2004 PONTIAC VIBE maintenance schedule

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-27
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
.........1-47
Restraint System Check
............................1-56
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-16
Mirrors
....................................................2-35
Storage Areas
.........................................2-37
Sunroof
..................................................2-42
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-25
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-41Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-30
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-51
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-60
Tires
......................................................5-61
Appearance Care
.....................................5-89
Vehicle Identi®cation
.................................5-97
Electrical System
......................................5-97
Capacities and Speci®cations
...................5-101
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
....5-103
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index.................................................................1
2004 Pontiac Vibe Owner ManualM

Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
Notice:Don't put papers or other ¯ammable items
into your ashtrays. Hot cigarettes or other smoking
materials could ignite them, causing a damaging ®re.
To use the lighter, push the lighter in all the way
and let go. When it's ready, it will pop back
out by itself. If the engine is not running, the key
must be in ACC to use the lighter.
It is not recommended to use the cigarette lighter to
plug in auxiliary electrical equipment. Use the accessory
power outlet for phones and other electrical equipment.
See
Accessory Power Outlets on page 3-17orPower
Outlet 115 Volt Alternating Current on page 3-18.
Notice:Don't hold a cigarette lighter in with your
hand while it is heating. If you do, it won't be able to
back away from the heating element when it's
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
Your vehicle has a removable ashtray that sits in your
front cupholder in the center console storage area.
Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
Operation
9
(Fan):Turn the center knob away from OFF to turn
the system on. Turn the knob toward HI to increase
fan speed.
If the air¯ow seems low when the fan is at the highest
setting, the passenger compartment air ®lter may
need to be replaced. For more information, see
Passenger Compartment Air Filter on page 3-23andShort Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-7.
3-19

The rear window defogger will turn off automatically
approximately 15 minutes after the button is pressed.
The defogger can also be turned off by pressing
the button again or by turning off the engine.
Notice:Don't use a razor blade or something else
sharp on the inside of the rear window. If you
do, you could cut or damage the defogger and the
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license, tape, a
decal or anything similar to the defogger grid.
Outlet Adjustment
Use the air outlets located
in the center and outboard
sides of the instrument
panel, to change the
direction of the air ¯owing
through the vents.
Operation Tips
·Clear away any ice, snow or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the windshield that may
block the ¯ow of air into your vehicle.
·Use of non-GM approved hood de¯ectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
·Keep the path under the front seats clear of objects
to help circulate the air inside of your vehicle more
effectively.
·If the air¯ow seems low when the fan is at the
highest setting, the passenger compartment air ®lter
may need to be replaced. For more information,
see ªPassenger Compartment Air Filterº following
and
Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance on
page 6-7.
3-22

Passenger Compartment Air Filter
Passenger compartment air, both outside and
recirculated air, is routed through a passenger
compartment air ®lter. The ®lter removes certain
contaminants from the air, including pollen and dust
particles. Reductions in air¯ow, which may occur more
quickly in dusty areas, indicate that the ®lter needs
to be replaced early. An air ®lter is available through
your dealer. For how often to change the air ®lter,
see
Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-7.The access panel for the air ®lter is behind the glove
box. To replace the ®lter, follow these steps:
1. Lower the glove box door and remove the screw on
the right side of the glovebox with a tool. Slide the
arm of the glovebox off.
2. Push each side of the glovebox in and pull
toward you.
3-23

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

When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short trip/city
maintenance schedule:
·Most trips are less than 5 miles (8 km). This is
particularly important when outside temperatures
are below freezing.
·Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
·You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top
of your vehicle.
·The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and ®lter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months Ð whichever
occurs ®rst.
If none of them are true, use the long trip/highway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and ®lter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months Ð whichever
occurs ®rst. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine
under highway conditions will cause engine oil to
break down slower.
5-20

To check or replace the ®lter, do the following:
1. Release the two clips that hold the cover down.
2. Lift the cover off.
3. Pull out the engine air cleaner/®lter.
4. Install a new engine air cleaner/®lter, if needed.
5. Reinstall the cover.Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to replace the air ®lter.
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
on page 6-4.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/®lter
off can cause you or others to be burned. The
air cleaner not only cleans the air, it helps to
stop ¯ame if the engine back®res. If it is not
there and the engine back®res, you could
be burned. Do not drive with it off, and be
careful working on the engine with the air
cleaner/®lter off.
Notice:If the air cleaner/®lter is off, a back®re can
cause a damaging engine ®re. And, dirt can
easily get into your engine, which will damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/®lter in place when
you're driving.
5-22

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle ¯uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Check the ¯uid in the transaxle and differential every
30,000 miles (50 000 km). Change the ¯uid every
60,000 miles (100 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven
under one or more of these conditions:
·In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher.
·In hilly or mountainous terrain.
·When doing frequent trailer towing.
·Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 6-4.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice:Too much or too little ¯uid can damage
your transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the
¯uid could come out and fall on hot engine or
exhaust system parts, starting a ®re. Too little ¯uid
could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle ¯uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
¯uid level if you have been driving:
·When outside temperatures are above 90ÉF (32ÉC).
·At high speed for quite a while.
·In heavy traffic ± especially in hot weather.
·While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the ¯uid should be at
normal operating temperature, which is 158ÉF to 176ÉF
(70ÉC to 80ÉC).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50ÉF
(10ÉC). If it's colder than 50ÉF (10ÉC), you may have to
drive longer.
5-23