Pontiac 2006 Torrent Owners Manual Owner's

2015-10-24

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Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats .............................................. 1-10
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-12
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-30
Airbag System ......................................... 1-53
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-62
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-6
Windows ................................................. 2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-15
Mirrors .................................................... 2-27
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-32
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-34
Sunroof .................................................. 2-40
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-23
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-38
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-36
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-40
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-42
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-45
Tires ...................................................... 5-46
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-74
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-82
Electrical System ...................................... 5-83
Capacities and Specifications ..................... 5-88
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-14
Index ................................................................ 1
2006 Pontiac Torrent Owner Manual M
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC,
and the PONTIAC Emblem are registered trademarks;
and the name TORRENT is a trademark of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time
it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles
first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General
Motors of Canada Limited” for Pontiac Division
whenever it appears in this manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if
it is needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is
sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is
an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and
the page number where it can be found.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 06TORRENT A First Printing
©
2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii
Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We
use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things
that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce
the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Do Not,”
“Do Not do this” or
“Do Not let this happen.”
iii
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along
with the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of
a component, gage, or indicator, reference the
following topics:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv
These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:
v
✍NOTES
vi
Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Manual Seats ................................................1-2
Driver Seat Height Adjuster ..............................1-3
Six-Way Power Driver Seat ..............................1-3
Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-4
Heated Seats .................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5
Head Restraints .............................................1-8
Passenger Folding Seatback ............................1-9
Rear Seats .....................................................1-10
Split Folding Rear Seat .................................1-10
Safety Belts ...................................................1-12
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-12
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-17
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-17
Driver Position ..............................................1-18
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment .....................1-24
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-24
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-25
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-25
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ....................1-27
Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-29
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-30
Child Restraints .............................................1-30
Older Children ..............................................1-30
Infants and Young Children ............................1-33
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-36
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-40
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) ......................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position ....................................1-47
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position ............................1-50
Airbag System ...............................................1-53
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-55
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-58
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-59
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-59
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-60
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-61
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-62
Restraint System Check ..................................1-62
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-62
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-63
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1
Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar.
Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat
is locked in place.
1-2
Driver Seat Height Adjuster
If your vehicle has a manual driver seat height
adjuster, it is located on the outboard side of the seat
near the front of the seat cushion. To raise the seat,
move the lever upward repeatedly until the seat is
at the desired height. To lower the seat, move the
lever downward repeatedly until the seat is at the
desired height.
Six-Way Power Driver Seat
If your vehicle has this feature, the control is located
on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. To adjust
the seat do any of the following:
•Move the seat forward or rearward by moving
the control forward or rearward.
•Raise or lower the front portion of the seat by
sliding the front of the control up or down.
•Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat by
sliding the rear of the control up or down.
1-3
Manual Lumbar
If your vehicle has this
feature, the knob is
located on the front of the
driver seat lower cushion
on the inboard side.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the lumbar support.
Heated Seats
If your vehicle has
heated seats, the
switches are located
on the center console
of the instrument panel
above the shift lever.
Press the switch, nearest to the seat, once to turn
the heated seat on to the high setting. Both indicator
lights will be lit. Press the switch a second time to
turn the heated seat to the low setting. One indicator
light will be lit. Press the switch a third time to turn
the heated seat off.
The ignition must be on for the heated seats to operate.
1-4
Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.
To adjust the seatback on the driver’s seat, lift the
lever on the rear outboard side of the seat and move
the seatback to the desired position. Then release
the lever to lock the seatback in place.
Driver’s Seat with Manual Recline and
Manual Height Adjuster shown
1-5
To adjust the seatback on the front passenger’s seat,
lift the lever on the outboard side of the seat and
move the seatback to the desired position. Then release
the lever to lock the seatback in place. If your front
passenger’s seat is a flat folding seat, you must fully
raise the lever to disengage the seatback.
Passenger Seat with Folding Seatback
Option shown
1-6
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it
will not be against your body. Instead, it will
be in front of you. In a crash, you could go
into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a
crash, the belt could go up over your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there,
not at your pelvic bones. This could cause
serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
1-7
Head Restraints
Press the button on
the side of the head
restraint to lower it.
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces
the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
1-8
Passenger Folding Seatback
The front passenger’s seatback may fold flat.
{CAUTION:
If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo
is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inflating
airbag might force that object toward a person.
This could cause severe injury or even death.
Secure objects away from the area in which an
airbag would inflate. For more information,
see Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-55 and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
{CAUTION:
Things you put on this seatback can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash. Remove or secure all items
before driving.
To fold the seatback, do the following:
1. Lower the head restraint all the way.
2. Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it.
Slide the seat as far back as it will go and release
the bar. Try to move the seat back and forth to
make sure it is locked into place.
3. Lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side
of the seat, up fully and fold the seatback forward
until it disengages.
1-9
4. Continue to fold the seat forward until it locks in
the folded position.
5. Pull up on the seatback to be sure it is locked.
To raise the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side
of the seat, up fully and push up on the seatback.
2. Continue raising the seatback until the seatback
re-engages.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked in place.
The recliner lever is also used to recline the seatback
while a passenger is seated. See Reclining Seatbacks
on page 1-5.
Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
The rear split bench seatbacks have three available
positions — folded forward, upright, or partially reclined.
Both of the seatbacks can be moved to any of the
three positions independent of the other seatback
position. The rear bench seat can also be moved
forward and rearward.
1-10
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
To fold the seatback down, do the following:
1. Ensure all three of the safety belts are unbuckled
and the front seatbacks are not reclined.
2. Lift the lever located on the top of the seatback to
release the seatback.
3. Fold the seatback forward to the desired position.
1-11
To recline the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift and hold the lever located on top of the
seatback.
2. Tilt the seatback rearward, then release the lever
when the seatback is in the desired position.
To slide the entire seat forward or rearward, do the
following:
1. Lift and hold the release bar located under the
front of the seat cushion to unlock the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the desired position.
3. Release the bar.
4. Try to move the seat back and forth to ensure
the seat is locked in place.
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
1-12
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are
more likely to be seriously injured or killed.
Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and
safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle
is in a seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up
See Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-26.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work.
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do
have a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be
so serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many
of them, people who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have
been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up
does matter...a lot!
1-13
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.
1-14
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle.
The rider does not stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
1-15
or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-16
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you are upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater
if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have
to wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be
in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use
of safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that
has airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the
most protection. That is true not only in frontal
collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.
Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an
accident — even one that is not your fault — you
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond
your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less
than 40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-30
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-33. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you will want to know which restraint systems
your vehicle has.
1-17
We will start with the driver position.
Driver Position
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to
wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.
To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the
belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt
Extender on page 1-30.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
1-18
5. Move the shoulder belt height adjuster to the height
that is right for you. See Shoulder Belt Height
Adjustment on page 1-24.
6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder belt.
The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less
likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go
over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of
the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
1-19
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give nearly
as much protection this way.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt
is too loose. In a crash, you would move
forward too much, which could increase injury.
The shoulder belt should fit against your body.
1-20
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is
buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash,
the belt would go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt into the
buckle nearest you.
1-21
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm.
It should be worn over the shoulder at all times.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your
body would move too far forward, which would
increase the chance of head and neck injury.
Also, the belt would apply too much force to
the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder
bones. You could also severely injure internal
organs like your liver or spleen.
1-22
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt.
In a crash, you would not have the full width of
the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is
twisted, make it straight so it can work properly,
or ask your dealer to fix it.
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
The belt should go back out of the way.
Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the
way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both
the belt and your vehicle.
1-23
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt height
adjuster to the height that is right for you.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the
belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should
be away from your face and neck, but not falling off
your shoulder.
To move it up or down,
squeeze the release
buttons (A) together and
move the height adjuster
to the desired position.
After you move the height
adjuster to where you
want it, try to move it up or
down without squeezing
the release buttons to
make sure it has locked
into position.
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be
seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt,
and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is
more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash.
For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to
making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
1-24
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, see Driver Position on page 1-18.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt — except for the
following.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all
the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
When the safety belt is not in use, slide the latch plate
up the safety belt webbing. The latch plate should
rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the
guideloop.
Rear Seat Passengers
It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle
up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in
the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those
who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be
thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All rear seating positions have lap-shoulder belts.
Here is how to wear one properly.
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the
belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the
belt across you more slowly.
1-25
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way,
it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way
and start again.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt
Extender on page 1-30.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder part.
The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug
on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash,
this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you
would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid
under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen.
This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The
shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across
the chest. These parts of the body are best able to
take belt restraining forces.
1-26
The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or a crash.
The safety belt also locks if you pull the belt very
quickly out of the retractor.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder
belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move
forward too much, which could increase injury.
The shoulder belt should fit against your body.
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
For outboard seating positions, when the safety belt is not
in use, slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing.
The latch plate should rest on the stitching on the safety
belt, near the guide loop on the side wall.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added
safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults. When installed on
a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt
away from the neck and head.
1-27
There is one guide available for each outboard
passenger position in the rear seat. Here is how to
install a comfort guide and use the safety belt:
1. Remove the guide from its storage clip on the
back of the seatback.
2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic
cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide
over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt
into the slots of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat.
The elastic cord must be under the belt and the
guide on top.
1-28
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is not properly worn may
not provide the protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could be seriously
injured. The shoulder belt should go over the
shoulder and across the chest. These parts of
the body are best able to take belt restraining
forces.
4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as
described in Rear Seat Passengers on page 1-25.
Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the
shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the
belt edges together so that you can take them out of
the guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage
clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Turn the
guide and clip inward and slide them in between
the seatback and the interior body, leaving only the
loop of elastic cord exposed.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the driver
and right front passenger. Although you cannot see
them, they are located on the retractor part of the safety
belts. They help the safety belts reduce a person’s
forward movement in a moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal crash.
Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a
crash, you will need to get new ones, and probably other
new parts for your safety belt system. See Replacing
Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-63.
1-29
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you,
you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer will
order you an extender. It is free. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so
the extender will be long enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone else use it, and
use it only for the seat it is made to fit. The extender
has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing
child seats. To wear it, just attach it to the regular
safety belt. For more information, see the instruction
sheet that comes with the extender.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
1-30
Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt
and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt
can provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the
face or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below
the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. It should
never be worn over the abdomen, which could
cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in
a crash.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike
other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown
out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety
belts properly. {CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt.
The belt can not properly spread the impact
forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A belt
must be used by only one person at a time.
1-31
Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt
is very close to the child’s face or neck?
A: If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window,
move the child toward the center of the vehicle.
Also see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides on
page 1-27. If the child is sitting in the center rear
seat passenger position, move the child toward
the safety belt buckle. In either case, be sure that
the shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder,
so that in a crash the child’s upper body would
have the restraint the belts provide.
{CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a
lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is
behind the child. If the child wears the belt
in this way, in a crash the child might slide
under the belt. The belt’s force would then
be applied right on the child’s abdomen.
That could cause serious or fatal injuries.
Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching
the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s
pelvic bones in a crash.
1-32
Infants and Young Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes
infants and all other children. Neither the distance
traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes
the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints.
In fact, the law in every state in the United States and
in every Canadian province says children up to
some age must be restrained while in a vehicle.
Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles,
they should have the protection provided by appropriate
restraints. Young children should not use the vehicle’s
adult safety belts alone, unless there is no other choice.
Instead, they need to use a child restraint.
{CAUTION:
People should never hold a baby in their
arms while riding in a vehicle. A baby does
not weigh much — until a crash. During a
crash a baby will become so heavy it is not
possible to hold it. For example, in a crash at
only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) baby
will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force
on a person’s arms. A baby should be secured
in an appropriate restraint.
1-33
{CAUTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer protection for adults and older
children, but not for young children and
infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system
nor its airbag system is designed for them.
Young children and infants need the protection
that a child restraint system can provide.
Q: What are the different types of add-on child
restraints?
A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the
vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types.
Selection of a particular restraint should take
into consideration not only the child’s weight, height
and age but also whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it
will be used.
1-34
For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing
a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be
used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will
have a label saying that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come
with the restraint, state the weight and height
limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support,
including support for the head and neck.
This is necessary because a newborn infant’s
neck is weak and its head weighs so much
compared with the rest of its body. In a crash,
an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into
the restraint, so the crash forces can be
distributed across the strongest part of an
infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants
always should be secured in appropriate
infant restraints.
{CAUTION:
The body structure of a young child is quite
unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom
the safety belts are designed. A young child’s
hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’s
regular safety belt may not remain low on the
hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle
up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a body area
that is unprotected by any bony structure.
This alone could cause serious or fatal
injuries. Young children always should be
secured in appropriate child restraints.
1-35
Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use
in a motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system
designed to restrain or position a child on a continuous
flat surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests
toward the center of the vehicle.
A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with
the seating surface against the back of the infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place and,
in a crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in
the restraint.
1-36
A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.
A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have a five-point
harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
1-37
Q: How Should I Use a Child Restraint?
A: A child restraint system is any device designed for
use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children. A built-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which
is purchased by the vehicle’s owner. To help
reduce injuries, an add-on child restraint must be
secured in the vehicle. With built-in or add-on
child restraints, the child has to be secured within
the child restraint.
When choosing an add-on child restraint, be
sure the child restraint is designed to be used in
a vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that
it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint.
You may find these instructions on the restraint
itself or in a booklet, or both.
Securing an Add-on Child Restraint
in the Vehicle
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a
crash if the child restraint is not properly
secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child
restraint is properly installed in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came
with that restraint, and also the instructions
in this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint
must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-42 for more information. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
1-38
When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to the
instructions that come with the restraint which may be
on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this
manual. The child restraint instructions are important,
so if they are not available, obtain a replacement
copy from the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no
child is in it.
Securing the Child Within the
Child Restraint
There are several systems for securing the child
within the child restraint. One system, the three-point
harness, has straps that come down over each of
the infant’s shoulders and buckle together at the
crotch. The five-point harness system has two
shoulder straps, two hip straps, and a crotch strap.
A shield may take the place of hip straps. A T-shaped
shield has shoulder straps that are attached to a flat
pad which rests low against the child’s body. A shelf- or
armrest-type shield has straps that are attached to a
wide, shelf-like shield that swings up or to the side.
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a
crash if the child is not properly secured in the
child restraint. Make sure the child is properly
secured, following the instructions that came
with that restraint.
Because there are different systems, it is important to
refer to the instructions that come with the restraint.
A child can be endangered in a crash if the child is
not properly secured in the child restraint.
1-39
Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
We, therefore, recommend that child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding in a
rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing
child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the front
passenger seat. Here is why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inflates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inflating airbag.
Always secure a rear-facing child restraint
in a rear seat.
If you need to secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far back as it will
go. It is better to secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.
If you need to secure more than one child restraint
in the rear seat, review the following illustrations.
Depending on where you place the child restraint or
the size of the child restraint, you may not be able
to access certain safety belt assemblies or LATCH
anchors for additional passengers or child restraints.
1-40
Configurations for Use of Two
Child Restraints
A. Child restraint
using LATCH
B. Occupant
prohibited
A. Occupant
prohibited
B. Child restraint
using LATCH
A. Child restraint
using LATCH
B. No occupant
recommended
C. Child restraint or
occupant using
safety belt
Configurations for Use of Three
Child Restraints
A. Child restraint or
occupant using
safety belt
A. Child restraint or
occupant using
safety belt
B. Child restraint
using LATCH
Wherever you install a child restraint, be sure to secure
the child restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no
child is in it.
1-41
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)
Your vehicle has the LATCH system. The LATCH
system holds a child restraint during driving or in a
crash. This system is designed to make installation
of a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses
anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the
child restraint that are made for use with the
LATCH system
Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint
is properly installed using the anchors, or use the
vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following
the instructions that came with that restraint, and
also the instructions in this manual. When installing a
child restraint with a top tether, you must also use
either the lower anchors or the safety belts to properly
secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never
be installed using only the top tether and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,
you need a child restraint equipped with LATCH
attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will
provide you with instructions on how to use the child
restraint and its attachments. The following explains
how to attach a child restraint with these attachments
in your vehicle.
Your vehicle has lower anchors and top tether anchors.
Your child restraint may have lower attachments and
a top tether.
Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have
lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors
and attachments.
Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle.
There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating
position that will accommodate a child restraint with
lower attachments (B).
1-42
Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraint
to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the
vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the child
restraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehicle
in order to reduce the forward movement and rotation
of the child restraint during driving or in a crash.
Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or a
dual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B)
to secure the top tether to the anchor.
Some top tether-equipped child restraints are designed
for use with or without the top tether being attached.
Others require the top tether always to be attached.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing
child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether
be attached. In the United States, some child restraints
also have a top tether. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for your child restraint.
If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one
can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not
a kit is available.
Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor
Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with
top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor):
Seating positions with
two lower anchors.
Rear Seat
1-43
Each rear seating position has exposed metal anchors
located in the crease between the seatback and the
seat cushion.
The top tether anchors for each rear seating position are
located on the back of the rear seatback. You may need
to adjust the rear compartment storage panel/cover in
the rear cargo area to access the anchors. Be sure to use
an anchor located on the same side of the vehicle as the
seating position where the child restraint will be placed.
Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if the instructions
that come with the child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached. There is no place to attach the top
tether in this position.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-40 for
additional information.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached
to anchors, the restraint will not be able to
protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child
could be seriously injured or killed. Make sure
that a LATCH-type child restraint is properly
installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s
safety belts to secure the restraint, following
the instructions that came with that restraint,
and also the instructions in this manual.
1-44
{CAUTION:
Each top tether anchor and lower anchor in
the vehicle is designed to hold only one child
restraint. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the
anchor or attachment to come loose or even
break during a crash. A child or others could
be injured if this happens. To help prevent
injury to people and damage to your vehicle,
attach only one child restraint per anchor.
A. Passenger’s Side Rear
Seat Lower Anchors
B. Center Rear Seat
Lower Anchors
C. Driver’s Side Rear
Seat Lower Anchors
Make sure to attach the child restraint at the proper
anchor location.
1-45
This system is designed to make installation of child
restraints easier. When using lower anchors, do not use
the vehicle’s safety belts. Instead use the vehicle’s
anchors and child restraint attachments to secure the
restraints. Some restraints also use another vehicle
anchor to secure a top tether.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the
lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired seating position
does not have lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and the safety belts.
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments
on the child restraint to the lower anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped.
Refer to the child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. You may need to adjust the rear
compartment storage panel/cover in the
rear cargo area to access the anchors. See
Rear Compartment Storage Panel/Cover
on page 2-37.
2.3. Route, attach and tighten the top tether
according to your child restraint instructions
and the following instructions:
If the position you are
using does not have a
head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether over
the seatback.
1-46
If the position you are
using does not have a
head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether over
the seatback.
If the position you are
using has an adjustable
head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether around
the head restraint.
If the position you are
using has an adjustable
head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether under
the head restraint and
in between the head
restraint posts.
3. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-42.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system,
you will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the
child restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the
instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure
the child in the child restraint when and as the
instructions say.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
1-47
3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
1-48
5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. If you are using a
forward-facing child restraint, you may find it
helpful to use your knee to push down on the
child restraint as you tighten the belt.
6. If your child restraint manufacturer recommends
using a top tether, attach and tighten the top
tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the
instructions that came with the child restraint and to
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 1-42.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is
attached, disconnect it. Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety
belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and be ready to work for an
adult or larger child passenger. For outboard seating
positions, when the safety belt is not in use, slide
the latch plate up the safety belt webbing. The latch
plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt,
near the upper anchor on the side wall.
1-49
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-42.
There is no top tether anchor in the right front
passenger’s position. Do not secure a child seat in
this position if a national or local law requires that the
top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that
come with the child restraint say that the top tether
must be anchored. See Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH) on page 1-42 if the child
restraint has a top tether.
Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s airbag.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in this seat.
Here is why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating airbag. Always secure
a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat.
1-50
A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing
child restraint. If you need to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat, you will be using the
lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this
position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with
the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint
when and as the instructions say.
1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger’s
airbag, always move the seat as far back as it will
go before securing a forward-facing child restraint.
See Manual Seats on page 1-2.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how. 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
1-51
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock. 6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap
portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. You may find it helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child restraint as you
tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or
larger child passenger. When the safety belt is not in use,
slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing. The latch
plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near
the guide loop on the side wall.
1-52
Airbag System
Your vehicle has a frontal airbag for the driver and a
frontal airbag for the right front passenger. Your vehicle
may also have roof-mounted side impact airbags.
Roof-mounted side impact airbags are available for
the driver and the passenger seated directly behind
the driver and for the right front passenger and
the passenger seated directly behind that passenger.
If your vehicle has side impact airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the airbag covering on the
ceiling near the driver’s and right front passenger’s
window.
Even if you do not have a right front passenger seat
in your vehicle there is still an active frontal airbag in
the right side of the instrument panel. Do not place
cargo in front of this airbag.
{CAUTION:
Be sure that cargo is not near an airbag.
In a crash, an inflating airbag might force
that object toward a person. This could cause
severe injury or even death. Secure objects
away from the area in which an airbag would
inflate. For more information, see Where Are
the Airbags? on page 1-55 and Loading Your
Vehicle on page 4-31.
Frontal airbags are designed to help reduce the risk
of injury from the force of an inflating frontal airbag.
But these airbags must inflate very quickly to do their
job and comply with federal regulations.
1-53
Here are the most important things to know about the
airbag system:
{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash
if you are not wearing your safety belt — even
if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt
during a crash helps reduce your chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or being ejected
from it. Airbags are “supplemental restraints”
to the safety belts. All airbags are designed to
work with safety belts but do not replace them.
Frontal airbags for the driver and right front
passenger are designed to deploy in moderate
to severe frontal and near frontal crashes.
They are not designed to inflate in rollover, rear
crashes, or in many side crashes. And, for some
unrestrained occupants, frontal airbags may
provide less protection in frontal crashes than
more forceful airbags have provided in the past.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Roof-mounted side impact airbags are designed
to inflate in moderate to severe crashes where
something hits the side of your vehicle. They
are not designed to inflate in frontal, in rollover
or in rear crashes. Everyone in your vehicle
should wear a safety belt properly — whether
or not there is an airbag for that person.
{CAUTION:
Both frontal and side impact airbags inflate
with great force, faster than the blink of an
eye. If you are too close to an inflating airbag,
as you would be if you were leaning forward,
it could seriously injure you. Safety belts help
keep you in position for airbag inflation before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt even with frontal airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible while still
maintaining control of the vehicle. Occupants
should not lean on or sleep against the door.
1-54
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither
the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle. To read how,
see Older Children on page 1-30 or Infants
and Young Children on page 1-33.
There is an airbag
readiness light on
the instrument panel
cluster, which shows
the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-26
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-55
The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side. If your vehicle has a side impact airbag for the driver
and the person seated directly behind the driver, it is
in the ceiling above the side windows.
1-56
If your vehicle has a side impact airbag for the right
front passenger and the person seated directly behind
that passenger, it is in the ceiling above the side
windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
airbag covering. And, if your vehicle has
roof-mounted side impact airbags, never
secure anything to the roof of your vehicle
by routing the rope or tiedown through any
door or window opening. If you do, the path
of an inflating side impact airbag will be
blocked. The path of an inflating airbag must
be kept clear.
1-57
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate
only if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds take into account
a variety of desired deployment and non-deployment
events and are used to predict how severe a crash
is likely to be in time for the airbags to inflate and help
restrain the occupants. Whether your frontal airbags
will or should deploy is not based on how fast your
vehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact and how quickly your
vehicle slows down.
In addition, your vehicle has “dual-stage” frontal airbags,
which adjust the restraint according to crash severity.
Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal sensors
which help the sensing system distinguish between
a moderate frontal impact and a more severe
frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, these
airbags inflate at a level less than full deployment.
