehicle. Move the lever located
at the base of the mirror, to the right for nighttime
use and to the left for daytime use. See Manual
Rearview Mirror on page 3-30.
Steering Wheel Adjustment
The tilt wheel lever is located on the left side of the
steering column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down into a
comfortable position.
3. Pull the lever up to lock the steering wheel in place.
See Tilt Wheel on page 4-3.
1-10

Interior Lighting
Mirror Reading Lamps
The vehicle has reading lamps on the rearview mirror.
Press the button near each lamp on the mirror to
turn the reading lamps on and off.
For more information on interior lighting, see:
•Instrument Panel Brightness on page 4-11.
•Entry/Exit Lighting on page 4-11.
Exterior Lighting
This lever is located on the left side of the steering
column.
P:Briefly turn to this position to manually turn the
automatic lamp control off or on.
AUTO: Automatic operation of the headlamps at normal
brightness and other exterior lamps at night. This setting
also automatically activates the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) in the daytime.
;:Manual operation of the parking lamps and
taillamps.
2:Manual operation of the headlamps, parking
lamps, and taillamps.
For more information, see:
•Headlamps on page 4-9.
•Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) on page 4-10.
•Fog Lamps on page 4-11.
1-11

Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper lever is located on the right side of
the steering column.
9:Turns the wipers off.
&:Turn this band for intermittent or speed sensitive
operation. As vehicle speed increases or decreases, the
wiper interval also increases or decreases.
x:Delays wiping cycle.
6:Slow wipes.
1:Fast wipes.
8:Use for a single wiping cycle.
Windshield Washer: Press the button at the end of the
lever until the washers begin.
See Windshield Wipers on page 4-5 and Windshield
Washer on page 4-6.
1-12

Climate Controls
the heating and ventilation of the vehicle can be
controlled with this system. For vehicles with air
conditioning, the cooling can also be controlled.
A. Temperature Control
B. Fan Control
C. Air Delivery Mode
Control
D. Air Conditioning
E. Air Recirculation
F. Rear Window
Defogger
See Climate Control System on page 4-13.
Vehicle Features
Radio(s)
O:Press to turn the system on and off. Turn to
increase or decrease the volume.
Climate Control System with Air Conditioning
shown
Radio with CD (MP3) and USB Port shown
1-13

BAND: Press to choose between FM, AM, or XM™,
if equipped.
f:Select radio stations.
©¨:Seek or scan stations.
4:For vehicles with XM, MP3, WMA, or RDS features,
press to display additional text information related to the
current FM-RDS or XM station; or CD, MP3, WMA song.
Song title information will be displayed on the top line of
the display while the artist information will be displayed
on the bottom line, if the information is available during
XM, CD, MP3, or WMA playback. When information is
not available, ″No Info″displays.
For more information about these and other radio
features, see Audio System(s) on page 4-45 and
Radio(s) on page 4-48.
Storing a Favorite Station
Depending on which radio the vehicle has, radio
stations are stored as either favorites or presets.
For radios with a FAV button, a maximum of 36 stations
can be stored as favorites using the six softkeys located
below the radio station frequency tabs and by using the
radio FAV button. Press FAV to go through up to six
pages of favorites, each having six favorite stations
available per page. Each page of favorites can contain
any combination of AM, FM, or XM™ stations.
For radios without a FAV button, up to 18 stations
(six FM1, six FM2, and six AM), can be programmed
on the six numbered buttons.
See Radio(s) on page 4-48.
1-14