2010 PONTIAC G5 brake

N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart the engine when the
vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is
not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive):
This position is for normal driving with the
automatic transmission. It provides the best fuel
economy. If you need more power for passing and
you are:
•Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
•Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the accelerator
all the way down.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see “Skidding” under Loss of
Control on page 5-15 .
I (Intermediate): This position is also used for normal
driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed without using
the brakes for slight downgrades where the vehicle
would otherwise accelerate due to steepness of grade.
If constant upshifting or downshifting occurs while
driving up steep hills, this position can be used to
prevent repetitive types of shifts. You might choose
I (Intermediate) instead of D (Drive) when driving
on hilly, winding roads and when towing a trailer, so that
there is less shifting between gears.
L (Low): This position reduces vehicle speed more
than I (Intermediate) without actually using the brakes.
You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow
or mud. If the shift lever is put in L (Low), the
transmission will not shift into a low gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
3-26

Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle warranty. If you
are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a
hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Manual Transmission Operation
This is the shift pattern.
Here is how to operate the manual transmission:
1 (First): Press the clutch pedal and shift into 1 (First).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press
the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into 1 (First) when the vehicle is traveling
less than 20 mph (32 km/h). If you have come to a
complete stop and it is hard to shift into 1 (First), put the shift lever in N (Neutral) and let up on the clutch pedal.
Press the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into
1 (First).
2 (Second):
Press the clutch pedal as you let up on the
accelerator pedal and shift into 2 (Second). Then,
slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth) and 5 (Fifth): Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth) and 5 (Fifth) the same way you do for
2 (Second). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you
press the accelerator pedal down.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to N (Neutral).
N (Neutral): Use this position when you start or idle the
engine.
R (Reverse): To back up, press down the clutch pedal
and shift into R (Reverse).
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle is stopped.
Also, use R (Reverse), along with the parking brake, for
parking the vehicle.
3-27

Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located between the front
seats.
For vehicles equipped with an armrest, lift the console
armrest in order to access the parking brake lever.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down and
pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition is on,
the brake system warning light will come on. SeeBrake
System Warning Light on page 4-26 .To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can press
the release button. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake lever all the way down.
If you forget to release your parking brake, a chime will
sound and the PARKING BRAKE message will
appear along with the brake system warning light when
the parking brake is applied and the vehicle is moving
faster than 5 mph (8 km/h). See
DIC Warnings and
Messages on page 4-38 .
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Automatic Shown, Manual Similar
3-29

Shifting Into Park
(Automatic Transmission)
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly 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. If
you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
(Automatic Transmission) on page 5-33 orTowing
a Trailer (Manual Transmission) on page 5-39 .
To shift into P (Park): 1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 3-29 for more
information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in 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.
Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{WARNING:
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 firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat
and even catch fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine
running.
If you have to leave an automatic transmission vehicle
with the engine running, be sure the vehicle is in
P (Park) and the parking brake is firmly 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 first
pushing the button. If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked into P (Park).
3-30

Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too
much force on the parking pawl in the transmission.
You may find it difficult to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park). This is called “torque lock.” To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver seat. To find
out how, seeShifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 3-30.
Move the shift lever out of P (Park) before you release
the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
(Automatic Transmission)
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to:
•Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift
lever is in P (Park) with the shift lever button fully
released, and
•Prevent movement of the shift lever out of P (Park)
unless the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in the
case of a an uncharged or low voltage (less than 9 volt)
battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery with
low voltage, try charging or jump starting the battery.
See Jump Starting on page 6-34 for more information.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
3-31

If you still are unable to shift out of P (Park):1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from P (Park),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
Parking the Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
Before leaving the vehicle, fully press the clutch pedal
down, move the shift lever into R (Reverse), and
firmly apply the parking brake. Once the shift lever has
been placed in R (Reverse) with the clutch pedal
pressed down, the ignition key can be turned to
LOCK/OFF, then remove the key and release the clutch
pedal. See Manual Transmission Operation on
page 3-27.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{WARNING:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under the vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.
3-32

Running the Vehicle While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING:
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3-33.
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
automatic transmission shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The
vehicle can roll. Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to. 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, always set the parking
brake and move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. See Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 3-30.
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, see Towing a
Trailer (Automatic Transmission) on page 5-33 or
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission) on page 5-39 .
3-34

Instrument Panel Overview...............................4-3
Hazard Warning Flashers ................................4-3
Horn ............................................................ .4-3
Tilt Wheel .................................................... .4-3
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever .........................4-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals ........................4-4
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer ..................4-5
Flash-to-Pass ................................................ .4-5
Windshield Wipers ......................................... .4-5
Windshield Washer ........................................ .4-6
Cruise Control ............................................... .4-7
Headlamps ................................................... .4-9
Wiper Activated Headlamps ............................4-10
Headlamps on Reminder ................................4-10
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) .......................4-10
Fog Lamps ................................................. .4-11
Instrument Panel Brightness ...........................4-11
Dome Lamp ................................................ .4-11
Entry/Exit Lighting ........................................ .4-12
Mirror Reading Lamps .................................. .4-12
Electric Power Management ...........................4-12Battery Run-Down Protection
..........................4-13
Accessory Power Outlet(s) .............................4-13
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter ......................4-14
Climate Controls ........................................... .4-14
Climate Control System .................................4-14
Outlet Adjustment ........................................ .4-17
Passenger Compartment Air Filter ...................4-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ............4-19
Instrument Panel Cluster ................................4-20
Speedometer and Odometer ...........................4-21
Tachometer ................................................ .4-21
Safety Belt Reminders .................................. .4-22
Airbag Readiness Light ................................. .4-23
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator ...................4-24
Charging

System Light ................................. .4-25
Up-Shift Light .............................................. .4-25
Brake System Warning Light ..........................4-26
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light .....4-27
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Indicator/ Warning Light .......................................... .4-27
Section 4 Instrument Panel
4-1