2010 PONTIAC VIBE air condition

Climate Controls
Climate Control SystemsClimate Control Systems........7-1
Air VentsAir Vents............................
.7-4
MaintenancePassenger Compartment
Air Filter ............................
.7-4
Climate Control Systems
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
this system.
A. Air Delivery Mode Control
B. Fan Control
C. Temperature Control D. Recirculation
E. Rear Window Defogger
F. Air Conditioning
Climate Controls 7-1

Fan Control
9(Fan):Turn the center knob
toward 4 to turn the system on or
increase fan speed.
If the airflow seems low when the
fan is at the highest setting, the
passenger compartment air filter
may need to be replaced. For
more information, see Passenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 7-4
and Scheduled Maintenance on
page 10-3.
Temperature Control
Turn the right knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the temperature inside the
vehicle. Air Delivery Mode Control
Turn the left knob to select from the
following modes:
H(Vent):
Air is directed to the
upper instrument panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level): Air is directed to the
upper instrument panel outlets
and the floor outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor and side window outlets.
-(Defog): Air is directed between
the windshield, side windows,
instrument panel outlets and the floor
outlets. Use the defog mode to clear the
inside of the windshield of fog
or moisture and to warm the
passengers. The air conditioning
compressor runs automatically in this
setting without pressing A/C, unless
the outside temperature is at or
below 32°F (0°C).
1(Defrost):
Air is directed to the
windshield, instrument panel
outlets and the side windows.
Use the defrost mode to remove
fog or frost from the outside of the
windshield more quickly. The air
conditioning compressor runs
automatically in this setting without
pressing A/C, unless the outside
temperature is at or below
32°F (0°C).
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
7-2 Climate Controls

Air Conditioning
For vehicles with this feature, there
will be the following controls:
A/C (Air Conditioning):Press to
turn the air conditioning system
on or off. An indicator light shows
that it is on.
MAX A/C (Maximum Air
Conditioning): Press the A/C and
recirculation buttons at the same
time to select MAX A/C.
On hot days, open the windows to let
hot inside air escape; then close
them. The vehicle will cool quicker
and the A/C system operates more
efficiently.
Because the A/C system removes
moisture from the air, it is normal
for a small amount of water to
drip under the vehicle while idling
or just after turning the engine off.
Recirculation
?(Recirculation): Press to turn
the recirculation mode on or off.
An indicator light shows that it is on.
This mode recirculates the air inside
the vehicle and helps to heat or cool
the air more quickly. It can be used to
prevent outside air and odors from
entering the vehicle.
Press the button again to turn the
recirculation mode off and the
outside air mode on. Recirculation is
automatically turned off when the
climate control system mode knob
is turned to defog, defrost, or is
positioned between modes.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to clear fog from the
rear window. It will only work when
the ignition is in the ON/RUN
position.
=(Rear Defogger): Press to turn
the rear window defogger on or off.
An indicator light shows that it is on.
The rear window defogger stays on
for 15 minutes. Clear any snow from
the rear window.
Notice: Do not use a razor
blade or sharp object to clear the
inside rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid lines
in the rear glass. These actions
may damage the rear defogger.
Repairs would not be covered by
your warranty.
Climate Controls 7-3

If you turn the steering wheel in
either direction several times until it
stops, or hold the steering wheel in
the stopped position for an extended
amount of time, you may notice a
reduced amount of power steering
assist. The normal amount of power
steering assist should return shortly
after a few normal steering
movements.
The electric power steering
system does not require regular
maintenance. If you suspect
steering system problems, such as
abnormally high steering effort for a
prolonged period of time, contact
your dealer/retailer for service
repairs.Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the
condition of the tires and the road
surface, the angle at which the curve
is banked, and vehicle speed. While
in a curve, speed is the one factor
that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed,
do it before entering the curve,
while the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can
drive through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve, and
then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering
can be more effective than braking.
For example, you come over a hill
and find a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from
nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. These problems can
be avoided by braking — if you can
stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there
is no room. That is the time for
evasive action — steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well
in emergencies like these. First
apply the brakes. SeeBraking on
page 8-4. It is better to remove as
much speed as possible from a
collision. Then steer around the
problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
Driving and Operating 8-5

An emergency like this requires
close attention and a quick decision.
If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o’clock
positions, it can be turned a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and just as
quickly straighten the wheel once
you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency
situations are always possible is a
good reason to practice defensive
driving at all times and wear safety
belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle’s right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only
slightly below the pavement,
recovery should be fairly easy.
Ease off the accelerator and then, if
there is nothing in the way, steer so
that the vehicle straddles the edge
of the pavement. Turn the steering
wheel 8 to 13 cm, 3 to 5 inches,
(about one-eighth turn) until the rightfront tire contacts the pavement
edge. Then turn the steering wheel
to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up.
Keep trying to steer and constantly
seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care
suited to existing conditions, and by
not overdriving those conditions.
But skids are always possible.
8-6 Driving and Operating

Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Assistance Program on page 12-6 .
To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
•Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
•Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{CAUTION
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside.
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
•Clear away snow from
around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is
blocking the exhaust pipe.
•Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
•Open a window about 5 cm
(two inches) on the side of
the vehicle that is away from
the wind to bring in fresh air.
•Fully open the air outlets on or
under the instrument panel.
•Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the
Index.(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 8-23 .
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can cause
deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome
you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it
is in your vehicle. Clear away snow
from around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is
blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods only
as needed to keep warm, but be
careful.
8-10 Driving and Operating

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.
{CAUTION
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. It provides the best fuel
economy from the vehicle. If you
need more power for passing, and
you are:
•Going less than 35 mph
(55 km/h), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
•Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or
more, push the accelerator all the
way down.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
DSC mode allows you to choose
the top gear limit of the vehicle’s
transmission and the vehicle’s speed
while driving down hill or towing a
trailer. To use this feature, do the
following:
1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) left to S (Shift Control).
While driving in this mode, the
transmission will remain in the
driver selected range. When
coming to a stop, the vehicle
will automatically shift into
1 (First) gear.
2. Move the shift lever forward to increase the gear range, or
rearward to decrease the gear
range available based upon your
current driving conditions and
needs.
8-28 Driving and Operating

Recommended Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 87 or higher.
If the octane rating is less than 87,
you might notice an audible knocking
noise when you drive, commonly
referred to as spark knock. If this
occurs, use a gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If you are using gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should
meet ASTM specification D 4814
in the United States or CAN/
CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in Canada.
Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. SeeFuel Additives
on page 8-40 for additional
information.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications.
See the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions
standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control
system performance might be
affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp could turn on and the vehicle
might fail a smog-check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 4-14. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer/retailer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of
fuel used, repairs might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Driving and Operating 8-39