2008 PONTIAC G8 Owners Manual

Heated Seats
On vehicles with heated front seats,
the controls are located on the
center console. To operate
the heated seats the ignition must
be on.
L(Heated Seat):Press to turn on
the heated seat.
A light indicates that the feature is
working. The number of indicator
lights shows the level of heat
selected: one for low, two for
medium, and three for high. Press
the button to cycle through the
temperature settings and to turn the
heat off.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
The center seatback folds forward
to allow access to the trunk.
Press the button at the top of the
seatback to release it, then fold
it forward.
Lift the seatback to return it to the
sitting position. Move the safety belt
out of the way, and push the
seatback until it is locked in place.
Safety Belts
This section of the manual describes
how to use safety belts properly.
It also describes some things not to
do with safety belts.
{CAUTION
Do not let anyone ride where he
or she cannot wear a safety
belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing
a safety belt, your injuries can
be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle harder
or be ejected from it and be
seriously injured or killed. In
the same crash, you might not
be, if you are buckled up.
Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your
passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
Seats and Restraints 1-5
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

{CAUTION
It is extremely dangerous to
ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these
areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do
not allow people to ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your
vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
SeeSafety Belt Reminders on
page 4-12.In most states and in all Canadian
provinces, the law requires
wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be
in a crash. If you do have a crash,
you do not know if it will be a
serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some
crashes can be so serious that even
buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are
in between. In many of them, people
who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without
safety belts they could have been
badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety
belts in vehicles, the facts are clear.
In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything,
you go as fast as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose
it is just a seat on wheels.
1-6 Seats and Restraints
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Put someone on it.
Get it up to speed. Then stop the
vehicle. The rider does not stop.The person keeps going until
stopped by something. In a real
vehicle, it could be the windshield...
or the instrument panel...or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as
the vehicle does. You get more
time to stop. You stop over more
distance, and your strongest bones
take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
Seats and Restraints 1-7
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:
Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. But
your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so
youcanunbuckle and get out, is
muchgreater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety
belt, even if you are upside down.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags,
why should I have to wear
safety belts?
A:Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they workwith
safety belts — not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have
to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in
frontal collisions, but especially in
side and other collisions.
Q:If I am a good driver, and I
never drive far from home,
why should I wear safety
belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver,
but if you are in a crash — even
one that is not your fault — you
and your passenger(s) can be
hurt. Being a good driver does not
protect you from things beyond
your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of home. And
the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at
speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
Be aware that there are special
things to know about safety
belts and children. And there are
different rules for smaller children
and infants. If a child will be riding in
the vehicle, seeOlder Children on
page 1-32orInfants and Young
Children on page 1-34. Follow those
rules for everyone’s protection.
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up
can be thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are
wearing safety belts.
1-8 Seats and Restraints
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

First, before you or your
passenger(s) wear a safety belt,
there is important information
you should know.
Sit up straight and always keep your
feet on the oor in front of you. The
lap part of the belt should be worn
low and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs. In a crash, this
applies force to the strong pelvicbones and you would be less likely to
slide under the lap belt. If you slid
under it, the belt would apply force
on your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The
shoulder belt should go over the
shoulder and across the chest.
These parts of the body are best able
to take belt restraining forces.
The shoulder belt locks if there is a
sudden stop or crash.Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is too loose. It
will not give as much protection
this way.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously hurt if
your shoulder belt is too loose.
In a crash, you would move
forward too much, which could
increase injury. The shoulder
belt should t snugly against
your body.
Seats and Restraints 1-9
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The lap belt is too loose. It will
not give nearly as much
protection this way.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously hurt if
your lap belt is too loose. In a
crash, you could slide under
the lap belt and apply force on
your abdomen. This could
cause serious or even fatal
injuries. The lap belt should be
worn low and snug on the hips,
just touching the thighs.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is buckled in the wrong
buckle.
1-10 Seats and Restraints
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured if
your belt is buckled in the
wrong place like this. In a
crash, the belt would go up
over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not on
the pelvic bones. This could
cause serious internal injuries.
Always buckle your belt into
the buckle nearest you.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is over an armrest.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured if
your belt goes over an armrest
like this. The belt would be
much too high. In a crash,
you can slide under the belt.
The belt force would then be
applied on the abdomen, not on
the pelvic bones, and that
could cause serious or fatal
injuries. Be sure the belt goes
under the armrests.
Seats and Restraints 1-11
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is worn under
the arm. It should be worn over
the shoulder at all times.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured if
you wear the shoulder belt
under your arm. In a crash,
your body would move too far
forward, which would increase
the chance of head and neck
injury. Also, the belt would
apply too much force to the
ribs, which are not as strong as
shoulder bones. You could also
severely injure internal organs
like your liver or spleen. The
shoulder belt should go over
the shoulder and across the
chest.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is behind the body.
1-12 Seats and Restraints
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual