2010 PONTIAC G6 Owners Manual

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift the
automatic transmission 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, see “Shifting Into Park”
previously in the section.
When you are ready to drive, 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
The 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 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.
SeeJump Starting on page 6-43for more information.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
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), see
your dealer/retailer.
3-31

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.
Engine Exhaust
{WARNING:
Engine exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
•The vehicle idles in areas with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels, deep snow that
may block underbody airflow or tail pipes).
•The exhaust smells or sounds strange or
different.
WARNING: (Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
•
The exhaust system leaks due to corrosion or
damage.
•The vehicle’s exhaust system has been
modified, damaged or improperly repaired.
•There are holes or openings in the vehicle
body from damage or after-market
modifications that are not completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or if it is suspected
that exhaust is coming into the vehicle:
•Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
•Have the vehicle repaired immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the engine running in
an enclosed area such as a garage or a building
that has no fresh air ventilation.
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 3-32.
{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. SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 3-30.
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer on page 5-27.
3-33

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have a manual inside rearview mirror
with the OnStar®system.
Vehicles with OnStar have three additional control
buttons located at the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer/retailer for more information on the OnStar
system and how to subscribe to OnStar. Also, see the
OnStar
®owners guide for more information about
the services OnStar provides.
Adjust the mirror to see clearly behind your vehicle. Hold
the mirror in the center to move it up or down and side to
side. Adjust the mirror to avoid glare from the headlamps
behind your vehicle. Move the lever to the right for
nighttime use and to the left for daytime use.
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic dimming rearview
mirror with a compass display and/or OnStar®controls.
For more information about OnStar, see the OnStar®
owners guide.
Vehicles with OnStar have three additional control
buttons located at the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer/retailer for more information on the system
and how to subscribe to OnStar. See the OnStar
®
owners guide for more information about the service
OnStar provides.
For vehicles with OnStar:
O(On/Off):Press to turn the dimming feature on or off.
For vehicles without OnStar:
AUTO/OFF:Press AUTO/OFF to turn the dimming
feature on or off.
Automatic Dimming Mirror Operation
Automatic dimming reduces the glare of lights from
behind the vehicle. The dimming feature comes on and
the indicator light illuminates each time the vehicle is
started.
3-34

Compass
Compass Operation
PressOor depending on the vehicle, press AUTO/OFF
to turn the compass on or off.
When the ignition and the compass feature are on, the
compass displays the current compass direction
after a few seconds.
Compass Calibration
If after a few seconds the display does not show a
compass direction, (N for North for example), there may
be a strong magnetic field interfering with the compass.
Interference can be caused by a magnetic antenna
mount, note pad holder, or similar object. If the letter C
appears in the compass window, the compass may
need to be reset or calibrated.
The mirror can be calibrated by driving the vehicle in
circles at 8 km (5 mph) or less until the display reads a
direction.
Compass Variance
The mirror is set to zone eight. If you do not live in zone
eight or drive out of the area, the compass variance
needs to be changed to the appropriate zone.To adjust for compass variance:
1. Find your current location and variance zone
number on the zone map that follows.
2. Press and hold the on/off button until a zone
number displays.
3. Once the zone number displays, pressO
repeatedly until you reach the correct zone number.
If C appears in the compass window, the compass
may need calibration. See “Compass Calibration”
listed previously.
3-35

Outside Power Mirrors
Controls for the outside
power mirrors are located
on the driver door.
To adjust the mirrors:
1. Move the selector switch located below the four-way
control pad to the left or right to choose either the
driver side or passenger side mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control
pad to move the mirror to the desired direction.
3. Adjust each outside mirror so that a little of the
vehicle and the area behind it can be seen.
Keep the selector switch in the center position when not
adjusting either outside mirror.Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To
fold, push the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the
mirror outward, to return to its original position.
Outside Convex Mirror
{WARNING:
A convex mirror can make things, like other
vehicles, look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you could
hit a vehicle on the right. Check the inside mirror
or glance over your shoulder before changing
lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex shaped. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.
3-36

Storage Areas
Glove Box
Lift up on the glove box lever to open it.
Cupholders
There are two cupholders in the front center console of
the vehicle and two in the rear of the center console.
Pull down the door on the rear of the center console to
use the rear seat cupholders.
Center Console Storage
The center console has a separate storage area. Pull
up the release handle on the front of the cover to open
the compartment.
In the floor console is a power accessory outlet. See
Accessory Power Outlet(s) on page 4-15for more
information.
Convenience Net
For vehicles with a convenience net, it is located in the
rear of the vehicle. Use the convenience net to store
small loads as far forward as possible. The net should
not be used to store heavy loads.
Sunroof
The vehicle may have a
power sliding sunroof. The
ignition must be on or in the
accessory position, or
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) must be active.
SeeRetained Accessory Power (RAP) on page 3-21.
The switch used to operate the sunroof is located in the
overhead console.
To open or close the sunroof, press and hold the front
or rear of the switch.
Sunshade Operation
The sunshade will open automatically when opening the
sunroof.
However, it can manually be pulled shut after the
sunroof is closed. To adjust the sunshade, push it
backward or pull it forward to the desired position. The
sunshade cannot be adjusted further than the current
closed position of the sunroof.
3-37

Notice:Forcing the sunshade forward of the
sliding glass panel may cause damage and the
sunroof may not operate properly. Always close the
glass panel before closing the sunshade.
Do not leave the sunroof open for long periods of time.
Debris can collect in the tracks and possibly damage
the sunroof operation and plug the water draining
system.
Retractable Hardtop
The following procedures explain the proper operation
of the retractable hardtop. The retractable hardtop
will not operate if the trunk cargo cover is not in place.
If the retractable hardtop is lowered or raised multiple
times, the engine should be running while doing
so to prevent drain on the vehicle’s battery.
Lowering the Retractable Hardtop
Notice:Leaving the retractable hardtop down and
exposing the interior of the vehicle to outdoor
conditions may cause damage. Always close the
retractable hardtop if leaving the vehicle outdoors.
Notice:Lowering the top if it is damp, wet, or
dirty can cause stains, mildew, and damage to the
inside of your vehicle. Dry off the top before
lowering it.Notice:If you lower the retractable hardtop in cold
weather (32°F/0°C or lower), you may damage
top components. Do not lower the retractable
hardtop in cold weather.
1. Park on a level surface, and shift the transmission
into P (Park). The vehicle must be in P (Park), and
the engine must be running, or the ignition
turned to the ON/RUN position, to operate the
retractable hardtop.
2. The trunk cargo cover must be fully closed, and the
trunk must be closed before lowering the hardtop.
3. There should be nothing on top, in front of or around
the hardtop or cargo cover.
3-38