2007 PONTIAC VIBE tow

Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transaxle)
Before you get out of your vehicle, move the shift
lever into REVERSE (R), and rmly apply the
parking brake. Once the shift lever has been
placed into REVERSE (R) with the clutch pedal
pressed in, you can turn the ignition key to LOCK,
remove the key and release the clutch.
If you are parking on a hill, or if your vehicle is
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 261.
Evaporation Pump
Your vehicle is equipped with a vacuum pump for
the vehicle’s fuel evaporation system. This
pump performs a fuel evaporation leakage test
approximately ve hours after the engine is turned
off. You may hear a sound coming from
underneath the rear cargo compartment for
several minutes.
The noise is normal and does not signify a
malfunction. See your dealer with any questions.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot
exhaust parts under your vehicle and
ignite. Do not park over papers, leaves,
dry grass, or other things that can burn.
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Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 119.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your
vehicle even if the climate control fan is at
the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust — with
CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in
a garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 248.
{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. 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).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle
will not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle) on page 115.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 261.
120

Storage Areas
Glove Box
Open the glove box by pulling up on the bottom of
the handle.
Cupholder(s)
There are two xed cupholders located in the
console area between the two front seats. There
are also two cupholders that fold out of the rear of
the console storage unit.
Coinholder(s)
Your instrument panel may have a coinholder
located to the left of the steering wheel and on the
center console near the parking brake.
Instrument Panel Storage Area
There are storage compartments located on the
instrument panel in two places. They are below the
interior/instrument panel brightness dial and
below the shift lever. Pull the top of the door
toward you to open it or for the compartment below
the shift lever, push the button to open it.
Center Console Storage Area
A storage area is located in the console between
the seats.
To access the storage area, pull up the lock
release lever while raising the lid.
Floor Mats
The driver’s side oor mat is held in place by
two locator hooks.
Be sure the driver’s side oor mat is properly
placed on the oor so that it does not block the
movement of the accelerator pedal.
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Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has an upward (for right) and a
downward (for left) position. These positions allow
you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is nished, the lever will
return automatically.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return
by itself when you release it.
An arrow on the
instrument panel cluster
will ash in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
If you signal a turn or a lane change and notice
the arrow ashing rapidly, a signal bulb may
be burned out and other drivers will not see your
turn signal.If a bulb is burned out, have it replaced to help
avoid an accident. If the arrows do not go on at all
when you signal a turn, check for burned-out
bulbs and then check the fuse. SeeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 365.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
The headlamps must be on for this feature to
work. For high beams, push the turn signal lever
away from you.
When the high beams
are on, this light on the
instrument panel
cluster also will be on.
It will go off when you switch to the low beams. To
switch back to low beams, pull the lever toward you.
140

Flash-to-Pass
With the lever in the low-beam position, pull the
lever toward you to momentarily switch to
high beams (to signal that you are going to pass).
If you have the headlamps on when you release
the lever, they will return to the low beams.
Windshield Wipers
The lever on the right side of the steering column
controls the windshield wipers and washer.Move the lever to one of the following positions:
MIST:Move the lever to MIST, for a single wiping
cycle. Hold it there until the wipers start, then
let go. The wipers will stop after one wipe.
OFF:Move the lever to this position to turn the
wipers off.
INT (Intermittent):Move the lever to INT to
choose a delayed wiping cycle. The time between
wipes can be changed by turning the INT band.
Turn the band forward or rearward for a longer or
shorter delay interval. This position is useful in
light rain or snow, rather than continuous wiping.
LO (Low):Move the lever to LO for steady
wiping at low speed.
HI (High):Move the lever to HI for steady wiping
at high speed.
REAR:Turn the end of the lever upward to LO or
HI, to turn on the rear window wiper. The wiper
does not work with the rear liftglass open.
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Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they are frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If the
blades become damaged, get new blades or blade
inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wipers. A
circuit breaker stops them until the motor cools.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Windshield Washer
Pull the lever toward you to spray washer uid on
the windshield. The spray will continue until
you release the lever. The wipers will run a few
times. SeeWindshield Washer Fluid on page 305.
The knob automatically returns from the position
after you release it.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your
washer until the windshield is warmed.
Otherwise the washer uid can form ice
on the windshield, blocking your vision.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer
Turn the knob up or down as far as it will go, to
squirt washer uid on the rear window. The
knob automatically returns from these positions
after it is released.
The rear window washer uses the same uid
bottle as the windshield washer. However, the rear
window washer will run out of uid before the
windshield washer. If you can wash the windshield
but not the rear window, check the uid level.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your
washer until the windshield is warmed.
Otherwise the washer uid can form ice
on the windshield, blocking your vision.
142

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while
using cruise control:
Push and hold the lever to−SET until you reach
the lower speed desired, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the
lever down briey. Each time this is done, the
vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal,
the vehicle slows down to the cruise control speed
you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works on hills depends
upon the vehicle speed, load, and the steepness
of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you might have to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle
speed.When going downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep the vehicle speed
down. Of course, applying the brake or
downshifting to SECOND (2) or LOW (L) turns off
the cruise control. Many drivers nd this to be
too much trouble and do not use cruise control on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are several ways to turn off the cruise
control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the
clutch pedal, if you have a manual transaxle.
Press the ON-OFF button again.
Pull the cruise control lever toward you.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the
ignition, the cruise control set speed memory
is erased.
145

It is not recommended to use the cigarette lighter
to plug in auxiliary electrical equipment. Use
the accessory power outlet for phones and other
electrical equipment. SeeAccessory Power
Outlet(s) on page 150orPower Outlet 115 Volt
Alternating Current on page 151.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it
is heating does not let the lighter back
away from the heating element when it is hot.
Damage from overheating can occur to the
lighter or heating element, or a fuse could be
blown. Do not hold a cigarette lighter in while it
is heating.
Your vehicle may have a removable ashtray that
sits in your front cupholder in the center console
storage area.Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating,
cooling and ventilation for your vehicle.
Operation
9
(Fan):Turn the center knob away from OFF to
turn the system on. Turn the knob toward HI to
increase fan speed.
If the airow seems low when the fan is at the
highest setting, the passenger compartment
air lter may need to be replaced. For more
information, seePassenger Compartment Air Filter
on page 156andScheduled Maintenance on
page 377.
152