2010 PONTIAC G3 Owners Manual

Scheduling Service Appointments
When your vehicle requires warranty service, contact
your dealer/retailer and request an appointment. By
scheduling a service appointment and advising your
service consultant of your transportation needs, your
dealer/retailer can help minimize your inconvenience.
If your vehicle cannot be scheduled into the service
department immediately, keep driving it until it can be
scheduled for service, unless, of course, the problem is
safety-related. If it is, please call your dealership/
retailer, let them know this, and ask for instructions.
If the dealer/retailer requests you to bring the vehicle for
service, you are urged to do so as early in the work day
as possible to allow for the same day repair.
Courtesy Transportation Program
To enhance your ownership experience, we and our
participating dealers are proud to offer Courtesy
Transportation, a customer support program for vehicles
with the New Vehicle Limited Warranty (Base Warranty
Coverage period in Canada) and extended powertrain,
and hybrid specific warranty in both the U.S. and
Canada.Several courtesy transportation options are available to
assist in reducing your inconvenience when warranty
repairs are required.
Courtesy Transportation is not a part of the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. A separate booklet entitled
“Warranty
and Owner Assistance Information” furnished with each
new vehicle provides detailed warranty coverage
information.
Transportation Options
Warranty service can generally be completed while you
wait. However, if you are unable to wait, GM helps to
minimize your inconvenience by providing several
transportation options. Depending on the
circumstances, your dealer can offer you one of the
following:
Shuttle Service
Shuttle service is the preferred means of offering
Courtesy Transportation. Dealers may provide you with
shuttle service to get you to your destination with
minimal interruption of your daily schedule. This
includes one‐way or round trip shuttle service within
reasonable time and distance parameters of the
dealer's area.
8-9

Public Transportation or Fuel
Reimbursement
If your vehicle requires overnight warranty repairs, and
public transportation is used instead of the dealer's
shuttle service, the expense must be supported by
original receipts and can only be up to the maximum
amount allowed by GM for shuttle service. In addition,
for U.S. customers, should you arrange transportation
through a friend or relative, limited reimbursement for
reasonable fuel expenses may be available. Claim
amounts should reflect actual costs and be supported
by original receipts. See your dealer for information
regarding the allowance amounts for reimbursement of
fuel or other transportation costs.
Courtesy Rental Vehicle
Your dealer may arrange to provide you with a courtesy
rental vehicle or reimburse you for a rental vehicle that
you obtain if your vehicle is kept for an overnight
warranty repair. Rental reimbursement will be limited
and must be supported by original receipts. This
requires that you sign and complete a rental agreement
and meet state/provincial, local, and rental vehicle
provider requirements. Requirements vary and may
include minimum age requirements, insurance
coverage, credit card, etc. You are responsible for fuelusage charges and may also be responsible for taxes,
levies, usage fees, excessive mileage, or rental usage
beyond the completion of the repair.
It may not be possible to provide a like-vehicle as a
courtesy rental.
Additional Program Information
All program options, such as shuttle service, may not be
available at every dealer. Please contact your dealer for
specific information about availability. All Courtesy
Transportation arrangements will be administered by
appropriate dealer personnel.
General Motors reserves the right to unilaterally modify,
change or discontinue Courtesy Transportation at any
time and to resolve all questions of claim eligibility
pursuant to the terms and conditions described herein
at its sole discretion.
Collision Damage Repair
If your vehicle is involved in a collision and it is
damaged, have the damage repaired by a qualified
technician using the proper equipment and quality
replacement parts. Poorly performed collision repairs
diminish your vehicle's resale value, and safety
performance can be compromised in subsequent
collisions.
8-10