For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that does not move or deform, the threshold level
for the reduced deployment is about 11 to 16 mph
(17 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h).
The threshold level can vary, however, with specific
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above
or below this range.
Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash speeds.
For example:
•If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could inflate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.
•If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than
if the vehicle hits an object that does not deform.
•If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole) the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall).
•If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight into the object.
The frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger)
are not intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers,
rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
1-58
Your vehicle may or may not have side impact airbags.
See Airbag System on page 1-53. Side impact airbags
are intended to inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes. A side impact airbag will inflate if the crash
severity is above the system’s designed “threshold level.”
The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design.
Side impact airbags are not intended to inflate in frontal
or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag
should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what the
vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the
vehicle slows down. For side impact airbags, inflation is
determined by the location and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inflator, which inflates the airbag. The inflator, airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
in front of the right front passenger. For vehicles
with side impact airbags, there are also airbag modules
in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including many
frontal or near frontal collisions, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those airbags. Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for side impact airbags.
1-59
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inflates?
After a frontal airbag inflates, it quickly deflates,
so quickly that some people may not even realize the
airbag inflated. Roof-mounted side impact airbags
deflate more slowly and may still be at least partially
inflated minutes after the vehicle comes to rest. Some
components of the airbag module may be hot for a
short time. These components include the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s frontal airbag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag. For vehicles with roof-mounted side impact
airbags, the ceiling of your vehicle near the side
windows, and the vehicle metal near the rear windows
and tailgate may be warm. The parts of the airbag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and
dust coming from the vents in the deflated airbags.
Airbag inflation does not prevent the driver from
seeing out of the windshield or being able to steer the
vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inflates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing problems
but cannot get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from
the right front passenger airbag.
1-60
Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically
unlock the doors and turn the interior dome lamp on
and flash the parklamps on and off when the airbags
inflate (if battery power is available.) You can lock
the doors again and turn the interior lamps off by
using the door lock and interior lamp controls.
•Airbags are designed to inflate only once. After
an airbag inflates, you will need some new parts
for your airbag system. If you do not get them,
the airbag system will not be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly other parts. The
service manual for your vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.
•Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after
a crash. See Vehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders on page 7-10.
•Let only qualified technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that your
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer for service.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. You do not want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the airbag system.
To purchase a service manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-15.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inflate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an airbag
when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the airbag system.
Be sure to follow proper service procedures,
and make sure the person performing work
for you is qualified to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
1-61
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might add to the front
or sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end or side sheet
metal or height, they may keep the airbag system
from working properly. Also, the airbag system may
not work properly if you relocate any of the airbag
sensors. If you have any questions about this,
you should contact Customer Assistance before
you modify your vehicle. The phone numbers
and addresses for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure
in this manual. See Customer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 7-2.
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder
light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any
other loose or damaged safety belt system parts.
If you see anything that might keep a safety belt
system from doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Notice: If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s airbag, or the side
impact airbag covering (if equipped) on the ceiling
near the side windows, the airbag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the airbag
module in the steering wheel, both the airbag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s airbag, or side impact airbag module
and ceiling covering for roof-mounted side impact
airbags (if equipped.) Do not open or break the
airbag coverings.
1-62
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems
in your vehicle. A damaged restraint system
may not properly protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in
a crash. To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If you have had a crash, do you need new belts or
LATCH system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if
worn during a more severe crash, then you need
new parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the belt
or LATCH system was not being used at the time of
the collision.
If an airbag inflates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part on the airbag system earlier
in this section.
If the frontal airbags inflate you will also need to replace
the driver and front passenger’s safety belt retractor
assembly. Be sure to do so. Then the new retractor
assembly will be there to help protect you in a collision.
After a crash you may need to replace the driver and
front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies, even
if the frontal airbags have not deployed. The driver
and front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies
contain the safety belt pretensioners. Have your
safety belt pretensioners checked if your vehicle has
been in a collision, or if your airbag readiness light stays
on after you start your vehicle or while you are driving.
See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-26.
1-63
✍NOTES
1-64
Keys ...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System .........................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation ...........2-4
Doors and Locks .............................................2-6
Door Locks ....................................................2-6
Power Door Locks ..........................................2-7
Delayed Locking .............................................2-7
Automatic Door Lock .......................................2-8
Programmable Automatic Door Unlock ...............2-8
Rear Door Security Locks ................................2-8
Lockout Protection ..........................................2-9
Liftgate ........................................................2-10
Windows ........................................................2-11
Power Windows ............................................2-12
Sun Visors ...................................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems ..................................2-13
Content Theft-Deterrent .................................2-13
Passlock
®
....................................................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ................2-15
New Vehicle Break-In ....................................2-15
Ignition Positions ..........................................2-16
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) ...................2-17
Starting the Engine .......................................2-17
Engine Coolant Heater ..................................2-18
Automatic Transaxle Operation .......................2-19
Parking Brake ..............................................2-22
Shifting Into Park (P) .....................................2-23
Shifting Out of Park (P) .................................2-24
Parking Over Things That Burn .......................2-25
Engine Exhaust ............................................2-25
Running the Engine While Parked ...................2-26
Mirrors ...........................................................2-27
Manual Rearview Mirror .................................2-27
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
OnStar
®
, Compass and Temperature
Display ....................................................2-27
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
Compass and Temperature Display ..............2-29
Outside Power Mirrors ...................................2-31
Outside Convex Mirrors .................................2-32
OnStar
®
System .............................................2-32
Storage Areas ................................................2-34
Glove Box ...................................................2-34
Cupholder(s) ................................................2-34
Center Console Storage Area .........................2-35
Luggage Carrier ...........................................2-35
Rear Compartment Storage Panel/Cover ..........2-37
Table ..........................................................2-39
Convenience Net ..........................................2-40
Sunroof .........................................................2-40
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1
Keys
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. They
could operate the power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move.
The children or others could be badly injured
or even killed. Do not leave the keys in a
vehicle with children.
One key is used for the ignition and all of the locks.
Key code information can be obtained by your dealer.
These code numbers can be used to make new
keys. Additional keys that are needed can be made
at any retail service facility provided you have the key
code information. Store this information in a safe place,
but not in your vehicle.
2-2
Have extra keys made. Your service parts department
can make extra keys for you.
Notice: If you ever lock your keys in your vehicle,
you may have to damage the vehicle to get in.
Be sure you have spare keys.
If your vehicle is equipped with the OnStar
®
system
with an active subscription and you lock your keys
inside the vehicle, OnStar
®
may be able to send
a command to unlock your vehicle. See OnStar
®
System on page 2-32 for more information.
Remote Keyless Entry System
The remote keyless entry system operates on a
radio frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
•This device may not cause harmful interference.
•This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
•This device may not cause interference.
•This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modifications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
At times you may notice a decrease in range. This is
normal for any remote keyless entry system. If the
transmitter does not work or if you have to stand closer
to your vehicle for the transmitter to work, try this:
•Check the distance. You may be too far from your
vehicle. You may need to stand closer during rainy
or snowy weather.
•Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal. Take a few steps to the left or
right, hold the transmitter higher, and try again.
•Check to determine if battery replacement or
resynchronization is necessary. See “Battery
Replacement” and “Resynchronization” under
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on
page 2-4.
•If you are still having trouble, see your dealer
or a qualified technician for service.
2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System
Operation
With this feature, you can lock and unlock the doors
from about 26 feet (8 m) away using the remote keyless
entry transmitter supplied with your vehicle.
Q(Lock): Press this
button on the remote
keyless entry transmitter
one time to lock the doors.
The parking lamps will
flash once. This also arms
the content theft-deterrent
system.
Pressing the lock button two times within three seconds
will lock the doors. The parking lamps will flash twice
and the horn chirps.
K(Unlock): Press this button on the remote
keyless entry transmitter one time to unlock the
driver’s door. The parking lamps will flash three times
and the headlamps and interior lamps will come on.
The interior lights will stay on for 20 seconds or until
the key is turned in the ignition. Press the button again
within five seconds to unlock the rest of the doors.
The unlock button also disarms the content
theft-deterrent system.
L(Panic Alarm): Press the button with the horn
symbol when the ignition is turned off. The horn
will sound and the parking lamps and dome lamp will
flash for up to two minutes. To stop the panic alarm,
press this button again.
The remote keyless entry transmitter is used to
arm/disarm the content theft-deterrent system. Your
vehicle’s theft-deterrent system can be programmed
to three different modes. See Content Theft-Deterrent
on page 2-13
If you accidentally set off the alarm when entering
or exiting the vehicle, you can shut it off by pressing
the lock or unlock button once or the panic alarm
button twice.
2-4
Matching Transmitter(s) to
Your Vehicle
Each remote keyless entry transmitter is coded to
prevent another transmitter from unlocking your vehicle.
If a transmitter is lost or stolen, a replacement can
be purchased through your dealer. Remember to bring
any remaining transmitters with you when you go to
your dealer. When the dealer matches the replacement
transmitter to your vehicle, any remaining transmitters
must also be matched. Once your dealer has coded
the new transmitter, the lost transmitter will not unlock
your vehicle. Each vehicle can have a maximum of
four transmitters matched to it.
Battery Replacement
Under normal use, the battery in your remote keyless
entry transmitter should last about four years.
You can tell the battery is weak if the transmitter will
not work at the normal range in any location. If you
have to get close to your vehicle before the transmitter
works, it is probably time to change the battery.
Notice: When replacing the battery, use care
not to touch any of the circuitry. Static from your
body transferred to these surfaces may damage
the transmitter.
1. Use a flat thin object to pry open the transmitter.
2. Once the transmitter is separated, use a pencil
or similar object to remove the old battery.
Do not use a metal object.
3. Insert the new battery as the instructions under
the cover indicate.
4. Snap the transmitter back together tightly to be
sure no moisture can enter.
5. Check the operation of the transmitter.
If the transmitter does not work, try synchronizing your
transmitter with your receiver. See “Resynchronization”
for more information.
2-5
Resynchronization
This is used to keep the transmitter of the vehicle
communicating with the receiver of the vehicle.
Resynchronization may be required due to the
security method used by this system.
Your vehicle has an automatic resynchronization
function built into the system. If your transmitter
is not working properly and you have to manually
resynchronize, press the lock and unlock buttons at
the same time for seven seconds while you are
near your vehicle. The doors will lock or unlock,
depending on their starting position. If they do not,
contact your dealer for service.
Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
•Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked,
the handle will not open it. You increase
the chance of being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash if the doors are not
locked. So, wear safety belts properly
and lock the doors whenever you drive.
•Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and
can suffer permanent injuries or even
death from heat stroke. Always lock your
vehicle whenever you leave it.
•Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors
can help prevent this from happening.
2-6
There are a couple of ways to manually lock or
unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use the key in the driver’s door.
From the inside, use the lock control on the door.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock
switches are located
on the driver’s and front
passenger’s doors.
K(Unlock): To unlock the doors, press the
unlock symbol.
Q(Lock): Remove the ignition key and press
the lock symbol to lock all of the doors.
Delayed Locking
A chime will sound three times to indicate a door or
liftgate is open when you try to lock the doors with
the remote keyless entry transmitter or the power
door lock switch. The doors will not lock, and the
theft-deterrent system will not arm until all the doors
are closed and five seconds have passed.
The delayed locking feature can be overridden by
pressing the lock button on the remote keyless entry
transmitter, or the door lock switch, a second time.
The doors will lock immediately and when all doors
are closed the theft-deterrent system will arm after
30 seconds.
To get the horn to chirp if a door was open during
the arming process, you must press the lock button
on your transmitter twice after the doors are closed.
2-7
Automatic Door Lock
With this feature, all the doors will automatically lock
when the shift lever is moved out of PARK (P) if
the ignition is in the run position and all doors are
closed. Otherwise, the doors will automatically lock
if the vehicle is going faster than 3 mph (5 km/h).
In the following two situations, all doors will lock
again when:
•The brake pedal is applied, a door is opened
and then closed, and the brake pedal is released.
•A door is opened and closed without the brake
pedal applied while the vehicle is moving faster
than 3 mph (5 km/h).
This feature cannot be disabled.
Programmable Automatic
Door Unlock
Your vehicle is programmed to automatically unlock all
doors when the shift lever is moved into PARK (P).
To turn this feature on or off, turn the ignition to the run
position and press the unlock part of the power door
lock switch for eight seconds. The horn will chirp once
when this feature is on and twice when it is off.
Rear Door Security Locks
Your vehicle has rear door security locks that prevent
passengers from opening the rear doors from the inside.
The rear door security
locks are located on
the inside edge of each
rear door. You must
open the rear doors to
access them.
2-8
To set the security locks, do the following:
1. Insert the key into the lock above the rear
door security lock label and turn it to the
horizontal position.
2. Close the door.
3. Repeat the steps for the other rear door.
To open a rear door while the security lock is on,
do the following:
1. Unlock the door using the remote keyless entry
transmitter, the front door power lock switch,
or by lifting the rear door manual lock.
2. Open the door from the outside.
To cancel the rear door security lock, do the following:
1. Unlock the door and open it from the outside.
2. Insert the key into the slot next to the rear
door security lock label and turn it to the
vertical position.
3. Repeat the steps for the other lock.
Lockout Protection
If you press the power door lock switch when the key
is in the ignition and any door is open, all the doors
will lock and only the driver’s door will unlock. Be sure
to remove the key from the ignition when locking
your vehicle.
If the keyless entry transmitter is used to lock the
doors and the key is in the ignition, a chime will
sound three times. All passenger doors will lock,
but the driver’s door will remain unlocked.
2-9
Liftgate
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate or
liftglass open because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can come into your vehicle. You cannot
see or smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death. If you must
drive with the liftgate open or if electrical
wiring or other cable connections must pass
through the seal between the body and the
liftgate or liftglass:
•Make sure all other windows are shut.
•Turn the fan on your climate control
system to its highest speed and select the
control setting that will force outside air
into your vehicle. See “Climate Control
System” in the Index.
•If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See Engine Exhaust on page 2-25.
To unlock the liftgate, press the unlock button on the
remote keyless entry transmitter twice or use the power
door lock switch.
To lock the liftgate, press the lock button on the remote
keyless entry transmitter or use the power door lock
switch. The liftgate does not have a key lock cylinder.
To open the liftgate, pull up on the handle located in
the center of the liftgate.
When closing the liftgate, use the molded handles to
pull the liftgate down. Push the liftgate closed until
it latches.
2-10
Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets in a
vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the extreme heat
and suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a child, a
helpless adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows closed in warm
or hot weather.
2-11
Power Windows
The window switches for all doors are located on the
center console. A window switch for each rear window
is located on each rear door.
To open a window, press the bottom of the switch.
To close a window, press the top of the switch.
The power windows operate when the ignition is RUN
or ACC (Accessory), or while in Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). See Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 2-17.
Express-Down Window
The driver’s window switch has an express-down feature
that allows the window to be lowered without holding the
switch. The switch is labeled AUTO. Press the bottom of
the switch part way, and the driver’s window will open a
small amount. Press the switch down all the way down
and release it and the window will go down automatically.
To stop the window while it is lowering, press and
release the top of the switch.
Window Lockout
o(Window Lockout): Your vehicle has a lockout
feature to prevent rear seat passengers from operating
the windows. Press the lockout button, located with
the power window switches, to turn the feature on
and off. When the red band on the button is showing,
the lockout feature is off.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, swing the sun visor down. You
can also detach the driver’s sun visor from the center
mount and slide it along the rod from side-to-side
for greater coverage.
Visor Vanity Mirrors
Your vehicle has covered visor vanity mirrors on both
the driver’s and passenger’s side.
2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle has a
content theft-deterrent
alarm system.
The remote keyless entry transmitter is used to
arm/disarm the content theft-deterrent system.
See Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on
page 2-4. Your vehicle’s theft-deterrent system can
be programmed to three different modes.
Active Arming: The system will arm when the lock
button on the remote keyless entry transmitter is
pressed. The security system light will come on steady
for thirty seconds. During this time you can still get
back into the vehicle without triggering the alarm.
Once the light starts flashing the system is armed.
The system will disarm when the unlock button on
the transmitter is pressed.
Passive Arming: The system will arm itself one minute
after the ignition is turned off and the driver’s door
has been opened and closed. If the lock button on the
transmitter is pressed before the minute has passed,
the system will arm immediately. The system will disarm
when the unlock button is pressed.
Security System Disable: The system will not arm.
2-13
Content Theft-Deterrent Personalization
To change the mode that your vehicle is programmed to,
do the following:
1. Turn the ignition to RUN or ACC (Accessory).
2. Press the panic alarm button on the transmitter
slowly four times within five seconds.
3. You must complete one of the following within
three seconds to change the mode.
•To select the active arming mode, press the
lock button on the transmitter once within
three seconds. A chime will sound two times
to acknowledge that the active arming mode
has been selected.
•To select the passive arming mode, press the
lock button on the transmitter twice within
three seconds. A chime will sound three times
to acknowledge that the passive arming
mode has been selected.
•To select the security system disable mode,
press the unlock button on the transmitter
once within three seconds. A chime will sound
one time to acknowledge that the security system
disabled mode has been selected.
If you accidentally set off the alarm when entering or
exiting the vehicle, you can shut it off by pressing either
the lock or unlock button once on the remote keyless
entry transmitter. The panic alarm button needs to
be pressed twice to turn off the alarm. There is a
ten second pre-alarm grace period indicated by a
rapid beeping. By pressing the transmitter buttons as
indicated above, you can disarm the system before
the horn begins to sound and the exterior lights begin
to flash.
If you hear three horn chirps when you press the
unlock button on the transmitter, that means the
vehicle’s alarm was triggered while you were away.
2-14
Passlock
®
Your vehicle has the Passlock
®
theft-deterrent system.
This light will come
on for the theft-deterent
system and is located
on the instrument
panel cluster.
Passlock
®
is a passive theft-deterrent system. Passlock
®
enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is turned with
a valid key. If a correct key is not used or the ignition
lock cylinder is tampered with, fuel is disabled.
If the engine stalls and the security light flashes, wait
until the light stops flashing before trying to restart
the engine. Remember to release the key from START
as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine is running and the security light comes
on, you will be able to restart the engine if you turn
the engine off. However, your Passlock
®
system is
not working properly and must be serviced by your
dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by Passlock
®
at
this time. You may also want to check the fuses.
See your dealer for service.
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice: Your 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 first 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake, or slow, the vehicle.
•Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your 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 on page 4-38 for
the trailer towing capabilities of your
vehicle and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load
can be gradually increased.
2-15
Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition
switch, you can turn it to
four different positions.
A warning tone will sound
if you open the driver’s
door when the key has
not been removed from
the ignition.
Notice: Using a tool to force the key from the
ignition switch could cause damage or break the
key. Use the correct key and turn the key only with
your hand. Make sure the key is in all the way. If
none of this works, then your vehicle needs service.
9(LOCK): You will only be able to remove your key
when the ignition is turned to LOCK.
The ignition switch cannot be turned to LOCK unless
the shift lever is in PARK (P).
ACC (Accessory): This position operates some of your
electrical accessories.
R(RUN): This is the position the switch returns to
after you start your engine and release the switch.
The switch stays in the RUN position when the engine
is running. But even when the engine is not running,
you can use RUN to operate your electrical accessories
and to display some warning and indicator lights.
/(START): This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return to RUN for normal driving.
2-16
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle has a Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
feature which will allow the radio to continue to work
up to 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off.
Your radio will work when the ignition key is in RUN
or ACC. Once the key is turned off, the radio will
continue to work for up to 10 minutes or until any
door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position — that is
a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice: Shifting into PARK (P) with the vehicle
moving could damage the transaxle. Shift into
PARK (P) only when your vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
Notice: Repeated attempts to start your engine, will
cause your battery to drain much sooner. Excessive
heat can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it does not start within 10 seconds, rotate the key
back from START to RUN. Holding the key in
START will not cause the vehicle to keep cranking.
Then push the accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor, while you turn the ignition key to START.
When the engine starts, let go of the key and let
up on the accelerator pedal. Wait about 15 seconds
between each try.
Use the same instructions as stated earlier, when
starting your engine in very cold weather. It is
recommended that you use the engine block heater,
if equipped, to assist in starting your engine in very
cold weather.
Notice: Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
2-17
Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has this feature, in very cold weather
0°F (−18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater
can help. You will get easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the
coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures
above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not
required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is located on the driver’s side of the
engine compartment, behind the battery.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a fire. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
2-18
Automatic Transaxle Operation
The shift lever is located on the center console.
There are several different positions for the automatic
transaxle.
PARK (P): This position locks your front wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your 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 your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P). See Shifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-23. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-38.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shift lock control system. You have to
fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition key is in RUN.
2-19
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever – push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and also release the shift lever button as
you maintain brake application. Then, press the
shift lever button and move the shift lever into the
desired gear. See Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-24.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-30.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is firmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
while the engine is running at high speed may
damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speeds when shifting your vehicle.
Notice: Shifting to a drive gear from NEUTRAL (N)
while the vehicle is moving could damage the
transaxle. Make sure the vehicle is stopped before
shifting from NEUTRAL (N) into a drive gear.
2-20
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): This position is for
normal driving with the automatic transaxle. If you
need more power for passing, and you are:
•Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
•Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator all the way down.
LOW FOUR (L4): This position is also used for
normal driving, however, it offers more power and lower
fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose LOW FOUR (L4)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
•When driving on hilly, winding roads.
•When going down a steep hill.
LOW TWO (L2): This position gives you more
power but lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D). You can use LOW TWO (L2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
Notice: Do not drive in LOW TWO (L2) for more
than 25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) or LOW FOUR
(L4) as much as possible. Do not shift into
LOW TWO (L2) unless you are going slower than
65 mph (105 km/h) or you can damage your engine.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Transaxle Overheating
If the transaxle fluid temperature rises above
284°F (140°C) or rises rapidly, the Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light will flash. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light on page 3-31 for
more information. When the transaxle overheats it will go
into a protection mode and will default shift into fifth gear
if in the AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) position, or
second gear if in the LOW TWO (L2) position. Continue
driving the vehicle in either position depending on the
required vehicle speed and load. Once the fluid
temperature lowers to the normal temperature range,
the transaxle will return to the normal shift patterns.
Towing or driving on long hills can cause the transaxle
fluid temperature to be higher than normal. If the
transaxle fluid temperature will not cool, you may
need to pull over and check the transaxle fluid level.
You should also check the engine coolant temperature.
If it is hot, see Engine Overheating on page 5-23.
2-21
Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located to the right of the
driver’s seat.
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.
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.
Make sure to release the parking brake before driving
the vehicle.
If the parking brake is applied and the vehicle is moving
at least 4 mph (6 km/h), a chime will activate to
remind you to release the parking brake.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
2-22
Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on
page 4-38.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position
by holding in the button on the shift lever and
pushing it all the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle could
move suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) 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
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After you
have moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move
the shift lever away from PARK (P) without first pushing
the button. If you can, it means that the shift lever
was not fully locked into PARK (P).
2-23
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To find out how, see Shifting Into
Park (P) on page 2-23.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of PARK (P) 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 transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition is in RUN.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever — push the shift lever all the way
into PARK (P), as you maintain brake application.
Then, press the button on the shift lever and move
the shift lever into the gear you wish.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still cannot
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to LOCK.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the desired
drive gear.
5. Have your vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
2-24
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other
things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you cannot see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
•Your exhaust system sounds strange or
different.
•Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
•Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
•Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over road
debris.
•Repairs were not done correctly.
•Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modified improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
•Drive it only with all the windows down
to blow out any CO; and
•Have your vehicle fixed immediately.
2-25
Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-25.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even
if the climate control fan is at the highest
setting. One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
See Winter Driving on page 4-26.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. Do not leave your 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 your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will
not move. See Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-23.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a trailer,
also see Towing a Trailer on page 4-38.
