2009 PONTIAC G3 warning

Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Head Restraints
......................................... 1-2
Front Seats
............................................... 1-4
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-14
Child Restraints
.......................................1-32
Airbag System
.........................................1-58
Restraint System Check
............................1-72
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-16
Mirrors
....................................................2-32
OnStar
®System
......................................2-34
Storage Areas
.........................................2-37
Sunroof
..................................................2-38
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-23
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-38Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-28
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-42
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-42
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-49
Tires
......................................................5-50
Appearance Care
.....................................5-79
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-86
Electrical System
......................................5-87
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-93
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-16
Index................................................................ 1
2009 Pontiac G3 Owner ManualM

Safety Warnings and Symbols
A circle with a slash
through it is a safety
symbol which means
“Do Not,” “Do not do
this,” or “Do not let this
happen.”
A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about
things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore
the warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid
or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle.
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
Many times, this damage would not be covered by the
vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice
tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use
the same words, CAUTION or Notice.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along
with the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
M:This symbol is shown when you need to see your
owner manual for additional instructions or information.
*:This symbol is shown when you need to see a
service manual for additional instructions or information.
iii

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv

What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After the frontal and seat-mounted side impact airbags
inate, they quickly deate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize the airbags inated. Some
components of the airbag module may be hot for several
minutes. For location of the airbag modules, seeWhat
Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-63.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deated airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent the
driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to
steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from leaving
the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there may be dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle
should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but cannot get out
of the vehicle after an airbag inates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you
experience breathing problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and turn on the
hazard warning ashers when the airbags inate. You
can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off, and turn
the hazard warning ashers off by using the controls for
those features.
1-64

Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle may have a content theft-deterrent system.
The theft-deterrent system will not arm when you lock
the doors using the key or the manual door lock. It arms
only when you use the remote keyless entry transmitter.
Arming the System
To arm the system, do the following:
1. Close the doors, the windows, the hood, and the
trunk or liftgate.
Make sure that the windows are closed, as the
system can be armed even if the windows are open.
2. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF and remove the
key from the ignition.
If the key is inserted in the ignition, the transmitter
will not arm the theft-deterrent system.
3. Lock the doors by pressing the lock button on the
remote keyless entry transmitter.
The LED light on the transmitter will ash once.
All of the doors will lock.
The hazard warning lamps will ash once and
the horn will sound.
The security light will ash continuously to
indicate that the theft-deterrent system is armed.
The security light is located on the center of
the instrument panel near the clock.To avoid activating the alarm by accident, do one of the
following:
Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front door using
the key.
Press the unlock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
Unlocking a door any other way will activate the alarm
when a door or the trunk or liftgate is opened.
If you do not want to arm the theft-deterrent system,
lock the vehicle using the key or the manual door locks.
Disarming the System
To disarm the system, do one of the following:
Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front door using
the key.
Press the unlock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
The LED light on the transmitter will
ash once.
All of the doors will unlock.
The hazard warning lamps will ash twice.
If the door is not opened or if the engine is not started
within 30 seconds after disarming the system using
the transmitter, all of the doors will automatically lock
and the theft-deterrent mode will rearm.
2-15

How the System Alarm is Activated
If a door or the trunk or liftgate is opened without
using the key or the remote keyless entry transmitter,
the horn will sound and the lamps will ash for up
to 30 seconds.
How to Turn Off the System Alarm
If the system alarm is active, it can be deactivated using
one of the following methods:
Press one of the buttons on the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front door using
the key.
Otherwise, the alarm will automatically stop after
30 seconds. The system will then lock the doors and
rearm the theft-deterrent system.
How to Detect a Tamper Condition
If the hazard warning lamps ash once when you press
the lock button on the remote keyless entry transmitter,
the theft-deterrent system alarm was activated while
you were away.
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast
or slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not
make full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time the new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline
every time you get new brake linings.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can be
gradually increased.
2-16

Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has
four different positions.
{CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK/OFF will lock the steering column and
result in a loss of ability to steer the vehicle.
This could cause a collision. If you need to turn
the engine off while the vehicle is moving, turn the
key only to ACC/ACCESSORY. Do not push the
key in while the vehicle is moving.Notice:Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
LOCK/OFF:This position locks the steering wheel,
ignition, shift lever and transmission. This is the
only position in which you can insert or remove the key.
The steering can bind with the wheels turned off
center. If this happens, move the steering wheel from
right to left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY.
If this doesn’t work, then the vehicle needs service.
ACC/ACCESSORY:This position operates some of the
electrical accessories, such as the radio, but not the
climate control system.
ON/RUN:This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories, and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the engine is running. If you
leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position with the engine off, the battery could be drained.
You may not be able to start the vehicle if the battery
is allowed to drain for an extended period of time.
START:This is the position that starts the engine.
When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for driving. Do not turn
the key to START if the engine is running.
2-17

Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located between the bucket
seats.To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down
and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition
is on, the brake system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-28.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the release button in
as you move the brake lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
2-26