2010 PONTIAC VIBE brake

Here are some important things
to consider before recreational
vehicle towing:
•What is the towing capacity of the
towing vehicle? Be sure to read
the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
•What is the distance that will be
travelled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
•Is the proper equipment going to
be used? See your dealer/retailer
or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
•Is the vehicle ready to be towed?
Just as preparing the vehicle for a
long trip, make sure the vehicle is
prepared to be towed.
Dinghy Towing
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, it cannot be dinghy
towed. See “Dolly Towing” for more
information regarding towing the
vehicle.If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, it can be dinghy
towed.
When dinghy towing, be sure to
follow the posted legal speed limit.
1. Put the shift lever in Neutral.
2. Turn the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY to avoid
locking the steering wheel.
Make sure the audio system
is turned off and that nothing is
plugged into the power outlets.
3. Release the parking brake. After dinghy towing, let the engine
idle for more than three minutes
before driving the vehicle.
Do not tow the vehicle from the
rear. The vehicle could be badly
damaged and the repairs would
not be covered by the warranty.
Dolly Towing (All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles)
All-wheel-drive vehicles must not
be towed with two wheels on the
ground. To properly tow these
vehicles, they should be placed on a
platform trailer with all four wheels off
of the ground.
9-74 Vehicle Care

Dolly Towing
(Front-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles Only)
To tow the front-wheel-drive vehicle
using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park)for an automatic transmission
or Neutral for a manual
transmission. 3. Set the parking brake.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position with a
clamping device designed
for towing.
5. Remove the key from the ignition.
6. Secure the vehicle to the dolly.
7. Release the parking brake.
Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Cleaning Exterior
Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water,
a soft cloth and a car washing soap
to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions under “Washing
the Vehicle” later in this section.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing
of the vehicle by hand may be
necessary to remove residue from
the paint finish. Approved cleaning
products can be obtained from
your dealer/retailer.
Vehicle Care 9-75

Scheduled
Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule
up to 192 000 km (120,000 miles)
should be repeated after 192 000 km
(120,000 miles) at the same intervals
for the life of this vehicle.
Footnotes
†The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency or the California Air
Resources Board has determined
that the failure to perform this
maintenance item will not nullify the
emissions warranty or limit recall
liability prior to the completion of the
vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended
maintenance services be performed
at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
+ A good time to check your brakes
is during tire rotation. See Tire
Rotation on page 9-55 .
8 000 km (5,000 Miles)
❑Change engine oil and filter
(or every 3 months, whichever
occurs first). An Emission Control
Service.
❑ Rotate tires. See Tire Rotation on
page 9-55 for proper rotation
pattern and additional information.
(See footnote +.)
❑ Inspect engine air cleaner filter
if vehicle is driven in dusty
conditions. Replace filter if
necessary.
16 000 km (10,000 Miles)
❑ Change engine oil and filter
(or every 3 months, whichever
occurs first). An Emission Control
Service.
❑ Rotate tires. See Tire Rotation
on page 9-55 for proper rotation
pattern and additional information.
(See footnote +.)
❑ Inspect engine air cleaner filter
if vehicle is driven in dusty
conditions. Replace filter if
necessary.
24 000 km (15,000 Miles)
❑ Change engine oil and filter
(or every 3 months, whichever
occurs first). An Emission Control
Service.
❑ Rotate tires. See Tire Rotation
on page 9-55 for proper rotation
pattern and additional information.
(See footnote +.)
❑ Inspect engine air cleaner filter
if vehicle is driven in dusty
conditions. Replace filter if
necessary.
❑ Inspect passenger compartment
air filter.
❑ Change transfer case fluid when
doing frequent trailer towing.
❑ Change rear differential fluid when
doing frequent trailer towing.
Service and Maintenance 10-3

