2009 PONTIAC G5 jump start

Shifting Out of Park
(Automatic Transmission)
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to:
Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift
lever is in P (Park) with the shift lever button fully
released, and
Prevent movement of the shift lever out of
P (Park) unless the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in the
case of a an uncharged or low voltage (less than 9 volt)
battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery with
low voltage, try charging or jump starting the battery.
SeeJump Starting on page 5-34for more information.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.If you still are unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift
lever button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from P (Park),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
Parking the Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
Before leaving the vehicle, fully press the clutch pedal
down, move the shift lever into R (Reverse), and rmly
apply the parking brake. Once the shift lever has been
placed in R (Reverse) with the clutch pedal pressed
down, the ignition key can be turned to LOCK/OFF,
then remove the key and release the clutch pedal.
SeeManual Transmission Operation on page 2-28.
2-33

When the engine is started, or when the vehicle begins
to drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor
or clicking noise might be heard while this test is going
on, and it might even be noticed 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 the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help the
driver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed to get
a foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to apply the brakes if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
rmly and let antilock work. A slight brake pedal pulsation
might be felt or some noise noticed, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If the vehicle has ABS, it allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. However, if the vehicle does not
have ABS, the rst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard
and hold it down — might be the wrong thing to do. The
wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot
respond to the driver’s 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 the driver was trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If the vehicle does not have ABS, use a “squeeze”
braking technique. This gives maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. 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 helps
retain steering control. With ABS, it is different. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
In many emergencies, steering can help more than
even the very best braking.
4-5

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-19
Cooling System............................................5-20
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-27Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-29
Brakes........................................................5-30
Battery........................................................5-33
Jump Starting...............................................5-34
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-38
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-41
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-41
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-42
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-43
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps (Coupe).......5-44
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps (Sedan).............................5-44
Back-Up Lamps (Coupe)................................5-46
License Plate Lamp......................................5-46
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-47
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-47
Tires..............................................................5-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-49
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-52
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-55
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-56
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-58
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-63
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
D. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-30andHydraulic Clutch
on page 5-19.
E.Engine Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-105.
F. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-34.
G. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. SeeJump Starting
on page 5-34.
H. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeCooling System on
page 5-20.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-29.Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down and check the level.
5-13

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. The vehicle
was designed and tested with top-quality brake parts.
When parts of the braking system are replaced — for
example, when the brake linings wear down and new
ones are installed — be sure to get new approved
replacement parts. If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example, if someone puts in
brake linings that are wrong for the vehicle, the balance
between the front and rear brakes can change — for the
worse. The braking performance expected can change in
many other ways if the wrong replacement brake parts
are installed.
Battery
This vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When it is
time for a new battery, see your dealer/retailer for one
that has the replacement number shown on the original
battery’s label.
The battery is located in the trunk. Access to the battery
is not necessary to jump start the vehicle. SeeJump
Starting on page 5-34.Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas that
can explode. You can be badly hurt if you are not
careful. SeeJump Starting on page 5-34for tips
on working around a battery without getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: If the vehicle is driven infrequently,
remove the black, negative (−) cable from the battery.
This helps keep the battery from running down.
Extended Storage: For extended storage of the vehicle,
remove the black, negative (−) cable from the battery or
use a battery trickle charger. This helps maintain the
charge of the battery over an extended period of time.
5-33

Jump Starting
If the vehicle’s battery has run down, you may want to
use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start the
vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some or
all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to the vehicle that would not be covered
by the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage the vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be able
to start the vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set the
parking brake rmly on both vehicles involved in the
jump start procedure. Put an automatic transmission
in P (Park) or a manual transmission in N (Neutral)
before setting the parking brake.
Notice:If you leave the radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could be
damaged. The repairs would not be covered by the
warranty. Always turn off the radio and other
accessories when jump starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlet. Turn off the
radio and all lamps that are not needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save the radio!
5-34

4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminal locations on
that vehicle.
You will not see the battery of your vehicle under the
hood. It is located in the trunk. You will not need to
access your battery for jump starting. The vehicle has
a remote positive (+) and a remote negative (−) jump
starting terminal.
Locate the remote
positive (+) terminal which
is located under a red
tethered cap on the engine
compartment fuse block.
Lift the cap to access
the terminal.Locate the remote
negative (−) ground
terminal, marked GND (−),
which is located behind
the engine coolant
surge tank.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for more information on the location of the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminals on the
vehicle.
5-35

{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative (−)oryou
will get a short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal location on the vehicle with the dead
battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to
the positive (+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative (−) cable
does not go to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal on the vehicle with the
dead battery.
9. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable to
the negative (−) terminal location on the vehicle
with the dead battery. Your vehicle has a remote
negative (−) terminal marked GND (−).
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it will not start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
5-37