2-26
Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
To adjust the angle of the mirror, move the mirror
to a position that allows you see to out of the back
window. To adjust the height of the mirror, adjust
the arm that connects the mirror to the windshield.
To reduce glare from lights behind you, move the
lever toward you to the night position.
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror with OnStar
®
, Compass
and Temperature Display
If the vehicle has this feature, an automatic dimming
mirror automatically dims to the proper level to
minimize glare at night from lights behind your vehicle.
For more information about OnStar
®
, see OnStar
®
System on page 2-32.
The mirror also includes a dual display in the upper
right corner of the mirror face. The compass reading
and the outside temperature will both appear in
the display at the same time.
Y(On/Off): This is the on/off button.
Automatic Dimming Mirror Operation
The automatic dimming mirror function is turned on
each time the ignition is started. A light near the
on/off button will come on to indicate the automatic
dimming is on.
Press the on/off button for about four seconds to
manually turn the automatic dimming function
on or off.
Temperature and Compass Display
Press the on/off button, located to the far left, to cycle
between °F, °C and off.
If the display reads CAL, the compass needs to be
calibrated. For more information, see “Compass
Calibration” later in this section.
If an abnormal temperature reading is displayed for
an extended period of time, please consult your dealer.
Under certain circumstances, especially in idle, an
increase and delay in updating the temperature
is normal.
2-27
Compass Variance
Press the on/off button twice to turn on the compass.
Compass variance is the difference between earth’s
magnetic north and true geographic north. If not
adjusted to account for compass variance, the mirror’s
compass could give false readings. The mirror is
set in zone eight upon leaving the factory. It will be
necessary to adjust the compass to compensate
for compass variance if you live outside of zone eight.
Under certain circumstances, as during a long distance
cross-country trip, it will also be necessary to adjust
for compass variance.
To adjust for compass variance do the following:
1. Find your current location and variance zone
number on the following zone map.
2. Press the on/off button approximately seven
seconds until the word ZONE appears in the
display. The compass is now in zone mode.
3. Press and release the on/off button until the
desired zone number appears in the display.
After approximately four seconds of inactivity,
the new zone number will be locked in and the
compass/temperature display will return.
4. Calibrate the compass as described below.
2-28
Compass Calibration
The compass may need calibration if one of the
following occurs:
•After approximately five seconds, the display does
not show a compass heading (N for North, for
example), there may be a strong magnetic field
interfering with the compass. Such interference may
be caused by a magnetic antenna mount, magnetic
note pad holder, or a similar magnetic item.
•The compass does not display the correct heading
and the compass zone variance is set correctly.
In order to calibrate, CAL must be displayed in the
mirror compass windows. If CAL is not displayed,
push the on/off button for approximately 12 seconds
or until CAL is displayed.
The compass can be calibrated by driving the vehicle
in circles at 5 mph (8 km/h) or less until the display
reads a direction.
Cleaning the Mirror
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or similar
material dampened with glass cleaner. Do not spray
glass cleaner directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror housing.
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror with Compass and
Temperature Display
If the vehicle has this feature, the automatic dimming
mirror automatically dims to the proper level to minimize
glare at night from lights behind your vehicle.
The mirror also has a dual display in the upper right
corner of the mirror that shows the compass reading
and the outside temperature.
YOn/Off: Press this button to operate the automatic
dimming, compass and temperature features.
Automatic Dimming Mirror Operation
The automatic dimming mirror function is turned on
each time the ignition is started. A light near the
on/off button will come on to indicate the automatic
dimming is on.
If the automatic dimming function is off, press and
hold the on/off button for four seconds to manually
turn the system back on.
2-29
Temperature and Compass Display
Press the on/off button, located in the center, to cycle
between °F, °C and off. If the display reads CAL,
the compass needs to be calibrated. For more
information, see “Compass Calibration” later in
this section.
If an abnormal temperature reading is displayed for an
extended period of time, please consult your dealer.
Under certain circumstances, a delay in updating
the temperature is normal.
Compass Variance
Compass variance is the difference between earth’s
magnetic north and true geographic north. If not
adjusted to account for compass variance, the mirror’s
compass could give false readings. The mirror is
set in zone eight upon leaving the factory. It will be
necessary to adjust the compass to compensate
for compass variance if you live outside zone eight.
Under certain circumstances, as during a long distance
cross-country trip, it will be necessary to adjust for
compass variance.
To adjust for compass variance:
1. Find the current location and variance zone number
on the following zone map.
2. Press and hold the on/off button for five seconds
until the word ZONE appears in the display.
The compass is now in zone mode.
3. Press and release the on/off button within
five seconds until the new zone number appears
in the display. The display will show a compass
direction within a few seconds.
2-30
Compass Calibration
The compass may need calibration if one of the
following occurs:
•If CAL is displayed while driving in the vehicle.
•After approximately five seconds, the display does
not show a compass heading (N for North, for
example), there may be a strong magnetic field
interfering with the compass. Such interference may
be caused by a magnetic antenna mount, magnetic
note pad holder, or a similar magnetic item.
•The compass does not display the correct heading
and the compass zone variance is set correctly.
In order to calibrate, CAL must be displayed in the
mirror compass windows. If CAL is not displayed, push
in the on/off button for approximately eight seconds
or until CAL is displayed.
The compass can be calibrated by driving the vehicle
in circles at 5 mph (8 km/h) or less until the display
reads a direction.
Cleaning the Mirror
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or similar
material dampened with glass cleaner. Do not spray
glass cleaner directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror housing.
Outside Power Mirrors
The controls for the
power mirrors are located
on the instrument panel.
To adjust the mirrors do the following:
1. Move the selector switch to the left or right to
choose the driver’s or passenger’s mirror.
2. Press the corresponding edges of the round control
pad to move each mirror to the desired direction.
Adjust each outside mirror so that you can see a little of
your vehicle, and the area behind your vehicle.
2-31
Outside Convex Mirrors
The passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved, creating a wider area of
vision for the driver.
{CAUTION:
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 your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
OnStar
®
System
OnStar
®
uses global positioning system (GPS) satellite
technology, wireless communications, and live advisors
to provide you with a wide range of safety, security,
information, and convenience services. If your airbags
deploy, the system is designed to make an automatic call
to OnStar
®
Emergency where we can request emergency
services be sent to your location. If you lock your keys in
the car, call OnStar
®
at 1-888-4-ONSTAR and they can
send a signal to unlock your doors. If you need roadside
assistance, press the OnStar
®
button and they will get
you the help you need.
A complete OnStar
®
User’s Guide and the Terms
and Conditions of the OnStar
®
Subscription Service
Agreement are included in the vehicle’s glove box
literature. For more information, visit www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca. Contact OnStar
®
at 1-888-4-ONSTAR
(1-888-466-7827), or press the OnStar
®
button to speak
to an OnStar
®
advisor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Terms and conditions of the Subscription Service
Agreement can be found at www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca.
2-32
OnStar
®
Services
For new vehicles equipped with OnStar
®
, the Safe
and Sound Plan is included for one year from the date
of purchase. You can extend this plan beyond the
first year, or upgrade to the Directions and Connections
®
Plan to meet your needs. For more information, press
the OnStar
®
button to speak to an advisor.
Safe and Sound Plan
•Automatic Notification of Airbag Deployment
•Emergency Services
•Roadside Assistance
•Stolen Vehicle Tracking
•AccidentAssist
•Remote Door Unlock/Vehicle Alert
•Remote Diagnostics
•Online Concierge
Directions and Connections
®
Plan
•All Safe and Sound Plan Services
•Driving Directions
•RideAssist
•Information and Convenience Services
OnStar
®
Personal Calling
As an OnStar
®
subscriber, the Personal Calling
capability allows you to make hands-free calls using a
wireless system that is integrated into the vehicle. Calls
can be placed nationwide using simple voice commands
with no additional contracts and no additional roaming
charges. To find out more about OnStar
®
Personal
Calling, refer to the OnStar
®
User’s Guide in the vehicle’s
glove box, visit www.onstar.com or www.onstar.ca, or
speak to an OnStar
®
advisor by pressing the OnStar
®
button or calling 1-888-4-ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827).
OnStar
®
Virtual Advisor
Your vehicle may have Virtual Advisor. It is a feature
of OnStar
®
Personal Calling that uses minutes to
access weather, local traffic reports, and stock quotes.
By pressing the phone button and giving a few simple
voice commands, you can browse through the
various topics. Customize your information profile at
www.myonstar.com. See the OnStar
®
User’s Guide
for more information.
2-33
OnStar
®
Steering Wheel Controls
0:For vehicles equipped with a Talk/Mute button,
it can be used to interact with OnStar
®
. See Radio
with CD (Base Level) on page 3-40 or Radio with CD
(MP3) on page 3-50 or Radio with Six-Disc CD on
page 3-65 for more information.
When calling into voice mail systems, or to dial directory
numbers, press this button once, wait for the response,
say the number(s) to be dialed, wait for the number(s)
to be repeated and then say “dial”. See the OnStar
®
User’s Guide for more information.
Storage Areas
Glove Box
To open the glove box, pull the handle to the left
and pull the glove box door down until it stops and
is fully open.
Cupholder(s)
There are two cupholders located at the lower front of
the center console armrest and a molded cupholder
on the floor of the center console.
To use the cupholders on the armrest, pull the tray
forward.
There are two cupholders located at the rear of the
center console. Pull downward on the lid to use
the cupholders.
2-34
Center Console Storage Area
Your vehicle has a center console armrest with storage
area. Use the lever on the front of the console to
open it. There is a removable coinholder and tissue
holder inside. The coinholder can be removed by
pulling it up from the console.
Luggage Carrier
{CAUTION:
If you try to carry something on top of your
vehicle that is longer or wider than the luggage
carrier — like paneling, plywood, a mattress
and so forth — the wind can catch it as you
drive along. This can cause you to lose
control. What you are carrying could be
violently torn off, and this could cause you or
other drivers to have a collision, and of course
damage your vehicle. You may be able to carry
something like this inside. But, never carry
something longer or wider than the luggage
carrier on top of your vehicle.
A luggage carrier allows you to load things on top of
your vehicle. The luggage carrier has side rails attached
to the roof, sliding crossrails (if equipped) and places
to use for tying things down. These let you load
some things on top of your vehicle, as long as they
are not wider or longer than the luggage carrier.
The roof rack crossrails lock in any position along the
straight section of the side rail.
Press the levers down until the locking mechanisms
fully engage to the side rail. Make sure each lever is
in the down position. The crossrail will not slide
when properly engaged.
2-35
To reposition the crossrail, pull up on the end levers
on each side of the crossrail to the upright position.
This will release the locking mechanism from the
siderail. Lift and place the crossrail into the new position.
Press the levers down until the locking mechanisms
fully engage to the side rail. Make sure each lever is
in the down position. The crossrail will not slide
when properly engaged.
Notice: Loading cargo on the luggage carrier
that weighs more than 220 lbs (100 kg) or
hangs over the rear or sides of the vehicle may
damage your vehicle. When loading cargo,
tie it to the crossrail and against the siderail.
Lock the crossrails to the far forward and backward
location to make sure the load is evenly distributed
on the luggage carrier.
Do not stand on the plastic lower body panel when
loading cargo on the luggage carrier.
Loading cargo on the luggage carrier will make the
center of vehicle gravity higher. Avoid high speeds,
sudden starts, sharp turns, sudden braking or abrupt
maneuvers. This could result in loss of control of
the vehicle.
Do not exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when
loading your vehicle. For more information on vehicle
capacity and loading, see Loading Your Vehicle on
page 4-31
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you are driving,
check now and then to make sure the luggage carrier
crossrails are locked and cargo is still securely fastened.
When the luggage carrier is not in use, store the
crossrail inside the vehicle. If not possible, lock one
crossrail at the rear most position on the siderails and
lock the other crossrail above the opening of the
rear door to reduce wind noise.
2-36
Rear Compartment Storage
Panel/Cover
Your vehicle may be equipped with an adjustable
panel/cargo cover feature. The panel/cargo cover
can be adjusted into three positions.
There is a flip panel towards the front of the cargo
cover. You may have to flip this panel upward in
order to gain access to the cargo cover.
To use the panel in the lower position, do the following:
1. Insert the front corners of the panel into the
lower guides.
2. Slide the panel forward.
3. Press down on the back of the panel to lock it
in place.
The panel can be used in this position if you need
additional space above the panel. Place the cargo
on top of the panel in this position.
2-37
{CAUTION:
If you were to carry things on the adjustable
panel when it is in the upper (cargo cover) or
center positions, during a sudden vehicle
movement or a crash, those things could be
thrown around in the vehicle. You or others
could be injured. When it is in the upper or
center position, always secure any cargo on
the floor beneath the panel/cover.
To use the panel in the center position, do the following:
1. Insert the front corners of the panel into the
middle guides.
2. Slide the panel forward.
3. Press down and pull rearward on the back of
the panel to lock it in place.
The panel can be used in this position when you have
to place a flat or spare tire in the rear cargo area.
To use the panel in the upper position, do the following:
1. Insert the front corners of the panel into the
top guides.
2. Slide the panel forward.
3. Press down and pull rearward on the back of
the panel to lock it in place.
This can be used as a cargo cover for the rear area.
The panel may be installed either carpet or plastic side
up. The panel may also be used as a table in this
position. See “Table” following for more information.
2-38
Table
Your vehicle may have an adjustable panel that also
functions as a table. The maximum load for the table
is 100 lbs. distributed (45 kg).
To set up the table, do the following:
1. With the adjustable panel in the upper position
pull rearward to position it for use as a table.
The plastic side should be up.
2. Rotate the knob to release the leg from the plastic
side of the table and rotate the leg outward.
3. Set the table leg onto the liftgate lock striker at
the rear edge of the vehicle.
Make sure to place the table leg securely onto the
liftgate lock striker.
Notice: Driving with the panel extended into
the table position could damage your vehicle.
Always have the panel in the stored position
while you are driving.
Notice: Placing hot items on the surface of the
table could damage it. Always be sure that the
items that are placed on the surface of the table
are of moderate temperature.
There are four hooks located on the table that can
be used for grocery bags.
2-39
Convenience Net
Your vehicle may have a rear compartment net
to prevent items from rolling under the rear seat.
There may also be four convenience net tie-downs.
Two tie-downs are located on the side trim just
behind the rear seat and the other two are located
on the floor at the rear of the cargo area.
Sunroof
If the vehicle has an express-open sunroof, the controls
to operate it are located on the headliner above the
rearview mirror. The ignition must be in RUN or ACC
to operate the sunroof.
To express-open the
sunroof glass panel and
sunshade, press the switch
rearward and release it.
To stop the sunroof before it is completely open, press
the switch rearward again. The sunshade cannot be
closed with the sunroof open. To close the sunroof,
press forward and hold the switch until the sunroof
stops, lifts and seals at the back of the sunroof glass.
To put the sunroof in the vent position, pull down on the
front of the switch. Push up on the front of the switch
to close it.
2-40
Instrument Panel Overview ...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers ................................3-6
Other Warning Devices ...................................3-6
Horn .............................................................3-6
Tilt Wheel .....................................................3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever .........................3-7
Turn and Lane-Change Signals ........................3-8
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer ..................3-8
Flash-to-Pass .................................................3-8
Windshield Wipers ..........................................3-8
Windshield Washer .......................................3-10
Rear Window Wiper/Washer ...........................3-10
Cruise Control ..............................................3-11
Headlamps ..................................................3-14
Headlamps on Reminder ................................3-14
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) .......................3-14
Automatic Headlamp System ..........................3-15
Fog Lamps ..................................................3-15
Instrument Panel Brightness ...........................3-16
Dome Lamp .................................................3-16
Entry Lighting ...............................................3-17
Map Lamps .................................................3-17
Cargo Lamp .................................................3-17
Battery Run-Down Protection ..........................3-18
Accessory Power Outlet(s) .............................3-18
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter ......................3-19
Climate Controls ............................................3-19
Climate Control System .................................3-19
Outlet Adjustment .........................................3-22
Passenger Compartment Air Filter ...................3-22
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ............3-23
Instrument Panel Cluster ................................3-24
Speedometer and Odometer ...........................3-25
Trip Odometer ..............................................3-25
Tachometer .................................................3-25
Safety Belt Reminder Light .............................3-26
Airbag Readiness Light ..................................3-26
Battery Warning Light ....................................3-27
Brake System Warning Light ..........................3-28
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light .............3-29
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light ...3-30
Low Traction Light ........................................3-30
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light ......3-31
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage ..................3-31
Malfunction Indicator Lamp .............................3-32
Oil Pressure Light .........................................3-35
Change Engine Oil Light ................................3-36
Security Light ...............................................3-36
Reduced Engine Power Light .........................3-36
Highbeam On Light .......................................3-37
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light ...........................................3-37
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1
Gate Ajar Light .............................................3-37
Fuel Gage ...................................................3-37
Low Fuel Warning Light .................................3-38
Audio System(s) .............................................3-38
Setting the Time ...........................................3-40
Radio with CD (Base Level) ...........................3-40
Radio with CD (MP3) ....................................3-50
Radio with Six-Disc CD .................................3-65
Theft-Deterrent Feature ..................................3-79
Audio Steering Wheel Controls .......................3-79
Radio Reception ...........................................3-80
Care of Your CDs .........................................3-80
Care of the CD Player ...................................3-81
Fixed Mast Antenna ......................................3-81
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System .............3-81
Chime Level Adjustment ................................3-81
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2
✍NOTES
3-3
Instrument Panel Overview
3-4
The main components of your instrument panel are the following:
A. Power Mirror Control. See Outside Power Mirrors
on page 2-31
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. See Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
C. Cruise Controls. See Cruise Control on page 3-11.
D. Instrument Panel Cluster. See Instrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-24.
E. Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped).
See Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-79.
F. Windshield Wiper/Washer Lever. See Windshield
Wipers on page 3-8.
G. Traction Control System Button. See Traction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9.
H. Outlets. See Outlet Adjustment on page 3-22.
I. Hazard Warning Flashers. See Hazard Warning
Flashers on page 3-6.
J. Fog Lamps Button. See Fog Lamps on page 3-15.
K. Audio System. See Audio System(s) on page 3-38.
L. Glove Box. See Glove Box on page 2-34.
M. Hood Release. See Hood Release on page 5-11.
N. Tilt Wheel. See Tilt Wheel on page 3-7.
O. Horn. See Horn on page 3-6.
P. Ignition Switch. See Ignition Positions on page 2-16.
Q. Climate Control System. See Climate Control
System on page 3-19.
R. Heated Seats Buttons. See Heated Seats
on page 1-4.
S. Shift Lever. See Shifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-23.
3-5
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others.
They also let police know you have a problem. Your
front and rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
The hazard warning
flasher button is
located in the center
of the instrument panel.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key is not in
the ignition switch.
Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps flash on and off. Press the button again to
turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals will not work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set them up
at the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Horn
Press near or on the horn symbols on your steering
wheel pad to sound the horn.
3-6
Tilt Wheel
Your vehicle has a tilt wheel that allows you to adjust
the steering wheel.
The lever to tilt the steering wheel is located on the
left side of the steering column.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and push
the lever down. Then, move the steering wheel
to a comfortable position and pull the lever up firmly
to lock the column in place.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
•GTurn and Lane-Change Signals.
See Turn and Lane-Change Signals on page 3-8.
•OExterior Lamps.
See Headlamps on page 3-14.
•53Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 3-8.
•Flash-to-Pass.
See Flash-to-Pass on page 3-8.
3-7
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and
two downward (for left) positions. These positions
allow you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow on the
instrument panel
cluster will flash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever until
the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you complete
the lane change. The lever will return by itself when
you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
flash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and
other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows do not go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse, see Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-83 and for burned-out bulbs.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or
high beam to low, pull the turn signal lever all the way
towards you. Then release it.
When the high beams
are on, this light on
the instrument panel
cluster will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them off.
Windshield Wipers
Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before using them. If the wiper blades are frozen to the
windshield, gently loosen or thaw them. If the blades do
become damaged, install new blades or blade inserts.
See Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement on page 5-45.
3-8
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools down.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
The lever on the right side of the steering column
operates the windshield wipers. Push up or pull down
on the lever to place it in one of the following positions.
MIST or 8(Mist): Pull the lever down and release
it for a single wiping cycle. The lever will return to
its original position. For more cycles, hold the lever
down before releasing it.
OFF or 9(Off): Move the lever to this position to
turn off the wipers.
INT or &(Intermittent): Move the lever to this
position to set a delay between wipes. To set for a shorter
or longer delay between wipes, turn the band with the
arrow pointing to the numbers (1, 2, or 3). Select 3 for the
most frequent movement; select 1 for the least frequent.
LO or OO (Low): Move the lever to this position
for slow, steady wiping cycles.
HI or OOOO (High): Move the lever to this
position for rapid wiping cycles.
United States
Canada
3-9
Windshield Washer
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer fluid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
Pull the windshield wiper lever toward you to operate
the windshield wipers. Washer fluid will squirt onto
the windshield and the wipers will run for a few cycles
to clear the windshield. For more wash cycles, pull
the lever toward you and hold it there.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer
The band on the wiper lever with the smaller arrow
operates the rear wiper/washer.
9(Off): Turn the band to this position to turn off
the rear wiper.
Z(Rear Wiper): Turn the band with the smaller
arrow to this position to turn on the rear wiper. To set
for a shorter or longer delay between wipes, turn
the other band with the larger arrow pointing to the
numbers (1, 2, or 3). Select 3 for the most frequent
movement; select 1 for the least frequent. The band
with the arrow pointing to the numbers (1, 2, or 3) will
affect both the front and rear wipers if they are on at
the same time.
Y(Wash): Turn and hold the band in this position
to spray washer fluid on the rear window. The rear wiper
will also come on. Release the band when enough
fluid has been sprayed on the window. The rear wiper
will run a few additional times after you release it.
3-10
Cruise Control
If your vehicle is equipped with cruise control, you
can maintain a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h) or
more without keeping your foot on the accelerator.
This can really help on long trips. Cruise control does
not work at speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
The cruise control
buttons are located
on the steering wheel.
J(On/Off): Press this symbol to turn the cruise
control system on and off.
3-11
RES+ (Resume): Press this symbol to resume a
set speed and to accelerate the speed.
SET−(Set): Press this symbol to set a speed and
to decrease the speed.
To set a speed do the following:
1. Press the on/off symbol to turn cruise control on.
The indicator light on the button will come on.
2. Get to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET−symbol and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
When the brakes are applied, the cruise control
shuts off.
If the vehicle is in cruise control and the Traction Control
System (TCS) begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. See Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9. When road conditions allow,
the cruise control can be used again.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired
speed and then you apply the brakes. This, of course,
disengages the cruise control. The cruise symbol in the
instrument panel cluster will also go out indicating cruise
is no longer engaged. To return to your previously set
speed, you do not need to go through the set process
again. Once at a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h) or
more, you can press the RES+ symbol briefly.
This will take you back up to your previously chosen
speed and stay there.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed.
•If the cruise control system is already engaged,
press the RES+ symbol. Hold it there until you
get up to the speed you want, and then release
the button.
•To increase your speed in very small amounts,
press the RES+ symbol briefly and then release
it. Each time you do this, your vehicle will go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
3-12
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is already engaged,
•Push and hold the SET−symbol until you reach
the lower speed you want, then release it.
•To slow down in very small amounts, push the
SET−symbol briefly. Each time you do this, you
will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
However, if you use the accelerator to increase the
vehicle’s speed for approximately 60 seconds, cruise
control will disengage.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load, and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may have to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your vehicle’s
speed. When going downhill, you may have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep your vehicle’s speed
down. Of course, applying the brakes ends cruise
control. Many drivers find this to be too much trouble
and do not use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
To end a cruise control session, step lightly on the
brake pedal.
Stepping on the brake will end the current cruise control
session only. Press the cruise on/off button to turn off
the system completely.