At Least Once a Year
Key Lock Cylinders Service
Lubricate the key lock cylinders
with the lubricant specified in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 10-15.
Seat Operation Check
Make sure the head restraints stay
in position and all seat latches
lock. Check that the recliner holds
by pushing and pulling the seatback
while it is reclined.
Body Lubrication Service
Lubricate all hood latch assembly,
secondary latch, pivots, spring
anchor, release pawl, hood and
body door hinges, rear compartment,
and any folding seat hardware.
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 10-15 tells
you what to use. More frequent
lubrication might be required when
exposed to a corrosive environment.
Starter Switch Check
See Starter Switch Check on
page 9-30. Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control System Check
{CAUTION
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could move
suddenly. If the vehicle moves,
you or others could be injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around the
vehicle. It should be parked on a
level surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 8-33 .
Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition to ON/RUN, but do not
start the engine. Without applying
the regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer/retailer for service. Ignition Transmission Lock
Check
While parked, and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF in each shift
lever position.
•For automatic transmission
vehicles, the ignition should
turn to LOCK/OFF only when
the shift lever is in P (Park).
•For manual transmission
vehicles, the ignition should
turn to LOCK/OFF only if
you push the ignition key in
farther, while turning it toward
LOCK/OFF.
Contact your dealer/retailer if
service is required.
10-12 Service and Maintenance

Parking Brake and Automatic
Transmission P (Park) Mechanism
Check
{CAUTION
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
•To check the parking brake’s
holding ability: With the engine
running and transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.
•To check the P (Park)
mechanism’s holding ability:
With the engine running, shift
to P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer/retailer if
service is required. Underbody Flushing Service
At least every spring, use plain water
to flush any corrosive materials from
the underbody. Take care to clean
thoroughly any areas where mud and
other debris can collect.
Periodic Maintenance
Inspections
These inspections and services
should be performed at least twice a
year, for instance, each spring and
fall.
You should let your dealer/
retailer do these jobs. Make sure any
necessary repairs are completed
at once.
Service and Maintenance 10-13

Proper procedures to perform these
services can be found in a service
manual. SeeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 12-12 .
•Inspect the front and rear
suspension and steering system
for damaged, loose, or missing
parts or signs of wear. Inspect
power steering cables for proper
hook-up, binding, cracks, chafing,
etc. Clean and then inspect the
drive axle boot seals for damage,
tears, or leakage. Replace seals if
necessary.
•Inspect the complete exhaust
system. Inspect the body near
the exhaust system. Look for
broken, damaged, missing, or
out-of-position parts as well as
open seams, holes, loose
connections, or other conditions
which could cause a heat build-up
in the floor pan or could let
exhaust fumes into the vehicle.
SeeEngine Exhaust on
page 8-23.
•Inspect the complete fuel system
for damage or leaks.
•Inspect the cooling system
hoses and have them replaced
if they are cracked, swollen or
deteriorated. Inspect all pipes,
fittings and clamps; replace as
needed. Clean the outside of
the radiator and air conditioning
condenser. To help ensure proper
operation, a pressure test of the
cooling system and pressure cap
is recommended at least once
a year.
•Inspect the throttle system for
interference or binding, and for
damaged or missing parts.
Replace parts as needed.
Replace any components that
have high effort or excessive
wear. Do not lubricate accelerator
and cruise control cables.
•Inspect the complete brake
system. Inspect brake lines
and hoses for proper hook-up,
binding, leaks, cracks, chafing,
etc. Inspect disc brake pads for
wear and rotors for surface
condition. Inspect other brake
parts, including calipers, parking
brake, etc. You may need to have
your brakes inspected more often
if your driving habits or conditions
result in frequent braking.
10-14 Service and Maintenance

Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
UsageFluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil Engine oil which meets GM Standard GM6094M and displays the
American Petroleum Institute Certified for Gasoline Engines starburst
symbol. To determine the proper viscosity for the vehicle’s engine, see
Engine Oil on page 9-9
.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL
®
Coolant. See
Engine Coolant on page 9-19 .
Hydraulic Brake/Clutch System Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. U.S. 88862806, in Canada 88862807). Windshield Washer Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Parking Brake Cable Guides Chassis Lubricant (GM Part No. 12377985, in Canada 88901242) or
lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Automatic Transmission Automatic Transmission Fluid WS ATF (GM Part No. U.S. 88863400,
in Canada 88863401).
Manual Transmission GM Goodwrench
®Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid
(GM Part No. U.S. 12346190, in Canada 10953477 — 1 quart)
or SAE 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil.
Manual Transmission Shift Linkage Chassis Lubricant (GM Part No. U.S. 12377985, in Canada 88901242)
or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Clutch Linkage Pivot Points Chassis Lubricant (GM Part No. U.S. 12377985, in Canada 88901242)
or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Service and Maintenance 10-15

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 tohave 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.
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
12-12 Customer Information