Collision Parts
Genuine GM Collision parts are new parts made with
the same materials and construction methods as the
parts with which your vehicle was originally built.
Genuine GM Collision parts are your best choice to
ensure that your vehicle's designed appearance,
durability, and safety are preserved. The use of
Genuine GM parts can help maintain your GM New
Vehicle Warranty.
Recycled original equipment parts may also be used for
repair. These parts are typically removed from vehicles
that were total losses in prior crashes. In most cases,
the parts being recycled are from undamaged sections
of the vehicle. A recycled original equipment GM part,
may be an acceptable choice to maintain your vehicle's
originally designed appearance and safety performance,
however, the history of these parts is not known. Such
parts are not covered by your GM New Vehicle Limited
Warranty, and any related failures are not covered by
that warranty.
Aftermarket collision parts are also available. These are
made by companies other than GM and may not have
been tested for your vehicle. As a result, these parts
may fit poorly, exhibit premature durability/corrosion
problems, and may not perform properly in subsequent
collisions. Aftermarket parts are not covered by yourGM New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and any vehicle
failure related to such parts are not covered by that
warranty.
Repair Facility
We recommend that you choose a collision repair
facility that meets your needs before you ever need
collision repairs. Your dealer/retailer may have a
collision repair center with GM-trained technicians and
state of the art equipment, or be able to recommend a
collision repair center that has GM-trained technicians
and comparable equipment.
Insuring Your Vehicle
Protect your investment in your GM vehicle with
comprehensive and collision insurance coverage. There
are significant differences in the quality of coverage
afforded by various insurance policy terms. Many
insurance policies provide reduced protection to your
GM vehicle by limiting compensation for damage
repairs by using aftermarket collision parts. Some
insurance companies will not specify aftermarket
collision parts. When purchasing insurance, we
recommend that you assure your vehicle will be
repaired with GM original equipment collision parts.
If such insurance coverage is not available from your
current insurance carrier, consider switching to another
insurance carrier.
8-11

If your vehicle is leased, the leasing company may
require you to have insurance that assures repairs with
Genuine GM Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
parts or Genuine Manufacturer replacement parts. Read
your lease carefully, as you may be charged at the end
of your lease for poor quality repairs.
If a Crash Occurs
Here is what to do if you are involved in a crash.
.Check to make sure that you are all right. If you
are uninjured, make sure that no one else in your
vehicle, or the other vehicle, is injured.
.If there has been an injury, call emergency
services for help. Do not leave the scene of a
crash until all matters have been taken care of.
Move your vehicle only if its position puts you in
danger or you are instructed to move it by a police
officer.
.Give only the necessary and requested information
to police and other parties involved in the crash.
Do not discuss your personal condition, mental
frame of mind, or anything unrelated to the crash.
This will help guard against post-crash legal action.
.If you need roadside assistance, call GM Roadside
Assistance. SeeRoadside Assistance Programon
page 8‑6for more information.
.If your vehicle cannot be driven, know where the
towing service will be taking it. Get a card from the
tow truck operator or write down the driver's name,
the service's name, and the phone number.
.Remove any valuables from your vehicle before it
is towed away. Make sure this includes your
insurance information and registration if you keep
these items in your vehicle.
.Gather the important information you will need from
the other driver. Things like name, address, phone
number, driver's license number, vehicle license
plate, vehicle make, model and model year,
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), insurance
company and policy number, and a general
description of the damage to the other vehicle.
.If possible, call your insurance company from the
scene of the crash. They will walk you through the
information they will need. If they ask for a police
report, phone or go to the police department
headquarters the next day and you can get a copy
of the report for a nominal fee. In some states/
provinces with “no fault”insurance laws, a report
may not be necessary. This is especially true if
there are no injuries and both vehicles are
driveable.
8-12

.Choose a reputable collision repair facility for your
vehicle. Whether you select a dealer/retailer or a
private collision repair facility to fix the damage,
make sure you are comfortable with them.
Remember, you will have to feel comfortable with
their work for a long time.
.Once you have an estimate, read it carefully and
make sure you understand what work will be
performed on your vehicle. If you have a question,
ask for an explanation. Reputable shops welcome
this opportunity.
Managing the Vehicle Damage Repair
Process
In the event that your vehicle requires damage repairs,
GM recommends that you take an active role in its
repair. If you have a pre-determined repair facility of
choice, take your vehicle there, or have it towed there.
Specify to the facility that any required replacement
collision parts be original equipment parts, either new
Genuine GM parts or recycled original GM parts.
Remember, recycled parts will not be covered by your
GM vehicle warranty.Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but you must live
with the repair. Depending on your policy limits, your
insurance company may initially value the repair using
aftermarket parts. Discuss this with your repair
professional, and insist on Genuine GM parts.
Remember if your vehicle is leased you may be
obligated to have the vehicle repaired with Genuine GM
parts, even if your insurance coverage does not pay the
full cost.
If another party's insurance company is paying for the
repairs, you are not obligated to accept a repair
valuation based on that insurance company's collision
policy repair limits, as you have no contractual limits
with that company. In such cases, you can have control
of the repair and parts choices as long as cost stays
within reasonable limits.
8-13

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 finds 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, 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
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
8-14

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 specifically 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.
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.
8-15

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
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.
8-16