2009 PONTIAC G3 service

Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
The vehicle has the passenger sensing system.
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-65for
important safety information. The vehicle has a
passenger airbag status indicator in the clock,
located in the center of the instrument panel.
When the vehicle is started, the passenger airbag status
indicator will light ON and OFF or the symbol for on and
off, for several seconds as a system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status indicator will light
either ON or OFF, or either the on or off symbol, to let you
know the status of the right front passenger frontal and
seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped).If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact
airbag (if equipped) are enabled (may inate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the passenger
sensing system has turned off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped).
If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be
a problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer/retailer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help avoid injury to
yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-26
for more information, including important safety
information. United States
Canada
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{CAUTION:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.This light should come on briey when the ignition is
turned to ON. If it does not come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn if there is a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when the parking brake is set.
The light will stay on if the parking brake does not fully
release. If it stays on after the parking brake is fully
released, it means there is a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving, carefully pull off the
road and stop. The pedal may be harder to push or
may go closer to the oor. It may take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the vehicle towed for service.
SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-28. United States
Canada
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Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
For vehicles with the
Antilock Brake System
(ABS), this light comes on
briey when the engine
is started.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF or if
the light comes on, 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 driving, the vehicle needs service. See your
dealer/retailer. If the regular brake system warning light
is not on, the brakes will still work, but the antilock
brakes will not work. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the antilock brakes will not work
and there is a problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-28.
The ABS warning light will come on briey when the
ignition is turned to ON/RUN. This is normal. If the light
does not come on then, have it xed so it will be
ready to warn if there is a problem.
Hold Mode Light
If the vehicle has this
feature, this light comes on
when the hold mode is
active.
If the HOLD mode light ashes, have the vehicle checked.
See “Hold Mode” underAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-20for more information.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
The vehicle may have an engine coolant temperature
gage. With the ignition turned to ON/RUN, this gage
shows the engine coolant temperature.
United StatesCanada
3-30

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems.
It makes sure that emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
This light comes on when
the ignition is on, but the
engine is not running,
as a check to show it is
working. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer/retailer.
If the check engine light comes on and stays on,
while the engine is running, this indicates that there is
an OBD II problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. Heeding the light can prevent
more serious damage to the vehicle. This system
assists the service technician in correctly diagnosing
any malfunction.Notice:If the vehicle is continually driven with
this light on, after a while, the emission controls
might not work as well, the vehicle’s fuel economy
might not be as good, and the engine might not
run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs
that might not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
the vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect the vehicle’s emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty.
This could also result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
SeeAccessories and Modifications on page 5-3.
This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing:A misre condition has been detected.
A misre increases vehicle emissions and could
damage the emission control system on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
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The following can prevent more serious damage to the
vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light is still ashing, follow the previous
steps and see your dealer/retailer for service as soon
as possible.
Light On Steady:An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following:
Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. SeeFilling
the Tank on page 5-8. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
If the vehicle has been driven through a deep
puddle of water, the vehicle’s electrical system
might be wet. The condition is usually corrected
when the electrical system dries out. A few driving
trips should turn the light off.
Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel.
Poor fuel quality causes the engine not to run
as efficiently as designed and may cause: stalling
after start-up, stalling when the vehicle is changed
into gear, misring, hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration. These conditions
might go away once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change
the fuel brand used. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 5-5.
If none of the above have made the light turn off, have
your dealer/retailer check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to
x any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
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{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
The engine can become so hot that it catches re.
Someone could be burned. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance
can damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Always follow
the maintenance schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
Change Engine Oil Light
The vehicle may have an
engine oil life system that
indicates when the oil
needs to be changed.When the change engine oil light comes on, it means
that the engine oil needs to be changed.
Once the engine oil has been changed, the engine oil
life system must be reset. After reset, the change engine
oil light goes out.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 5-16,Scheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4andEngine Oil on page 5-13
for more information.
Fog Lamp Light
If the vehicle has this
feature, the fog lamps light
will come on when the
fog lamps are in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are turned off.
SeeFog Lamps on page 3-14for more information.
3-35

Fuel Gage
The fuel gage tells about how much fuel is left when the
ignition is turned to ON/RUN.
An arrow on the fuel gage indicates the side of the
vehicle the fuel door is on.
When the fuel tank is near empty, the low fuel warning
light comes on. There is still a little fuel left, but the
vehicle’s fuel tank should be lled soon.
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with the fuel gage:
At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the vehicle’s fuel gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than the
fuel gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated the fuel tank was half full, but
it actually took a little more or less than half the
tank’s capacity to ll the tank.
The indicator moves a little when the vehicle turns
a corner or accelerates.
The fuel gage indicator goes back to empty when
the ignition is turned off.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light comes on when
the vehicle is low on fuel.
The low fuel warning light comes on when there is
approximately 1.7 gallons (6.0 liters) of fuel remaining
in the tank.
To turn the light off, add fuel to the fuel tank. SeeFilling
the Tank on page 5-8.
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XM Satellite Radio Service
XM is a satellite radio service that is based in the
48 contiguous United States and 10 Canadian
provinces. XM Satellite Radio has a wide variety
of programming and commercial-free music,
coast-to-coast, and in digital-quality sound. During your
trial or when you subscribe, you will get unlimited
access to XM Radio Online for when you are not in
the vehicle. A service fee is required to receive the
XM service. For more information, contact XM at
xmradio.com or call 1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and
xmradio.ca or call 1-877-438-9677 in Canada.
Radio Messages for XM Only
SeeXM Radio Messages on page 3-54later in this
section for further detail.
Using the Auxiliary Input Jack
The radio system has an auxiliary input jack located on
the lower right side of the faceplate. This is not an
audio output; do not plug the headphone set into the
front auxiliary input jack. An external audio device such
as an iPod
®, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD changer,
etc. can be connected to the auxiliary input jack for
use as another audio source.Drivers are encouraged to set up any auxiliary device
while the vehicle is in P (Park). SeeDefensive
Driving on page 4-2for more information on driver
distraction.
To use a portable audio player, connect a 3.5 mm
(1/8 inch) cable to the radio’s front auxiliary input jack.
When a device is connected, press the radio CD/AUX
button to begin playing audio from the device over
the vehicle speakers.
O(Power/Volume):Turn to adjust the volume.
Additional volume adjustments may have to be made
from the portable device if the volume is too quiet or
too loud.
AUX (Auxiliary):Press to listen to the radio while a
portable audio device is playing. Press again and
the system begins playing audio from the connected
portable audio player. If a portable audio player is
not connected, No Aux Input Device Found may
display.
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