2006 PONTIAC G6 towing

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t
release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the
oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-38.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you have pulled off the road and
stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
If your vehicle has the
anti-lock brake system, the
light will come on when
your engine is started
and may stay on for
several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system. If the light still stays
on, or comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle
needs service. If the regular brake system warning
light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-36.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briey when you turn the ignition key to ON. This is
normal. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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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.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) 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 misre condition has been
detected. A misre 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 ashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, 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
ashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-8
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)....................4-11
StabiliTrak
®System......................................4-12
Steering......................................................4-13
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-15
Passing.......................................................4-16
Loss of Control.............................................4-17
Driving at Night............................................4-18
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-20City Driving..................................................4-22
Freeway Driving...........................................4-23
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-24
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-25
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-26
Winter Driving..............................................4-27
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-32
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-32
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-33
Towing..........................................................4-38
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-38
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-38
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-40
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will need
to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as rocking can help
you get out when you are stuck, but you must use
caution.
If your vehicle has a traction system, the traction system
can often help to free a stuck vehicle. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9,Enhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-11,orStabiliTrak
®System on
page 4-12. If the stuck condition is too severe for the
traction system to free the vehicle, turn the traction
system off and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle
can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment re or other damage. When you
are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible.
Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h)
as shown on the speedometer.Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-32.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-73.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. If your
vehicle has a traction system, you should turn
your traction system off. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-9,Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on
page 4-11,orStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-12.
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, or with a manual transaxle, between
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R), spinning
the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator
pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. By
slowly spinning your wheels in the forward and reverse
directions, you will cause a rocking motion that may
free your vehicle. If that does not get you out after a few
tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do need
to be towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-38.
4-32

There is also important loading information on the
Certication label. It tells you the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for the front and rear axle; see “Certication
Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX pounds” on your vehicle placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kilograms or XXX pounds.
4. The resulting gure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if
the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs and there will be
ve 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight
may not safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load from
your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
If your vehicle can tow a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 4-40for important information on towing a
trailer, towing safety rules, and trailering tips.
4-34

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle – such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing”
(towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-24.
Dinghy Towing
If you have a 3.9L V6 engine with an automatic transaxle,
your vehicle cannot be dinghy towed.
For vehicles that can be dinghy towed with all four wheels
on the ground, follow these steps:
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1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. To prevent your battery from draining while the
vehicle is being towed, remove the following
fuse from the engine compartment fuse block:
(20 BCM 1). SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out on page 4-32for more information.
5. Turn the ignition to ACC.
6. Shift your transaxle to Neutral (N).
7. Release the parking brake.Notice:If you exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while
towing your vehicle, it could be damaged. Never
exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while towing your vehicle.
Notice:Towing your vehicle from the rear could
damage it. Also, repairs would not be covered by
the warranty. Never have your vehicle towed from
the rear.
4-39

Dolly Towing
To tow your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and a
dolly, do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. If you have an automatic transaxle, shift the
transaxle to PARK (P). If you have a manual
transaxle, shift the vehicle to SECOND (2).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.Notice:If you exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) while towing
your vehicle, it could be damaged. Never exceed
50 mph (80 km/h) while towing your vehicle.
Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well — or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. You may also damage your
vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with your vehicle.
4-40