2009 PONTIAC VIBE Owners Manual

Reporting Safety
Defects
Reporting Safety Defects
to the United States
Government
If you believe that your vehicle
has a defect which could cause a
crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying
General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar
complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it nds that
a safety defect exists in a
group of vehicles, it may order a
recall and remedy campaign.However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual
problems between you,
your dealer/retailer, or
General Motors.
To contact NHTSA, you may call
the Vehicle Safety Hotline
toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov;
or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington D.C., 20590
You can also obtain other
information about motor
vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov.
Reporting Safety Defects
to the Canadian
Government
If you live in Canada, and you
believe that your vehicle has
a safety defect, notify Transport
Canada immediately, in addition
to notifying General Motors of
Canada Limited. Call them at
1-800-333-0510 or write to:
Transport Canada
Road Safety Branch
2780 Sheffield Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1B 3V9
Customer Information 12-15
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Reporting Safety Defects
to General Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA
(or Transport Canada) in a
situation like this, please notify
General Motors.
Call 1-800-762-2737, or write:
Pontiac Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 33172
Detroit, MI 48232-5172
In Canada, call 1-800-263-3777
(English) or 1-800-263-7854
(French), or write:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre,
CA1-163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Service Publications
Ordering Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis
and repair information on engines,
transmission, axle suspension,
brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc.
Service Bulletins
Service Bulletins give additional
technical service information
needed to knowledgeably service
General Motors cars and trucks.
Each bulletin contains instructions
to assist in the diagnosis and service
of your vehicle.
Owner Information
Owner publications are written
specically for owners and intended
to provide basic operational
information about the vehicle.The owner manual includes the
Maintenance Schedule for all
models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio,
Owner Manual, and Warranty
Booklet.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$35.00 (U.S.) plus processing fee
Without Portfolio: Owner
Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$25.00 (U.S.) plus processing fee
Current and Past Model
Order Forms
Technical Service Bulletins and
Manuals are available for current
and past model GM vehicles.
To request an order form, specify
year and model name of the vehicle.
12-16 Customer Information
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

ORDER TOLL FREE:
1-800-551-4123 Monday-Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover),
visit Helm, Inc. on the World Wide
Web at: helminc.com
Or you can write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change
without notice and without incurring
obligation. Allow ample time for
delivery.
Note to Canadian Customers:
All listed prices are quoted in
U.S. funds. Canadian residents
are to make checks payable in
U.S. funds.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
traveling
Customer Information 12-17
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

This 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.GM will not access this data or
share it with others except: with the
consent of the vehicle owner or,
if the vehicle is leased, with the
consent of the lessee; in response
to an official request of police or
similar government office; as part of
GM’s defense of litigation through
the discovery process; or, as
required by law. Data that GM
collects or receives may also be
used for GM research needs or may
be made available to others for
research purposes, where a need is
shown and the data is not tied to
a specic vehicle or vehicle owner.
OnStar®
If your vehicle has OnStar and you
subscribe to the OnStar services,
please refer to the OnStar Terms and
Conditions for information on data
collection and use.
Navigation System
If your vehicle has a navigation
system, use of the system may result
in the storage of destinations,
addresses, telephone numbers, and
other trip information. Refer to the
navigation system operating manual
for information on stored data and for
deletion instructions.
Radio Frequency
Identication (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some
vehicles for functions such as
tire pressure monitoring and ignition
system security, as well as in
connection with conveniences such
as key fobs for remote door
locking/unlocking and starting, and
in-vehicle transmitters for garage
door openers. RFID technology in
GM vehicles does not use or record
personal information or link with
any other GM system containing
personal information.
12-18 Customer Information
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

