2008 PONTIAC G6 ESP

P(Off/On):Turn the band to this position to turn on
the Automatic Headlamp System. In Canada, this
position only works when a vehicle is in the PARK (P)
position.
To turn on the Automatic Headlamp System, turn the
switch to off/on. To turn them off, turn the switch to off/on
again. This is a momentary control switch that springs
back when released. The Automatic Headlamp System
always turns on at the beginning of an ignition cycle.
Headlamps on Reminder
A reminder tone sounds when the headlamps or parking
lamps are manually turned on, if the driver’s door is
open and the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF or ACC/
ACCESSORY position. To turn the tone off, turn the
knob all the way counterclockwise. In the automatic
mode, the headlamps turn off once the ignition key is in
the LOCK/OFF position.
Headlamps Off in PARK (P)
This feature works when the ignition is in the ON/RUN
position and it is dark outside. To turn the headlamps
off when it is dark outside but keep other exterior lights
on, turn the exterior lamp control to the parking lamp
position. In this position, the parking lamps, sidemarker
lamps, taillamps, license plate lamps and instrument
panel lights are on, but the headlamps are off.To turn on the headlamps along with the other lamps
when it is dark outside, turn the exterior lamp control to
the AUTO or headlamp position.
This feature will not work for Canadian vehicles.
Delayed Headlamps
The delayed headlamps feature keeps the headlamps
on for 20 seconds after the key is turned to LOCK/OFF,
then the headlamps automatically turn off.
To override the 20 second delayed headlamp feature
while it is active turn the turn signal/multifunction
lever up one position and then back to AUTO.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL are helpful in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional DRL
are required on all vehicles rst sold in Canada. The
vehicle has a light sensor on top of the instrument panel
that controls the DRL. Make sure it is not covered, or
the head lamps will be on when they are not needed.
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the radio pulls it back in. After the CD is removed the
radio repeats the previous actions until all of the
CDs have been removed or a CD is pulled back in.
Playing a Specic Loaded CD
For every CD loaded, a number appears on the display.
To play a specic CD, press the numbered pushbutton
that corresponds to the CD to be played. A small
bar appears under the CD number that is playing, and
the track number displays.
If an error displays, see “CD Messages” later in this
section.
s(Fast Reverse):Press and hold to reverse quickly
within a track. Sound is heard at a reduced volume.
Release to play the passage. Depending on the radio,
T# (track number), the elapsed time, and REV displays.
\(Fast Forward):Press and hold to advance
quickly within a track. Sound is heard at a reduced
volume. Release to play the passage. Depending on the
radio, T#, the elapsed time, and FWD displays.
RPT (Repeat):With repeat, one track or an entire CD
can be repeated.To use repeat, do the following:
To replay a track, press and release the RPT
button. REPEAT ON and RPT displays. Press again
to turn off repeat play. REPEAT OFF displays
and RPT disappears from the display.
To replay a CD on the Radio with Six-Disc CD,
press and hold the RPT button for more than
two seconds. REPEAT ON and RPT displays. Press
again to turn off repeat play. REPEAT OFF
displays and RPT disappears from the display.
RDM (Random):With the random setting, the tracks
can be listened to in random, rather than sequential,
order, on one CD or on all of the CDs.
To use random, do one of the following:
To play the tracks on the CD in random order,
press the RDM button. Depending on the radio,
RANDOM, T# (tracks), and RDM displays. Press
again to turn off random play. RANDOM OFF
displays and RDM disappears from the display.
To play the tracks on all of the CDs that are loaded
in the Radio with a Six-Disc CD player, in random
order, press and hold the RDM button for more than
two seconds. A beep sounds, RANDOM ALL
CDS, and RDM displays. Press again to turn off
random play. RANDOM OFF displays and
RDM disappears from the display.
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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
only 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 may cause loss of the XM™
signal for a period of time. The radio may display NO
SIGNAL to indicate interference.
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.
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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.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and
road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your
vehicle. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-5andStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-4.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-34.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring
up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. The brakes might not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much
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if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let antilock work for you. You might hear
the antilock pump or motor operate, and feel the
brake pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time. In
many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Control System (TCS)
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it
senses that one or both of the front wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, the system reduces engine power and may
also upshift the transmission to limit wheel spin.
Also, the traction control system activates the
appropriate corner brakes to gain even quicker control
to limit wheel spin.This light, located on the
instrument panel, will come
on when your Traction
Control System is limiting
wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. SeeCruise Control
on page 3-10.
The Traction Control System operates in all transmission
shift lever positions except park or neutral. But the
system can upshift the transmission only as high as the
shift lever position you’ve chosen, so you should use
the lower gears only when necessary. SeeAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-27.
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This light is located on the
instrument panel cluster.
When the system is on, this light will come on to let you
know if there’s a problem, or if the system has been
turned off.
When this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Traction
Control System on. But you can turn the system off if
you prefer.
To turn the system on or off, press the traction control
button (TC) located under the climate controls. In
order to effectively “rock” the vehicle, you will need to
turn off TCS.
If you press the TC button once, the traction control
system will turn off and the traction control system
warning light will come on. The StabiliTrak
®system will
stay on. Press the TC button again to turn the system
back on. The traction control system warning light will go
off. If you press and hold the TC button, the StabiliTrak
®
system and the traction control system will turn off.
Press the TC button again to turn StabiliTrak®and the
traction control system back on. For more information,
seeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6.
When you turn the system off, the Traction Control
System warning light will come on and stay on. If the
Traction Control System is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button to turn the system off, the warning
light will come on and the system will stop limiting wheel
spin. The system will not provide traction assistance
until the system is turned back on.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-4for more information.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle may be equipped with a vehicle stability
enhancement system called StabiliTrak®.Itisan
advanced computer controlled system that assists you
with directional control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak
®activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between your intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak
®
selectively applies braking pressure at any one of
the vehicle’s brakes to help steer the vehicle in the
direction which you are steering.
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Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are
not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle does not have a traction system, or if the
traction system is off, an acceleration skid is also
best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator
pedal. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-5
andStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
If you have the Antilock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do
not have ABS, then in a braking skid, where the
wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This
restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the
wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.
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Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or
by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because your headlamps can only
light up so much road ahead.
Watch for animals.
When tired, pull off the road.
Do not wear sunglasses.
Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out.
Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction
and affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always
drive slower in these types of driving conditions
and avoid driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or owing water.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work normally.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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