2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE brake

ESC (Electronic Stability Control) OFF
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on
the instrument panel cluster comes on solid when
ESC is turned off. Adjust your driving accordingly.
SeeElectronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9and
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29
for more information.
KEY FOB BATT (Battery) LOW
This message displays if the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter battery is low. Replace the battery
in the transmitter. See “Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation
on page 2-4.
LEARN COMPLETE
On vehicles without the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
system, this message displays when the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS) has completed the tire
learning process. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 5-59for more information.
LOW TRACTION
If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS),
this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on
the instrument panel cluster ashes when the system
is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery road conditions
may exist if this message is displayed, so adjust
your driving accordingly. This message stays on for a
few seconds after the system stops limiting wheel spin.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6and
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29
for more information.
PARKING BRAKE
This message displays if the parking brake is left
engaged. SeeParking Brake on page 2-25for more
information.
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays when there is a problem with
the airbag system. Have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer/retailer immediately.
3-42

SERVICE ESC (ELECTRONIC
STABILITY CONTROL)
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
this message displays and a chime sounds if there has
been a problem detected with ESC. The ESC/TCS
light also appears on the instrument panel cluster.
This light stays on solid as long as the detected problem
remains present. When this message displays, the
system is not working. Adjust your driving accordingly.
SeeElectronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9
andElectronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29
for more information.
If this message turns on while you are driving, pull
off the road as soon as possible and stop carefully.
Try resetting the system by turning the ignition off and
then back on. If this message still stays on or turns
back on again while you are driving, your vehicle needs
service. Have the ESC inspected by your dealer/retailer
as soon as possible.
SERVICE TRACTION
If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS),
this message displays and a chime sounds when
the system is not functioning properly. The ESC/TCS
light also appears on the instrument panel cluster.
This light stays on solid as long as the detected problem
remains present. When this message displays, the
system is not working. Adjust your driving accordingly.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6
andElectronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29
for more information. Have the TCS serviced by
your dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
SVC (Service) BRAKE SYSTEM
This message may display if you have a turbocharged
vehicle with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and if
the hydraulic brake boost is not working or is working
improperly. Have the brake system serviced by your
dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
3-43

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-6
Limited-Slip Rear Axle.....................................4-9
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)......................4-9
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-14
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-14
Driving at Night............................................4-16Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-16
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-17
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-18
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-18
Winter Driving..............................................4-19
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................4-23
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-24
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-24
Towing..........................................................4-29
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-29
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-29
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-29
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

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 4-6and
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-27.
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 faster if you do a lot of heavy braking.
4-3

If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do, the
pedal could get harder to push down. If the engine stops,
you will still have some power brake assist. But you will
use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up,
it can take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be
harder to push.
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
and the 2.0L turbocharged engine, it also has a hydraulic
brake boost feature which supplements the power brake
system to maintain consistent brake performance under
conditions of low brake booster vacuum. Low brake
booster vacuum conditions can include initial start up
after the vehicle has been parked for several hours,
very frequent brake stops, or high altitude driving. When
hydraulic brake boost is active, you might feel minor
brake pulsation or movement but this is normal. If brake
pedal feel changes or the brake pedal feels hard to push,
you might not be receiving the intended brake boost
and the SVC BRAKE SYSTEM DIC message may be
displayed.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
it also the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel will come
on briey when you
start your vehicle.
When you start the engine, or when you begin to
drive away, ABS will check itself. You might hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is
going on, and you might even notice that the brake
pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You
slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is
what happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
4-4

ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you will not have time to apply the brakes
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
feel a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with
Antilock Brake System (ABS), you can steer and brake
at the same time. However, if you do not have ESC
with ABS, your rst reaction — to hit the brake pedal
hard and hold it down — might be the wrong thing to do.
Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the
vehicle cannot respond to your steering. Momentum will
carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the
wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into
the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel
the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help
you retain steering control. If you do have ABS, it is
different. SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
4-5

Brake Assist
If your vehicle has ESC with ABS, it also has a brake
assist feature that responds to emergency braking by
generating additional pressure and engaging the ABS.
When this happens, the brake pedal will feel easier to
push. Just hold the brake pedal down rmly and let the
system work for you. You might feel the brakes vibrate
or notice some noise, but this is normal. The brakes will
return to normal operation after the brake pedal is
released.
Brake assist cannot compensate for unsafe driving
practices and braking effectiveness, itself, depends
on the condition of the road, tires, and brakes and
vehicle mass.
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 the rear wheels are spinning too much or are
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the rear brakes and reduces engine
power by closing the throttle and managing engine
spark to limit wheel spin.
If your vehicle has TCS, there is a ESC/TCS button
located on the instrument panel.
This light will ash when
your traction control system
is limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
4-6

Traction Control Operation
Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing engine
power to the wheels (engine speed management)
and by applying brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle, and it will activate and ash
the ESC/TCS light and display the LOW TRACTION
message if it senses that any of the wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction while driving. For more
information on the LOW TRACTION message,
seeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-37.
Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to
spin excessively while the ESC/TCS, ABS and
Brake warning lights and the SERVICE ESC and/or
SERVICE TRACTION messages are displayed, you
could damage the differential. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Reduce engine power
and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and this message are displayed.Notice:When traction control is turned off, or
Competitive Driving Mode is active, it is possible
to lose traction. If you attempt to shift with the
rear wheels spinning with a loss of traction, it is
possible to cause damage to the transmission.
Do not attempt to shift when the rear wheels do
not have traction. Damage caused by misuse of
the vehicle is not covered. See your warranty
book for additional information.
The traction control system may activate on dry or rough
roads or under conditions such as heavy acceleration
while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this happens, you may notice
a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise or
vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the ESC/TCS light will ash and the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise control again,
you may re-engage the cruise control. SeeCruise
Control on page 3-10.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3for more information.
4-8