2004 PONTIAC VIBE Owners Manual

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal ¯asher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will ¯ash whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
¯ash, telling other drivers you're about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ¯ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It's
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of the engine and the transaxle overheating.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here's
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don't shift into
PARK (P) for an automatic transaxle or into gear for
a manual transaxle, yet. When parking uphill, turn
your wheels away from the curb. When parking
downhill, turn your wheels into the curb.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the chocks are in place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and shift into PARK (P) for an automatic
transaxle or REVERSE (R) for a manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-39

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
·start your engine,
·shift into a gear, and
·release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle ¯uid (don't over®ll),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you ®nd them quickly. If you're trailering,
it's a good idea to review this information before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-30.
4-40

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-23
Manual Transaxle Fluid..................................5-25
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-26
Engine Coolant.............................................5-27
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-30
Cooling System............................................5-32
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-38
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-39Brakes........................................................5-40
Battery........................................................5-44
Jump Starting...............................................5-45
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-51
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps..................................................5-52
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-54
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-55
Rear Combination Lamps...............................5-56
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-58
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-59
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-60
Tires..............................................................5-61
In¯ation Ð Tire Pressure...............................5-67
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-68
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-70
Buying New Tires.........................................5-71
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-73
Wheel Replacement......................................5-74
Tire Chains..................................................5-75
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-76
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-77
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-88
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Appearance Care............................................5-89
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-89
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-92
Weatherstrips...............................................5-92
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-92
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-94
Finish Damage.............................................5-94
Underbody Maintenance................................5-95
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-95
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-95Vehicle Identi®cation......................................5-97
Vehicle Identi®cation Number (VIN).................5-97
Service Parts Identi®cation Label.....................5-97
Electrical System............................................5-97
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-97
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-98
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-98
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-98
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-98
Capacities and Speci®cations........................5-101
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts.........5-103
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you will go to your dealer
for all your service needs. You will get genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you'll
want to use the proper service manual. It tells you
much more about how to service your vehicle than this
manual can. To order the proper service manual,
see
Service Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-11.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-56.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See
Part E: Maintenance Record on page 6-28.
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
·Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
CAUTION: (Continued)
5-3

CAUTION: (Continued)
·
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. ªEnglishº and ªmetricº
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle
can affect the air¯ow around it. This may cause
wind noise and affect windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer before adding equipment to
the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
The 8th digit of your vehicle identi®cation number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identi®es your
engine. You will ®nd the VIN at the top left of the
instrument panel. See
Vehicle Identi®cation
Number (VIN) on page 5-97.
Gasoline Octane
If your vehicle has the 1.8L engine (VIN Code 8), use
regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or
higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A
little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive
uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a
problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary.
If you are using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and
you hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
If your vehicle has the 1.8L H.O. DOHC engine
(VIN Code L), use only premium unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane of 91 or higher. In an emergency,
you may be able to use a lower octane Ð as low
a 87 Ð if heavy knocking does not occur. Re®ll your
tank with premium fuel as soon as possible. Otherwise,
you might damage your engine. If you are using
91 octane or higher-octane fuel and you hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.
5-4

Gasoline Speci®cations
It is recommended that gasoline meet speci®cations
which were developed by automobile manufacturers
around the world and contained in the World-Wide Fuel
Charter which is available from the Alliance of
Automobile Manufacturers at www.autoalliance.org.
Gasoline meeting these speci®cations could provide
improved driveability and emission control system
performance compared to other gasoline.
In Canada, look for the
ªAuto Makers' Choiceº
label on the pump.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certi®ed to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
speci®cations. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
speci®cations, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on (see
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-34)
and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. If this
occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty.
Canada Only
5-5

Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work
properly. You should not have to add anything to your
fuel. However, some gasolines contain only the
minimum amount of additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency regulations. General
Motors recommends that you buy gasolines that
are advertised to help keep fuel injectors and intake
valves clean. If your vehicle experiences problems due
to dirty injectors or valves, try a different brand of
gasoline.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in
your area to contribute to clean air. General Motors
recommends that you use these gasolines, particularly if
they comply with the speci®cations described earlier.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to ®nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
5-6