2007 PONTIAC VIBE Owners Manual

Radio Display Message Condition Action Required
No Info Song/Program Title not
availableNo song title information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info Category Name not
availableNo category information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info No Text/Informational
message availableNo text or informational messages are available at this time
on this channel. The system is working properly.
Not Found No channel available for
the chosen categoryThere are no channels available for the selected category.
The system is working properly.
XM Locked Theft lock active The XM™ receiver in the vehicle could have previously
been in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™
receivers cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this
message is received after having your vehicle serviced,
check with the servicing facility.
Radio ID Radio ID label (channel 0) If tuned to channel 0, this message alternates with the
XM™ Radio eight digit radio ID label. This label is needed
to activate the service.
Unknown Radio ID not known
(should only be if
hardware failure)If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there
could be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer.
Chk XMRcvr Hardware failure If this message does not clear within a short period of time,
the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer.
217

Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static during normal
radio reception can occur if items such as
cellphone chargers, vehicle convenience
accessories, and external electronic devices are
plugged into the accessory power outlet. If there is
interference or static, unplug the item from the
accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for
FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other. For
better radio reception, most AM radio stations boost
the power levels during the day, and then reduce
these levels during the night. Static can also occur
when things like storms and power lines interfere
with radio reception. When this happens, try
reducing the treble on your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals
reach about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous
United States, and in Canada. Just as with FM,
tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite
radio signals, causing the sound to fade in and out.
In addition, traveling or standing under heavy
foliage, bridges, garages, or tunnels can cause
loss of the XM™ signal for a period of time.
The radio could display NO XM SIGNAL to indicate
interference.
218

Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original
cases or other protective cases and away from
direct sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the
bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a
CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken,
or scratched, the CD will not play properly or not
at all. If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a
soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in
a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with
water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process
starts from the center to the edge.
Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while
handling it; this could damage the surface. Pick up
CDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of
the hole and the outer edge.
Care of the CD Player
Do not use CD lens cleaners for CD players
because the lens of the CD optics can become
contaminated by lubricants.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The xed mast antenna can withstand most car
washes without being damaged. If the mast should
ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by
hand. If the mast is badly bent, replace it.
Check occasionally to make sure the mast is still
tightened to the antenna base located on the
roof of the vehicle. If tightening is required, tighten
by hand.
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System
The XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is located on
the roof of your vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of
snow and ice build up for clear radio reception.
A vehicle with a sunroof might not get the
best performance from the XM™ system if the
sunroof is open.
Loading items onto the roof of your vehicle can
interfere with the performance of the XM™ system.
Make sure the XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is
not obstructed.
219

✍NOTES
220

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 222
Defensive Driving...................................... 222
Drunken Driving........................................ 223
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 226
Braking...................................................... 226
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 227
Braking in Emergencies............................. 229
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 230
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 231
Panic Brake Assist.................................... 231
Steering.................................................... 232
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 234
Passing..................................................... 235
Loss of Control.......................................... 237
Driving at Night......................................... 238Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 239
City Driving............................................... 242
Freeway Driving........................................ 243
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 244
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 245
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 246
Winter Driving........................................... 248
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 252
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 253
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 253
Towing........................................................ 259
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 259
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 259
Towing a Trailer........................................ 261
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
221

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in
your vehicle: Buckle up. SeeSafety Belts: They
Are for Everyone on page 18.
{CAUTION:
Defensive driving really means “Be ready
for anything.” On city streets, rural roads,
or expressways, it means “Always expect
the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians
or other drivers are going to be careless
and make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. Rear-end
collisions are about the most preventable
of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow
enough following distance. Defensive
driving requires that a driver concentrate
on the driving task. Anything that
distracts from the driving task makes
proper defensive driving more difficult
and can even cause a collision, with
resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help
do these things, or pull off the road in a
safe place to do them. These simple
defensive driving techniques could save
your life.
222

Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and
driving is a national tragedy. It is the number one
contributor to the highway death toll, claiming
thousands of victims every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to
drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most
cases, these deaths are the result of someone who
was drinking and driving. In recent years, more
than 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths
have been associated with the use of alcohol, with
more than 300,000 people injured.Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the
adult population — choose never to drink alcohol,
so they never drive after drinking. For persons
under 21, it is against the law in every U.S. state to
drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink
alcohol and then drive. But what if people do?
How much is “too much” if someone plans
to drive? It is a lot less than many might think.
Although it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of
someone who is drinking depends upon
four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before
and during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol
223

According to the American Medical Association, a
180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with
a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would
reach the same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce
(120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if
each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors like
whiskey, gin, or vodka.It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For
example, if the same person drank three double
martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each)
within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close
to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food
just before or during drinking will have a somewhat
lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women
generally have a lower relative percentage of body
water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body
water, this means that a woman generally will
reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same
body weight will when each has the same
number of drinks.
The law in most U.S. states, and throughout
Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In
some other countries, the limit is even lower. For
example, it is 0.05 percent in both France and
Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial drivers
in the United States is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to
six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have
seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the
drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them.
224