2009 PONTIAC G8 belt

GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specications that impact the overall
performance of your vehicle,
including brake system performance,
ride and handling, traction control,
and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire’s
sidewall near the tire size. If the tires
have an all-season tread design,
the TPC Spec number will be
followed by an MS for mud and
snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on
page 9-42for additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires
in sets of four. This is because
uniform tread depth on all tires will
help keep your vehicle performing
most like it did when the tires
were new. Replacing less than a full
set of tires can affect the braking
and handling performance of
your vehicle. SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 9-57for
information on proper tire rotation.{CAUTION
Mixing tires could cause you
to lose control while driving. If
you mix tires of different sizes,
brands, or types (radial and
bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not handle properly, and
you could have a crash. Using
tires of different sizes, brands,
or types may also cause
damage to the vehicle. Be
sure to use the correct size,
brand, and type of tires on all
wheels. It is all right to drive
with the compact spare
temporarily, as it was
developed for use on the
vehicle. SeeCompact Spare
Tire on page 9-83.{CAUTION
If you use bias-ply tires on the
vehicle, the wheel rim anges
could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle’s
tires with those that do not have
a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size, load
range, speed rating, and
construction type (radial and
bias-belted tires) as your vehicle’s
original tires.
9-60 Vehicle Service and Care

When You Are Ready to Leave
After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and
hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up
and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you’re pulling a trailer.
See the Maintenance Schedule for
more on this. Things that are
especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission
uid (don’t overll), engine oil, drivebelt, cooling system and brake
system. Each of these is covered in
this manual, and the Index will help
you nd them quickly. If you’re
trailering, it’s a good idea to review
this information before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
Your cooling system may
temporarily overheat during severe
operating conditions. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 9-20.
Appearance Care
Interior Cleaning
Your vehicle’s interior will continue to
look its best if it is cleaned often.
Although not always visible, dust and
dirt can accumulate on your
upholstery. Dirt can damage carpet,
fabric, leather, and plastic surfaces.
Regular vacuuming is recommended
to remove particles from the
upholstery. It is important to keep
your upholstery from becoming and
remaining heavily soiled. Soils
should be removed as quickly as
possible. Your vehicle’s interior may
experience extremes of heat that
could cause stains to set rapidly.
Lighter colored interiors may require
more frequent cleaning. Use care
because newspapers and garments
that transfer color to your home
furnishings may also transfer color
to your vehicle’s interior.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-95

Service and
Maintenance
Service and Maintenance
Introduction.......................11-1
Maintenance
Requirements..................11-2
Your Vehicle and the
Environment....................11-2
Using the Maintenance
Schedule.........................11-2
Scheduled Maintenance. . . .11-4
Additional Required
Services..........................11-6
Maintenance Footnotes.....11-7
Owner Checks and
Services..........................11-9
At Each Fuel Fill...............11-9
At Least Once a Month. . . .11-9
At Least Once a Year.....11-10
Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants...............11-12
Maintenance
Replacement Parts........11-13
Engine Drive Belt
Routing..........................11-14
Maintenance Record........11-15
Service and
Maintenance
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the
proper level and change as
recommended.
Have you purchased the GM
Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements the vehicle warranties.
See the Warranty and Owner
Assistance booklet or your
dealer/retailer for details.
Service and Maintenance 11-1

Additional Required Services (cont’d)
Service and Miles (Kilometers)25,000
(40 000) 50,000
(80 000) 75,000
(120 000) 100,000
(160 000) 125,000
(200 000) 150,000
(240 000)
Inspect engine accessory drive belt.
An Emission Control Service.
See footnote (g). •
Change brake hydraulic uid at a
regular maintenance service every
two years. See footnote (m).
Maintenance Footnotes
(a)Visually inspect brake lines and
hoses for proper hook-up, binding,
leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Inspect
disc brake pads for wear and rotors
for surface condition. Inspect drum
brake linings/shoes for wear or
cracks. Inspect other brake parts,
including drums, wheel cylinders,
calipers, parking brake, etc.
(b) Visually inspect front and rear
suspension and steering system for
damaged, loose, or missing parts
or signs of wear. Inspect power steering lines and hoses for proper
hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc.
(c)
Visually inspect hoses and have
them replaced if they are cracked,
swollen, or deteriorated. Inspect all
pipes, fittings and clamps; replace
with genuine parts as needed.
To help ensure proper operation, a
pressure test of the cooling system
and pressure cap and cleaning
the outside of the radiator and
air conditioning condenser is
recommended at least once a year. (d)
Inspect wiper blades for wear,
cracking, or contamination.
Clean the windshield and wiper
blades, if contaminated. Replace
wiper blades that are worn or
damaged. See Windshield Wiper
Blade Replacement on page 9-24
and “Windshield and Wiper Blades”
under Exterior Cleaning on
page 9-98 for more information.
Service and Maintenance 11-7