A
Accessories and
Modications...................... 9-3
Accessory Power Outlets........ 4-9
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle....1-34
Additives, Fuel.....................8-37
Add-On Electrical
Equipment.......................9-35
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.......9-12
Air Conditioning..................... 7-1
Airbag
Passenger Status
Indicator.......................4-15
Readiness Light................4-14
System, Replacing Parts
After a Crash................1-35
Airbag System.....................1-21
Adding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle........................1-34
Check.............................1-35
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?.....................1-26Airbag System (cont.)
Passenger Sensing
System........................1-28
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle........................1-33
What Makes an Airbag
Inate?........................1-26
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inates?........1-26
When Should an Airbag
Inate?........................1-24
Where Are the Airbags?.....1-23
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD)
System...........................8-22
All-Wheel-Drive Service
Light...............................4-24
Antenna, Fixed Mast............6-14
Antenna, XM™ Satellite
Radio Antenna System......6-14
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)..................8-20
Antilock Brake, System
Warning Light...................4-18Appearance Care
Chemical Paint Spotting.....9-90
Exterior Cleaning..............9-86
Finish Damage.................9-89
Interior Cleaning...............9-83
Sheet Metal Damage........9-89
Underbody Maintenance....9-90
Appointments, Scheduling
Service...........................12-8
Ashtray(s)...........................4-10
Audio System........................ 6-1
Audio Steering Wheel
Controls.......................6-13
Fixed Mast Antenna..........6-14
Radio Reception...............6-14
Setting the Clock................ 6-2
XM™ Satellite Radio
Antenna System............6-14
Audio System(s).................... 6-3
Automatic Headlamp System . . . 5-2
Automatic Transmission
Fluid...............................9-14
Operation....................8-6, 8-8
INDEX i-1
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

