2005 PONTIAC GTO Owners Manual

Brake System Warning Light
This light will come on
when the ignition is turned
ON and when the
parking brake is applied.
If this light comes on and the Brake message appears
on the trip computer display while driving and the
parking brake is released, a fault with the brakes is
indicated. You should immediately stop the car on the
side of the road as carefully as possible. Do not proceed
until satisfied that braking is possible or that the
cause of the problem has been fixed.
A warning will chime if you attempt to drive off without
releasing the parking brake.
The Brake message will remain until the MODE button
on the trip computer is pressed, but the symbol will
remain until the problem is fixed.
This light will also come on to indicate low brake fluid.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
This light will come on
briefly when the ignition is
turned to ON.
If the light does not come on then, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system,
this light will come on and the ABS Fault message will
appear on the trip computer display. See your GM
dealer for service. The vehicle’s brake system will still
operate without ABS.
The ABS Fault message will stay on until the MODE
button on the trip computer is pressed, but the light will
stay on until the problem is fixed.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
The temperature gage
shows the engine coolant
temperature when the
ignition is on.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, the light
comes on and you hear a chime, your engine is too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The check engine light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after awhile, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good, and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may
not be covered by your warranty.
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Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your
vehicle or replacement tires that do not match
your vehicle’s original tires can affect your vehicle’s
emission controls and may cause this light to
come on. Modications to these systems could lead
to costly repairs not covered by your warranty.
This may also result in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light does not come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
•Light Flashing— A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
•Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
•Reducing vehicle speed
•Avoiding hard accelerations
•Avoiding steep uphill grades
•If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the
Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
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If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on or not working properly.
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Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
Security Light
This light flashes when the
vehicle security system is
activated.
Please seeTheft-Deterrent Systems on page 2-13for
more information.
Fog Lamp Light
This light will come on
when the fog lamps are
in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are turned off.
SeeFog Lamps on page 3-15for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light will come on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
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Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light
This light will come on
when the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) are
activated. SeeDaytime
Running Lamps (DRL) on
page 3-14.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left, when the
ignition is on.When the indicator nears empty, the light will come on
and you will hear a chime. You still have a little fuel
left, but you should get more soon. If less than
two gallons of fuel is added to an empty tank, the gage
may take up to 15 minutes to register it.
Here are three things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
•At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
•It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill the tank.
•The gage returns below the empty mark when the
ignition is off.
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Trip Computer
The buttons for the trip
computer are located on
the instrument panel, to the
right of the instrument
panel cluster.
The trip computer displays are located directly beneath
the instrument panel cluster gages. Speed related
information appears in the left display, distance related
information appears in the center display, and fuel
related information appears in the right display.
The basic, more commonly used functions of the trip
computer are shown following. Tap the MODE button to
scroll between the different sets of displays.
When the ignition is turned to ON, the trip computer
displays the same functions as when the ignition
was last turned off.The trip computer can be reset when AVG SPEED or
TRIP TIME are shown on the left display. To reset, press
the SET button for less than two seconds. Resetting
does not affect the Odometer, Overspeed, Range, Time
to Arrival, Distance to Arrival, Instantaneous Fuel, or
Fuel Remaining.
Vehicle personalization is available through the trip
computer controls and display. SeeVehicle
Personalization on page 2-30.
AVG (Average) SPEED
This function shows the average speed, while the
engine is running, since the trip computer was reset.
Odometer
This function records miles travelled since the car
was built.
AVG (Average) FUEL
This function shows the average fuel used since the trip
computer was reset. After resetting, a high number
may initially be shown, due to the short distance
travelled and the high fuel used when accelerating.
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TRIP TIME
This function shows the engine running time since the
trip computer was reset. If this exceeds 99 hours
and 59 minutes, the trip time is displayed in hours only.
Trip Distance
This function shows the miles travelled from the start of
a particular trip. Reset the reading to zero by pressing
and holding the SET button down for eight seconds.
FUEL USED
This function shows the total gallons or liters of fuel
used since the trip computer was reset.
TIME TO ARRIVAL
This function shows trip time to arrival in hours and
minutes, based on distance to arrival. If this exceeds
99 hours and 59 minutes, the time to arrival is displayed
in hours only.
Dist (Distance) to Arrival
At the start of a trip, estimate your distance to arrival.
Tap the up or down arrows until the display shows your
estimated trip distance. When you drive, the computer
constantly updates your time to arrival, based on
changing driving speeds. You can use the up or down
arrows to adjust the miles (kilometers) any time this
display is shown.
FUEL REMAINING
This function shows the gallons (liters) of fuel left in the
fuel tank, rounded to the nearest one gallon (liter).
When the fuel level is down to about 2 gallons
(7.5 liters), LO is displayed instead of gallons (liters).
If the Low Fuel message in the trip computer comes on
when driving, it indicates that the fuel level is low.
The Low Fuel message is displayed until the MODE
button is pressed. The trip computer then displays
its calculation of Range, which is how far you can drive
with your current fuel level, for 10 seconds before
returning to the original trip computer display with a
small low fuel symbol on the left. The symbol will remain
until the fuel tank is filled above the low fuel level.
If the Very Low Fuel message in the trip computer
comes on when driving, it indicates that the fuel level is
very low. The Very Low Fuel message is displayed
until the MODE button is pressed. The trip computer
then displays its calculation of Range, which is
how far you can drive with your current fuel level, for
10 seconds before returning to the original trip computer
display with a small flashing low fuel symbol on the
left. The symbol will remain until the fuel tank is filled
above the low fuel level.
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