If the driver takes over the acceleration pedal for more
than sixty seconds, cruise control will shut off.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-13
Headlamps
The exterior lamp control is located on the turn
signal/multifunction lever.
O(Exterior Lamp Control): Turn the control with
this symbol on it to operate the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp control has the following positions:
AUTO (Off/Automatic Headlamps): Turn the control to
this position to put the headlamps in automatic mode.
Automatic mode will turn the exterior lamps on and
off depending upon how much light is available outside
of the vehicle.
;(Parking Lamps): Turn the control to this
position to turn on the parking lamps together with
the following:
•Sidemarker Lamps
•Taillamps
•License Plate Lamps
•Instrument Panel Lights
53(Headlamps): Turning the control to this
position turns on the headlamps, together with the
previously listed lamps and lights.
Headlamps on Reminder
If you open the driver’s door with the ignition off and the
lamps on, you will hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness in daylight when
the following conditions are met:
•The ignition is on,
•the exterior lamp band is in the automatic position,
•the transaxle is not in PARK (P),
•the light sensor determines it is daytime, and
•the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, the low-beam headlamps will be
on at a reduced brightness. The taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps will not be on. The instrument panel
will not be lit up either.
3-14
When you turn the exterior lamp band to the headlamp
position, your low-beam headlamps will come on.
The other lamps that come on with your headlamps
will also come on.
When you turn off the headlamps, the regular lamps
will go off, and your low-beam headlamps will come
on to the reduced brightness.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, move the shift
lever to PARK (P). The DRL will stay off until you
move the shift lever out of PARK (P).
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside and the exterior lamps
control is in the automatic position, the headlamps
will come on automatically. See Headlamps on
page 3-14.
Your vehicle has a light sensor located on top of the
instrument panel. Make sure it is not covered, or
the headlamps will be on when you don’t need them.
The system may also turn on the headlamps when
driving through a parking garage or tunnel.
Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has this feature, use your fog lamps for
better visibility in foggy or misty conditions.
The button for your fog
lamps is located in the
instrument panel above
the radio.
Push the button to turn the fog lamps on or off.
When using fog lamps, the parking lamps or low-beam
headlamps must be on.
A light on the button will come on when the fog lamps
are on. Fog lamps will go off whenever you turn
the high-beam headlamps on. When the high-beam
headlamps are turned off, the fog lamps will come
on again.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps
to be on along with the fog lamps.
3-15
Instrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls the brightness of the instrument
panel lights.
The control for this
feature is located on
the instrument panel
to the left of the
steering column.
Turn the control up to brighten the lights or down
to dim them.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamp switch has three positions.
9(Off): The lamp will not come on as long as the
switch is in this position.
AUTO: The lamp will come on when a door is opened.
See Entry Lighting on page 3-17.
R(On): The lamp will stay on as long as the switch
is in this position.
3-16
Entry Lighting
If the dome lamp is in the AUTO position, the dome
lamp and the cargo lamp inside your vehicle will come
on when any door is opened. In addition, the light
will come on when the remote keyless entry unlock
button is pressed. It will stay on for 20 seconds or until
a door is opened. After the door is opened the light
will remain on and stay on for 20 seconds after the
doors are closed, or until you put the key in the ignition
and turn the key to RUN.
Map Lamps
Your vehicle may have lamps located on the headliner
above the rearview mirror. Push on the lens in the
lamp to turn them on and off.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp is located over the rear compartment,
and is controlled by the dome lamp. See Dome Lamp
on page 3-16.
3-17
Battery Run-Down Protection
Your vehicle has a battery saver feature designed to
protect your vehicle’s battery.
When any interior lamp is left on and the ignition is
turned off, the battery rundown protection system will
automatically turn the lamp off after 20 minutes. This will
avoid draining the battery. If the radio is on, it will turn
off after 10 minutes or if any door on the vehicle is
opened. See Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 2-17.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlets can be used to connect
electrical equipment such as a cellular phone or
CB radio.
The accessory power outlets are located in front of the
center console storage area, at the rear of the center
console, and in the rear cargo area.
To use the outlets, remove the cover. When not in use,
always cover the outlet with the protective cap.
Notice: Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn
off electrical equipment when not in use and do
not plug in equipment that exceeds the maximum
amperage rating.
Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlets and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer for additional information
on the accessory power outlet.
Notice: Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage rating. Check
with your dealer before adding electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the installation instructions included with the equipment.
Notice: Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by your warranty. Do not hang
any type of accessory or accessory bracket from
the plug because the power outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only.
The accessory power outlets can use equipment with
a maximum amperage rating up to 14. However,
at 14 amperage, there is a potential to drain the battery.
Extended use of the auxiliary power outlets or large
current draws may drain the battery and/or shorten
battery life.
3-18
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
Your vehicle may have an ashtray and cigarette lighter.
Lift the lid to expose the ashtray. To remove the
ashtray, lift it up.
Lift the lid to expose the cigarette lighter.
To use the lighter, push it in all the way and let go.
When it is ready, it will pop back out by itself.
Notice: Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating will not allow the lighter to back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating may occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold a
cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
Notice: If you put papers, pins, or other flammable
items in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite them and possibly
damage your vehicle. Never put flammable items
in the ashtray.
Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
Operation
Temperature Control: Turn the center knob clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature inside your vehicle.
3-19
9(Fan): Turn the left knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed.
In any setting other than off, the fan will run continuously
with the ignition on. To turn off the air completely,
turn fan to 0 and select Recirculate.
Use the right knob to select from the following modes:
There are two minor detents between each mode
to finely adjust airflow position.
H(Vent): This mode directs air to the instrument
panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level): This mode directs approximately half
of the air to the instrument panel outlets, and then
directs the remaining air to the floor outlets.
6(Floor): This mode directs most of the air to the
floor outlets with some air directed to the windshield.
The right knob may also be used to select the defrost
and defog modes that are described in this section.
You can also select modes by using the following
buttons:
@(Recirculate): Press this button on the center knob
to recirculate cabin air through the vehicle. It can be used
to prevent outside air and odors from entering your
vehicle or to help heat or cool the air inside your vehicle
more quickly. An indicator light below the symbol will
come on in this mode. Operation in this mode during
periods of high humidity and cool outside temperatures
may result in increased window fogging. If window
fogging is experienced, select the defrost mode.
#(Air Conditioning): Press this button to turn the
air-conditioning system on or off. When this button
is pressed, an indicator light on the button will come
on to let you know the air conditioning is activated.
Air-conditioning can be selected in any mode as long
as the fan switch is on.
The air-conditioning system removes moisture from
the air, so you may sometimes notice a small amount
of water dripping underneath your vehicle while idling
or after turning off the engine. This is normal.
3-20
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog or frost on the inside of windows is a result of high
humidity (moisture) condensing on the cool window
glass. This can be minimized if the climate control
system is used properly. Use the defog mode to clear
the windows of fog or moisture and warm the
passengers. To avoid fogging windows on rainy and
humid days at temperatures above freezing, run the air
conditioning compressor. Also, it is best to avoid the
use of recirculation mode except when maximum
A/C performance is needed or for short times to avoid
exterior odors. Use the defrost mode to remove fog
or frost from the windshield more quickly. When
you select either of these modes (or the floor mode
which also helps defog the windows slightly), the system
runs the air-conditioning compressor and cancels
recirculation mode to dry the air; however, the
recirculation light will stay on. For best results, clear all
snow and ice from the windshield before defrosting.
Turn the right knob to select the defog or defrost mode.
-(Defog): This mode directs half of the air to the
windshield and the side window outlets and half to
the floor outlets.
0(Defrost): This mode directs most of the air to
the windshield and the side window outlets, with some
air directed to the floor outlets.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
The rear window defogger will only work when the
ignition is in RUN.
<(Rear): Press this button to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light on the button
will come on to let you know that the rear window
defogger is activated.
The rear window defogger will only work when the
ignition is in RUN. The rear window defogger will stay
on for approximately 15 minutes after the button is
pressed, unless the ignition is turned to ACC or LOCK.
If turned on again, the defogger will only run for
approximately five minutes before turning off. The
defogger can also be turned off by pressing the button
again or by turning off the engine.
Notice: Do not use anything sharp on the inside
of the rear window. If you do, you could cut or
damage the warming grid, and the repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Do not attach
a temporary vehicle license, tape, a decal or
anything similar to the defogger grid.
3-21
Outlet Adjustment
Use the louvers located on the air outlets to change
the direction of the airflow.
Operation Tips
•Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the vehicle that may block
the flow of air into your vehicle.
•Use of non-GM approved hood deflectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
•Keep the path under the front seats clear of
objects to help circulate the air inside of your
vehicle more effectively.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
The passenger compartment outside air is routed
through a passenger compartment filter. The filter
removes certain particles from the air, including pollen
and dust particles. Reductions in airflow, which may
occur more quickly in dusty areas, indicate that the
filter needs to be replaced early.
The filter should be replaced as part of routine
scheduled maintenance. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4 for when to replace the filter.
To change the passenger compartment air filter, use the
following steps:
1. Remove the push pins from the rear of the
passenger’s side air inlet panel. It is located
in the rear of the engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle.
2. Open the hood.
3. Remove the push pins from the top and forward
edge of the passenger’s side air inlet panel.
4. Remove the air inlet panel.
3-22
5. Remove the filter from the filter housing by
pressing the release tab at the inboard edge
of the filter housing.
6. Remove the filter from the vehicle.
7. Install a new passenger compartment air filter.
For the type of filter to use see Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 6-13.
8. Reverse Steps 1 through 5.
Warning Lights, Gages,
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may
be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to your
warning lights and gages could also save you or others
from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you will
see in the details on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly when you start the engine just to let
you know they’re working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when there’s
a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly — and even
dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
3-23
Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You will know how fast
you are going, how much fuel you are using, and many other things you will need to drive safely and economically.
United States version shown, Canada similar
3-24
Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both
miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your odometer shows how far your vehicle has
been driven, in either miles (used in the United States)
or kilometers (used in Canada).
Your vehicle has a tamper resistant odometer. The
digital odometer will read 999,999 if someone tries to
turn it back.
The ERROR message is displayed on the odometer
indicating that the speedometer reading is approximately
10 percent above the actual speed. Press the trip
odometer button to return to the odometer/trip mode.
This message will appear every 10 minutes. If this
occurs, see your dealer for service.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs
a new odometer installed. If the new one can be set
to the mileage total of the old odometer, then it must be.
If not, then it is set at zero and a label must be put
on the driver’s door to show the old mileage reading
when the new odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
Your trip odometer is located on the instrument panel
and shows how far your vehicle has been driven
since the trip odometer was last reset. To reset the trip
odometer to zero, press and hold the trip/reset button
on the speedometer for about two seconds.
Tachometer
The tachometer shows your engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
3-25
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime
will come on for several seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt
is already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay
on for several seconds,
then it will flash for
several more.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Airbag Readiness Light
There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows the airbag symbol. The system
checks the airbag’s electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an electrical problem.
The system check includes the airbag sensor, the
airbag modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module.
This light will come on
when you start your
vehicle, and it will flash
for a few seconds. Then
the light should go out.
This means the system
is ready.
If the airbag readiness light stays on after you
start the vehicle or comes on when you are driving,
your airbag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
3-26
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the airbag system
may not be working properly. The airbags
in your vehicle may not inflate in a crash,
or they could even inflate without a crash.
To help avoid injury to yourself or others,
have your vehicle serviced right away if the
airbag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle.
The airbag readiness light should flash for a few seconds
when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light does
not come on then, have it fixed so it will be ready to warn
you if there is a problem.
Battery Warning Light
The battery warning light
will come on briefly as a
check, when you turn
on the ignition. Then it
should go out when
the engine is started.
If the light does not come on when you start your
vehicle, have your vehicle serviced right away. This
condition may indicate your battery warning light is not
functioning properly. If this light comes on while you
are driving, be sure to turn off accessories such as the
radio and climate control system. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
3-27
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the brake system warning light comes on, there is
a brake problem. Have your brake system inspected
right away.
The brake light is located in the instrument panel cluster.
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a
problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake light will come on
when you set your parking brake. The light will stay on
if your parking brake doesn’t release fully. A chime
will also sound if the parking brake is not fully released
and the vehicle is moving. If it stays on after your
parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
The brake light will also come on to indicate a low
brake fluid level. See Brakes on page 5-32 for more
information.
United States Canada
3-28
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to
the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. See Towing
Your Vehicle on page 4-36.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning
light on can lead to an accident. If the light
is still on after you have pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light will come
on when your engine is
started and may stay on
for several seconds.
That is normal.
If the ABS warning light comes on and stays on, there
may be a problem with the anti-lock portion of the
brake system. If the red BRAKE light is not on, you
still have brakes, but you do not have anti-lock brakes.
See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-28.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. If the
light comes on when you are driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition off. Then start
the engine again to reset the system. If the light still
stays on, or comes on again while you are driving, your
vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light is not on, you still have brakes, but you
do not have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you do not have anti-lock
brakes and there is a problem with your regular brakes.
See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-28.
3-29
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
Your vehicle may have a
traction control system
warning light. The traction
control system warning
light may come on for the
following reasons:
•For vehicles equipped with the traction control
system and front-wheel drive, this light will come on
and stay on if you turn the system off by pressing
the traction control button located on the instrument
panel above the audio system. To turn the system
back on, press the button again. The warning
light should go off. See Traction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-9 for more information.
•For vehicles equipped with all-wheel-drive, this light
will come on and stay on when the all-wheel-drive
system is unable to protect for overheating
under extended heavy all-wheel-drive usage.
•If there is an engine-related and brake system
problem that is specifically related to traction control,
the traction control system will turn off and the
warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Light
If your vehicle has
the Traction Control
System (TCS) and has
front-wheel-drive, this
light will come on when
the system is limiting
wheel spin.
If your vehicle has all-wheel-drive, this light will come
on when the all-wheel-drive system is protecting
itself from overheating due to extended heavy all wheel
drive usage.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal. The roads may be slippery if this light comes on.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the system
stops limiting wheel spin. This light should also come
on for a few seconds when you start your vehicle.
If it does not, have your vehicle serviced.
3-30
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
The engine coolant
temperature warning light
will come on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens you should pull over and turn off the
engine as soon as possible. See Engine Overheating
on page 5-23 for more information.
Notice: Driving with the engine coolant temperature
warning light on could cause your vehicle to
overheat. See Engine Overheating on page 5-23.
Your vehicle could be damaged, and it might not
be covered by your warranty. Never drive with
the engine coolant temperature warning light on.
This light will also come on when starting your vehicle.
If it doesn’t, have your vehicle serviced.
This light will flash when the transaxle has overheated.
See “Transaxle Overheating”, under Automatic
Transaxle Operation on page 2-19, for more information.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage measures
the temperature of
the vehicle’s engine.
If the indicator needle moves into the shaded area,
the engine is too hot. A temperature indicator light
will turn on.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, and the temperature indicator
light comes on, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
3-31
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The check engine light comes on
to indicate that there is a problem and service is
required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle.
This system is also designed to assist your service
technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice: If you keep driving your vehicle with
this light on, after awhile, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good, and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that
may not be covered by your warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. See Accessories
and Modifications on page 5-3.
3-32
This light should come on, as a check to show you
it is working, when the ignition is on and the engine
is not running. If the light does not come on, have
it repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
•Light Flashing — A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be required.
•Light On Steady — An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
•Reducing vehicle speed
•Avoiding hard accelerations
•Avoiding steep uphill grades
•If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount
of cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your
vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and
restart the engine. If the light remains on steady, see
“If the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is
still flashing, follow the previous steps, and see your
dealer for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. See Filling the Tank on page 5-8.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly installed. A loose
or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the light off.
3-33
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to fix
any mechanical or electrical problems that may
have developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
3-34
Oil Pressure Light
If you have a low engine oil
pressure problem, this light
will stay on after you start
your engine, or come on
when you are driving. This
indicates that your engine
is not receiving enough oil.
The engine could be low on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have it fixed immediately.
The oil light could also come on in three other situations:
•When the ignition is on but the engine is not
running, the light will come on as a test to show
you it is working, but the light will go out when you
turn the ignition to START. If it doesn’t come on
with the ignition on, you may have a problem with
the fuse or bulb. Have it fixed right away.
•If the vehicle is idling at a stop sign, the light may
blink on and then off.
•If you make a hard stop, the light may come on
for a moment. This is normal.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always follow the maintenance
schedule in this manual for changing engine oil.
3-35
Change Engine Oil Light
If this light comes on and
stays on for 30 seconds,
it means that service
is required for your
vehicle. See Scheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4
for more information.
After having the oil changed you will need to reset the
light. See Engine Oil on page 5-13 for more information.
Security Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a Passlock
®
theft-deterrent system.
With this system, the
security light will flash
as you open the door
if your ignition is off.
This light will come on briefly when the vehicle is
turned on.
For more information, see Passlock
®
on page 2-15.
Reduced Engine Power Light
This light will come
on briefly when you
start the engine.
This light, along with the service engine soon light,
will be displayed when a noticeable reduction in
the vehicle’s performance may occur. Stop the vehicle
and turn off the ignition. Wait for 10 seconds and
restart your vehicle. This may correct the condition.
The vehicle may be driven at a reduced speed when
the reduced engine power light is on, but acceleration
and speed may be reduced. The performance may
be reduced until the next time you drive your vehicle.
If this light stays on, see your GM dealer as soon
as possible for diagnosis and repair.
3-36
Highbeam On Light
This light will come on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light
This light is located on
the instrument panel
cluster. It comes on
whenever the Daytime
Running Lamps are on.
See Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) on page 3-14 for
further information.
Gate Ajar Light
If this light comes on,
your liftgate is not
completely closed.
Driving with the liftgate
open can cause carbon
monoxide (CO) to enter
the vehicle.
See Engine Exhaust on page 2-25 for more information.
Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on,
the fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left in your tank.
When the indicator nears empty, the low fuel light
will come on. You still have a little fuel left, but you
should get more soon. See Low Fuel Warning Light
on page 3-38 for more information.
3-37
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
•At the service station, the fuel pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
•It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took
a little more or less than half the tank’s capacity
to fill the tank.
•The gage moves a little when you turn a corner
or speed up.
•The gage takes a few seconds to stabilize after
the ignition is turned on, and will go back to
empty when you turn the ignition off.
For your fuel tank capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications on page 5-88.
Low Fuel Warning Light
The light below the fuel
gage will come on briefly
when you are starting
the engine.
This light also comes on when the fuel tank is low on
fuel. When you add fuel the light should go off. If it does
not, have your vehicle serviced.
Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then read the
pages following to familiarize yourself with its features.
Driving without distraction is a necessity for a safer
driving experience. See Defensive Driving on page 4-2.
By taking a few moments to read this manual and
get familiar with your vehicle’s audio system, you can
use it with less effort, as well as take advantage of
its features. While your vehicle is parked, set up your
audio system by presetting your favorite radio stations,
setting the tone and adjusting the speakers. Then,
when driving conditions permit, you can tune to your
favorite stations using the presets and steering
wheel controls (if equipped).
3-38
{CAUTION:
This system provides you with a far greater
access to audio stations and song listings.
Giving extended attention to entertainment
tasks while driving can cause a crash and you
or others can be injured or killed. Always keep
your eyes on the road and your mind on the
drive — avoid engaging in extended searching
while driving.
Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe
driving. For more information, see Defensive Driving
on page 4-2.
Here are some ways in which you can help avoid
distraction while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
•Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
•Familiarize yourself with its operation.
•Set up your audio system by presetting your favorite
radio stations, setting the tone, and adjusting the
speakers. Then, when driving conditions permit, you
can tune to your favorite radio stations using the
presets and steering wheel controls (if equipped).
Notice: Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player,
CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking with your
dealer. Also, check federal rules covering mobile
radio and telephone units. If sound equipment
can be added, it is very important to do it properly.
Added sound equipment may interfere with the
operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or other
systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle’s
systems may interfere with the operation of sound
equipment that has been added.
Notice: The chime signals related to safety
belts, parking brake, and other functions of your
vehicle operate through the GM radio/entertainment
system. If that equipment is replaced or additional
equipment is added to your vehicle, the chimes may
not work. Make sure that replacement or additional
equipment is compatible with your vehicle before
installing it. See Accessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can
be played even after the ignition is turned off.
See Retained Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-17
for more information.
3-39
Setting the Time
To set the hour, press the clock button. The clock
symbol will appear on the audio display and the hour
number will flash. Then turn the ADJ knob to increase
or to decrease the hour. To set the minutes, press
the clock button again. The minute numbers will flash.
Then turn the ADJ knob to increase or to decrease
the minutes. The time can be set with the ignition
on or off.
To synchronize the time with an FM station broadcasting
Radio Data System (RDS) information, press and
release the clock button to enter the clock set mode,
then press and hold the clock button for three seconds
until UPDATED appears on the display. If the time
is not available from the station, NO TIME UPDATE
will appear on the display.
RDS time is broadcast once a minute. After tuning to
an RDS broadcast station, it may take a few minutes
for the time to update.
Radio with CD (Base Level)
Radio Data System (RDS)
The audio system has a Radio Data System (RDS).
RDS features are available for use only on FM stations
that broadcast RDS information.
With RDS, the radio can do the following:
•Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type
of programming
•Receive announcements concerning local and
national emergencies
•Display messages from radio stations
3-40
This system relies upon receiving specific information
from these stations and will only work when the
information is available. In rare cases, a radio station
may broadcast incorrect information that will cause
the radio features to work improperly. If this happens,
contact the radio station.
While the radio is tuned to an RDS station, the station
name or call letters will appear on the display. RDS
stations may also provide the time of day, a program
type (PTY) for current programming, and the name
of the program being broadcast.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in the
48 contiguous United States and in Canada (if available).
XM™ offers over 100 coast-to-coast channels including
music, news, sports, talk, and children’s programming.
XM™ provides digital quality audio and text information
that includes song title and artist name. A service fee is
required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more
information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or
call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Playing the Radio
O(Power): Press this button to turn the system
on and off.
u(Volume): Turn this knob to increase or to decrease
the volume.
AUTO e(Automatic Volume): With automatic volume,
the audio system adjusts automatically to make up for
road and wind noise as you drive.
Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to
select LOW, MEDIUM, or HIGH. AUTO VOL LOW, AUTO
VOL MEDIUM, or AUTO VOL HIGH will appear on the
display. Each higher setting will allow for more volume
compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Then as you
drive, automatic volume increases the volume, as
necessary, to overcome noise at any speed. The volume
level should always sound the same to you as you drive.
AUTO VOL NONE will appear on the display if the radio
cannot determine the vehicle speed or if the engine is not
running. To turn automatic volume off, press this button
until AUTO VOL OFF appears on the display.
8(Mute): Press and release this button for less than
two seconds to silence the system. MUTE will appear on
the display. Pressing this button again or any pushbutton
on the radio turns the sound back on.
3-41
DISP (Display): For RDS, press the DISP knob to
change what appears on the display while using RDS.
The display options are station name, RDS station
frequency, PTY, and the name of the program
(if available).
For XM™ (if equipped), press the DISP knob while
in XM™ mode to retrieve four different categories
of information related to the current song or channel:
Artist, Song Title, Category or PTY, Channel
Number/Channel Name.
Finding a Station
AM/FM: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2
or AM. The display will show the selection.
XM/AUX: Press this button to switch between XM1 or
XM2 (if equipped).
ADJ (Adjust): Turn this knob to select radio stations.
oSEEK p:Press the left or right arrow to go to
the previous or the next station and stay there.
The radio will only seek stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
©SCAN ¨:Press and hold either arrow for less
than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display
and you hear a beep. The radio will go to a station,
play for a few seconds, then go on to the next station.
Press either arrow again to stop scanning. If no
station can be found during scan, NOT FOUND will
appear on the display and the radio will go back to the
last tuned station.
To scan preset stations, press and hold SCAN for
more than two seconds until you hear a beep. The
radio will go to the first preset station stored on
the pushbuttons, play for five seconds, then go on to
the next preset station. Press SCAN again to stop
scanning presets.
The radio will only scan stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
1–6 (Preset Pushbuttons): Press this button to play
stations that are programmed on the radio preset
pushbuttons.
The radio will only seek preset stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
3-42
Setting Preset Stations
Up to 30 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM,
six XM1 and six XM2 (if equipped)), can be programmed
on the six numbered pushbuttons, by performing the
following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM/FM to select FM1, FM2 or AM.
Press XM/AUX to select XM1 or XM2.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press EQ to select the equalization.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons until you hear a beep. Whenever
that numbered pushbutton is pressed, the station
that was set will return and the equalization that
was selected will be stored for that pushbutton.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone
(Bass/Midrange/Treble)
P/Q(Bass/Treble): Press this button until BASS,
MID, or TREBLE appears on the display. Turn the
ADJ knob to increase or to decrease. The display will
show the bass, mid, or treble level. If a station is weak
or noisy, decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange, or treble to the middle
position, select BASS, MID, or TREBLE. Then press
and hold this button for more than two seconds.
You will hear one beep and the tone control will be
adjusted to the middle position.
To adjust all tone controls to the middle position, push
and hold the tone button when no tone control is
displayed. ALL CENTERED will appear on the display
and you will hear one beep. The bass, midrange,
and treble will be adjusted to the middle position.
EQ (Equalizer): Press this button to select customized
equalization settings designed for country, jazz, talk,
pop, rock, and classical.
To return to the manual mode, press and release the
EQ button until TONE Custom appears on the display.
You can also manually adjust the bass, midrange,
and treble using the Bass/Treble button.
3-43
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade)
S(Balance/Fade): To adjust the balance
between the right and the left speakers, push
and release the balance and fade button until BAL
appears on the display. Turn the ADJ knob to move
the sound toward the right or the left speakers.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, push and release the balance and fade
button until FADE appears on the display. Turn the
ADJ knob to move the sound toward the front or the
rear speakers.
To adjust the balance and the fade to the middle
position, select BAL or FADE. Then press and hold this
button for more than two seconds. You will hear a
beep and the speaker control will be adjusted to the
middle position.
To adjust both speaker controls to the middle
position, push and hold the tone button for more than
four seconds when no speaker control is displayed.
ALL CENTERED will appear on the display and you will
hear a beep. The balance and fade will be adjusted
to the middle position.
Finding a Program Type (PTY) Station
(RDS and XM™)
To select and find a desired PTY perform the following:
1. Press the P-TYPE button to activate program
type select mode. P-TYPE and a program type
will appear on the display.
2. Turn the ADJ knob to select a PTY.
3. Once the desired PTY is displayed, press the
SEEK right arrow to select the PTY and to take
you to the PTYs first station.
4. To go to another station within that PTY press the
SEEK right arrow again. If the radio cannot find the
desired PTY, NOT FOUND will appear on the
display and the radio will return to the last station
you were listening to.
5. Press the P-TYPE button or wait 15 seconds,
to exit program type select mode.
If PTY times out and is no longer on the display,
go back to Step 1.
If PTY is on, the radio will search for stations with
the selected PTY.
3-44
RDS Messages
ALERT!: Alert warns of local or national emergencies.
When an alert announcement comes on the current
radio station, ALERT! will appear on the display. You will
hear the announcement, even if the volume is low or
a CD is playing. If a CD is playing, play will stop during
the announcement. Alert announcements cannot be
turned off.
ALERT! will not be affected by tests of the emergency
broadcast system. This feature is not supported by
all RDS stations.
MSG (Message): If the current station has a message,
MSG will appear on the display. Press this button to
see the message. The message may display the artist,
song title, call in phone numbers, etc.
If the entire message is not displayed, parts of the
message will appear every three seconds. To scroll
through the message, press and release the MSG
button. A new group of words will appear on the display
after every press of the button. Once the complete
message has been displayed, MSG will disappear from
the display until another new message is received.
The last message can be displayed by pressing the
MSG button. You can view the last message until a new
message is received or a different station is tuned to.
When a message is not available from a station,
NO MESSAGE AVAIL will appear on the display.
Radio Messages
CALIBRATE: The audio system has been calibrated
for your vehicle from the factory. If CALIBRATE appears
on the display, it means that the radio has not been
configured properly for your vehicle and must be
returned to the dealer for service.
LOCKED: This message is displayed when the
THEFTLOCK
®
system has locked up. Take the vehicle
to the dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot
be corrected, contact your dealer.
3-45
XM™ Radio Messages
Radio Display
Message Condition Action Required
Not Available The Radio senses that
the XM™ system is not
present.
Your vehicle may not be equipped with the XM™ system.
Contact your dealership for more information.
XL (Explicit Language
Channels) XL on the radio display,
after the channel name,
indicates content with
explicit language.
These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a
customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Updating Updating
encryption code The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process should take no longer
than 30 seconds.
No Signal Loss of signal The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a
location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When you move
into an open area, the signal should return.
Loading XM Acquiring channel audio
(after 4 second delay) The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text
data. No action is needed. This message should disappear
shortly.
Off Air Channel not in service This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another
channel.
CH Unavl Channel no longer
available This previously assigned channel is no longer assigned.
Tune to another station. If this station was one of the
presets, choose another station for that preset button.
No Info Artist Name/Feature
not available No artist information is available at this time on this channel.
The system is working properly.
3-46
XM™ Radio Messages (cont’d)
Radio Display
Message Condition Action Required
No Info Song/Program Title
not available No song title information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info Category Name
not available No category information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info No Text/Informational
message available No text or informational messages are available at this time
on this channel. The system is working properly.
Not Found No channel available for
the chosen category There are no channels available for the selected category.
The system is working properly.
XM Lock Theft lock active The XM™ receiver in the vehicle may have previously been
in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™ receivers
cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this message is
received after having your vehicle serviced, check with the
servicing facility.
Radio ID Radio ID label
(channel 0) If tuned to channel 0, this message will alternate with the
XM™ Radio 8 digit radio ID label. This label is needed to
activate the service.
Unknown Radio ID not known
(should only be if
hardware failure)
If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there
may be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer.
Check XM Hardware failure If this message does not clear within a short period of time,
the receiver may have a fault. Consult with your dealer.
3-47
Playing a CD
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The
player will pull it in and the CD should begin playing.
If you want to insert a CD with the ignition off, first press
the eject or DISP knob.
If the ignition or radio is turned off with the CD in the
player, it will stay in the player. When the ignition or the
radio is turned on, the CD will start playing, where it
stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
When the CD is inserted, the CD icon will appear on the
display. As each new track starts to play, TRACK and
the track number will appear on the display.
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced
due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality
of the music that has been recorded, and the way the
CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase
in skipping, difficulty in finding tracks, and/or difficulty in
loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check
the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD
is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched,
the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD
is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 3-80 for more
information.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the
CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer
and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of
the recorded CD with a marking pen instead.
Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more
than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt
to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could
damage the CD player. When using the CD player,
use only CDs in good condition without any
label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player
and the loading slot free of foreign materials,
liquids, and debris.
Do not play 3 inch (8 cm) CDs without a standard
adapter CD.
If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages”
later in this section.
s(Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to
reverse quickly within a track. You will hear sound at
a reduced volume. Release the button to play the
passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display.
\(Fast Forward): Press and hold this button to
advance quickly within a track. You will hear sound at
a reduced volume. Release the button to play the
passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display.
3-48
9RPT (Repeat): Press this button once to hear a track
over again. RPT ON will appear on the display. The
current track will continue to repeat. Press RPT again
to turn off repeat play. RPT OFF will appear on the
display and RPT will disappear from the display.
9RDM (Random): Press this button to hear the
tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. TRACK,
TRK#, and the RDM icon will appear on the display.
TRACK and the track number will appear on the
display when each track starts to play. Press RDM
again to turn off random play. RDM OFF will appear
on the display and the RDM icon will disappear from
the display.
oSEEK p:Press the left arrow to go to the start
of the current track. If this button is pressed more
than once, the player will continue moving backward
through the CD.
Press the right arrow to go to the start of the next track.
If this button is pressed more than once, the player
will continue moving forward through the CD.
©SCAN ¨:To scan the CD, press either SCAN
arrow. Use this feature to listen to ten seconds of
each track of the CD. Press either SCAN arrow again,
to stop scanning.
DISP (Display): Press the DISP knob to see how
long the current track has been playing. The track
number, and the elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display. To change the default on the display,
track or elapsed time, press the knob until you see the
display you want, then hold the knob for two seconds.
The radio will produce one beep and the selected
display will now be the default. Pressing this knob
will also display text on commercially recorded
CDs (if available).
EQ (Equalizer): Press this button to select the desired
equalization setting while playing a CD. The equalization
will be automatically recalled whenever a CD is played.
For more information, see “EQ” listed previously in
this section.
AM/FM: Press this button to listen to the radio when
a CD is playing. The inactive CD will remain safely
inside the radio for future listening.
9CD: Press this button to play a CD when listening
to the radio. CD will appear on the display.
Z(Eject): Press this button to eject a CD. Eject
may be activated with either the ignition or radio off.
CDs may be loaded with the ignition and radio off
if this button is pressed first.
3-49
CD Messages
CHECK DISK: If this message appears on the display,
it could be for one of the following reasons:
•It is very hot. When the temperature returns to
normal, the CD should play.
•You are driving on a very rough road. When the
road becomes smoother, the CD should play.
•The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down.
•The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour
and try again.
•There may have been a problem while burning
the CD.
•The label may be caught in the CD player.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason,
try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio displays
an error message, write it down and provide it to your
dealer when reporting the problem.
Radio with CD (MP3)
Radio Data System (RDS)
The audio system has a Radio Data System (RDS).
RDS features are available for use only on FM stations
that broadcast RDS information.
With RDS, the radio can do the following:
•Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type
of programming
•Receive announcements concerning local and
national emergencies
•Display messages from radio stations
3-50
This system relies upon receiving specific information
from these stations and will only work when the
information is available. In rare cases, a radio station
may broadcast incorrect information that will cause
the radio features to work improperly. If this happens,
contact the radio station.
While the radio is tuned to an RDS station, the station
name or call letters will appear on the display. RDS
stations may also provide the time of day, a program
type (PTY) for current programming, and the name
of the program being broadcast.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in the
48 contiguous United States and in Canada (if available).
XM™ offers over 100 coast-to-coast channels including
music, news, sports, talk, and children’s programming.
XM™ provides digital quality audio and text information
that includes song title and artist name. A service fee is
required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more
information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or
call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Playing the Radio
O(Power): Press this button to turn the system
on and off.
u(Volume): Turn this knob to increase or to decrease
the volume.
AUTO e(Automatic Volume): With automatic volume,
the audio system adjusts automatically to make up for
road and wind noise as you drive.
Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to
select LOW, MEDIUM, or HIGH. AUTO VOL LOW, AUTO
VOL MEDIUM, or AUTO VOL HIGH will appear on the
display. Each higher setting will allow for more volume
compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Then as you
drive, automatic volume increases the volume, as
necessary, to overcome noise at any speed. The volume
level should always sound the same to you as you drive.
AUTO VOL NONE will appear on the display if the radio
cannot determine the vehicle speed or if the engine is not
running. To turn off automatic volume, press this button
until AUTO VOL OFF appears on the display.
8(Mute): Press and release this button for less than
two seconds to silence the system. MUTE will appear
on the display. Pressing this button again or any
pushbutton on the radio turns the sound back on.
3-51
DISP (Display): For RDS, press the DISP knob
to change what appears on the display while using
RDS. The display options are station name, RDS
station frequency, PTY, and the name of the program
(if available).
For XM™ (if equipped), press the DISP knob while
in XM™ mode to retrieve four different categories
of information related to the current song or channel:
Artist, Song Title, Category or PTY, Channel
Number/Channel Name.
Finding a Station
AM/FM: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2
or AM. The display will show the selection.
XM/AUX: Press this button to switch between XM1 or
XM2 (if equipped).
ADJ (Adjust): Turn this knob to select radio stations.
©SEEK ¨:Press the left or right arrow to go to
the previous or the next station and stay there.
The radio will only seek stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
Press and hold either arrow for two seconds until
SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep.
The radio will go to a station, play for a few seconds,
then go on to the next station. Press either arrow again
to stop scanning. If no station can be found during
scan, NOT FOUND will appear on the display and the
radio will go back to the last tuned station.
To scan preset stations, press and hold SEEK for
more than four seconds until you hear a beep. The
radio will go to the first preset station stored on
the pushbuttons, play for five seconds, then go on
to the next preset station. Press SEEK again to stop
scanning presets.
The radio will only scan stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
1–6 (Preset Pushbuttons): Press this button to play
stations that are programmed on the radio preset
pushbuttons.
The radio will only seek preset stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
3-52
Setting Preset Stations
Up to 30 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM,
six XM1 and six XM2 (if equipped)), can be programmed
on the six numbered pushbuttons, by performing the
following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM/FM to select FM1, FM2 or AM. Press
XM/AUX to select XM1 or XM2 (if equipped).
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press EQ to select the equalization.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons until you hear a beep. Whenever
that numbered pushbutton is pressed, the station
that was set will return and the equalization that
was selected will be stored for that pushbutton.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone
(Bass/Midrange/Treble)
P/Q(Bass/Treble): Press this button until BASS,
MID, or TREBLE appears on the display. Turn the
ADJ knob to increase or to decrease. The display will
show the bass, mid, or treble level. If a station is weak
or noisy, decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange, or treble to the middle
position, select BASS, MID, or TREBLE. Then press
and hold this button for more than two seconds.
You will hear one beep and the tone control will be
adjusted to the middle position.
To adjust all tone controls to the middle position, push
and hold the tone button when no tone control is
displayed. ALL CENTERED will appear on the display
and you will hear one beep. The bass, midrange,
and treble will be adjusted to the middle position.
EQ (Equalizer): Press this button to select customized
equalization settings designed for country, jazz, talk,
pop, rock, and classical.
To return to the manual mode, press and release the
EQ button until TONE Custom appears on the display.
You can also manually adjust the bass, midrange,
and treble using the Bass/Treble button.
3-53
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade)
S(Balance/Fade): To adjust the balance
between the right and the left speakers, push and
release the balance and fade button until BAL appears
on the display. Turn the ADJ knob to move the
sound toward the right or the left speakers.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, push and release the balance and fade
button until FADE appears on the display. Turn the
ADJ knob to move the sound toward the front or the
rear speakers.
To adjust the balance or the fade to the middle position,
select BAL or FADE. Then press and hold this button
for more than two seconds. You will hear one beep
and the speaker control will be adjusted to the
middle position.
To adjust both speaker controls to the middle
position, push and hold the tone button for more than
four seconds when no speaker control is displayed.
ALL CENTERED will appear on the display and you
will hear one beep. The balance and the fade will
be adjusted to the middle position.
Finding a Program Type (PTY) Station
(RDS and XM™)
To select and find a desired PTY perform the following:
1. Press the P-TYPE button to activate program
type select mode. P-TYPE and a program type
will appear on the display.
2. Turn the ADJ knob to select a PTY.
3. Once the desired PTY is displayed, press the
SEEK right arrow to take you to the PTYs
first station.
4. To go to another station within that PTY press
the SEEK right arrow again. If the radio cannot
find the desired PTY, NOT FOUND will appear
on the display and the radio will return to the last
station that was playing.
5. Press the P-TYPE button or wait 15 seconds,
to exit program type select mode.
If PTY times out and is not longer on the display,
go back to Step 1.
If PTY is on, the radio will search for stations with
the selected PTY.
3-54
RDS Messages
ALERT!: Alert warns of local or national emergencies.
When an alert announcement comes on the current
radio station, ALERT! will appear on the display. You will
hear the announcement, even if the volume is low or
a CD is playing. If a CD is playing, play will stop during
the announcement. Alert announcements cannot be
turned off.
ALERT! will not be affected by tests of the emergency
broadcast system. This feature is not supported by
all RDS stations.
MSG (Message): If the current station has a message,
MSG will appear on the display. Press this button to
see the message. The message may display the artist,
song title, call in phone numbers, etc.
If the entire message is not displayed, parts of the
message will appear every three seconds. To scroll
through the message, press and release the MSG
button. A new group of words will appear on the display
after every press of this button. Once the complete
message has been displayed, MSG will disappear from
the display until another new message is received.
The last message can be displayed by pressing
the MSG button. You can view the last message
until a new message is received or a different station
is tuned to.
When a message is not available from a station,
NO MESSAGE AVAIL will appear on the display
Radio Messages
CALIBRATE: The audio system has been calibrated
for your vehicle from the factory. If CALIBRATE appears
on the display it means that the radio has not been
configured properly for your vehicle and it must
be returned to the dealer for service.
LOCKED: This message is displayed when the
THEFTLOCK
®
system has locked up. Take your vehicle
to the dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer.
3-55
XM™ Radio Messages
Radio Display
Message Condition Action Required
Not Available The Radio senses that
the XM™ system is not
present.
Your vehicle may not be equipped with the XM™ system.
Contact your dealership for more information.
XL (Explicit Language
Channels) XL on the radio display,
after the channel name,
indicates content with
explicit language.
These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a
customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Updating Updating
encryption code The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process should take no longer
than 30 seconds.
No Signal Loss of signal The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a
location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When you move
into an open area, the signal should return.
Loading XM Acquiring channel audio
(after 4 second delay) The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text
data. No action is needed. This message should disappear
shortly.
Off Air Channel not in service This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another
channel.
CH Unavl Channel no longer
available This previously assigned channel is no longer assigned.
Tune to another station. If this station was one of the
presets, choose another station for that preset button.
No Info Artist Name/Feature
not available No artist information is available at this time on this channel.
The system is working properly.
3-56
XM™ Radio Messages (cont’d)
Radio Display
Message Condition Action Required
No Info Song/Program Title
not available No song title information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info Category Name
not available No category information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info No Text/Informational
message available No text or informational messages are available at this time
on this channel. The system is working properly.
Not Found No channel available for
the chosen category There are no channels available for the selected category.
The system is working properly.
XM Lock Theft lock active The XM™ receiver in your vehicle may have previously
been in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™
receivers cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this
message is received after having your vehicle serviced,
check with the servicing facility.
Radio ID Radio ID label
(channel 0) If tuned to channel 0, this message will alternate with the
XM™ Radio 8 digit radio ID label. This label is needed to
activate the service.
Unknown Radio ID not known
(should only be if
hardware failure)
If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there
may be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer.
Check XM Hardware failure If this message does not clear within a short period of time,
the receiver may have a fault. Consult with your dealer.
3-57
Playing a CD
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The
player will pull it in and the CD should begin playing.
If you want to insert a CD with the ignition off, first press
the eject or DISP knob.
If the ignition or radio is turned off with the CD in the
player, it will stay in the player. When the ignition or
the radio is turned on, the CD will start playing, where
it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
When a CD is inserted, the CD icon will appear on
the display. As each new track starts to play, TRACK
and the track number will appear on the display.
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced
due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality
of the music that has been recorded, and the way the
CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase in
skipping, difficulty in finding tracks, and/or difficulty in
loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the
bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is
damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD
will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled,
see Care of Your CDs on page 3-80 for more information.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the
CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer
and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of
the recorded CD with a marking pen instead.
Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more
than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt to play
scratched or damaged CDs, you could damage the
CD player. When using the CD player, use only CDs
in good condition without any label, load one CD at a
time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free
of foreign materials, liquids, and debris.
Do not play 3 inch (8 cm) CDs without a standard
adapter CD.
If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages”
later in this section.
s(Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to
reverse quickly within a track. You will hear sound at
a reduced volume. Release the button to play the
passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display.
\(Fast Forward): Press and hold this pushbutton
to advance quickly within a track. You will hear sound
at a reduced volume. Release the button to play
the passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display.
3-58
9RDM (Random): Press this button to hear the tracks
in random, rather than sequential, order. TRACK, TRK #,
and the RDM icon will appear on the display. TRACK and
the track number will appear on the display when each
track starts to play. Press RDM again to turn off random
play. RDM OFF will appear on the display and the RDM
icon will disappear from the display.
©SEEK ¨:Press and release the left arrow to go
to the start of the current track. If this button is pressed
more than once, the player will continue moving
backward through the CD.
Press and release the right arrow to go to the start of
the next track. If this button is pressed more than once,
the player will continue moving forward through the CD.
To scan the CD, press and hold either SEEK arrow for
more than two seconds. Use this feature to listen to
ten seconds of each track of the CD. Press either SEEK
arrow again, to stop scanning.
DISP (Display): Press the DISP knob to see how
long the current track has been playing. The track
number, and the elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display. To change the default on the display,
track or elapsed time, press the knob until you see the
display you want, then hold the knob for two seconds.
The radio will produce one beep and the selected
display will now be the default. Pressing this knob
will also display text on commercially recorded
CDs (if available).
EQ (Equalizer): Press this button to select the desired
equalization setting while playing a CD. The equalization
will be automatically recalled whenever a CD is played.
For more information, see “EQ” listed previously in
this section.
AM/FM: Press this button to listen to the radio when
a CD is playing. The inactive CD will remain safely
inside the radio for future listening.
XM/AUX: Press this button to listen to XM™
(if equipped) when a CD is playing. The inactive CD
will remain safely inside the radio for future listening.
9CD: Press this button to play a CD when listening to
the radio. CD will appear on the display.
Z(Eject): Press this button to eject a CD. Eject
may be activated with either the ignition or radio off.
CDs may be loaded with the ignition or radio off if this
button is pressed first.
3-59
Using an MP3 CD
MP3 Format
If you burn your own MP3 disc on a personal computer:
•Make sure the MP3 files are recorded on a
CD-R disc.
•Make sure to finalize the disc when burning an
MP3 disc, using multiple sessions. It is usually
better to burn the disc all at once.
•Files can be recorded with a variety of fixed or
variable bit rates. Song title, artist name, and
album will be available for display by the radio
when recorded using ID3 tags version 1 and 2.
•Do not mix standard audio and MP3 files on
one disc.
•Make sure playlists have a.pls, or.m3u, or.rmp
extension, other file extensions may not work.
The player will be able to read and play a maximum
of 50 folders, 50 playlists, 10 sessions, and 255 files.
Long file names, folder names, or playlist names
may use more disc memory space than necessary.
To conserve space on the disc, minimize the length
of the file, folder or playlist names. You can also play
an MP3 CD that was recorded using no file folders.
The system can support up to 11 folders in depth,
though, keep the depth of the folders to a minimum in
order to keep down the complexity and confusion
in trying to locate a particular folder during playback.
Root Directory
The root directory will be treated as a folder. If the root
directory has compressed audio files, the directory
will be displayed as ROOT. All files contained directly
under the root directory will be accessed prior to
any root directory folders. However, playlists (Px) will
always be accessed before root folders or files.
Empty Directory or Folder
If a root directory or a folder exists somewhere in the
file structure that contains only folders/subfolders and no
compressed files directly beneath them, the player will
advance to the next folder in the file structure that
contains compressed audio files and the empty folder
will not be displayed or numbered.
3-60
No Folder
When the CD contains only compressed files, the files
will be located under the root folder. When displaying
the name of the folder the radio will display ROOT.
When the CD contains only playlists and compressed
audio files, but no folders, all files will be located
under the root folder. The folder down and the folder
up buttons will search playlists (Px) first and then go
to the root folder. When the radio displays the name
of the folder the radio will display ROOT.
Order of Play
Tracks will be played in the following order:
•Play will begin from the first track in the first playlist
and will continue sequentially through all tracks in
each playlist. When the last track of the last playlist
has been played, play will continue from the first
track of the first playlist.