B
Battery...............................9-30
Run-Down Protection.......... 5-4
Brake
System Inspection...........11-17
Brake Fluid.........................9-27
Brakes...............................9-27
System Warning Light.......4-17
Braking...............................8-19
Break-In, New Vehicle............ 8-2
Bulb Replacement................9-31
Halogen Bulbs..................9-31
Headlamp Aiming..............9-30
Headlamps and Parking
Lamps .........................9-31
License Plate Lamps.........9-34
Replacement Bulbs...........9-35
Taillamps.........................9-33
Buying New Tires.................9-54
C
California Fuel.....................8-36
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements....... 9-3
California Proposition
65 Warning........................ 9-3
Canadian Owners..................... iiCapacities and
Specications...................10-2
Carbon Monoxide.........8-16, 8-29
Care, Safety Belts................1-20
Cargo Cover......................... 3-4
Cargo Management System.... 3-6
Cargo Tie Downs................... 3-6
Cautions and Notices............... iii
CD, MP3 .............................. 6-9
Center Console Storage Area . . . 3-2
Chains, Tire........................9-60
Charging System Light..........4-16
Check
Engine Lamp...................4-20
Chemical Paint Spotting........9-90
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems.....1-41
Infants and Young
Children.......................1-38
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children..................1-44
Older Children..................1-36
Securing..................1-50, 1-53
Where to Put the
Restraint......................1-43
Cleaning
Exterior...........................9-86
Interior............................9-83
Underbody Maintenance....9-90Climate Control System.......... 7-1
Air Filter, Passenger
Compartment.................. 7-4
Outlet Adjustment............... 7-3
Clock, Setting........................ 6-2
Clutch, Hydraulic..................9-17
Collision Damage Repair.....12-11
Compact Spare Tire.............9-70
Content Theft-Deterrent.........2-10
Control of a Vehicle..............8-18
Coolant
Engine............................
9-18
Engine
Temperature Gage.........4-19
Cooling System...................9-18
Cruise Control....................... 4-4
Cruise Control Light..............4-23
Cupholders........................... 3-1
Customer Assistance
Information
Courtesy
Transportation.....12-4, 12-10
Customer Assistance
Offices.........................12-4
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure....................12-1
i-2 INDEX
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Customer Assistance Information
(cont.)
GM Mobility
Reimbursement
Program.......................12-5
Reporting Safety Defects
to General Motors........12-16
Reporting Safety Defects
to the Canadian
Government................12-15
Reporting Safety Defects
to the United States
Government................12-15
Roadside Assistance
Program.......................12-5
Service Publications
Ordering Information.....12-16
D
Daytime Running Lamp.......... 5-2
Defensive Driving.................8-17
Disc, MP3............................ 6-9
Doing Your Own
Service Work..................... 9-4
Dome Lamps ........................ 5-3Door
Ajar Light........................4-24
Locks............................... 2-6
Power Door Locks.............. 2-7
Rear Door Security Locks.... 2-7
Driver Storage Compartment.... 3-3
Driving
At Night..........................8-26
Before a Long Trip............8-28
Defensive........................8-17
Drunken..........................8-18
Highway Hypnosis............8-28
Hill and Mountain Roads....8-28
In Rain and on Wet
Roads.........................8-27
Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get it Out ....................8-31
Winter.............................8-29E
EDR .................................12-17
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment............9-35
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block...................9-39
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers......................9-36Electrical System (cont.)
Headlamp Wiring..............9-35
Instrument Panel
Fuse Block...................9-36
Power Windows and
Other Power Options.....9-36
Windshield Wiper Fuses....9-36
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter...............9-12
Check and Service Engine
Soon Lamp..................4-20
Coolant...........................9-18
Coolant Heater................... 8-5
Coolant
Temperature Gage.........4-19
Cooling System
Inspection...................11-17
Drive Belt Routing.............10-5
Engine Compartment
Overview....................... 9-6
Exhaust...........................8-16
Oil ................................... 9-9
Overheating.....................9-22
Starting............................. 8-4
Entry Lighting........................ 5-3
Event Data Recorders.........12-17
Extender, Safety Belt............1-19
Exterior Lamps...................... 5-1
INDEX i-3
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner............9-12
Finish Damage....................9-89
Fixed Mast Antenna.............6-14
Flashers, Hazard Warning....... 4-3
Flash-to-Pass........................ 4-7
Flat Tire..............................9-61
Flat Tire, Changing...............9-62
Flat Tire, Storing..................9-68
Floor Mats............................ 3-3
Fluid
Automatic Transmission.....9-14
Power Steering.................9-24
Windshield Washer...........9-24
Fog Lamp
Fog .................................. 5-2
Fog Lamp Light...................4-23
Folding Seatback, Passenger . . . 1-4
Fuel...................................8-36
Additives.........................8-37
California Fuel..................8-36
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container.....................8-40
Filling the Tank.................8-38
Fuels in Foreign
Countries.....................8-37
Gage ..............................4-24Fuel (cont.)
Gasoline Octane...............8-36
Gasoline Specications......8-36
Low Warning Light............4-25
System Inspection...........11-16
Fuses
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block...................9-39
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers......................9-36
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block...........................9-36
Windshield Wiper..............9-36
G
Gage
Engine Coolant
Temperature.................4-19
Fuel................................4-24
Speedometer...................4-13
Tachometer......................4-13
Gasoline
Octane............................8-36
Specications...................8-36
Glove Box............................ 3-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program..........................12-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers........ 4-3
Head Restraints..................... 1-6
Headlamp
Aiming ............................9-30
Headlamp Wiring.................9-35
Headlamps
Bulb Replacement.............9-31
Daytime Running Lamp....... 5-2
Exterior Lamps................... 5-1
Flash-to-Pass..................... 4-7
Halogen Bulbs..................9-31
Headlamps and Parking
Lamps .........................9-31
High/Low Beam Changer..... 4-7
Heater................................. 7-1
Engine Coolant.................. 8-5
Height Adjuster, Seat.............. 1-2
Highbeam On Light..............4-24
Highway Hypnosis................8-28
Hill and Mountain Roads.......8-28
Hood
Release............................ 9-5
Hooks.................................. 3-3
Horn .................................... 4-3
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly..........................1-11
Hydraulic Clutch...................9-17
i-4 INDEX
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual