2005 PONTIAC VIBE instrument panel

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-26
Airbag System
.........................................1-46
Restraint System Check
............................1-62
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-34
OnStar
®System
......................................2-35
Storage Areas
.........................................2-37
Sunroof
..................................................2-40
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-25
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-42Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
........ 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-37
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-56
Tires
......................................................5-57
Appearance Care
.....................................5-87
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-95
Electrical System
......................................5-95
Capacities and Specications
...................5-100
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
......5-102
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index.................................................................1
2005 Pontiac Vibe Owner ManualM

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
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 specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help guring out a specic name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the
following topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-12

There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-29
for more information.Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-49

The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
If your vehicle has a seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the driver, it is in the side of the driver’s seatback
closest to the door.
If your vehicle has a seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the right front passenger, it is in the side of the
passenger’s seatback closest to the door.If your vehicle has a roof-mounted side impact airbag
for the driver and the person seated directly behind the
driver, it is in the ceiling above the side windows.
If your vehicle has a roof-mounted side impact airbag
for the right front passenger and the person seated
directly behind that passenger, it is in the ceiling above
the side windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the bag might not inate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
airbag covering. Do not let seat covers block
the ination path of a side impact airbag.
1-50

What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash.
For both frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator,
which inates the airbag. The inator, the airbag and
related hardware are all part of the airbag modules.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, the airbag modules
are located in the seatback closest to the driver’s
and/or right front passenger’s door. For vehicles with
roof-mounted side impact airbags, the airbag modules
are located in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the
side windows.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But a
frontal airbag would not help you in many types of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward a frontal airbag. A side impact airbag
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward a side airbag. Airbags should never
be regarded as anything more than a supplement to
safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal collisions for frontal airbags,
and only in moderate to severe side collisions for
side impact airbags.
1-53

What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After the airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the airbag inated.
Some components of the airbag module – the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s airbag, the instrument panel for
the right front passenger’s bag, the side of the seatback
closest to the front doors for the seat-mounted side
impact airbags (if equipped), and the ceiling of your
vehicle near the side windows for the roof-mounted side
impact airbags (if equipped) – will be hot for a short time.
The parts of the bag that come into contact with you may
be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some
smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deated
airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent the driver from
seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can not get out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
1-54

In many crashes severe enough to inate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from
the right front passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for
your airbag system. If you do not get them,
the airbag system will not be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly other parts.
The service manual for your vehicle covers the
need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after
a crash. SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders on page 7-9.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that an
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer for service.Notice:If you damage the covering for the frontal
airbags, the airbag covering on the driver’s and right
front passenger’s seatback or the airbag covering
on the ceiling near the side windows, the airbags
may not work properly. You may have to replace
the airbag module in the steering wheel, both the
airbag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s airbag, or the airbag
modules, the seatback, and the ceiling covering
for the side impact airbags (if equipped). Do not
open or break the airbag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water – such as
water up to the carpeting or higher – or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the airbag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens,
and then you start your vehicle, the damage could make
the frontal and side impact airbags inate and safety
belt pretensioners activate, even if there is no
crash. You would have to replace the airbags, all the
sensors and related parts, parts of the safety belt system
and parts of the driver and right front passenger’s
seatbacks. If your vehicle is ever in a ood, or if it is
exposed to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid
needless repair costs by turning off the vehicle
immediately and disconnecting the battery cables.
Do not let anyone start the vehicle under any
circumstances. See your dealer for service.
1-55