2009 PONTIAC G8 Overheating

If the light remains on after resetting
the system or comes on again
while driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the ABS light is on,
but the regular brake system
warning light is not on, the antilock
brakes are not working properly,
but the regular brakes are still
functioning. Have your vehicle
serviced right away. If both brake
lights are on, you do not have
antilock brakes, and there’s a
problem with your regular brakes as
well. Have your vehicle towed for
service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle
on page 9-88.
The ABS Fault message will remain
until
3(Trip/Fuel) or8(Enter)
are pressed, but the warning
light will remain until the problem is
xed. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 4-26for more
information.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant
temperature. If the gage pointer
moves into the red area, the engine
is too hot. It means that the engine
has overheated. Pull off the road,
stop the vehicle, and turn off the
engine as soon as possible. See
Engine Overheating on page 9-20.
Tire Pressure Light
TPMS Light
This light comes on briey when the
engine is started and provides
information about tire pressures and
the Tire Pressure Monitoring System.When the Light is On Steady
This light will also come on when
one or more of your tires are
signicantly underinated. A CHECK
TIRE PRESSURE DIC message
will accompany the light.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4-26for more information.
Stop and check your tires as soon
as it is safe to do so. If underinated,
inate to the proper pressure.
SeeTires on page 9-42for more
information.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System.
The light ashes for about a minute
and stays on on steady for the
remainder of the ignition cycle.
This sequence will repeat with every
ignition cycle. SeeTire Pressure
Monitor System on page 9-52
andTire Pressure Monitor Operation
on page 9-54for more information.
Instruments and Controls 4-17

:Check Oil
This message is displayed if the oil
pressure or oil level is low. Stop
when safe, turn off the engine and
check the engine oil level. See
Engine Oil on page 9-8. Do not run
the engine when this warning is
illuminated. If the oil level is normal,
have the system checked at your
dealer/retailer.
You can press
3or8to
acknowledge that you received the
message, but
:Check Oil will
continue to appear in the bottom of
the DIC display until the vehicle
has been serviced.
X Contact Dealer
This message is displayed when
there is a fault in the instrument
panel, see your dealer/retailer.
You can press
3or8to
acknowledge that you received the
message, butXService willcontinue to appear in the bottom of
the DIC display until the vehicle
has been serviced.
ICruise On, Cruise Off,
Cruise Active, and Cruise
Inactive
These messages display the
status of the cruise control system.
SeeCruise Control on page 4-5
for more information.
Engine Immobilized Refer to
Owners Manual
This message is displayed when the
engine has been shutdown due to
the theft-deterrent system. See
Immobilizer Operation on page 2-12
for more information.
You can press
3or8to
acknowledge that you received the
message, but
AEng Immo will
continue to appear in the bottom of
the DIC display until the vehicle
has been serviced.
BEngine Temp
(Temperature) Hot
This message is displayed when the
engine coolant temperature is
excessively hot. Stop the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. See
Engine Overheating on page 9-20.
You can press
3or8to
acknowledge that you received the
message, but
BTemp Hot will
continue to appear in the bottom of
the DIC display until the vehicle
has been serviced.
.Low Fuel
This message is displayed when the
fuel level is low.
You can press
3or8to
acknowledge that you received the
message, but
.Low Fuel will
continue to appear in the bottom of
the DIC display until the fuel
tank has been lled above the low
fuel level.
4-28 Instruments and Controls

Vehicle Service
and Care
Service
Service...............................9-2
Accessories and
Modications.....................9-3
California Proposition 65
Warning............................9-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements.....9-3
Doing Your Own
Service Work....................9-4
Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle......9-4
Owner Checks
Owner Checks....................9-5
Hood Release.....................9-5
Engine Compartment
Overview...........................9-6
Engine Oil..........................9-8
Engine Oil Life System.....9-10
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. . . .9-11
Cooling System.................9-13
Engine Coolant.................9-15
Pressure Cap....................9-19
Engine Overheating...........9-20
Power Steering Fluid.........9-21
Windshield Washer Fluid. . . .9-23
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement...................9-24
Brakes..............................9-25
Battery..............................9-28
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming..............9-28
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement.............9-31
Halogen Bulbs..................9-31
Headlamps and Parking
Lamps.............................9-31
Front Turn Signal Lamps. . .9-33
Taillamps..........................9-34
License Plate Lamp..........9-35
Replacement Bulbs...........9-35
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical
Equipment.......................9-36
Headlamp Wiring..............9-36
Windshield Wiper Fuses. . . .9-36
Power Windows and
Other Power Options.......9-36
Instrument Panel
Fuse Block......................9-36
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block......................9-38
Rear Compartment
Fuse Block......................9-41
Tires
Tires.................................9-42
Tire Sidewall Labeling.......9-42
Tire Terminology and
Denitions.......................9-46
Ination - Tire Pressure. . . .9-49
High-Speed Operation.......9-51
Tire Pressure Monitor
System............................9-52
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation........................9-54
Tire Inspection and
Rotation..........................9-57
When It Is Time for
New Tires.......................9-59
Buying New Tires.............9-59
Different Size Tires
and Wheels.....................9-61
Vehicle Service and Care 9-1

{CAUTION
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is
a leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine re, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
xed before you drive the vehicle.Notice:Using coolant other
than DEX-COOL
®can cause
premature engine, heater core, or
radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner, at 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs rst. Any
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free)
coolant in the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
lled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for ve years
or 150,000 miles (240 000 km),
whichever occurs rst.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
seeEngine Overheating on
page 9-20.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-15

Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an indicator to
warn of engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature warning light on
your vehicle’s instrument panel.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gage on page 4-17.
You may decide not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, but
instead get service help right away.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program
on page 12-6.
If you do decide to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on
a level surface.Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are
not, do not continue to run the
engine and have the vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
Notice:If the engine catches re
because of being driven with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
If Steam Is Coming From The
Engine Compartment
{CAUTION
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch re. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is cool.
9-20 Vehicle Service and Care

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about
your tire warranty and where
to obtain service, see your
vehicle Warranty booklet for
details.
{CAUTION
Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
Overloading your
vehicle’s tires can cause
overheating as a result
of too much exing.
You could have an air-out
and a serious accident.
SeeLoading the Vehicle
on page 8-30.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Underinated tires
pose the same danger
as overloaded tires.
The resulting accident
could cause serious
injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when your
vehicle’s tires are cold.
SeeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 9-49.
Overinated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact — such as when
you hit a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Worn, old tires can cause
accidents. If the tire’s
tread is badly worn, or
if your vehicle’s tires
have been damaged,
replace them.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire
is molded into its sidewall.
The examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and
a compact spare tire sidewall.
9-42 Vehicle Service and Care

Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
may need a different turn signal
asher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer/retailer. The arrows
on your instrument panel will ash
whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lamps will also ash, telling
other drivers you are about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
your instrument panel will ash
for turns even if the bulbs on the
trailer are burned out. Thus,
you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when
they are not. It is important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Your vehicle has bulb warning
lights. When you plug a trailer
lighting system into your vehicle’s
lighting system, its bulb warning
lights may not let you know if one of
your lamps goes out. So, whenyou have a trailer lighting system
plugged in, be sure to check
your vehicle and trailer lamps from
time to time to be sure they are
all working. Once you disconnect the
trailer lamps, the bulb warning
lights again can tell you if one of
your vehicle lamps is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gearbeforeyou start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you do not shift
down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get
hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down to
a lower gear and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h)
to reduce the possibility of engine
and transmission overheating.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a at surface.
But if you ever have to park your rig
on a hill, here is how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do
not shift into P (Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes.
Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to P (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
9-94 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