2007 PONTIAC VIBE tow

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something
may be wrong with the airbag system. If
this ever happens, have the vehicle
serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the
protection of the frontal airbag. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 162for
more on this, including important safety
information.Aftermarket equipment, such as seat covers or
seat backpacks, can affect how well the passenger
sensing system operates. You may want to
consider not using seat covers, seat backpacks, or
other aftermarket equipment if your vehicle has
the passenger sensing system. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 81for more information about modications
that can affect how the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
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CAUTION: (Continued)

Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A
child can be overcome by extreme
heat and can suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke.
Always lock your vehicle whenever
you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down
or stop your vehicle. Locking your
doors can help prevent this from
happening.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your
vehicle.From the outside, use your key or the remote
keyless entry transmitter, if equipped. SeeRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on
page 90for more information.
If your vehicle has power door locks, open the
driver’s door by turning the key in the lock toward
the rear of the vehicle. Turning the key back
toward the center, then toward the rear again will
unlock all of the doors. Using the key in the
passenger’s door will also unlock all of the doors.
Lock a door by turning the key toward the front
of the vehicle. If you have power door locks, all the
doors will lock.
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Reactivating the System
Once the system is set, it will automatically reset
the alarm after the alarm stops. The alarm will
activate again under the same conditions as
described earlier.
Disarming the System
The alarm can be disarmed by doing one of the
following:
Turn the ignition key from LOCK to ON.
Unlock any of the doors with the key or with
the remote keyless entry transmitter.
If the liftgate or liftglass is opened with the
key, the system will still be activated.
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast
or slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do
not make full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake, or slow, the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer on page 261for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
102

Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition switch, you can turn it
to four different positions.
Notice:If your key seems stuck in LOCK and
you cannot turn it, be sure you are using the
correct key; if so, is it all the way in? If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. Turn the key only with your
hand. Using a tool to force it could break the
key or the ignition switch. If none of these work,
then your vehicle needs service.(A) LOCK:This is the only position from which you
can remove the key. This locks your steering wheel,
ignition and automatic transaxle. Push in the
ignition switch as you turn the key toward you.
If you have an automatic transaxle, the ignition
switch cannot be turned to LOCK unless the shift
lever is in PARK (P).
{CAUTION:
On manual transaxle vehicles, turning the
key to LOCK and removing it will lock the
steering column and result in a loss of
ability to steer the vehicle. This could
cause a collision. If you need to turn the
engine off while the vehicle is moving,
turn the key only to ACC. Do not push the
key in while the vehicle is moving.
(B) ACC (ACCESSORY):This position operates
some of your electrical accessories, such as
the radio, but not the ventilation fan. It unlocks the
steering wheel and ignition. To move the key
from ACC to LOCK, push in the key and then turn
it to LOCK.
103

Automatic Transaxle Operation
There are several
different positions for
your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It
is the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transaxle) on page 115. If you are pulling
a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 261.
Make sure that the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine.
108

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the
ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake
pedal down.Pull the parking brake lever up until you can press
the release button. Hold the release button in
as you move the lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 261.
114

Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 261.To shift into PARK (P), do the following:
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot
and set the parking brake by pulling up on the
parking brake lever.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding
in the button on the shift lever and pushing
the lever all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
115

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transaxle)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch re. You or
others could be injured. Do not leave your
vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your automatic transaxle
vehicle with the engine running, be sure your
vehicle is in PARK (P) and your parking brake is
rmly set before you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular brake
pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from PARK (P) without rst pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever
was not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transaxle)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift into
PARK (P) properly, the weight of the vehicle
may put too much force on the parking pawl in the
transaxle. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque
lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into PARK (P) properly before
you leave the driver’s seat. To nd out how, see
Shifting Into Park (P) (Automatic Transaxle)
on page 115.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever
out of PARK (P) before you release the parking
brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to
take some of the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transaxle, so you can pull the shift lever
out of PARK (P).
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