2009 PONTIAC G8 Owners Manual

Cruise Control
For vehicles with cruise control,
the lever is located on the left side
of the steering wheel.
The cruise control maintains the
vehicle’s speed without having your
foot on the accelerator pedal.
The cruise control only works at
speeds above 21 mph (33 km/h)
(V6 engines) or above 24 mph
(38 km/h) (V8 engines).
{CAUTION
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.Setting Cruise Control{CAUTION
If you leave your cruise control on
when you are not using cruise,
you might hit a button and go into
cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even
lose control. Keep the cruise
control switch off until you want to
use cruise control.
1. Press the
OQbutton at the
end of the cruise control lever.
The CRUISE ON light comes on
in the instrument panel cluster.
SeeInstrument Panel Cluster on
page 4-11.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Turn the band down to SET−and
then release it. The CRUISE
ACTIVE light comes on in
the instrument panel cluster.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
Instruments and Controls 4-5

If the vehicle is in cruise control
and the Electronic Stability
Program (ESP) becomes active,
the cruise control automatically
disengages. SeeElectronic
Stability Program on page 8-19.
When road conditions allow the
cruise control can be used again.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or the
OQbutton
is pressed once, the cruise control
shuts off.
Once the vehicle speed is
21 mph (33 km/h) (V6 engines)
or 24 mph (38 km/h) (V8 engines) or
greater, turn the band briey to
RES+ position. The vehicle returns
to the previously set speed and
stays there.Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a
higher speed:
Turn theIband up to the
RES+ position. Hold it there until
the desired speed is reached,
then release it.
To increase the vehicle speed in
very small amounts, turn the
band to RES+ briey and then
release it. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1 mph
(1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce the
vehicle speed while using cruise
control:
Turn theIband down to the
SET−position. Hold it there
until the lower speed desired is
reached, then release it.
To slow down in very small
amounts, turn the band to SET−
briey and then release it.
Each time this is done, the
vehicle will go about 1 mph
(1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed.
When you take your foot off the
pedal, the vehicle slows down to
the cruise control speed set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills.
When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed.
4-6 Instruments and Controls

When going downhill, you might
have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep the vehicle speed down.
When the brakes are applied
the cruise control is turned off.
Ending Cruise Control
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
When the cruise control is
deactivated, the CRUISE
INACTIVE message appears in
the instrument panel cluster.
Press theOQbutton at the
end of the lever two times.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory
is erased when the cruise control or
the ignition is turned off.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
An arrowGon the instrument
panel cluster ashes in the direction
of the turn or lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all
the way up or down.
To signal a lane change, slightly
raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to ash and release
the lever. The turn signal ashes
automatically three times.
The lever returns to its starting
position when it is released.
To cancel the lane change, move the
lever back to the starting position.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
The headlamps must be on for this
feature to work.
Push the turn signal lever away
from you to turn the high beams on.
The fog lamps turn off automatically
when high beam is selected.
This instrument panel cluster light
3comes on while the high
beam headlamps are on.
Pull the lever towards you to return
to low beams.
To ash the high beams, pull the
lever towards you. The lamps
remain on high beam as long as
the lever is held.
Instruments and Controls 4-7

Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is located on the right side of
the steering column.
The ignition must be turned to the
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY
position to use the windshield wipers.
Move the lever to the following
positions:
z(Mist):Hold the lever in this
position for continuous wiping cycles.
((Off):Turns the wipers off.
&(Intermittent):For a delayed
wiping cycle. Turn the
&band
forward or rearward for more
frequent or less frequent wipes.
The frequency of wipes also
depends on the vehicle speed.
As the vehicle speed increases,
so does the wiper rate.
1 (Low):For steady wiping at
low speed.
2 (High):For steady wiping at
high speed.
Never use the wipers on dry glass,
as this could damage the wiper
blade inserts and scratch the glass.
Be sure to clear ice and snow from
the wiper blades before using them.
If the blades are frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw
them. If they become damaged, get
new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wipers. A circuit breaker stops them
until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Windshield Washer
Pull the lever toward you to spray
washer uid on the windshield.
The spray continues until the lever
is released. The wipers will run
a few times. SeeWindshield Washer
Fluid on page 9-23for information
on lling the windshield washer uid
reservoir.
{CAUTION
In freezing weather, do not use
your washer until the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
4-8 Instruments and Controls

Accessory Power
Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlets can be
used to connect auxiliary electrical
equipment, such as a cellular phone.
The vehicle has two accessory
power outlets. One accessory power
outlet is located under the climate
controls and the other is located
inside the center oor console.
To use the outlet, the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY. Pull down the
small cover to access the outlet.
Notice:Leaving electrical
equipment on for extended
periods will drain the battery.
Always turn off electrical
equipment when not in use and
do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum amperage
rating.This circuit is protected by a fuse and
has a maximum current level. Do not
use equipment exceeding the
maximum amperage rating.
Certain power accessory plugs may
not be compatible to the power
accessory outlet and could result in
blown vehicle or adapter fuses.
If you experience a problem see
your dealer/retailer for additional
information on the power accessory
plugs.
Notice:Adding any electrical
equipment to the vehicle
may damage it or keep other
components from working as they
should. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage
rating of 10 amperes. Check with
your dealer/retailer before
adding electrical equipment.When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included
with the equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the
power outlet can cause damage
not covered by your warranty.
Do not hang any type of
accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the
power outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only.
Instruments and Controls 4-9

Warning Lights,
Gages, and Indicators
Warning lights and gages can
signal that something is wrong
before it becomes serious enough
to cause an expensive repair or
replacement. Paying attention to
the warning lights and gages could
prevent injury.
Warning lights come on when
there may be or is a problem with
one of the vehicle’s functions.
Some warning lights come on briey
when the engine is started to indicate
they are working.Gages can indicate when there may
be or is a problem with one of the
vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to
indicate a problem with the vehicle.
When one of the warning lights
comes on and stays on while driving,
or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the
section that explains what to do.
Follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
and even dangerous.
4-10 Instruments and Controls

Instrument Panel Cluster
The instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You will know how
fast you are going, how much fuel you have, and many other things you will need to drive safely and economically.
Instruments and Controls 4-11

Speedometer
The speedometer can display
your speed in both miles per
hour (MPH) and kilometers per
hour (km/h). You can select
between MPH and km/h using
the UNITS display in the DIC.
SeeDIC Operation and Displays
on page 4-22for more information.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine
speed in revolutions per minute.
Safety Belt Reminders
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the engine is started, a chime
will come on for several seconds
to remind people to fasten their
safety belts, unless the driver’s
safety belt is already buckled.
The safety belt light will also come on
and stay on for several seconds,
then it will ash for several more.
The safety belt light will also come on
and stay on for several seconds,
then it will ash for several more.
This chime and light is repeated if the
driver remains unbuckled and the
vehicle is in motion. If the driver’s belt
is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Passenger Safety Belt
Reminder Light
If your vehicle has this light,
several seconds after the engine
is started, a chime will sound
for several seconds to remind the
front passenger to buckle their
safety belt. The passenger safety
belt light will also come on and
stay on for several seconds, then it
will ash for several more.
This chime and light are repeated if
the passenger remains unbuckled
and the vehicle is in motion.
If the passenger’s safety belt is
buckled, neither the chime nor the
light will come on.
4-12 Instruments and Controls