2008 PONTIAC G8 airbag

In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position,
which includes sensors that are
part of the passenger’s seat. The
passenger sensing system may
not operate properly if the original
seat trim is replaced with non-GM
covers, upholstery or trim, or with
GM covers, upholstery or trim
designed for a different vehicle.
Any object, such as an
aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the
seat fabric, could also interfere
with the operation of the
passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system from
properly turning off the passenger
airbag(s). SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-26.If you have any questions
about this, you should contact
Customer Assistance before you
modify your vehicle. The phone
numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on
page 12-1.
Q:Because I have a disability,
I have to get my vehicle
modied. How can I nd out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?
A:If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The phone
numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on
page 12-1.In addition, your dealer/retailer
and the service manual have
information about the location of the
airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module and airbag wiring.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the
airbag readiness light is working.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 4-13for more information.
Notice:If an airbag covering
is damaged, opened, or broken,
the airbag may not work properly.
Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any opened
or broken airbag covers, have
the airbag covering and/or airbag
module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules,
seeWhat Makes an Airbag
Inflate? on page 1-24. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Seats and Restraints 1-31
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash
{CAUTION
A crash can damage the airbag
systems in your vehicle.
A damaged airbag system
may not work properly and
may not protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash,
resulting in serious injury or
even death. To help make sure
your airbag systems are
working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any
necessary replacements made
as soon as possible.If an airbag inates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See
your dealer/retailer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the
airbag system may not work
properly. Have the vehicle serviced
right away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 4-13for more
information.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle’s safety belts.
1-32 Seats and Restraints
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

{CAUTION
Never do this.
Never hold an infant or a child
while riding in a vehicle. Due to
crash forces, an infant or a
child will become so heavy it is
not possible to hold it during a
crash. For example, in a crash
at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a
12 lb (5.5 kg) infant will
suddenly become a 240 lb
(110 kg) force on a person’s
arms. An infant should be
secured in an appropriate
restraint.
{CAUTION
Never do this.
Children who are up against, or
very close to, any airbag when it
inates can be seriously injured
or killed. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front
seat. Secure a rear-facing child
restraint in a rear seat. It is also
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
better to secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
a rear seat. If you must secure
a forward-facing child restraint
in the right front seat, always
move the front passenger seat
as far back as it will go.
Seats and Restraints 1-35
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are
large enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front.” This is because the risk
to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right
front passenger airbag inates.
This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the
inating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint
can be seriously injured or
killed if the right front
passenger airbag inates and
the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag,
no system is fail-safe. No one
can guarantee that an airbag
will not deploy under some
unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child
restraints in a rear seat, even if
the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always
move the front passenger seat
as far back as it will go. It is
better to secure the child
restraint in a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 1-26for additional
information.When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
Wherever a child restraint is
installed, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and
injure people in the vehicle. Be sure
to properly secure any child
restraint in the vehicle — even
when no child is in it.
Seats and Restraints 1-39
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure
a forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 1-38.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-26
andPassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 4-14for more
information, including important
safety information.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front.” This is because the risk
to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right
front passenger airbag inates.
This is because the back of
the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the
inating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint
can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inates and
the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag,
no system is fail-safe. No one
can guarantee that an airbag
will not deploy under some
unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Secure rear-facing child
restraints in a rear seat, even if
the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always
move the front passenger seat
as far back as it will go. It is
better to secure the child
restraint in a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 1-26for additional
information.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 1-40for how to install the
child restraint using LATCH. If
you secure a child restraint using a
safety belt and it uses a top
tether, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-40for top tether anchor
locations.
1-48 Seats and Restraints
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with
the child restraint say that the top
strap must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether
be attached.
You will be using the lap-shoulder
belt to secure the child restraint in
this position. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
1. Move the seat as far back as it
will go before securing the
forward-facing child restraint.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the
right front passenger frontal
airbag, the off indicator on the
passenger airbag status indicator
should light and stay lit when
the vehicle is started. See
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 4-14.2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run
the lap and shoulder portions of
the vehicle’s safety belt
through or around the restraint.
The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
4. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be
able to unbuckle the safety belt
quickly if necessary.5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to
set the lock.
Seats and Restraints 1-49
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

6. To tighten the belt, push down on
the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. If you are using
a forward-facing child restraint,
you may nd it helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.7. Push and pull the child restraint
in different directions to be sure
it is secure.
If the airbag is off, the off indicator
in the passenger airbag status
indicator will come on and stay on
when the vehicle is started.
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit, turn the
vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and
reinstall the child restraint.
If, after reinstalling the child restraint
and restarting the vehicle, the on
indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is
not pressing the child restraint into
the seat cushion. If this happens,slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback
and adjust the seat cushion if
possible. Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure
the child in the child restraint in
a rear seat position in the vehicle
and check with your dealer/retailer.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt
and let it go back all the way.
1-50 Seats and Restraints
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Instruments and
Controls
Instrument Panel
Overview
Instrument Panel
Overview...........................4-2
Hazard Warning
Flashers............................4-4
Horn...................................4-4
Tilt Wheel...........................4-4
Turn Signal/Multifunction
Lever................................4-4
Cruise Control....................4-5
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals.............................4-7
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer..........4-7
Windshield Wipers..............4-8
Windshield Washer.............4-8
Accessory Power
Outlet(s)............................4-9
Warning Lights, Gages,
and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gages,
and Indicators.................4-10
Instrument Panel Cluster. . .4-11
Speedometer....................4-12
Tachometer.......................4-12
Safety Belt Reminders......4-12
Airbag Readiness Light.....4-13
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator..........................4-14
Voltmeter Gage.................4-15
Charging System Light......4-15
Brake System Warning
Light................................4-16
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light.......4-17
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage..........4-17
Tire Pressure Light...........4-18
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp................4-18
Security Light....................4-21
Fog Lamp Light................4-21
Highbeam On Light...........4-21
Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) Indicator Light. . . . . . .4-21
Door Ajar Light.................4-21
Oil Pressure Gage............4-22
Fuel Gage........................4-22
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
Driver Information
Center (DIC)...................4-23
DIC Operation and
Displays..........................4-23
DIC Warnings and
Messages........................4-27
DIC Vehicle
Customization..................4-32
OnStar®System
OnStar®System................4-36
Instruments and Controls 4-1
2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual