2009 PONTIAC SOLSTICE tow

Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake. SeeParking Brake on page 2-23for more
information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pressing the
button on the shift lever and pushing the lever all
the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat
and even catch re. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine
running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure the vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is rmly set before you leave it. After you have
moved the shift lever into P (Park), hold the brake pedal
down. Then see if you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without rst pushing the shift lock release
button. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into P (Park).
2-24

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Adjust the mirror to see clearly behind your vehicle. Hold
the mirror in the center to move it up or down and side to
side. Adjust the mirror to avoid glare from the headlamps
behind your vehicle. Move the lever to the right for
nighttime use and to the left for daytime use.
Vehicles with OnStar
®have three additional control
buttons located at the bottom of the mirror. See
your dealer/retailer for more information on the system
and how to subscribe to OnStar. SeeOnStar
®
System on page 2-30for more information on the
services OnStar provides.
Outside Manual Mirrors
Adjust the outside rearview mirrors to see a little of the
side of your vehicle, and the area beside your vehicle.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To
fold, push the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror
outward, to return to its original position.
Outside Power Mirrors
Controls for the outside
power mirrors are located
on the driver door.
To adjust the mirrors:
1. Press the left or right side of the selector switch
located next to the control pad to choose the
driver or passenger side mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control
pad to move the mirror in the desired direction.
3. Adjust each outside mirror so that a little of the
vehicle and the area behind it can be seen.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To
fold, push the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror
outward, to return to its original position.
2-29

The driver’s side handle moves toward the driver’s
door. The passenger’s side handle moves toward
the passenger’s door.4. To unlock the rear of
the roof panel’s rear
release latch, press the
back of the release
handle (B). Then press
the button on the
front of the release
handle (A) with
your thumb.
Pull down the latch lever.
5. Stand on one side of the vehicle, and if necessary,
have someone stand on the other side. Together,
carefully lift the front edge of the roof panel up
and forward.
6. When the roof panel is loosened from the vehicle,
one person should grasp the roof panel as close to
the center as possible and lift it away from the
vehicle.
Storing the Roof Panel
After removing the panel place it on a at surface with a
soft protective covering. The panel must be stored
with the interior surface resting at.
2-35

Installing the Roof Panel
{CAUTION:
An improperly attached roof panel may fall into or
y off the vehicle. You or others could be injured.
After installing the roof panel, always check that it
is rmly attached by pushing up on the underside
of the panel. Check now and then to be sure the
roof panel is rmly in place.
Notice:If you drop or rest a roof panel on its
edges, the roof panel, paint and/or weatherstripping
may be damaged. Always place the roof panel in
the stowage receivers after removing it from
the vehicle.
In most cases, it makes it easier if two people re-install
the roof panel.
1. Park on a level surface and set the parking brake.
Shift an automatic transmission into (P) Park. Shift
a manual transmission into (N) Neutral.
2. Check that the front release latches and the rear
release latch on the vehicle’s roof opening are in
their opened positions before attempting to
install the roof panel.3. Carefully place the roof panel over the top of the
vehicle.
4. Position the rear edge of the roof panel on the back
of the roof opening. Then align and t the pins at
the rear of the roof panel. Gently lower the
front edge of the roof panel to the front of the roof
opening.
5. Turn the front release
handles inward so that
they latch to the
closed position.
6. Push up on the handle of the rear roof release
handle to latch its hook in the closed position.
7. Push and pull the roof panel up and down and
side-to-side to ensure the roof panel is securely
installed.
2-36

Turn and Lane-Change Signals
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster ashes in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to ash
to signal a lane change. Hold it there until the lane
change is complete.
The lever returns to its starting position when it is
released.
If after signaling a turn or a lane change the arrows
ash rapidly or does not come on, a signal bulb may
be burned out.
Have the bulbs replaced. If the bulb is not burned out,
check the fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 5-99.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high
beam, push the turn signal lever away from you.
This indicator light appears
on the instrument panel
cluster when the high
beams are on.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam,
pull the turn signal lever toward you.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them off.
3-7

If the light comes on while driving, pull off the road and
stop carefully. Make sure the parking brake is fully
released. The pedal might be harder to push or,
the pedal could go closer to the oor. It can take longer
to stop. Try turning off and restarting the vehicle one
or two times, if the light is still on, have the vehicle towed
for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-25.
{CAUTION:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) light comes on
briey when the engine is
started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer. If the system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off. If the light
comes on while driving, stop as soon as it is safely
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light is not
on, the vehicle still has brakes, but not antilock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, the vehicle does not have antilock brakes and
there is a problem with the regular brakes. SeeBrake
System Warning Light on page 3-25.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC), see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-37for all
brake related DIC messages.
3-26

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)......................4-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-8
Limited-Slip Rear Axle...................................4-10
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-11
Passing.......................................................4-12
Loss of Control.............................................4-12Driving at Night............................................4-13
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-14
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-15
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-15
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-16
Winter Driving..............................................4-17
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................4-19
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-20
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-20
Towing..........................................................4-25
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-25
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-25
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-25
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the
area around the front wheels. Turn off any traction or
stability system. Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a forward gear, or with a manual
transmission, between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward and reverse
directions causes a rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the vehicle out after a
few tries, it might need to be towed out. If the vehicle
does need to be towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 4-25.
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and includes the weight of
all occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it may properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the Certication
label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or
either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on
the vehicle can break, and it can change the
way your vehicle handles. These could cause
you to lose control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten the life of the
vehicle.
4-20