2009 PONTIAC G8 service indicator

Seats and Restraints......... 1-1
Front Seats
.................... 1-2
Rear Seats
.................... 1-5
Safety Belts
................... 1-5
Airbag System
..............1-20
Child Restraints
.............1-34
Keys, Doors and
Windows............................ 2-1
Keys
............................. 2-2
Doors and Locks
............ 2-8
Theft-Deterrent
Systems
...................2-11
Windows
......................2-14
Mirrors
.........................2-16
Sunroof
........................2-18
Storage.............................. 3-1
Storage
......................... 3-1
Instruments and
Controls............................. 4-1
Instrument Panel
Overview
.................... 4-2
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
..................4-10Driver Information
Center (DIC)
.............4-22
OnStar
®System
............4-35
Lighting............................. 5-1
Lighting
......................... 5-1
Infotainment...................... 6-1
Audio System(s)
............. 6-1
Climate Controls............... 7-1
Climate Controls
............. 7-1
Driving and Operating....... 8-1
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
............... 8-2
Driving Your Vehicle
......8-16
Fuel
............................8-34
Vehicle Service
and Care............................ 9-1
Service
.......................... 9-2
Owner Checks
................ 9-5
Headlamp Aiming
..........9-28
Bulb Replacement
.........9-31
Electrical System
...........9-36
Tires
...........................9-42Tire Changing
...............9-66
Jump Starting
...............9-84
Towing
........................9-88
Appearance Care
..........9-95
Technical Data.................10-1
Vehicle Identication
......10-1
Capacities and
Specications
............10-2
Service and
Maintenance.....................11-1
Service and
Maintenance
..............11-1
Customer Information......12-1
Customer Information
.....12-1
Reporting Safety
Defects
...................12-14
Vehicle Data Recording
and Privacy
.............12-16
Index....................................i-1
2009 Pontiac G8 Owner ManualM

The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may inate) the
right front passenger frontal airbag
anytime the system senses that
a person of adult size is sitting
properly in the right front passenger
seat. When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbags
to be enabled, the on indicator will
light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbag is active.
For some children who have
outgrown child restraints and for very
small adults, the passenger sensing
system may or may not turn off the
right front passenger frontal airbag,
depending upon the person’s seating
posture and body build. Everyone in
the vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should wear a safety belt
properly — whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.{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 4-13for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items
from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.4. Reinstall the child restraint
following the directions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat) on page 1-48or
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat) on page 1-50.
5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is
still lit, turn the vehicle off.
Then slightly recline the vehicle
seatback and adjust the seat
cushion, if adjustable, to
make sure that the vehicle
seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
6. Restart the vehicle.
If the on indicator is still lit,
secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position
in the vehicle, and check
with your dealer/retailer.
Seats and Restraints 1-29

SeeAdding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-32for more information about
modications that can affect how the
system operates.
The passenger sensing system may
suppress the airbag deployment
when liquid soaks into the seat. If this
happens, the off indicator in the
passenger airbag status indicator
and the airbag readiness light will be
lit. Have your dealer/retailer check
the system.
{CAUTION
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer/retailer and the service
manual have information about
servicing the vehicle and the airbag
system. To purchase a service
manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 12-15.
{CAUTION
For up to 10 seconds after the
ignition is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualied to do so.
Seats and Restraints 1-31

Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-27
for important safety information.
The rearview mirror has a
passenger airbag status indicator.
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several secondsas a system check. If you are using
remote start to start your vehicle
from a distance, if equipped,
you may not see the 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 airbag.
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 is 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.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 4-13for more information,
including important safety
information. United States
Canada
4-14 Instruments and Controls

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 ensures
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. Being aware of 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 9-3.
4-18 Instruments and Controls

Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) Indicator Light
This light turns on whenever the
Daytime Running Lamps are on.
SeeDaytime Running Lamps (DRL)
on page 5-2for more information.
Door Ajar Light
When the ignition is on, this light
stays on until all doors are closed
and completely latched.
If a door is not closed properly,
a chime sounds after the engine is
started and the vehicle is not in
P (Park).
Oil Pressure Gage
The gage shows the engine oil
pressure.
It is located in the center of the
instrument panel.
{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.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage shows about how
much fuel you have left, when the
ignition is on.
When the indicator nears empty,
the low fuel warning light will come
on and along with a chime.
There is still a little fuel left,
but you should refuel soon.
Here are four things that some
owners ask about. These are normal
and do not indicate a problem
with your fuel gage:
At the service station, the gas
pump shuts off before the gage
reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel
to ll up than the gage indicated.
The indicator moves a little when
you turn a corner or speed up.
The gage will continue to show
the remaining fuel when the
ignition is turned off.
Instruments and Controls 4-21

Radio Message
Security Lockout Active:This
message displays when the
coded security system has been
activated. Take the vehicle to your
dealer/retailer for service.
Radio Messages for XM Only
SeeXM Radio Messages on
page 6-24later in this section for
further detail.
Using the CD Player
The CD player plays standard sized
CDs. Using CDs of a different size
can damage the drive or disc,
even if an adapter is used.
The CD player has a memory
buffer that holds approximately
seven seconds of music to prevent
interruption while driving over bumpy
surfaces. If the interruption lasts
longer than seven seconds, the
memory buffer can become emptyand playback will be interrupted until
the player has time to refocus, read
the disc, and ll the buffer again.
When the player reaches the end of
a CD, it automatically returns to
the start and plays the CD again.
CDs can be loaded with the
ignition and the radio on or off.
CDs will stay in the player if the
ignition or radio is turned off.
If the CD was the last source
selected, it resumes playing
when the radio is turned on.
Loading CDs
To load a CD with the radio with a
single CD player:
1. Insert a CD label side up
partway into the slot.
2. The CD player will pull the CD
in and begin playing if the radio
is on.To load CDs with the radio with a
six-disc CD player:
#LOAD:Press to load CDs
into the CD player. The display
shows DISC and six numbers that
correspond to the six CD storage
locations. When a storage location
has no disc loaded a dash displays.
To insert one CD:
1. Press
#LOAD and Insert Disc
displays.
2. The load indicator light ashes,
and the radio beeps twice.
3. Insert a CD label side up partway
into the slot.
4. The CD player will pull the CD
in and begin playing if the
radio is on.
6-10 Infotainment

A (LOCK/OFF):This is the only
position from which you can remove
the key. This locks the steering
wheel, ignition and automatic
transmission.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK/OFF position.
The ignition switch can bind in
the LOCK/OFF position 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.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):This
position provides power to some
of the electrical accessories.
It unlocks the steering wheel and
ignition. The transmission is
also unlocked in this position
on automatic transmission
vehicles. To move the key from
ACC/ACCESSORY to LOCK/OFF,
push in the key and then turn it
to LOCK/OFF.C (ON/RUN):The ignition switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories, including the ventilation
fan and 12 volt power outlet, as
well as to display some warning and
indicator lights.
The battery could be drained
if you leave the key in the
ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position with the engine off.
You may not be able to start the
vehicle if the battery is allowed
to drain for an extended period
of time.
D (START):This position starts the
engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON/RUN for normal
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened when the
ignition is still in ACC/ACCESSORY
and the key is in the ignition.Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories may be
used for up to 10 minutes after
the engine is turned off:
Audio System
Power Windows
The power windows will continue to
work for up to 10 minutes or until
any door is opened. The radio
will work when the key is in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY. Once the
key is turned from ON/RUN to
LOCK/OFF, the radio will continue
to work for 10 minutes or until
the driver door is opened.
Driving and Operating 8-3