2008 PONTIAC G6 Owners Manual

Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal
If your vehicle has this feature, you can change the
position of the throttle and brake pedals. This feature is
designed for shorter drivers, since the pedals cannot
move farther away from the standard position, but can
move rearward for better pedal reach.
The ignition must be off or the vehicle in PARK (P) for
this feature to work. The feature will not work if your foot
is pushing on the throttle or brake pedal. Remove
your foot from the pedals and press the switch again.
The switch used to adjust
the pedals is located on
the left side of the
instrument panel.The adjustable pedal feature is meant to be used with
the adjustable seat and adjustable steering wheel
controls to reach a safe and comfortable position.
Adjust the throttle and brake pedals to reach a
comfortable and safe operating position by pushing the
right and left arrow to move the pedals either closer
or further from your body.
Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater, if available, can help in cold
weather conditions at or below 0°F (−18°C) for easier
starting and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least four hours before
starting your vehicle. An internal thermostat in the
plug-end of the cord may exist which will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at temperatures
above 0°F (−18°C).
2-25

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. On
the 2.4L L4 ECOTEC
®engine, the engine coolant
heater cord is located near the air cleaner box
on the passenger’s side of the engine compartment.
On the 3.5L, 3.6L and 3.9L V6 engines, the
engine coolant heater cord is located on the driver’s
side around the battery box. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 5-14for more
information on location.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer/retailer in the area where you will be
parking your vehicle. The dealer/retailer can give you
the best advice for that particular area.
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Automatic Transmission Operation
Your automatic transmission has a shift lever located on
the console between the seats.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start the 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). SeeShifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transmission) on page 2-32.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-28.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to apply
your regular brake rst and then press the shift lever
button before you can shift from PARK (P) while
the ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push
the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Press the shift lever button and
then move the shift lever into another gear. SeeShifting
Out of PARK (P) on page 2-34later in this section. SE Model
GT and GXP Models
2-27

REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging your transmission,
seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 4-19.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. It
provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If you
need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You will shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see “Skidding” underLoss of
Control on page 4-10.
Notice:If your vehicle seems to accelerate slowly
or not shift gears when you go faster, and you
continue to drive your vehicle that way, you could
damage the transmission. Have your vehicle
serviced right away. You can drive in LOW (L) when
you are driving less than 35 mph (56 km/h) and
DRIVE (D) for higher speeds until then.
2-28

THIRD (3):This position, available on the SE model, is
also used for normal driving. However, it reduces
vehicle speed more than DRIVE (D) without using your
brakes. Here are some times you might choose
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
When going down a steep hill.
LOW (L):This position, available on the SE model,
reduces vehicle speed more than THIRD (3) without
using your brakes. You can use LOW (L) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
You can use LOW (L) on very steep hills, or in deep
snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in LOW (L),
the transmission will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Driving in LOW (L) for more than 25 miles
(40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h) may
damage the transmission. Also, shifting into
LOW (L) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can
cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or DRIVE (D)
instead of LOW (L).Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by your warranty. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
MANUAL MODE (M):This position, available on the
GT/GXP models, allows you to change gears similar to a
manual transmission. If your vehicle has this feature,
see Manual Shift Mode (MSM) following.
Manual Shift Mode (MSM) (Automatic
Transmission)
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from DRIVE (D) rearward and
then to the right into the MANUAL MODE (M).
While driving in manual shift mode, the transmission
will remain in the driver gear selected.
2. Press the shift level forward to upshift or rearward
to downshift.
The odometer display on the instrument panel cluster
will change from the vehicle’s mileage to the letter M, for
manual shift mode, and a number indicating the
requested gear range when moving the shift lever
forward or rearward. SeeSpeedometer and Odometer
on page 3-29for more information.
2-29

While using the MSM feature the vehicle will have rmer
shifting and sportier performance. You can use this
for sport driving or when climbing hills to stay in gear
longer or to downshift for more power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow you to shift into gears
appropriate for the vehicle speed and engine revolutions
per minute (RPM):
The transmission will not automatically shift to the
next higher gear if the engine RPM is too high.
The transmission will not allow shifting to the next
lower gear if the engine RPM is too high.
If the vehicle does not respond to a gear change, or
detects a problem with the transmission, the range
of gears may be reduced and the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp will come on. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 3-38for more information.
SECOND (2)/THIRD (3) Gear Start
Feature
Notice:If you attempt a third gear start while
trailering or towing a heavy load, you will notice
reduced engine power. This could overheat
and damage your transmission. Do not attempt a
third gear start while trailering or towing your
vehicle.
If your vehicle has the 6-speed transmission, when
accelerating your vehicle from a stop in snowy and icy
conditions, you may want to shift into SECOND (2),
or THIRD (3) gear. A higher gear, and light application
of the gas pedal, may allow you to gain more traction
on slippery surfaces.
With the MSM, the vehicle can accelerate from a stop in
SECOND (2) or THIRD (3).
1. Move the shift lever from DRIVE (D) into the
MANUAL MODE (M) position.
2. With the vehicle stopped, move the lever forward
towards the plus (+) to select SECOND (2) or
THIRD (3)gear. The vehicle will start from a stop
position in SECOND (2) or THIRD (3) gear.
3. Once the vehicle is moving select the desired
drive gear.
2-30

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, pull up on the parking brake
handle. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-34.To release the parking brake:
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Pull the parking brake handle up until you can
press the release button.
3. Hold the release button in as you move the brake
handle 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. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and you are parking on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-28.
GT and GTP Shown, SE Similar
2-31

Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic
Transmission)
{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 4-28.Use this procedure to shift into PARK (P):
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
SeeParking Brake on page 2-31for more
information.
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/OFF.
4. For vehicles with base ignitions, remove the key
and take it with you. If you can leave your vehicle
with the ignition key in your hand, your vehicle is in
PARK (P). Vehicles with the passive ignitions,
turn the passive key to the LOCK/OFF position.
Take the keyless access transmitter with you.
2-32