•If the CD does not contain any playlists, then play
will begin from the first track under the root
directory. When all tracks from the root directory
have been played, play will continue from files
according to their numerical listing. After playing
the last track from the last folder, play will
begin again at the first track of the first folder
or root directory.
When play enters a new folder, the display will not
automatically show the new folder name unless
you have chosen the folder mode as the default display.
See DISP later in this section for more information.
The new track name will appear on the display.
File System and Naming
The song name that will be displayed will be the song
name that is contained in the ID3 tag. If the song
name is not present in the ID3 tag, then the radio
will display the file name without the extension
(such as .mp3) as the track name.
Track names longer than 32 characters or 2 pages will
be shortened.
Preprogrammed Playlists
You can access preprogrammed playlists which
were created by WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or
Real Jukebox™ software, however, you will not
have editing capability. These playlists will be treated
as special folders containing compressed audio
song files.
3-61
Playing an MP3
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The
player will pull it in and the CD will begin to play after
the player has read the table of contents, has read
the file structure, and has determined where the first
playable track is located. READING DISC will appear on
the display. After the MP3 has been read, the number
of folders and tracks will appear on the display. The
radio will go back to the default display and the CD icon
will appear. If you want to insert an MP3 with the
ignition off, first press the EJECT button or push the
RCL knob. If you insert a CD with the radio off and the
ignition on, it will start to play.
If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD in the
player, it will stay in the player. When the ignition
or radio is turned on, the CD will start playing where
it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
The track number will appear on the display, as each
new track starts to play.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm)
single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and
the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner.
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced
due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality
of the music that has been recorded, and the way the
CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase
in skipping, difficulty in finding tracks, and/or difficulty in
loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check
the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD
is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched,
the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD
is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 3-80 for
more information.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the
CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer
and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of
the recorded CD with a marking pen instead.
Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more
than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt
to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could
damage the CD player. When using the CD player,
use only CDs in good condition without any
label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player
and the loading slot free of foreign materials,
liquids, and debris.
3-62
If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages”
later in this section.
9DIR (Directory): Press and release this button to
display the current directory structure (flat or normal).
Press and release this button twice to change the
directory structure. When flat is enabled, the tracks
on the MP3 will be alphabetized by song name.
The MP3 will play the next alphabetical track when
the current track is finished.
xcw(Previous/Next Folder): Press the down or
the up arrow to go to the first track in the previous or
next folder. Pressing this button while in folder random
mode will take you to the previous or next folder and
random the tracks in that folder.
s(Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse
quickly within a track. Press and hold this button for
less than two seconds to reverse at 10 times the
normal playing speed. Press and hold it for more
than two seconds to reverse at 20 times the normal
playing speed. Release the button to play the track.
REV and the elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display.
\(Forward): Press and hold this button to advance
quickly within a track. Press and hold this button for
less than two seconds to advance at 10 times the
normal playing speed. Press and hold it for more than
two seconds to advance at 20 times the normal
playing speed. Release the button to play the track.
FWD and the elapsed time of the track will appear
on the display.
9RDM (Random): To random the tracks in the current
folder or playlist, press and release this button. FLDR
RDM ON will appear on the display. Once all of the
tracks in the current folder or playlist have been played
the system will move on to the next folder or playlist
and play all of the tracks in random order.
To random all the tracks on the CD, press and hold
this button for two seconds. You will hear a beep
and DISC RDM ON will appear on the display.
This feature will not work with playlists.
When in random, pressing and releasing either SEEK
arrow will take you to the next or previous random track.
Press and release this button again to turn off random
play. RDM OFF will appear on the display.
3-63
©SEEK ¨:Press the left arrow to go to the start
of the previous track. Press the right arrow to go to the
start of the next track. Pressing either arrow for more
than two seconds will search the previous or next tracks
at two tracks per second. Release the button to stop
searching and to play the track.
ADJ (Adjust): Turning this knob will fast track reverse
or advance through the tracks in all folders or playlists.
The track number and file name will appear on the
display for each track. Turning this knob while in random
will fast track reverse or advance the tracks in
sequential order.
DISP (Display): Press the DISP knob to switch
between track mode, folder/playlist mode, and time of
day mode. The display will show sixteen characters,
but there can be two pages of text. If there are
more than eight characters in the song, folder, or
playlist name, pressing this knob within two seconds
will take you to the next page of text. If there are
no other pages to be shown, pressing this knob within
two seconds will take you to the next display mode.
•Track mode will display the current track number
and the ID3 tag song name.
•Folder/playlist mode will display the current folder
or playlist number and the folder/playlist name.
To change the default on the display, press the DISP
knob until you see the display you want, then hold
this knob for two seconds. The radio will produce
one beep and the selected display will now be
the default.
MSG (Message): Press this button to switch within
the ID3 tag information such as title, artist name,
and album.
AM/FM: Press this button to listen to the radio when
a CD is playing. The inactive CD will remain safely
inside the radio for future listening.
XM/AUX: Press this button to listen to XM™
(if equipped) when a CD is playing. The inactive CD
will remain safely inside the radio for future listening.
9CD: Press this button to play a CD when listening
to the radio. CD will appear on the display when a
CD is loaded.
Z(Eject): Press this button to eject a CD. Eject
may be activated with either the ignition or radio off.
CDs may be loaded with the ignition and radio off if
this button is pressed first.
3-64
CD Messages
CHECK CD: If this message appears on the display
and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the
following reasons:
•It is very hot. When the temperature returns to
normal, the CD should play.
•You are driving on a very rough road. When the
road becomes smoother, the CD should play.
•The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down.
•The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour
and try again.
•The format of the CD may not be compatible.
See “MP3 Format” earlier in this section.
•There may have been a problem while burning
the CD.
•The label may be caught in the CD player.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason,
try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio displays
an error message, write it down and provide it to your
dealer when reporting the problem.
Radio with Six-Disc CD
Radio Data System (RDS)
The audio system has a Radio Data System (RDS).
RDS features are available for use only on FM stations
that broadcast RDS information.
With RDS, the radio can do the following:
•Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type
of programming
•Receive announcements concerning local and
national emergencies
•Display messages from radio stations
3-65
This system relies upon receiving specific information
from these stations and will only work when the
information is available. In rare cases, a radio station
may broadcast incorrect information that will cause
the radio features to work improperly. If this happens,
contact the radio station.
While the radio is tuned to an RDS station, the station
name or call letters will appear on the display. RDS
stations may also provide the time of day, a program
type (PTY) for current programming, and the name
of the program being broadcast.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in the
48 contiguous United States and in Canada (if available).
XM™ offers over 100 coast-to-coast channels including
music, news, sports, talk, and children’s programming.
XM™ provides digital quality audio and text information
that includes song title and artist name. A service fee is
required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more
information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or
call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Playing the Radio
O(Power): Press this button to turn the system
on and off.
u(Volume): Turn this knob to increase or to decrease
the volume.
AUTO e(Automatic Volume): With automatic
volume, the audio system adjusts automatically to
make up for road and wind noise as you drive.
Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to
select LOW, MEDIUM, or HIGH. AUTO VOL LOW,
AUTO VOL MEDIUM, or AUTO VOL HIGH will appear
on the display. Each higher setting will allow for
more volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds.
Then as you drive, automatic volume increases
the volume, as necessary, to overcome noise at any
speed. The volume level should always sound the same
to you as you drive. AUTO VOL NONE will appear on
the display if the radio cannot determine the vehicle
speed or if the engine is not running. To turn automatic
volume off, press this button until AUTO VOL OFF
appears on the display.
3-66
8(Mute): Press and release this button for less than
two seconds to silence the system. MUTE will appear
on the display. Pressing this button again or any
pushbutton on the radio turns the sound back on.
DISP (Display): For RDS, press the DISP knob to
change what appears on the display while using RDS.
The display options are station name, RDS station
frequency, PTY, and the name of the program
(if available).
For XM™ (if equipped), press the DISP knob while
in XM™ mode to retrieve four different categories
of information related to the current song or channel:
Artist, Song Title, Category or PTY, Channel
Number/Channel Name.
Finding a Station
AM/FM: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2
or AM. The display will show the selection.
XM/AUX: Press this button to switch between XM1 or
XM2 (if equipped).
ADJ (Adjust): Turn this knob to select radio stations.
oSEEK p:Press the left or right arrow to go to
the previous or the next station and stay there.
The radio will only seek stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
SCAN: Press and hold this button for less than
two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and
you hear a beep. The radio will go to a station, play
for a few seconds, then go on to the next station.
Press SCAN again to stop scanning. If no station
can be found during scan, NOT FOUND will appear
on the display and the radio will go back to the
last tuned station.
To scan preset stations, press and hold SCAN for
more than two seconds until you hear a beep. the
radio will go to the first preset station stored on the
pushbuttons, play for five seconds, then go on to
the next preset station. Press SCAN again to stop
scanning presets.
The radio will only scan stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
3-67
Setting Preset Stations
Up to 30 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM,
six XM1 and six XM2 (if equipped)), can be programmed
on the six numbered pushbuttons, by performing the
following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM/FM to select FM1, FM2 or AM.
Press XM/AUX to select XM1 or XM2.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press EQ to select the equalization.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons until you hear a beep. Whenever that
numbered pushbutton is pressed, the station
that was set will return and the equalization that
was selected will be stored for that pushbutton.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone
(Bass/Midrange/Treble)
P/Q(Bass/Treble): Press this button until BASS,
MID, or TREBLE appears on the display. Turn the
ADJ knob to increase or to decrease. The display will
show the bass, mid, or treble level. If a station is weak
or noisy, decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange, or treble to the middle
position, select BASS, MID, or TREBLE. Then press
and hold this button for more than two seconds. You will
hear one beep and the tone control will be adjusted to
the middle position.
To adjust all tone controls to the middle position, push
and hold the tone button when no tone control is
displayed. ALL CENTERED will appear on the display,
you will hear one beep and the tone controls will be
adjusted to the middle position.
EQ (Equalizer): Press this button to select customized
equalization settings designed for country, jazz, talk,
pop, rock, and classical.
To return to the manual mode, press and release the
EQ button until TONE Custom appears on the display.
Then manually adjust the bass, midrange, and treble
using the Bass/Treble button.
3-68
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade)
S(Balance/Fade): To adjust the balance
between the right and the left speakers, press and
release the balance and fade button until BAL appears
on the display. Turn the ADJ knob to move the
sound toward the right or the left speakers.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, press and release the balance and fade
button until FADE appears on the display. Turn the
ADJ knob to move the sound toward the front or the
rear speakers.
To adjust the balance or the fade to the middle position,
select BAL or FADE. Then press and hold this button
for more than two seconds. You will hear one beep
and the speaker control will be adjusted to the
middle position.
To adjust both speaker controls to the middle position,
push and hold the tone button when no speaker
control is displayed. ALL CENTERED will appear on
the display, you will hear one beep and the speaker
controls will be adjusted to the middle position.
Finding a Program Type (PTY) Station
(RDS and XM™)
To select and find a desired PTY perform the following:
1. Press the P-TYPE button to activate program
type select mode. P-TYPE and a program type
will appear on the display.
2. Turn the ADJ knob to select a PTY.
3. Once the desired PTY is displayed, press the
SEEK right arrow to select and to take you to
the PTYs first station.
4. To go to another station within that PTY press the
SEEK right arrow again. If the radio cannot find the
desired PTY, NOT FOUND will appear on the
display and the radio will return to the last station
that was playing.
5. Press the P-TYPE button or wait 15 seconds,
to exit program type select mode.
If PTY times out and is no longer on the display,
go back to Step 1.
If PTY is on, the radio will search for stations with the
selected PTY.
3-69
RDS Messages
ALERT!: Alert warns of local or national emergencies.
When an alert announcement comes on the current
radio station, ALERT! will appear on the display. You will
hear the announcement, even if the volume is low or
a CD is playing. If a CD is playing, play will stop during
the announcement. Alert announcements cannot be
turned off.
ALERT! will not be affected by tests of the emergency
broadcast system. This feature is not supported by
all RDS stations.
MSG (Message): If the current station has a message,
MSG will appear on the display. Press this button to
see the message. The message may display the artist,
song title, call in phone numbers, etc.
If the entire message is not displayed, parts of the
message will appear every three seconds. To scroll
through the message, press and release the MSG
button. A new group of words will appear on the display
after every press of this button. Once the complete
message has been displayed, MSG will disappear from
the display until another new message is received.
The last message can be displayed by pressing the
MSG button. You can view the last message until a new
message is received or a different station is tuned to.
When a message is not available from a station,
NO MESSAGE AVAIL will appear on the display.
Radio Messages
CALIBRATE: The audio system has been calibrated
for your vehicle from the factory. If CALIBRATE appears
on the display it means that the radio has not been
configured properly for the vehicle and it must be
returned to the dealer for service.
LOCKED: This message is displayed when the
THEFTLOCK
®
system has locked up. Take your vehicle
to the dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer.
3-70
XM™ Radio Messages
Radio Display
Message Condition Action Required
Not Available The Radio senses that
the XM™ system is not
present.
Your vehicle may not be equipped with the XM™ system.
Contact your dealership for more information.
XL (Explicit Language
Channels) XL on the radio display,
after the channel name,
indicates content with
explicit language.
These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a
customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Updating Updating
encryption code The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process should take no longer
than 30 seconds.
No Signal Loss of signal The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a
location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When the vehicle
is moved into an open area, the signal should return.
Loading XM Acquiring channel audio
(after 4 second delay) The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and
text data. No action is needed. This message should
disappear shortly.
Off Air Channel not in service This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another
channel.
CH Unavl Channel no longer
available This previously assigned channel is no longer assigned.
Tune to another station. If this station was one of the
presets, choose another station for that preset button.
No Info Artist Name/Feature
not available No artist information is available at this time on this channel.
The system is working properly.
3-71
XM™ Radio Messages (cont’d)
Radio Display
Message Condition Action Required
No Info Song/Program Title
not available No song title information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info Category Name
not available No category information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Info No Text/Informational
message available No text or informational messages are available at this time
on this channel. The system is working properly.
Not Found No channel available for
the chosen category There are no channels available for the selected category.
The system is working properly.
XM Lock Theft lock active The XM™ receiver in the vehicle may have previously been
in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™ receivers
cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this message is
received after having your vehicle serviced, check with
your dealer.
Radio ID Radio ID label
(channel 0) If tuned to channel 0, this message will alternate with the
XM™ Radio 8 digit radio ID label. This label is needed to
activate the service.
Unknown Radio ID not known
(should only be if
hardware failure)
If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there
may be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer.
Check XM Hardware failure If this message does not clear within a short period of time,
the receiver may have a fault. Consult with your dealer.
3-72
Playing a CD
If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the
player, it will stay in the player. When the ignition
or radio is turned on, the CD will start playing where
it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
When a CD is inserted, the CD icon will appear on
the CD. As each new track starts to play, the track
number will appear on the display.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm)
single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and
the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner.
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced
due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality
of the music that has been recorded, and the way the
CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase
in skipping, difficulty in finding tracks, and/or difficulty in
loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check
the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD
is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched,
the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD
is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 3-80 for
more information.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the
CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer
and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of
the recorded CD with a marking pen instead.
Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more
than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt
to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could
damage the CD player. When using the CD player,
use only CDs in good condition without any
label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player
and the loading slot free of foreign materials,
liquids, and debris.
If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages”
later in this section.
9LOAD: Press the LOAD button to load CDs into the
CD player. This CD player will hold up to six CDs.
To insert one CD, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Press and release the LOAD button.
3. Wait for INSERT CD to flash on the display.
4. Load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player will pull the CD in.
3-73
To insert multiple CDs, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Press and hold the LOAD button for two seconds.
You will hear a beep and MULTI LOAD CD,
then INSERT CD and the number will appear on
the display.
3. Once INSERT CD and the number appears on the
display, load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the
slot, label side up. The player will pull the CD in.
Once the CD is loaded, INSERT CD and the number
will appear on the display again. Once INSERT CD
and the number appear on the display again, you can
load another CD. The CD player takes up to six CDs.
Do not try to load more than six.
To load more than one CD but less than six, complete
Steps 1 through 3. When finished loading CDs, with
the radio on or off, press the LOAD button to cancel the
loading function. The radio will begin to play the last
CD loaded.
If more than one CD has been loaded, a number for
each CD will be displayed and the currently selected slot
number will be underlined.
Z(Eject): To eject a single CD press this button.
EJECTING CD # will appear on the display and
the single CD icon will flash. When the CD is ready
to be removed the CD will eject part way from the
radio and REMOVE CD # will flash with the single
CD icon flashing until the CD is removed. If the CD
is not removed within 25 seconds the radio will pull it
back in.
To eject multiple CDs, press and hold the eject button.
EJECTING ALL CDS will appear on the display, the
single CD icon will flash, and you will hear a beep.
When the CD is ready to be removed the CD will
eject part way from the radio and REMOVE CD # will
flash with the single CD icon flashing until the CD
is removed. If the CD is not removed within 25 seconds
the radio will pull it back in. After the CD is removed
the radio will repeat the previous actions until all of
the CDs have been removed or a CD is pulled back in.
3-74
Playing a Specific Loaded CD
For every CD loaded, a number will appear on the
display. To play a specific CD, press the numbered
pushbutton that corresponds to the CD you want to play.
A small bar will appear under the CD number that is
playing, and the track number will appear.
If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages”
later in this section.
s(Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse
quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a reduced
volume. T#, the elapsed time of the track, and REV
will appear on the display. Release this button to play
the passage.
\(Fast Forward): Press and hold this button to
advance quickly within a track. You will hear sound at
a reduced volume. T#, the elapsed time of the track,
and FWD will appear on the display. Release this button
to play the passage.
RPT (Repeat): With repeat, one track or an entire
CD can be repeated.
To use repeat, do the following:
•To repeat the track you are listening to, press
and release the RPT button. RPT ON TRK #
will appear on the display. Press RPT again to
turn it off. RPT OFF will appear on the display.
•To repeat the CD you are listening to, press and
hold the RPT button for more than two seconds.
RPT CD # will appear on the display. Press
RPT again to turn it off. RPT OFF will appear
on the display.
3-75
RDM (Random): With random, you can listen to the
tracks in random, rather than sequential, order, on
one CD or on all of the CDs.
To use random, do one of the following:
•To play the tracks on the CD you are listening to in
random order, press the RDM button. RDM ONE
will appear on the display. Press RDM again to turn
it off. RDM OFF will appear on the display.
•To play the tracks on all of the CDs that are loaded
in random order, press and hold the RDM button
for more than two seconds. You will hear a
beep and RANDOM ALL CDS and RDM will appear
on the display. Press RDM again to turn it off.
RANDOM OFF will appear on the display.
oSEEK p:Press the left arrow to go to the start of
the current track if more than eight seconds have played.
Press the right arrow to go to the beginning of the next
track. If either arrow is held or pressed more than once,
the player will continue moving backward or forward
through the CD.
SCAN: Press and release this button to scan the
current CD. The CD will go to the next track, play the
first 10 seconds, then go on to the next track. Press
the SCAN button again to stop scanning.
To scan all of the CDs loaded, press and hold the
SCAN button for more than two seconds. The CD will
go to the next CD, play the first 10 seconds of each
track, then go on to the next CD. Press the SCAN button
again to stop scanning.
DISP (Display): Press the DISP button to switch
between time and the elapsed time of the track.
To change the default on the display (CD#/Track#/Time,
CD#/Track#, or Track#/Elapsed Time), press the
button until you see the display you want, then hold
the button for two seconds. The radio will produce one
beep and the selected display will now be the default.
EQ (Equalizer): Press this button to select the desired
equalization setting while playing a CD. The equalization
will be automatically set whenever a CD is played.
For more information on equalization, see “EQ” listed
previously in this section.
AM/FM: Press this button to play the radio when a
CD is playing. The inactive CD(s) will remain safely
inside the radio for future listening.
XM/AUX: Press this button to listen to XM™
(if equipped) when a CD is playing. The inactive CD
will remain safely inside the radio for future listening.
9CD: Press this button to play a CD when listening
to the radio.
3-76
Using Song List Mode
R(Song List): The six-disc CD changer has a
feature called song list. This feature is capable of
saving 20 track selections.
To save tracks into the song list feature, perform the
following steps:
1. Turn the radio on and load it with at least one CD.
See “LOAD” listed previously in this section for
more information.
2. Check to see that the CD changer is not in song
list mode. S-LIST should not appear in the display.
If S-LIST appears on the display, press the song
list button to turn it off.
3. Select the desired CD by pressing the numbered
pushbutton and then use the SEEK left arrow to
locate the track to be saved. The track will begin
to play.
4. Press and hold the song list button for two or more
seconds to save the track into memory. When song
list is pressed, a beep will be heard immediately.
After two seconds of continuously pressing song list,
two beeps will sound to confirm that the track has
been saved and TRACK number ADDED will
appear on the display.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for saving other selections.
SONG LIST FULL will appear on the display if you try
to save more than 20 selections.
To play the song list, press and release the song list
button. One beep will be heard and SONG LIST
will appear on the display. The recorded tracks will
begin to play in the order that they were saved.
Seek through the song list by using the SEEK arrows.
Seeking past the last saved track will return to the
first saved track.
To delete tracks from the song list, perform the
following steps:
1. Turn the CD player on.
2. Press the song list button to turn song list on.
SONG LIST will appear on the display.
3. Press either SEEK arrow to select the desired track
to be deleted.
4. Press and hold the song list button for two seconds.
When pressing song list, one beep will be heard
immediately. After two seconds of continuously
pressing the song list button, two beeps will
be heard to confirm that the track has been deleted
and TRACK number DELETED will appear on
the display.
After a track has been deleted, the remaining tracks are
moved up the list. When another track is added to the
song list, the track will be added to the end of the list.
3-77
To delete the entire song list, perform the
following steps:
1. Turn the CD player on.
2. Press the song list button to turn song list on.
SONG LIST will appear on the display.
3. Press and hold the song list button for more than
four seconds. A beep will be heard, followed by
two beeps after two seconds, and a final beep will
be heard after four seconds. SONG LIST EMPTY
will appear on the display indicating the song
list has been deleted.
If a CD is ejected, and the song list contains saved
tracks from that CD, those tracks are automatically
deleted from the song list. Any tracks saved to the
song list again are added to the bottom of the list.
To end song list mode, press the song list button.
One beep will be heard and SONG LIST will be
removed from the display.
CD Messages
CHECK CD: If this message appears on the display
and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the
following reasons:
•It is very hot. When the temperature returns to
normal, the CD should play.
•You are driving on a very rough road. When the
road becomes smoother, the CD should play.
•The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down.
•The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour
and try again.
•There may have been a problem while burning
the CD.
•The label may be caught in the CD player.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason,
try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio displays
an error message, write it down and provide it to your
dealer when reporting the problem.
3-78
Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK
®
is designed to discourage theft of
your vehicle’s radio. The feature works automatically
by learning a portion of the Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to a different
vehicle, it will not operate and LOCKED will appear
on the display.
With THEFTLOCK
®
activated, the radio will not
operate if stolen.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this
feature, some audio
controls can be adjusted
at the steering wheel.
They include the following:
xw:Press the up or the down arrow to go to the
next or to the previous radio station and stay there.
The radio will only seek stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
To scan stations, press and hold either arrow for
two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and
you hear a beep. The radio will go to a station, play
for a few seconds, then go on to the next station.
Press either arrow again to stop scanning.
When a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow
to go to the next or previous track.
To scan the current CD, press and hold either up or
down arrow for more than two seconds. The CD will go
to the next track, play the first 10 seconds, then go
on to the next track. Press either up or down arrow
again to stop scanning.
To scan all of the CDs loaded, press and hold either
up or down arrow for more than four seconds. The
CD will go to the next CD, play the first 10 seconds of
each track, then go on to the next CD. Press either
up or down arrow again to stop scanning.
+−(Volume): Press the plus or minus button to
increase or to decrease the volume.
