2009 PONTIAC VIBE stop start

Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION
You can lose control of the
vehicle if you try to adjust a
manual driver’s seat while the
vehicle is moving. The sudden
movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a
pedal when you do not want to.
Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
{CAUTION
If the seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatback to be sure it is locked.
{CAUTION
Sitting in a reclined position when
your vehicle is in motion can be
dangerous. Even if you buckle up,
your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job
because it will not be against your
body. Instead, it will be in front of
you. In a crash, you could go into
it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job
either. In a crash, the belt could go
up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your
pelvic bones. This could cause
serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the
vehicle is in motion, have the
seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your
safety belt properly.
Seats and Restraints 1-3
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Arming the System
To arm the system:
1. Close all the doors and the
liftgate.
2. Lock the doors and liftgate with
the key or Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter.
The security light comes on solid.
The system automatically arms
after 30 seconds. The security
light ashes when the system
is armed.
No one should be in the vehicle
when the alarm system is armed
because unlocking the vehicle from
the inside activates the system.
To avoid setting off the alarm make
sure all passengers are out of
the vehicle and the windows are
closed before arming the system.
Disarming the System
To disarm the alarm do one of the
following:
Unlock the doors with the key.
Unlock the doors and liftgate with
the RKE transmitter.
Start the engine.
Testing the Alarm
To test the alarm:
1. Open all the windows.
2. Set the system as described
in the previous procedure.
The doors and liftgate should
be locked with the key or RKE
transmitter. Be sure to wait until
the security light starts ashing.
3. Unlock the driver door from the
inside. The system should
activate the alarm.
4. Stop the alarm as described in
the disarming procedure.
5. Repeat this operation for the
other doors. Also, check that
the system is activated when the
battery terminal is disconnected
and then reconnected.If the system does not work
properly, have it checked by your
dealer/retailer.
How the System Alarm is
Activated
The system activates the alarm if:
A locked door or the liftgate is
unlocked or opened without the
RKE transmitter.
A locked door is unlocked or
opened without the key.
The liftgate is unlocked or opened
with the key.
The battery is reconnected.
The side windows are tapped or
broken.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the theft
deterrent system in the vehicle.
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-11
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Loading cargo on the roof rack will
make the center of the vehicle gravity
higher. Avoid high speeds, sudden
starts, sharp turns, sudden braking
or abrupt maneuvers, otherwise it
may result in loss of control or
vehicle rollover due to failure to
operate the vehicle correctly.
If driving for a long distance, on
rough roads, or at high speeds, stop
the vehicle now and then during
the trip to make sure the cargo
remains in its place.
Driver Storage
Compartment
The driver storage compartment is
located near the left side of the
steering column on the bottom of
the instrument panel. Pull up on the
lever to open the cover.
Floor Mats
The driver side oor mat is held in
place by two locator hooks.
The oor mat must be properly
placed on the oor so that it does
not block the movement of the
accelerator pedal.
How to Remove and Replace
the Floor Mat
To remove the oor mat, pull up on
the rear of the mat to disconnect
it from the locator hooks.To reinstall the oor mat, line up
the openings in the oor mat
over the locator hooks and push
down into place.
Hooks
There are hooks for hanging items
in the cabin, luggage compartment,
and in the cargo management
system, if the vehicle has one.
On the front passenger side,
press the hook to open and
use it. There is a weight limit of
44 lb (20 kg).
The luggage compartment hooks
should only be used to hang
items under 7 lb (3 kg).
For vehicles with a cargo
management system, open the
deck lid to hang items under
5 lb (2.3 kg).
Storage 3-3
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

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 completed.
The lever returns to its starting
position whenever it is released.
If after signaling a turn or a
lane change the arrow ashes
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 9-36.
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.
This instrument panel cluster light
3comes on while the high beam
headlamps are on.
Pull the lever towards you to return
to low beams.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature is used to signal to the
vehicle ahead that you want to pass.
With the lever in the low-beam
position, pull the lever toward you to
momentarily switch to high-beams.
If the headlamps are on when the
lever is released, the high-beams will
return to low-beam.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is located on the right side of
the steering column.
Move the lever to one of the
following positions:
z(Mist):Move the lever to mist,
for a single wiping cycle and then
release. The wipers stop after
one wipe.
((Off):Move the lever to this
position to turn the wipers off.
Instruments and Controls 4-7
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle’s hydraulic brake
system is divided into two parts.
If one part is not working, the other
part can still work and stop the
vehicle. For good braking both parts
need to be working well.
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
If the vehicle has anti-lock brakes,
this light should come on when
the key is turned to START.If it does not come on, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light also comes
on when the parking brake is
set. The light will stay on if the
parking brake does not fully release.
If it stays on after the parking
brake is fully released, it means
there is a brake problem.
{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.
See Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light later in this section
andTowing Your Vehicle on
page 9-75.
United States
Canada
Instruments and Controls 4-17
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The ABS warning light comes on
briey when the ignition key is
turned to ON/RUN. This is normal.
If the light does not come on then,
have it xed so it will be ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. If the light comes
on while driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition off.
Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the light
still stays on, or comes on again
while driving, the vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system
warning light is not on, there are
still brakes, but no antilock brakes.If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, there are
no antilock brakes and there is
a problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 4-17.
Speed Sensitive Power
Steering (SSPS)
Warning Light
Vehicles with this feature, have a
warning light that comes on briey
when the ignition is turned to
ON/RUN as a check to show it is
working.
If the warning light does not come
on, have it xed so it will be able to
warn if there is a problem.If the warning light stays on, or
comes on while driving, the Speed
Sensitive Power Steering may
not be working. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Low Tire Pressure
Warning Light
This light should come on briey as
the engine is started.
If there is a tire with low tire
pressure, the light will stay on or
come back on.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 9-48for more information. United States
Canada
4-18 Instruments and Controls
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:A misre condition
has been detected. A misre
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
The following can prevent more
serious damage to the vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled
as soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to ash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park the
vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light is still
ashing, follow the previous steps
and see your dealer/retailer for
service as soon as possible.Light On Steady:An emission
control system malfunction has been
detected on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
An emission system malfunction
might be corrected by doing
the following:
Make sure the fuel cap is fully
installed. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 8-38. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly
installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap allows fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few driving
trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
If the vehicle has been driven
through a deep puddle of water,
the vehicle’s electrical system
might be wet. The condition is
usually corrected when the
electrical system dries out.
A few driving trips should turn
the light off.
Make sure to fuel the vehicle with
quality fuel. Poor fuel quality
causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may
cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misring,
hesitation on acceleration, or
stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand
used. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel
to turn the light off.
SeeGasoline Octane on
page 8-36.
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer/retailer can
check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical
or electrical problems that might
have developed.
Instruments and Controls 4-21
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Starting and
Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does
not need an elaborate break-in.
But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow
these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting
to brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for
the rst 200 miles (322 km) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. SeeTowing a Trailer
on page 9-77for the trailer
towing capabilities of your
vehicle and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply
the brake pedal.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct key,
make sure it is all the way in, and
turn it only with your hand. If the
key cannot be turned by hand,
see your dealer/retailer.
8-2 Driving and Operating
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual