2008 PONTIAC VIBE brake

Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
1. Press the ON-OFF button at the end of the cruise
control lever. The CRUISE light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on. SeeCruise Control Light
on page 3-39for more information.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Move the lever down to−SET and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose the cruise control is set at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This shuts off cruise
control. But you do not need to reset it.
If the vehicle speed is 25 mph (40 km/h) or greater,
push the lever up to +RES (Resume/Accelerate).
The vehicle returns to the previously set speed and
stays there.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are three ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Move the lever down to−SET. Release
the lever and the accelerator pedal. You will now
cruise at the higher speed.
Move the cruise lever up to +RES. Hold it there
until you get up to the speed desired, and then
release the lever.
To increase the vehicle speed in very small
amounts, move the lever to +RES briey and then
release it. Each time this is done, the vehicle
goes about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
3-12

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Push and hold the lever to−SET until you reach the
lower speed desired, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the lever
down briey. Each time this is done, the vehicle will
go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, the vehicle
slows down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works on hills depends upon
the vehicle speed, load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you might have to step on
the accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle speed.When going downhill, you might have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep the vehicle speed down. Of course,
applying the brake or downshifting to SECOND (2) or
LOW (L) turns off the cruise control. Many drivers nd this
to be too much trouble and do not use cruise control on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are several ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the
clutch pedal, if you have a manual transaxle.
Press the ON-OFF button again.
Pull the cruise control lever toward you.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, the
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-13

Headlamps on Reminder
If you turn the ignition to LOCK or ACC and leave the
lamps on, you will hear a tone when you open the
driver’s door.
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 can be helpful in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional daytime
running lamps are required on all vehicles rst sold in
Canada.
The DRL system will make the headlamps come on at
a reduced brightness when the following conditions
are met:
The ignition is on with the engine running.
The exterior lamps switch is off.
The parking brake is released.When the DRL are on, only the headlamps will be on at
a reduced brightness. The taillamps, sidemarker and
other lamps will not be on. The instrument panel will
not be lit up either.
When you turn the exterior lamp switch to the headlamp
position, the DRL will go off and the headlamps will
come on. The other lamps that come on with the
headlamps will also come on.
When it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL to the regular headlamps.
See “Automatic Headlamp System” following.
When you turn the exterior lamp switch off, the regular
lamps will go off and the headlamps will change to
the reduced brightness of DRL provided it is not dark
outside. DRL also comes on if only the parking
lamps are being used.
3-15

Charging System Light
This light will come on
briey when the ignition is
turned on, and the engine
is not running, as a check
to show you it is working.
It should go out when the engine is started. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have
a problem with the electrical charging system. Have
it checked by your dealer/retailer. Driving while this
light is on could drain your battery. If you must drive
a short distance with the light on, be certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio and air
conditioner to help reduce the drain on the battery.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this light should
come on when you turn the key to START. If it does not
come on then, have it xed so it will be ready to warn
you if there is a problem.
United StatesCanada
3-32

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake does not release
fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push or the pedal may go closer to the oor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. SeeAntilock Brake System
Warning Light on page 3-33andTowing Your Vehicle
on page 4-25.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Antilock Brake System Warning
Light
With the Antilock Brake System (ABS), this light comes
on when the engine is started and can stay on for
several seconds. This is normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to LOCK. If the light
comes on while you are driving, stop as soon as possible
and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the light still stays on, or comes on
again while you are driving, your vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning light is not on, you
still have brakes, but you do not have antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning light is also on, you
do not have antilock brakes and there is a problem with
the regular brakes. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-32. United States
Canada
3-33

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
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-7
Panic Brake Assist.........................................4-7
Steering........................................................4-8
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-10
Passing.......................................................4-10
Loss of Control.............................................4-10
Driving at Night............................................4-12Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-12
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-13
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-13
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-14
Winter Driving..............................................4-15
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-18
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-19
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-19
Towing..........................................................4-25
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-25
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-25
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-27
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.
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 3-32.
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.
4-3

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
alot of heavy braking. 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.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle might have 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.
If there is a problem with ABS, the antilock brake
system warning light will stay on. SeeAntilock Brake
System Warning Light on page 3-33. United States
Canada
4-4