1–6 (Preset Pushbuttons): Press this button to play
stations that are programmed on the radio preset
pushbuttons. The radio will only seek preset stations
with a strong signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing in the six-disc CD changer,
press this button to go to the next available CD,
if multiple CDs are loaded.
3-79
Radio Reception
You may experience frequency interference and
static during normal radio reception if items such as
cellphone chargers, vehicle convenience accessories,
and external electronic devices are plugged into
the accessory power outlet. If there is interference or
static, unplug the item from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for
FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other.
For better radio reception, most AM radio stations
will boost the power levels during the day, and then
reduce these levels during the night. Static can
also occur when things like storms and power lines
interfere with radio reception. When this happens,
try reducing the treble on your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous
United States, and in Canada (if available). Just as
with FM, tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite
radio signals, causing the sound to fade in and out.
In addition, traveling or standing under heavy foliage,
bridges, garages, or tunnels may cause loss of the
XM™ signal for a period of time. The radio may display
NO SIGNAL to indicate interference.
Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original
cases or other protective cases and away from direct
sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the bottom
surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged,
such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will
not play properly or not at all. If the surface of a CD is
soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean,
soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed
with water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process
starts from the center to the edge.
Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while handling
it; this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs by
grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and
the outer edge.
3-80
Care of the CD Player
The use of CD lens cleaners for CD players is not
advised, due to the risk of contaminating the internal
lens of the CD optics with lubricants.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car
washes without being damaged. If the mast should
ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by hand.
If the mast is badly bent, replace it.
Check occasionally to make sure the mast is still
tightened to the front quarter panel.
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System
The XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is located on the roof
of your vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of snow and
ice build up for clear radio reception.
If your vehicle has a sunroof, the performance of the
XM™ system may be affected if the sunroof is open.
If the rear roof rack rail is too close to the XM™
antenna or if objects stored on the roof rack cover or
block the XM™ antenna, the performance of the XM™
system may be affected.
Chime Level Adjustment
Chime level adjustment is only available on RDS radios.
The radio is used to adjust the vehicle’s chime level.
To change the volume level of the chime, press and hold
pushbutton 6 with the ignition on and the radio power
off. The volume level will change from the normal
level to loud, and LOUD will appear on the radio display.
To change back to the default or normal setting,
press and hold pushbutton 6 again. The volume level
will change from the loud level to normal, and NORMAL
will appear on the radio display. Each time the chime
volume is changed, three chimes will sound as an
example of the new volume selected. Removing the
radio and not replacing it with a factory radio or chime
module will disable vehicle chimes.
3-81
✍NOTES
3-82
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..........4-2
Defensive Driving ...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving .............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle ........................................4-5
Braking .........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies ...................................4-8
Traction Control System (TCS) .........................4-9
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System .......................4-10
Steering ......................................................4-11
Off-Road Recovery .......................................4-13
Passing .......................................................4-14
Loss of Control .............................................4-15
Driving at Night ............................................4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ..................4-17
City Driving ..................................................4-20
Freeway Driving ...........................................4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip .......................4-22
Highway Hypnosis ........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads ................................4-24
Winter Driving ..............................................4-26
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow ..............................................4-30
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out .................4-31
Loading Your Vehicle ....................................4-31
Towing ..........................................................4-36
Towing Your Vehicle .....................................4-36
Recreational Vehicle Towing ...........................4-36
Towing a Trailer ...........................................4-38
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. See Safety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-12.
{CAUTION:
Defensive driving really means “Be ready for
anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or
expressways, it means “Always expect the
unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or
other drivers are going to be careless and
make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do
and be ready. Rear-end collisions are about
the most preventable of accidents. Yet they
are common. Allow enough following distance.
Defensive driving requires that a driver
concentrate on the driving task. Anything
that distracts from the driving task makes
proper defensive driving more difficult and
can even cause a collision, with resulting
injury. Ask a passenger to help do these
things, or pull off the road in a safe place
to do them. These simple defensive driving
techniques could save your life.
4-2
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving
is a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a vehicle:
•Judgment
•Muscular Coordination
•Vision
•Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been
associated with the use of alcohol, with more than
300,000 people injured.
Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the
adult population — choose never to drink alcohol, so
they never drive after drinking. For persons under 21,
it is against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological, and
developmental reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive. But what if people do? How much is
“too much” if someone plans to drive? It is a lot less than
many might think. Although it depends on each person
and situation, here is some general information on
the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
•The amount of alcohol consumed
•The drinker’s body weight
•The amount of food that is consumed before
and during drinking
•The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol
4-3
According to the American Medical Association, a 180 lb
(82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce (355 ml)
bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC
of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of liquors like whiskey, gin, or vodka.
It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For example,
if the same person drank three double martinis
(3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour,
the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent.
A person who consumes food just before or during
drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women generally
have a lower relative percentage of body water
than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, this
means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC
level than a man of her same body weight will when
each has the same number of drinks.
The law in most U.S. states, and throughout Canada,
sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other
countries, the limit is even lower. For example, it is
0.05 percent in both France and Germany. The
BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the United States
is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to
six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have seen,
it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks,
and how quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills
of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All
drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent.
4-4
Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance
of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a
level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not
the right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need
to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the
street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not
be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There is something else about drinking and driving that
many people do not know. Medical research shows
that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash
injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal
cord, or heart. This means that when anyone who
has been drinking — driver or passenger — is in
a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or
permanently disabled is higher than if the person
had not been drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness,
and judgment can be affected by even a
small amount of alcohol. You can have a
serious — or even fatal — collision if you
drive after drinking. Please do not drink and
drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with
a group, designate a driver who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-9.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. See Accessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
4-5
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-28.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake
force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. See Accessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, this warning light
on the instrument panel
will come on briefly
when you start your
vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to
drive away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise
while this test is going on, and you may even notice
that your brake pedal moves or pulses a little.
This is normal.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving
safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam on the brakes and continue braking.
Here is what happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
4-7
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and
road conditions. This can help you steer around
the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock brakes, you can steer and
brake at the same time. However, if you do not have
anti-lock brakes, your first reaction — to hit the
brake pedal hard and hold it down — may be the wrong
thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they
do, the vehicle cannot respond to your steering.
4-8
Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was
headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could
be off the road, into the very thing you were trying
to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have anti-lock brakes, use a “squeeze”
braking technique. This will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You can do this
by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing
pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze
the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear
or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control. If you do have
anti-lock brakes, it is different. See Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 4-7.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
This light will come on
when your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin. You may feel or hear
the system working, but
this is normal.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel
spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
on page 4-31.
4-9
The traction control system
can be turned off by
pressing the traction
control button, located
on the instrument panel
above the audio system.
The traction control system can be activated again by
pressing the traction control button.
If the system is limiting wheel spin when you press
the button, the traction control off light will appear on the
instrument panel cluster. The system will not turn off
until there is no longer a current need to limit wheel
spin. You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. If the light does not come
on, you may not have traction control and your vehicle
should be serviced by a dealer.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. See Accessories and Modifications
on page 5-3 for more information.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
If your vehicle has all-wheel drive (AWD), the AWD
system operates automatically without any action
required by the driver. If the front drive wheels begin
to slip, the rear wheels will automatically begin to
drive the vehicle as required. There may be a slight
engagement noise during hard use but this is normal.
This light will come on
when engine torque is
reduced to protect
the AWD system from
overheating. You may
feel or hear a change
in engine output, but
this is normal.
During heavy AWD applications, the engine torque
may be reduced to protect AWD system components.
If the vehicle is exposed to extended heavy AWD
usage, the AWD system will shut itself off to protect
the system from overheating. When the system
cools down, the AWD system will activate itself again
automatically; this cool-down can take up to 20 minutes
depending on outside temperature and vehicle use.
4-10
If the AWD system is unable to protect the system from
overheating, the traction off light will come on to indicate
no protection capability. If this light comes on, take your
vehicle in for service.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you
are able to stop your vehicle. If you lose power steering
assist because the electric power steering system is not
functioning, you can steer, but it will take more effort.
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 for
service repairs.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject
to the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction.
If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice,
you will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle
at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you
are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems — steering and braking — have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Unless you
have four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard
braking can demand too much of those places.
You can lose control.
4-11
The same thing can happen if you are steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems — steering and acceleration — can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the
road and make you lose control. See Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the
way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your
front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through
the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed.
Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. See Accessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
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.
You can avoid these problems by braking — if you
can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is
not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you
have anti-lock brakes, not enough to lock your wheels.
See Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
4-12
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you
can turn it 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
You may find that your right wheels have dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you
are 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 your vehicle straddles the edge of the
pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to
one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
4-13
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with
the worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
•Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the sides
and to crossroads for situations that might affect
your passing patterns. If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass,
wait for a better time.
•Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it is all
right to pass, providing the road ahead is clear.
Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or
a double solid line, even if the road seems empty
of approaching traffic.
•Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces your area
of vision, especially if you are following a larger
vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate space
if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep
back a reasonable distance.
•When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and do
not get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into
the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will
have a running start that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your
pass, you need only slow down and drop back again
and wait for another opportunity.
•If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone is not
trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder
and check the blind spot.
•Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in
your inside mirror, activate your right lane change
signal and move back into the right lane.
4-14
Remember that your passenger side outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to
be farther away from you than it really is.
•Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
•Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing,
it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
•If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Traction Control System (TCS),
remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9.Ifyou
do not have this system, or if the system is off, then
an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
4-15
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored surface — and
slow down when you have any doubt.
If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you
do not have ABS, then in a braking skid, where the
wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This
restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as
the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
•Drive defensively.
•Do not drink and drive.
•Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
•Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
•Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
•In remote areas, watch for animals.
•If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
4-16
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you
are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They
may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they
also make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle
with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and
are not even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as
on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread
left, you will get even less traction. It is always wise
to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while
you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when
your reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-17
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if
your windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and traffic
signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road,
and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer fluid reservoir filled
with washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas
on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start
to separate from the inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control
of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before
you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build
up under your tires that they can actually ride on
the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough
and you are going fast enough. When your vehicle
is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure
in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water
is standing on the road. If you can see reflections
from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and
raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could
be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
4-18
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If you cannot avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. If you try to drive through flowing
water, as you might at a low water crossing,
your vehicle can be carried away. As little as
six inches of flowing water can carry away
a smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and
other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warning signs, and otherwise
be very cautious about trying to drive through
flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
•Turn on your low-beam headlamps — not just
your parking lamps — to help make you more
visible to others.
•Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
•Have good tires with proper tread depth.
See Tires on page 5-46.
4-19
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You will want to watch out
for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
•Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for
a cross-country trip.
•Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You will save time and energy.
See Freeway Driving on page 4-21.
•Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check both ways for vehicles
that have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
4-20
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways,
parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or
superhighways — are the safest of all roads.
But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the
same speed most of the other drivers are driving.
Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow.
Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to
the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as
you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect
to blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at
close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal,
check your mirrors, and glance over your shoulder as
often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the
traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to
the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it is slower.
Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
4-21
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over
your shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle
in your blind spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain
you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect
to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit,
do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up.
Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer,
not to your sense of motion. After driving for any
distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think you
are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles
that first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you will find experienced and able service experts in
GM dealerships all across North America. They will be
ready and willing to help if you need it.
4-22
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
•Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
•Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
•Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
•Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
•Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
•Weather Forecasts: What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
•Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on
the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of
the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle
can leave the road in less than a second, and you
could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
•Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated,
with a comfortably cool interior.
•Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
•If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
•Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system,
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
4-24
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.
•Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
•Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your
engine and transaxle, and you can climb the
hill better.
•Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide
or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds
that let you stay in your own lane.
•As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.
•You may see highway signs on mountains that
warn of special problems. Examples are long
grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks
area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
4-25
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
•Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
•You may want to put winter emergency supplies
in your vehicle.
Also see Tires on page 5-46.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red
cloth, and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will be driving under severe conditions, include
a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet, or a couple
of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You
will have a lot less traction, or grip, and will need to be
very careful.
4-26
What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer
the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is
about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins
to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and
sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
If you have the Traction Control System (TCS), it will
improve your ability to accelerate when driving on
a slippery road. But you can turn the TCS off if you
ever need to. You should turn the TCS off if your
vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow on page 4-30. Even though your vehicle has TCS,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
the road conditions. Under certain conditions, you
may want to turn the TCS off, such as when driving
through deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain
vehicle motion at lower speeds. See Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
If you do not have TCS, accelerate gently. Try not to
break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too fast,
the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under
the tires even more.
Unless you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
you will want to brake very gently, too. If you do
have ABS, see Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on
page 4-7. ABS improves your vehicle’s stability when
you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Whether
you have ABS or not, you will want to begin stopping
sooner than you would on dry pavement. Without ABS,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to
get the most traction you can.
4-27
Remember, unless you have ABS, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you will just slide.
Brake so your wheels always keep rolling and you
can still steer.
•Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
•Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
fine until you hit a spot that is covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in shaded areas where the sun cannot reach,
such as around clumps of trees, behind buildings,
or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch
of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you are actually on the ice,
and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are
near help and you can hike through the snow.
Here are some things to do to summon help and keep
yourself and your passengers safe:
•Turn on your hazard flashers.
•Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
•Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, floor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
4-28
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{CAUTION:
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 your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This
saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a
little faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get
and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start the
engine again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour
or so until help comes.
4-29
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
will need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
rocking can help you get out when you are stuck,
but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause
an engine compartment fire or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
Notice: Spinning your wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin
the wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle
back and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-31.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see Tire Chains on page 5-61.
4-30
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. If your
vehicle has traction control, you should turn your traction
control system off. See Traction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-9. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator
pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning
your wheels in the forward and reverse directions,
you will cause a rocking motion that may free your
vehicle. If that does not get you out after a few tries,
you may need to be towed out. If you do need to
be towed out, see Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-36.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your vehicle
can carry. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Vehicle Certification label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or
either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on
your vehicle can break, and it can change
the way your vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten the life of your
vehicle.
4-31
Tire and Loading Information Label
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information label
is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar).
With the driver’s door open, you will find the
label attached below the door lock post (striker).
The tire and loading information label lists the number
of occupant seating positions (A), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (B) in kilograms and pounds.
The vehicle capacity weight includes the weight of
all occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed options.
The Tire and Loading Information label also lists the
tire size of the original equipment tires (C) and the
recommended cold tire inflation pressures (D). For more
information on tires and inflation, see Tires on page 5-46
and Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-52.
There is also important loading information on the
Certification/Tire label. It tells you the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axles. See
“Certification/Tire Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
Label Example
4-32
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if
the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400 −750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight
may not safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity for your vehicle.
If your vehicle can tow a trailer, see Towing a Trailer
on page 4-38 for important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules, and trailering tips.
Item Description Total
AMaximum Vehicle
Capacity Weight
for Example 1 =1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract
Occupant Weight
150 lbs (68 kg) ×2=300 lbs (136 kg)
CAvailable Occupant
and Cargo Weight =700 lbs (317 kg)
Example 1
4-33
Item Description Total
AMaximum Vehicle
Capacity Weight
for Example 2 =1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract
Occupant Weight
150 lbs (68 kg) ×5=750 lbs (340 kg)
CAvailable
Cargo Weight =250 lbs (113 kg)
Item Description Total
AMaximum Vehicle
Capacity Weight
for Example 3 =1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract
Occupant Weight
200 lbs (91 kg) ×5=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
CAvailable
Cargo Weight =0 lbs (0 kg)
Refer to your vehicle’s tire and loading information label
for specific information about your vehicle’s maximum
vehicle capacity weight and seating positions. The
combined weight of the driver, passengers, and cargo
should never exceed your vehicle’s maximum vehicle
capacity weight.
Example 2 Example 3
4-34
Certification Label
A vehicle specific Certification/Tire label is found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door.
The label shows the size of your original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel, and cargo.
The Certification/Tire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out the actual loads
on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a
weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can
help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the GAWR
for either the front or rear axle.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or either
the maximum front or rear Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on your
vehicle can break, and it can change the way
your vehicle handles. These could cause you
to lose control and crash. Also, overloading
can shorten the life of your vehicle.
Notice: Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not overload your vehicle.
4-35
If you put things inside your vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else — they will go as
fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or
turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash.
•Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly.
•Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
•Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
•When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
•Do not leave a seat folded down unless
you need to.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle – such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and
“dolly towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels
on the ground and two wheels up on a device known
as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
4-36
Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:
•What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
•How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
•Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
•Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would
prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll want to
make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed.
See Before Leaving on a Long Trip on page 4-22.
Dinghy Towing
Notice: Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, or even with only two of
its wheels on the ground, will damage drivetrain
components. Do not tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle
if any of its wheels will be on the ground.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all of
its wheels on the ground. If you have a two-wheel-drive
vehicle, it can be towed with two of its wheels on
the ground. See “Dolly Towing” following.
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it cannot be
towed with any of its wheels on the ground. It can
be towed with the car carrier equipment.
Dolly Towing
If you have a two-wheel-drive vehicle, it can be towed
with two of its wheels on the ground. To dolly tow
your vehicle, do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
Notice: Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, or even with only two of
its wheels on the ground, will damage drivetrain
components. Do not tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle
if any of its wheels will be on the ground.
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it cannot be
towed with any of its wheels on the ground. It can
be towed with car carrier equipment.
4-37
Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well — or
even at all. You and your passengers could
be seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Notice: Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result in costly repairs that would
not be covered by your warranty. Always follow
the instructions in this section and check with your
dealer for more information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. Trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering
means changes in handling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering
takes correct equipment, and it has to be used
properly.
That is the reason for this section. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
•There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you will be driving. A good source
for this information can be state or provincial police.
•Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches” later
in this section.
4-38
•Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
•During the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a
trailer, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and do
not make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
•Weight of the trailer
•Weight of the trailer tongue
•Weight on your vehicle’s tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
If you have the trailer towing package, your vehicle
can tow up to 2,900 lbs. (1 300 kg) with up to
five occupants or up to 3,500 lbs. (1 575 kg) with up
to two occupants. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to
pull a trailer are all important. It can also depend on
any special equipment that you have on your vehicle,
and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue” later in this section
for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the
driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required
trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle
must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at our Customer Assistance
Offices. See Customer Assistance Offices on page 7-4
for more information.
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
4-39
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight
to measure because it affects the total or gross weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you
may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in
the vehicle. If you have a lot of options, passengers,
or cargo in the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue weight
your vehicle can carry, which will also reduce the
trailer weight your vehicle can tow. And if you will tow
a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW
because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too.
See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31 for more
information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
If you are using a weight-carrying or a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue weight (A) should be 10 percent
to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight
for your vehicle.
After you have loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, you may be able to get them
right simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
4-40
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You will find these numbers on
the Certification/Tire Label at the rear edge of the
driver’s door, or see Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
Then be sure you do not go over the GVW limit for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It is important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads
are a few reasons why you will need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
•If you will be pulling a trailer that, when loaded,
will weigh more than 2,000 lbs (900 kg), be sure
to use a properly mounted, weight-carrying
hitch and sway control of the proper size. This
equipment is very important for proper vehicle
loading and good handling when you’re driving.
•Will you have to make any holes in the body of
your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If you do, remember to seal the holes when you
remove the hitch. If you do not seal them, deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can
get into your vehicle. See Engine Exhaust
on page 2-25. Dirt and water can, too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your
vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under
the tongue of the trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it becomes separated
from the hitch. Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s
recommendation for attaching safety chains and do
not attach them to the bumper. Always leave just
enough slack so you can turn with your rig.
Never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes – and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes so you will be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Because your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes,
do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both brake systems will not work well,
or at all.
4-41
Driving with a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you have a rear-most window open and
you pull a trailer with your vehicle, carbon
monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle.
You cannot see or smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness or death. See Engine
Exhaust on page 2-25. To maximize your
safety when towing a trailer:
•Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
•Keep the rear-most windows closed.
•If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle. Do not use
the climate control setting for maximum
air because it only recirculates the air
inside your vehicle. See Climate Control
System on page 3-19.
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you will want to
get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that
the load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
4-42
Passing
You will need more passing distance up ahead when
you are towing a trailer. And, because you are a
good deal longer, you will need to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice: Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with
the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you are turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this so your trailer will not strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have
extra wiring.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you are about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you
start down a long or steep downgrade. If you do not
shift down, you might have to use your brakes so
much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 lbs (450 kg), drive in L4 instead of AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) or, as you need to, a lower gear.
This will minimize heat build-up and extend the life
of your transaxle.
4-43
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with
a trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and
the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill,
do the following:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift
into PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release
the regular brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you do the following:
•Start your engine.
•Shift into a gear.
•Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store
the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you are
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid, engine oil, belts,
cooling system and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help you find
them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a good idea to
review these sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-44
Service ............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modifications ..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning .....................5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work .........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle ...........................................5-5
Fuel ................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane ............................................5-5
Gasoline Specifications ....................................5-5
California Fuel ...............................................5-6
Additives .......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries ...............................5-7
Filling the Tank ..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container .....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood ....................5-10
Hood Release ..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview .......................5-12
Engine Oil ...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System ..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ................................5-18
Automatic Transaxle Fluid ..............................5-21
Engine Coolant .............................................5-21
Engine Overheating .......................................5-23
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode ........................................5-25
Cooling System ............................................5-26
Windshield Washer Fluid ................................5-31
Brakes ........................................................5-32
Battery ........................................................5-34
Jump Starting ...............................................5-34
All-Wheel Drive ..............................................5-40
Bulb Replacement ..........................................5-42
Halogen Bulbs ..............................................5-42
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps ....................................5-42
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps .........................................5-43
Replacement Bulbs .......................................5-44
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ..............5-45
Tires ..............................................................5-46
Tire Sidewall Labeling ...................................5-47
Tire Terminology and Definitions .....................5-50
Inflation - Tire Pressure .................................5-52
Tire Inspection and Rotation ...........................5-54
When It Is Time for New Tires .......................5-55
Buying New Tires .........................................5-56
Different Size Tires and Wheels ......................5-57
Uniform Tire Quality Grading ..........................5-58
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ..................5-59
Wheel Replacement ......................................5-60
Tire Chains ..................................................5-61
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................5-62
Changing a Flat Tire .....................................5-62
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ................5-64
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire ................................................5-65
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools ............5-72
Compact Spare Tire ......................................5-73
Appearance Care ............................................5-74
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle .................5-74
Fabric/Carpet ...............................................5-75
Leather .......................................................5-76
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces ..................................................5-76
Care of Safety Belts ......................................5-77
Weatherstrips ...............................................5-77
Washing Your Vehicle ...................................5-77
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses .....................5-78
Finish Care ..................................................5-78
Windshield and Wiper Blades .........................5-78
Aluminum Wheels .........................................5-79
Tires ...........................................................5-80
Sheet Metal Damage .....................................5-80
Finish Damage .............................................5-80
Underbody Maintenance ................................5-80
Chemical Paint Spotting .................................5-80
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials ..................5-81
Vehicle Identification ......................................5-82
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) .................5-82
Service Parts Identification Label .....................5-82
Electrical System ............................................5-83
Add-On Electrical Equipment ..........................5-83
Windshield Wiper Fuses ................................5-83
Power Windows and Other Power Options .......5-83
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ............................5-83
Instrument Panel Fuse Block ..........................5-84
Engine Compartment Fuse Block ....................5-85
Capacities and Specifications ..........................5-88
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2
Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you will go to your dealer
for all your service needs. You will get genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modifications
When you add non-GM accessories to your vehicle
they can affect your vehicle’s performance and safety,
including such things as, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems, aerodynamics, durability,
and electronic systems like antilock brakes, traction
control and stability control. Some of these accessories
may even cause malfunction or damage not covered
by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle. Your GM
dealer can accessorize your vehicle using genuine
GM Accessories. When you go to your GM dealer and
ask for GM Accessories, you will know that GM-trained
and supported service technicians will perform the
work using genuine GM Accessories.
