2003 PONTIAC VIBE heater

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Windows
2
-4 Keys
2
-6 Door Locks
2
-9 Remote Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2
-12 Liftgate/Liftglass
2
-14 Theft
2
-17 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-18 Ignition Positions
2
-19 Starting Your Engine
2
-21 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-22 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-25 Manual Transaxle Operation
2
-29 Parking Brake
2
-30 Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Only)
2
-32 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Only)
2
-33 Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transaxle Only)
2
-33 Parking Over Things That Burn2
-34 Engine Exhaust
2
-34 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
(Automatic Transaxle)
2
-35 Horn
2
-35 Tilt Wheel
2
-36 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-38 Windshield Washer
2
-39 Cruise Control (Option)
2
-42 Exterior Lamps
2
-44 Interior Lamps
2
-46 Mirrors
2
-48 Storage Compartments
2
-53 Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
2
-53 Sun Visors
2
-57 Sunroof (Option)
2
-58 The Instrument Panel -- Your
Information System
2
-60 Instrument Panel Cluster
2
-62 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2
-76 Navigation System (Option)

2-21
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0
F (-18
C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures
above 32
F (0
C), use of the coolant heater is not
required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord
located on the driver's side of the engine
compartment, near the front.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
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 don't, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.

3-6 Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures, when very little heating
is required, you can still direct outside air through
your vehicle.
Use outside air and turn the mode knob to vent. Turn
the temperature knob to a comfortable setting and the
fan knob toward HI.
Constant airflow through the side vents is normal in all
airflow modes. To optimize the effectiveness of your
system in the floor, defog, or defrost modes, close the
outboard vents.
Your vehicle's flow
-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when it is moving. Outside
air will also enter the vehicle when the heater or the air
conditioning compressor is running and the comfort
control system is circulating outside air.
Your vehicle has air outlets
that allow you to adjust the
direction of airflow.
You can direct the airflow side
-to-side by turning the
vents. Airflow comes out of the vents on defrost, defog
and floor positions at a reduced flow.

3-7
Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction (such as leaves). The heater
and defroster will work far better, reducing the
chance of fogging the inside of your windows.

When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, move the
fan knob toward HI for a few moments before
driving off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow
and moisture, and reduces the chance of fogging the
inside of your windows.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects. This helps air to circulate throughout
your vehicle.

Close outboard instrument panel vents to keep cold
air from blowing in.Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and to give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all of its controls to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Setting the Time
Your radio may have a button marked with an
H or HR to represent hours and an M or MIN to
represent minutes.
Press and hold the hour button until the correct hour
appears on the display. AM will also appear for morning
hours. Press and hold the minute button until the correct
minute appears on the display. The time may be set with
the ignition on or off.
To synchronize the time with an FM station
broadcasting Radio Data System (RDS) information,
press and hold the hour and minute buttons at the same
time until TIME UPDATED appears on the display. If
the time is not available from the station, NO UPDATE
will appear on the display instead.

4-29

Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you've been stopped by the snow.

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.

5-11 If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:

Climb a long hill on a hot day.

Stop after high
-speed driving.

Idle for long periods in traffic.

Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in neutral while
stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift
to park or neutral and let the engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped,
pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you're parked. If you still have
the warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out
of the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.

5-12
Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fan
B. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank
C. Radiator Pressure Cap
CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
The coolant level should
be at or above the FULL
mark. If it isn't, you may
have a leak at the pressure
cap or in the radiator
hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump or
somewhere else in the
cooling system.

5-13
CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don't touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don't run the engine if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fan is running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it
isn't, your vehicle needs service.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.