(e)Make sure the safety belt
reminder light and safety belt
assemblies are working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged
safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt
system from doing its job, have it
repaired. Have any torn or frayed
safety belts replaced. Also see
Airbag System Check on page 1-33.
(f)Lubricate all key lock cylinders,
door hinges and latches, hood
hinges and latches and trunk lid
hinges and latches. More frequent
lubrication may be required when
exposed to a corrosive environment.
Applying silicone grease on
weatherstrips with a clean cloth will
make them last longer, seal
better, and not stick or squeak.
(g)Visually inspect belt for fraying,
excessive cracks, or obvious
damage. Replace belt if necessary.(h)Change automatic transmission
fluid and filter if the vehicle is
mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the
outside temperature regularly
reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer
towing.
Uses such as found in taxi,
police, or delivery service.
(i)Drain, flush, and refill cooling
system. This service can be
complex; you should have your
dealer/retailer perform this service.
See Engine Coolant on page 9-15
for what to use. Inspect hoses.
Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap, and filler neck. Pressure test the
cooling system and pressure cap.(j)A fluid loss in any vehicle system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired and
the fluid level checked. Add fluid
if needed.
(k)If you drive regularly under dusty
conditions, inspect the filter at
each engine oil change.
(l)If you drive regularly under dusty
conditions, the filter may require
replacement more often.
(m)Drain, flush, and refill brake
hydraulic system at a regular service
interval (IorII) every two years.
This service can be complex;
you should have your dealer/retailer
perform this service. See Brakes
on page 9-25.
11-8 Service and Maintenance

Engine Drive Belt
Routing
(A) Air Conditioning Compressor
V6 Engine
V8 Engine
11-14 Service and Maintenance

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.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an airbag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that
will assist in understanding how a
vehicle’s systems performed.
The EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and
safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed
to record such data as:
How various systems in your
vehicle were operating
Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened
How far, if at all, the driver was
pressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal
How fast the vehicle was travelingThis data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances
in which crashes and injuries occur.
Important:EDR data is recorded
by your vehicle only if a non-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data
is recorded by the EDR under
normal driving conditions and no
personal data (e.g., name, gender,
age, and crash location) is
recorded. However, other parties,
such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type
of personally identifying data
routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR,
special equipment is required,
and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to
the vehicle manufacturer, other
parties, such as law enforcement,
that have the special equipment, can
read the information if they have
access to the vehicle or the EDR.
12-16 Customer Information

B
Battery...............................9-28
Run-Down Protection.......... 5-4
Bluetooth
®..........................6-25
Brake Fluid.........................9-25
Brakes...............................9-25
System Warning Light.......4-15
Braking...............................8-17
Break-In, New Vehicle............ 8-2
Bulb Replacement................9-31
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . 9-33
Halogen Bulbs..................9-31
Headlamp Aiming..............9-28
Headlamps and Parking
Lamps .........................9-31
License Plate Lamps.........9-35
Replacement Bulbs...........9-35
Taillamps.........................9-34
Buying New Tires.................9-59
C
Calibration..........................2-16
California Fuel.....................8-35
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements....... 9-3California Proposition 65
Warning............................ 9-3
Canadian Owners..................... ii
Capacities and
Specications...................10-2
Carbon
Monoxide........2-10, 8-14, 8-27
Care, Safety Belts................1-19
Cautions and Notices............... iii
CD, MP3 ............................6-20
Center Console
Storage Area..................... 3-1
Chains, Tire........................9-65
Charging System Light..........4-15
Check
Engine Lamp...................4-18
Chemical Paint Spotting......9-102
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems.....1-39
Infants and Young
Children.......................1-36
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children.......1-42
Older Children..................1-34
Securing..................1-48, 1-50
Where to Put the
Restraint......................1-40Cleaning
Exterior...........................9-98
Interior............................9-95
Underbody Maintenance . . . 9-102
Climate Control System.......... 7-1
Automatic.......................... 7-4
Outlet Adjustment............... 7-9
Clock, Setting........................ 6-2
Collision Damage Repair.....12-10
Compact Spare Tire.............9-83
Compass............................2-16
Compressor Kit, Tire
Sealant...........................9-67
Content Theft-Deterrent.........2-13
Control of a Vehicle..............8-17
Convenience Net................... 3-2
Coolant
Engine............................9-15
Engine Temperature Gage . . . 4-17
Cooling System...................9-13
Cruise Control....................... 4-5
Cupholders........................... 3-1
i-2 INDEX