2009 PONTIAC G3 check engine

Parking Brake and Automatic
Transmission P (Park) Mechanism
Check
{CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, the vehicle could
begin to move. You or others could be injured and
property could be damaged. Make sure there is
room in front of the vehicle in case it begins to roll.
Be ready to apply the regular brake at once
should the vehicle begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the vehicle facing
downhill. Keeping your foot on the regular brake, set the
parking brake.
To check the parking brake’s holding ability: With
the engine running and transmission in N (Neutral),
slowly remove foot pressure from the regular
brake pedal. Do this until the vehicle is held by the
parking brake only.
To check the P (Park) mechanism’s holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to P (Park). Then
release the parking brake followed by the regular
brake.
Underbody Flushing Service
At least every spring, use plain water to ush any
corrosive materials from the underbody. Take care to
clean thoroughly any areas where mud and other debris
can collect.
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
Fluids and lubricants identied below by name, part
number, or specication can be obtained from your
dealer/retailer.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Engine OilEngine oil which meets GM
Standard GM6094M and displays
the American Petroleum Institute
Certied for Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. To determine the
proper viscosity for your vehicle’s
engine, seeEngine Oil on
page 5-13.
Engine Coolant50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and use only DEX-COOL
®
Coolant. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-23
6-12

Current and Past Model Order Forms
Technical Service Bulletins and Manuals are available
for current and past model GM vehicles. To request
an order form, specify year and model name of
the vehicle.
ORDER TOLL FREE: 1-800-551-4123
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit Helm, Inc.
on the World Wide Web at: helminc.com
Or you can write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change without notice and without
incurring obligation. Allow ample time for delivery.
Note to Canadian Customers: All listed prices are
quoted in U.S. funds. Canadian residents are to make
checks payable in U.S. funds.
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy
Your GM vehicle has a number of sophisticated
computers that record information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven. For example, your
vehicle uses computer modules to monitor and control
engine and transmission performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment and deploy airbags in a
crash and, if so equipped, to provide antilock braking to
help the driver control the vehicle. These modules may
store data to help your dealer/retailer technician service
your vehicle. Some modules may also store data about
how you operate the vehicle, such as rate of fuel
consumption or average speed. These modules may also
retain the owner’s personal preferences, such as radio
pre-sets, seat positions, and temperature settings.
7-16

Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-82
CD, MP3 .......................................................3-51
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)...........5-46
Central Door Unlock System.............................. 2-6
Chains, Tire...................................................5-69
Charging System Light....................................3-28
Check
Engine Lamp..............................................3-32
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-86
Child Restraints
Infants and Young Children...........................1-36
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children..........1-44
Older Children.............................................1-32
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position...................................1-51
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position..........................1-54
Systems.....................................................1-39
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-42
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-17
Circuit Breakers..............................................5-88
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels........................................5-84
Exterior Lamps/Lenses.................................5-83
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-80Cleaning (cont.)
Finish Care.................................................5-83
Glass Surfaces............................................5-82
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces.......................................5-81
Interior.......................................................5-79
Interior Plastic Components...........................5-81
Leather......................................................5-81
Tires..........................................................5-85
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-86
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-82
Weatherstrips..............................................5-82
Windshield and Wiper Blades........................
5-84
Climate Control System...................................3-18
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-21
Clock............................................................3-17
Clutch, Hydraulic.............................................5-21
Collision Damage Repair..................................7-11
Compact Spare Tire........................................5-78
Content Theft-Deterrent....................................2-15
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-4
Coolant
Engine.......................................................5-23
Engine Temperature Gage............................3-30
Cooling System..............................................5-22
Courtesy Transportation...................................7-10
Cruise Control................................................3-10
3

Electrical System (cont.)
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.........................5-89
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-88
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-88
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-18
Change Engine Oil Light...............................3-35
Check and Service Engine Soon Lamp...........3-32
Compartment Overview................................5-12
Coolant......................................................5-23
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-30
Cooling System...........................................5-22
Drive Belt Routing.......................................6-15
Exhaust.....................................................2-30
Oil .............................................................5-13
Oil Life System...........................................5-16
Overheating................................................5-28
Starting......................................................2-18
Engine Heater................................................2-19
Event Data Recorders.....................................7-17
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-32
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-13F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-18
Finish Damage...............................................5-85
Fixed Mast Antenna........................................3-56
Flashers, Hazard Warning.................................. 3-6
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-8
Flat Tire........................................................5-70
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-70
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-78
Fluid
Automatic Transmission................................5-19
Power Steering...........................................5-30
Windshield Washer......................................5-31
Fog Lamp
Fog ...........................................................3-14
Fog Lamp Light..............................................3-35
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
Economy Driving........................................... 4-2
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10
Filling the Tank............................................. 5-8
5

Fuel (cont.)
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage .........................................................3-37
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-6
Low Fuel Warning Light................................3-37
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-90
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-88
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.........................5-89
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-88
G
Gage
Speedometer..............................................3-25
Tachometer.................................................3-25
Gages
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-30
Fuel..........................................................3-37
Trip Odometer.............................................3-25
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Specications............................................... 5-6
Glove Box.....................................................2-37
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program.................. 7-7
H
Halogen Bulbs................................................5-42
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-6
Head Restraints............................................... 1-2
Headlamp
Aiming .......................................................5-42
Headlamp Wiring............................................5-87
Headlamps....................................................5-43
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-42
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).....................3-14
Exterior Lamps............................................3-13
Flash-to-Pass............................................... 3-8
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps.........................................5-44
High/Low Beam Changer................................ 3-8
Heater...........................................................3-18
Engine.......................................................2-19
Height Adjuster, Driver Seat............................... 1-5
Highbeam On Light.........................................3-36
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-12
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-13
Hold Mode Light.............................................3-30
Hood
Checking Things Under................................5-10
Release.....................................................5-11
6

N
Navigation System, Privacy..............................7-18
New Vehicle Break-In......................................2-16
O
Odometer......................................................3-25
Odometer, Trip...............................................3-25
Off-Road
Recovery..................................................... 4-8
Oil
Change Engine Oil Light...............................3-35
Engine.......................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System.................................5-16
Pressure Light.............................................3-34
Older Children, Restraints................................1-32
Online Owner Center........................................ 7-5
OnStar, Privacy..............................................7-18
OnStar
®System, see OnStar®Manual...............2-34
Outlet Adjustment............................................3-21
Outlets
Accessory Power.........................................3-16Outside
Convex Mirror.............................................2-33
Heated Mirrors............................................2-33
Manual Mirrors............................................2-32
Power Mirrors.............................................2-33
Owner Checks and Services.............................. 6-9
Owners, Canadian............................................... ii
P
Paint, Damage...............................................5-85
Park
Shifting Into................................................2-27
Shifting Out of............................................2-28
Parking
Over Things That Burn.................................2-30
Parking Brake................................................2-26
Parking Your Vehicle.......................................2-29
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.....................3-27
Passenger Compartment Air Filter.....................3-22
Passenger Sensing System..............................1-65
Passing........................................................... 4-8
Perchlorate Materials Requirements,
California..................................................... 5-4
9