2010 PONTIAC G5 trailer

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. Do not exceed 5,000
engine rpm. 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. See Towing
a Trailer (Automatic Transmission) on page 5-33
or Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission) on
page 5-39 for 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.
In order to shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY and the brake pedal
must be applied.
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.
9(LOCK/OFF): This position locks the steering
column when the key is removed. The key can only be
removed in LOCK/OFF.
3-19

{WARNING:
It is 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.
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). SeeShifting Into
Park (Automatic Transmission) on page 3-30 .If
you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer
(Automatic Transmission) on page 5-33 orTowing
a Trailer (Manual Transmission) on page 5-39 .Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to fully
apply the regular brakes first and then press the shift
lever button before the vehicle can shift from P (Park)
when the ignition key is in ON/RUN. If the vehicle cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever
and push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever
button and then move the shift lever into another gear.
See
Shifting Out of Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 3-31.
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.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging the transmission,
see If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 5-23.
3-25

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

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

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

Entry/Exit Lighting
The lamps inside the vehicle will go on when any door is
opened. These lamps fade out about 20 seconds after all
of the doors have been closed or when the ignition is
turned to ON/RUN. These lamps will also go on when
pressing the trunk release, unlock symbol, or the horn
symbol button on the Remote Keyless Entry System
(RKE) Transmitter.
After the key is removed from the ignition, the lamps
inside the vehicle stay on for about 20 seconds to
provide an illuminated exit.
Mirror Reading Lamps
The vehicle may have reading lamps on the rearview
mirror. Press the button near each lamp to turn the
reading lamps on and off.
Electric Power Management
This vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM),
an advanced control system. It estimates the battery’s
temperature and state of charge and then adjusts
the voltage for best performance and extended life
of the battery.When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly put the charge back in. When the
state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage
or voltage display on the Driver Information Center (DIC),
you may see the voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning
fast enough at idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the following
loads are on: headlamps, high beams, fog lamps, rear
window defogger, climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and
loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the battery.
It does this by balancing the generator’s output and the
vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase engine idle
speed to generate more power, whenever needed.
It can temporarily reduce the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels
of corrective action, this action may be noticeable to
the driver.
4-12

This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing:A misfire condition has been detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and could
damage the emission control system on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
To 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 flash, 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 flashing, 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. See
Filling
the Tank on page 6-8. 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 can cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is changed into gear,
misfiring, 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.
See Gasoline Octane on page 6-6 .
4-31

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............5-2
Defensive Driving .......................................... .5-2
Drunk Driving ................................................ .5-2
Control of a Vehicle ....................................... .5-3
Braking ........................................................ .5-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS) ...........................5-4
Braking in Emergencies .................................. .5-5
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......................5-6
Traction Control System (TCS) .........................5-8
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) ....................5-11
Steering ..................................................... .5-13
Off-Road Recovery ...................................... .5-15
Passing ...................................................... .5-15
Loss of Control ............................................ .5-15
Driving at Night ........................................... .5-17Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
..................5-18
Before Leaving on a Long Trip .......................5-19
Highway Hypnosis ....................................... .5-19
Hill and Mountain Roads ................................5-20
Winter Driving ............................................. .5-21
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow .................................................. .5-23
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out .................5-24
Loading the Vehicle ..................................... .5-24
Towing ......................................................... .5-30
Towing Your Vehicle .................................... .5-30
Recreational Vehicle Towing ...........................5-30
Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transmission) ........5-33
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission) ...........5-39
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
5-1