2007 PONTIAC VIBE warning light

A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F
(−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL
®may cause premature engine,
heater core or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant may require changing
sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or
24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Always use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant
in your vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water
and one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will
not damage aluminum parts. If you use this coolant
mixture, you do not need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can
boil before the proper coolant mixture will.
Your vehicle’s coolant warning system is
set for the proper coolant mixture. With
plain water or the wrong mixture, your
engine could get too hot but you would
not get the overheat warning. Your engine
could catch re and you or others could
be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant
mixture, your engine could overheat and be
badly damaged. The repair cost would not be
covered by your warranty. Too much water
in the mixture can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other parts.
295

Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer uid, be sure
to read the manufacturer’s instructions before
use. If you will be operating your vehicle in an area
where the temperature may fall below freezing,
use a uid that has sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
If your vehicle has the low windshield washer uid
level warning light, it will come on when the
uid level is too low. SeeLow Washer Fluid
Warning Light on page 175.
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer uid
until the tank is full. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 282
for reservoir location.Notice:
When using concentrated washer uid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions
for adding water.
Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer
uid. Water can cause the solution to
freeze and damage your washer uid tank
and other parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean as well
as washer uid.
Fill your washer uid tank only
three-quarters full when it is very cold.
This allows for expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage the tank if it
is completely full.
Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
your windshield washer. It can damage
your washer system and paint.
305

Brakes
Brake Fluid
The hydraulic clutch and
brake master cylinder
use the same reservoir.
It is lled with DOT-3
brake uid. SeeEngine
Compartment
Overview on page 282
for the location of
the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid
level in the reservoir might go down. The rst
is that the brake uid goes down to an acceptable
level during normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are put in, the uid level goes back
up. The other reason is that uid is leaking out of
the brake system or the hydraulic clutch system.
If it is, have that system xed immediately, since a
leak means that the brakes will not work well, or
will not work at all.So, it is not a good idea to top off the brake uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If
you add uid when the linings are worn, then you
will have too much uid when you get new
brake linings. You should add or remove brake
uid, as necessary, only when work is done on the
brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has too much brake uid, it
can spill on the engine. The uid will burn
if the engine is hot enough. You or others
could be burned, and your vehicle could
be damaged. Add brake uid only when
work is done on the brake and/or clutch
hydraulic system.
When the brake uid falls to a low level, the brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 166.
306

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum
brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the
brake pads are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be heard all
the time your vehicle is moving, except when you
are pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon the brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates can cause a
brake squeal when the brakes are rst applied
or lightly applied. This does not mean something
is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and evenly tighten
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to GM torque
specications.
Rear drum brakes do not have wear indicators,
but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing
noise, have the rear brake linings inspected
immediately. Also, the rear brake drums should be
removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing. When you have
the front brake pads replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as
complete axle sets.
SeeBrake System Inspection on page 393.
308

This light, on the
instrument panel cluster,
comes on when the
tire pressure monitoring
system detects a
low-tire condition.
This light also comes on for a few seconds and
then go off when you turn the ignition to ON. This
indicates that the TPMS is functioning properly.
If the low-tire pressure warning light comes
on while driving your vehicle, the system may
have detected a low-tire condition. You need to
stop as soon as possible and check your tires
for damage. If a tire is at, seeIf a Tire Goes Flat
on page 342andChanging a Flat Tire on
page 343. Also check the tire pressure in all four
tires, and set them to the specied level shown
on the Tire and Loading Information label.SeeInation - Tire Pressure on page 329and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 253for additional
information.
Note:The tire pressure monitoring system on your
vehicle warns you when one of the tires is
signicantly under-inated and when some
combinations of the tires are signicantly
under-inated. However, there are other
combinations of signicantly under-inated tires for
which the tire pressure monitoring system might not
give a warning. These other combinations are
relatively common, accounting for approximately
half the instances in which vehicles have
signicantly under-inated tires. For example, the
system might not warn you when both tires on the
same side or on the same axle of your vehicle are
signicantly under-inated. It is particularly
important, therefore, to check the tire pressure in all
of the tires regularly and maintain proper pressure.
In order for the tire pressure monitoring system to
work properly you need to reset (initialize) the
tire pressure monitoring system. Any time
you check and/or adjust a tire’s pressure, repair or
replace a tire or wheel, or rotate the tires the
tire pressure monitor system needs to be reset.
331

Do not reset (initialize) the system without rst
correcting the cause of the low-tire condition. If the
system is reset when the tire pressures are
incorrect, the system will not function properly and
might not alert you when a tire is low.
To reset (initialize) the system:
1. Park the vehicle at a safe place and apply the
parking brake. Turn the engine off.
2. Turn the ignition to ON with the engine off.
3. If the low-tire
pressure warning
light is on, push
the SET (reset)
button for a
few seconds.
The reset button is on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel. The low-tire
warning light should go off.4. Press and hold the SET (reset) button until
the low-tire warning light comes on and
ashes on/off three times. The tire pressure
warning reset button starts the reset
(initialization) process.
If the low-tire pressure warning light does not
ash while you hold the reset button, the
system might be malfunctioning and needs
service. See your GM dealer for service.
The system completes the reset (initialization)
process after driving at vehicle speeds of at least
19 mph (30 km/h) to 62 mph (100 km/h) for
more than one hour. Do not push the SET (reset)
button while driving. If you do the initialization
process is cancelled. The initialization process can
take up to approximately one hour of driving
under the following conditions:
The vehicle speed is between 31 mph
(50 km/h) and 62 mph (100 km/h).
The roads are dry, smooth, and straight.
The number of passengers is one or
two (including the driver).
332

The low-tire pressure warning light may not come
on even if the tire ination pressure is low, or it
could come on when the tire ination pressure is
set correctly under the following circumstances:
A compact spare tire, snow tires, or tire chains
are installed on your vehicle.
The tires are over-inated, or the tire ination
pressure suddenly drops due to a tire bursting
or other causes.
The vehicle is driven on a slippery road
surface such as rough or frozen roads.
The vehicle speed is less than
19 mph (30 km/h), and the driving duration is
less than ve minutes.
The tires are made by a different manufacturer
or differ in tread pattern than the original
equipment tires.
Rapid acceleration/deceleration or multiple
consecutive sharp turns.
Towing a trailer.
The vehicle is loaded over the limit or not
balanced properly.
The initialization (reset) procedure was not
performed correctly after replacing or
rotating tires or wheels.
The outside temperature is below 32°F (0°C)
or above 104°F (40°C).
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your
tires as soon as possible and check wheel
alignment. Also check for damaged tires or wheels.
SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on page 335
andWheel Replacement on page 340for
more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve
more uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle.
The rst rotation is the most important. See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 376for scheduled rotation intervals.
333

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum selection width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the Unites States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform
to federal safety requirements.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire when tested under
controlled conditions on a specied government
test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and a half (1
12) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The
relative performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and may
depart signicantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices, and differences
in road characteristics and climate.
Traction — AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specied
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning:The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
338