5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems
(including some inside the vehicle), many fluids, and
some component wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
•Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
•Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work,
you will want to use the proper service manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your vehicle
than this manual can. To order the proper service
manual, see Service Publications Ordering Information
on page 7-15.
5-4
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, see Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-61.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and
list the mileage and the date of any service work
you perform. See Maintenance Record on page 6-14.
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle
can affect the airflow around it. This may cause
wind noise and affect windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer before adding equipment to
the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87,
you may 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, your
engine needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specification D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
General Motors recommends against the use of
gasolines containing MMT. See Additives on
page 5-6 for additional information.
5-5
California Fuel
If your 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,
your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp may turn on and your vehicle may fail a
smog-check test. See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-32. If this occurs, return to your authorized
GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is determined that
the condition is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs may not be covered by your warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from
forming, allowing your emission control system to
work properly. In most cases, you should not have to
add anything to your fuel. However, some gasolines
contain only the minimum amount of additive required
to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
regulations. To help keep fuel injectors and intake
valves clean, or if your vehicle experiences problems
due to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that
is advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Also, your GM dealer has additives that will help
correct and prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in
your area. General Motors recommends that you use
these gasolines if they comply with the specifications
described earlier. However, E85 (85% ethanol)
and other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol
must not be used in vehicles that were not designed
for those fuels.
5-6
Notice: Your vehicle was not designed for fuel
that contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors
recommends against the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce the life of spark
plugs and the performance of the emission control
system may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
GM dealer for service.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in
the country where you will be driving.
5-7
Filling the Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire
can cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries
to you and others, read and follow all the
instructions on the pump island. Turn off your
engine when you are refueling. Do not smoke
if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle.
Keep sparks, flames, and smoking materials
away from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended when refueling your vehicle — this
is against the law in some places. Keep
children away from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.
The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel
door on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly counterclockwise.
The fuel cap has a spring in it; if the cap is released
too soon, it will spring back to the right.
5-8
{CAUTION:
If you spill fuel and then something ignites it,
you could be badly burned. Fuel can spray out
on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly.
This spray can happen if your tank is nearly
full, and is more likely in hot weather. Open
the fuel cap slowly and wait for any hiss noise
to stop. Then unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overfill the
tank and wait a few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel
from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See
Washing Your Vehicle on page 5-77.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it clockwise until it
clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. This would allow
fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-32.
{CAUTION:
If a fire starts while you are refueling, do not
remove the nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel
by shutting off the pump or by notifying the
station attendant. Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to
get the right type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type, it may not fit properly.
This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp
to light and may damage your fuel tank and
emissions system. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-32.
5-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from
the container can ignite the gasoline vapor.
You can be badly burned and your vehicle
damaged if this occurs. To help avoid injury
to you and others:
•Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
•Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed,
or on any surface other than the ground.
•Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
•Do not smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a fire. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer
and other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
5-10
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the handle with
this symbol on it.
It is located inside
the vehicle, to the
left of the steering
column.
2. Then go to the front of the vehicle and move
the secondary hood release lever to the right.
3. Lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are
on properly. Then pull the hood down and close it firmly.
5-11
Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood you will see the following:
5-12
A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 5-13.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 5-13.
D. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 5-32.
E. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See Fuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 5-83.
F. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting
on page 5-34.
G. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. See Engine Coolant
on page 5-21.
H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-31.
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check your engine oil every time
you get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the
oil must be warm and the vehicle must be on level
ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-13
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at the tip of the
dipstick, you will need to add at least one quart/liter of
oil. But you must use the right kind. This section explains
what kind of oil to use. For engine oil crankcase capacity,
see Capacities and Specifications on page 5-88.
Notice: Do not add too much oil. If the engine
has so much oil that the oil level gets above
the cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could be damaged.
See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Be sure to add enough oil to put the level somewhere
in the proper operating range in the cross-hatched area.
Push the dipstick all the way back in when you are
through.
SAE 5W-30 may not
appear on all caps.
5-14
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Look for two things:
•GM6094M
Your vehicle’s engine requires oil meeting GM
Standard GM6094M. You should look for and use
only an oil that meets GM Standard GM6094M.
•SAE 5W-30
As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is
best for your vehicle.
These numbers on an oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity
oils such as SAE 20W-50.
Oils meeting these
requirements should
also have the starburst
symbol on the container.
This symbol indicates
that the oil has been
certified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
You should look for this information on the oil container,
and use only those oils that are identified as meeting
GM Standard GM6094M and have the starburst symbol
on the front of the oil container.
Notice: Use only engine oil identified as meeting
GM Standard GM6094M and showing the American
Petroleum Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
®
oil meets all the requirements
for your vehicle.
5-15
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below −20°F (−29°C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your
engine at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Do not add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol meet GM Standard GM6094M
are all you will need for good performance and engine
protection.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and filter. This is based
on engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not
on mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage
at which an oil change will be indicated can vary
considerably. For the oil life system to work properly,
you must reset the system every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is necessary.
A change engine oil light will come on. Change your oil
as soon as possible within the next 600 miles (1 000 km).
It is possible that, if you are driving under the best
conditions, the oil life system may not indicate that an
oil change is necessary for over a year. However, your
engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a
year and at this time the system must be reset. Your
dealer has GM-trained people who will perform this
work using genuine GM parts and reset the system.
It is also important to check your oil regularly and keep
it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
5-16
How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System
The Engine Oil Life System calculates when to change
your engine oil and filter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system so it can calculate
when the next oil change is required. If a situation occurs
where you change your oil prior to a change engine oil
light being turned on, reset the system.
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal
three times within five seconds.
The change engine oil light will flash while the
system is resetting.
3. Turn the key to LOCK.
If the change engine oil light comes back on and
stays on when you start your vehicle, the engine oil
life system has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from
the filter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you
have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
5-17
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The engine air cleaner/filter is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for more information on location.
When to Inspect the Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/filter at the Maintenance II
intervals and replace it at the first oil change after
each 50,000 mile (83 000 km) interval. See Scheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4 for more information.
If you are driving in dusty/dirty conditions, inspect
the filter at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/filter remove the filter from
the vehicle and lightly shake the filter to release
loose dust and dirt. If the filter remains caked with dirt,
a new filter is required.
To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter,
do the following:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Disconnect the air flow sensor electrical connector.
5-18
3. Disconnect the crank case ventilation tube.
4. Loosen the screws on the clamps holding the air
outlet duct in place. Do not pry the clamps off.
5. Remove the air outlet duct.
5-19
6. Undo the clamps on the filter cover. To remove
the cover, pull up on the front and then pull the
cover out.
7. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
Wipe all dust from inside of the housing and
inspect the air cleaner and air outlet duct for
cracks, cuts, and deterioration. The air outlet
duct must be replaced if damaged.
8. Reinstall the filter cover and latch the clamps.
9. Reattach the air outlet duct and tighten the screws
on the clamps that hold the duct in place.
10. Reconnect the crank case ventilation tube.
11. Reconnect the air flow sensor electrical connector.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/filter
off can cause you or others to be burned.
The air cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine backfires.
If it is not there and the engine backfires,
you could be burned. Do not drive with it off,
and be careful working on the engine with
the air cleaner/filter off.
Notice: If the air cleaner/filter is off, a backfire can
cause a damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always have
the air cleaner/filter in place when you are driving.
5-20
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
It is not necessary to check the transaxle fluid level.
A transaxle fluid leak is the only reason for fluid loss.
If a leak occurs, take your vehicle to the dealership
service department and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
Change the fluid at the intervals listed in Additional
Required Services on page 6-6, and be sure to use
the transaxle fluid listed in Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 6-11.
Notice: Use of the incorrect automatic transaxle
fluid may damage your vehicle, and the damages
may not be covered by your warranty. Always use
the automatic transaxle fluid listed in Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-11.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL
®
engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for five years or 100,000 miles
(166 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL
®
extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how
to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see Engine Overheating
on page 5-23.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®
coolant will:
•Give freezing protection down to −34°F (−37°C).
•Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
•Protect against rust and corrosion.
•Help keep the proper engine temperature.
•Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
Notice: Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at the first maintenance
service after each 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or
24 months, whichever occurs first. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®
(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
5-21
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one-half DEX-COOL
®
coolant which will not damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you
do not need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®
coolant.
Notice: If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost would not be covered by your warranty.
Too much water in the mixture can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice: If you use extra inhibitors and/or additives
in your vehicle’s cooling system, you could damage
your vehicle. Use only the proper mixture of the
engine coolant listed in this manual for the cooling
system. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-11 for more information.
Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located on the driver’s side of the
engine compartment. See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12 for more information on location.
5-22
{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap — even a little — when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the
COLD FILL line. When your engine is warm, the level
should be at the COLD FILL line or a little higher.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL
®
coolant mixture at the surge tank, but only when the
engine is cool.
a
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is
hand-tight and fully seated.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-31.
5-23
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
you badly, even if you just open the hood.
Stay away from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no sign of steam
or coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire.
You or others could be badly burned.
Stop your engine if it overheats, and get
out of the vehicle until the engine is cool.
See Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode on page 5-25 for information on driving
to a safe place in an emergency.
Notice: If your engine catches fire because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on page 5-25 for
information on driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming From
Your Engine
An overheat warning can indicate a serious problem.
If you get an engine overheat warning, but see or
hear no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot
when you:
•Climb a long hill on a hot day.
•Stop after high-speed driving.
•Idle for long periods in traffic.
•Tow a trailer.
5-24
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If the air conditioner is on, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.
3. Try to minimize engine load. If you are in a traffic
jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N); otherwise, shift to
the highest gear while driving.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped,
pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can idle the
engine for three minutes while you are parked.
If you still have the warning, turn off the engine and
get everyone out of the vehicle until it cools down.
Also, see “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” later in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode allows your vehicle to
be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation.
If an overheated engine condition exists, an overheat
protection mode which alternates firing groups of
cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice a significant loss in power and engine
performance. The temperature gage will indicate
an overheat condition exists. Driving extended miles
(km) and/or towing a trailer in the overheat protection
mode should be avoided.
Notice: After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil
and reset the oil life system. See Engine Oil
on page 5-13.
5-25
Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what
you will see:
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fans
B. Coolant Surge Tank
{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood
can start up even when the engine is not
running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
do not do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
The coolant level should be at the COLD FILL line.
If it is not, you may have a leak at the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump, or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
5-26
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Do not touch them.
If you do, you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine fire, and you could be
burned. Get any leak fixed before you drive
the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine cooling fans are running.
If the engine is overheating, both fans should be
running. If they are not, your vehicle needs service.
Turn off the engine.
Notice: Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant is not covered by your warranty.
See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
on page 5-25 for information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
Notice: Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs first. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®
(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
5-27
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
Notice: This vehicle has a specific coolant fill
procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could
cause your engine to overheat and be severely
damaged.
If you have not found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at the COLD FILL line, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®
coolant at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the
cooling system, including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap, is cool before you do it.
{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap — even a little — they
can come out at high speed. Never turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
5-28
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®
coolant.
Notice: In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
1. You can remove the
coolant surge tank
pressure cap when
the cooling system,
including the coolant
surge tank pressure
cap and upper radiator
hose, is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise
about one-quarter of a turn. If you hear a hiss,
wait for that to stop. This will allow any pressure
still left to be vented out the discharge hose.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly,
and remove it.
5-29
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper
DEX-COOL
®
coolant mixture, to the
COLD FILL line.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off,
start the engine and let it run until you can feel
the upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out
for the engine cooling fans.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper DEX-COOL
®
coolant mixture
to the coolant surge tank until the level reaches
the COLD FILL line.
5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the
pressure cap is hand-tight.
5-30
Check the level in the surge tank when the cooling
system has cooled down. If the coolant is not at the
proper level, repeat Steps 1 through 3 and reinstall the
pressure cap. If the coolant is not at the proper level
when the system cools down again, see your dealer.
Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield or rear window washer
fluid be sure to read the instructions before use. If you
will be operating your vehicle in an area where the
temperature may fall below freezing, use a fluid that
has sufficient protection against freezing.
Adding Windshield Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until the
tank is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview
on page 5-12 for reservoir
location.
Notice:
•When using concentrated washer fluid, follow
the manufacturer’s instructions for adding
water.
•Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer fluid tank and other parts
of the washer system. Also, water does not
clean as well as washer fluid.
•Fill your washer fluid tank only three-quarters
full when it is very cold. This allows for
expansion if freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is completely full.
•Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your
windshield washer. It can damage your washer
system and paint.
5-31
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master
cylinder reservoir is filled
with DOT-3 brake fluid.
See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level
in the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is
leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should
have your brake system fixed, since a leak means that
sooner or later your brakes will not work well, or will
not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to top off your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid will not correct a leak. If you add
fluid when your linings are worn, then you will have
too much fluid when you get new brake linings.
You should add or remove brake fluid, as necessary,
only when work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-28.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving,
except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly.
5-32
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes will not work well. That could lead
to an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly applied.
This does not mean something is wrong with your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specifications.
Your rear drum brakes do not have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected immediately. Also, the rear brake
drums should be removed and inspected each time the
tires are removed for rotation or changing. When you
have the front brake pads replaced, have the rear brakes
inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return
to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle
was designed and tested with top-quality GM brake parts.
When you replace parts of your braking system — for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
need new ones put in — be sure you get new approved
GM replacement parts. If you do not, your brakes may no
longer work properly. For example, if someone puts in
brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the balance
between your front and rear brakes can change — for
the worse. The braking performance you have come to
expect can change in many other ways if someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
5-33
Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When
it is time for a new battery, get one that has the
replacement number shown on the original battery’s
label. We recommend an ACDelco
®
replacement
battery.
For battery replacement, see your dealer or the
service manual. To purchase a service manual, see
Service and Owner Publications in Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-15.
Warning: Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and
gas that can explode. You can be badly hurt
if you are not careful. See Jump Starting on
page 5-34 for tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
You must close all doors and the liftgate before
reconnecting the battery. After reconnecting the battery,
you must press the unlock button on the key transmitter.
Failure to follow this procedure may result in a
sounding alarm. Pressing unlock on the key transmitter
would stop the sounding alarm.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do it safely.
5-34
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
•They contain acid that can burn you.
•They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
•They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice: Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice: If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be
able to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved
in the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in
NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
Notice: If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlet. Turn off
the radio and all lamps that are not needed.
This will avoid sparks and help save both batteries.
And it could save your radio!
5-35
4. Open the hoods and locate the positive (+) and
negative (−) terminal locations on each vehicle.
You will not need to access your battery for jump
starting. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+)
and a remote negative (−) jump starting terminal
for that purpose.
The remote positive (+)
terminal is located under
the engine compartment
fuse block cover, and
is marked with a plus (+)
symbol on the cover.
To access the terminal,
remove the fuse block
cover.
The remote negative (−)
terminal is located in
the front of the engine
compartment, near
the engine oil dipstick.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for more information on the location of the remote
positive (+) terminal and the engine oil dipstick.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
5-36
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has filler
caps, be sure the right amount of fluid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that first.
If you do not, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, flush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose
or missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go
to positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal
if the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative (−)oryou
will get a short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts, too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
5-37
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the dead battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it
to the positive (+) terminal of the good battery.
Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
8. Now connect the black negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative (−) cable
does not go to the dead battery. It goes to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal on the vehicle with the
dead battery.
9. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable at
least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical
connection is just as good there, and the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is much less.
Your vehicle has a remote negative (−) terminal
for this purpose.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Press the unlock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter to disarm your content
theft-deterrent system.
12. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it will not start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice: If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical shorting may
occur and damage the vehicle. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always connect
and remove the jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the cables do not touch
each other or other metal.
5-38
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote
Negative (−) Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (−) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal
To disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles,
do the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
other vehicle.
5. Return the fuse block cover to its original position.
Jumper Cable Removal
5-39
All-Wheel Drive
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure to
perform the lubricant checks described in this section.
However, there are two additional systems that
need lubrication.
Transfer Case
(Power Transfer Unit)
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
how often to check the lubricant. See Scheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4.
How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on
a level surface.
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 6-11.
5-40
Carrier Assembly-Differential
(Rear Drive Module)
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it.
See Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
How to Check Lubricant
A. Fill Plug
B. Drain Plug
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on
a level surface.
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom of the filler plug hole.
A fluid loss could indicate a problem; check and have
it repaired, if needed.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 6-11.
AWD Differential Case
5-41
Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement bulbs, see
Replacement Bulbs on page 5-44.
For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this
section, contact your dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
{CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside
and can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb.
You or others could be injured. Be sure to
read and follow the instructions on the bulb
package.
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps
To replace one of these bulbs, do the following:
1. Open the hood. See Hood Release on page 5-11
for more information.
2. Remove the three headlamp assembly attachment
screws.
3. Pull the headlamp assembly toward you to release
it from the hidden, lower headlamp mount. The
headlamp assembly will need to be carefully
disengaged from the vehicle.
5-42
A. Sidemarker Lamp
B. Parking/Turn
Signal Lamp
C. Low/High-Beam/
DRL Headlamp
4. Pull the locking tab back on the bulb socket and
push the release tab in to release the wiring
harness. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise
to remove it from the headlamp assembly.
5. Pull the bulb straight out from the socket.
6. Push the new bulb into the socket and reinstall
the socket into the headlamp assembly by turning
it clockwise.
7. Connect the electrical connector.
8. Reverse Steps 1 through 4 to reinstall the headlamp
assembly. When reinstalling the three headlamp
screws, do not overtighten.
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps
A. Stoplamp/Taillamp
B. Turn Signal Lamp/
Taillamp
C. Sidemarker Lamp
D. Back-Up Lamp
5-43
To replace one of these bulbs, do the following:
1. Open the liftgate. See Liftgate on page 2-10 for
more information.
2. Remove the taillamp screws.
3. Slide the taillamp assembly sideways to disengage
the cross-bar locating studs.
4. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise to disconnect
it from the taillamp assembly.
5. Pull the bulb out of the bulb socket.
6. Push the new bulb into the bulb socket.
7. Insert the bulb socket into the taillamp assembly
and turn it clockwise to secure.
8. Reverse Steps 1 through 3 to reinstall the taillamp
assembly. When reinstalling the screws, do not
overtighten.
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior Lamp Bulb Number
Back-Up, Rear Turn Signal,
Stoplamp and Taillamp 3157
Front and Rear Sidemarker Lamp 194
Front Turn Signal Lamp 5702A
Low/High-Beam Headlamp/DRL H13
For replacement bulbs not listed here, contact
your dealer.
5-44
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected for wear
or cracking. See Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For proper type and length,
see Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts on
page 6-13.
Here’s how to replace the windshield wiper blades:
1. Make sure the front wipers are turned off.
2. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield. 3. Pull up the release clip, located at the connecting
point of the blade and the arm. Then, pull the
blade assembly down toward the glass to remove
it from the wiper arm.
4. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper
arm until you hear the release clip “click” into
place.
5. Push the release clip, from Step 3, down to secure
the wiper blade into place.
5-45
Rear Window Wiper Blade Replacement
To replace the rear window wiper blade, do the
following:
1. Make sure that the rear wiper is off.
2. Pull the wiper away from the rear window.
3. Pull up the release clip, located at the connecting
point of the blade and the arm. Then, pull the
blade assembly down toward the glass to remove
it from the wiper arm.
4. Push the new wiper blade securely on the
wiper arm until you hear the release clip “click”
into place.
5. Push the release clip, from Step 3, down to secure
the wiper blade into place.
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service,
see your GM Warranty booklet for details. For additional
information refer to the tire manufacturer’s booklet
included with your vehicle’s Owner Manual.
{CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
•Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See Loading Your Vehicle on
page 4-31.
•Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold. See Inflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-52.
•Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured, or broken by a sudden
impact — such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
•Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
5-46
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical passenger
vehicle tire and a compact spare tire sidewall.
(A) Tire Size: The tire size is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define a particular tire’s width,
height, aspect ratio, construction type, and service
description. See the “Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specification): Original equipment tires designed to
GM’s specific tire performance criteria have a TPC
specification code molded onto the sidewall. GM’s TPC
specifications meet or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of Transportation): The
Department of Transportation (DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance with the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identification Number (TIN): The letters and
numbers following DOT (Department of Transportation)
code is the Tire Identification Number (TIN). The
TIN shows the manufacturer and plant code, tire size,
and date the tire was manufactured. The TIN is molded
onto both sides of the tire, although only one side
may have the date of manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material: The type of cord and number of
plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG): Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires based on
three performance factors: treadwear, traction,
and temperature resistance. For more information
see Uniform Tire Quality Grading on page 5-58.
(G) Maximum Cold Inflation Load Limit: Maximum
load that can be carried and the maximum pressure
needed to support that load.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
5-47
(A) Temporary Use Only: The compact spare tire or
temporary use tire has a tread life of approximately
3,000 miles (5 000 km) and should not be driven
at speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h). The compact spare
tire is for emergency use when a regular road tire
has lost air and gone flat. If your vehicle has a compact
spare tire, see Compact Spare Tire on page 5-73
and If a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-62.
(B) Tire Ply Material: The type of cord and number of
plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(C) Tire Identification Number (TIN): The letters
and numbers following the DOT (Department of
Transportation) code is the Tire Identification Number
(TIN). The TIN shows the manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was manufactured. The
TIN is molded onto both sides of the tire, although
only one side may have the date of manufacture.
(D) Maximum Cold Inflation Load Limit: Maximum
load that can be carried and the maximum pressure
needed to support that load.
(E) Tire Inflation: The temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to 60 psi (420 kPa).
For more information on tire pressure and inflation
see Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-52.
(F) Tire Size: A combination of letters and numbers
define a tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction
type and service description. The letter T as the
first character in the tire size means the tire is for
temporary use only.
(G) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specification): Original equipment tires designed to
GM’s specific tire performance criteria have a TPC
specification code molded onto the sidewall. GM’s TPC
specifications meet or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Compact Spare Tire Example
5-48
Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a typical
passenger vehicle tire size.
(A) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire: The United States
version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter P as
the first character in the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width: The three-digit number indicates the
tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio: A two-digit number that indicates the
tire height-to-width measurements. For example, if
the tire size aspect ratio is 60, as shown in item C of
the illustration, it would mean that the tire’s sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code: A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply construction; the letter D
means diagonal or bias ply construction; and the
letter B means belted-bias ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter: Diameter of the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description: These characters represent
the load range and speed rating of the tire. The load
index represents the load carry capacity a tire is certified
to carry. The load index can range from 1 to 279. The
speed rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified
to carry a load. Speed ratings range from A to Z.
5-49
Tire Terminology and Definitions
Air Pressure: The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure
is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight: This means the combined weight
of optional accessories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, and
air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio: The relationship of a tire’s height to
its width.
Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords that is located
between the plies and the tread. Cords may be made
from steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead: The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire: A pneumatic tire in which the plies are
laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Cold Inflation Pressure: The amount of air pressure
in a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
or kilopascals (kPa) before a tire has built up heat from
driving. See Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-52.
Curb Weight: This means the weight of a motor
vehicle with standard and optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and coolant, but
without passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings: A code molded into the sidewall of
a tire signifying that the tire is in compliance with
the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) motor
vehicle safety standards. The DOT code includes
the Tire Identification Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand and date of production.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, see Loading
Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front
axle, see Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle,
see Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
Intended Outboard Sidewall: The side of an
asymmetrical tire, that must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa): The metric unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire: A tire used on light duty
trucks and some multipurpose passenger vehicles.
5-50
Load Index: An assigned number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure: The maximum air
pressure to which a cold tire may be inflated. The
maximum air pressure is molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating: The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation pressure for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight: The sum of curb
weight; accessory weight; vehicle capacity weight;
and production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight: The number of occupants a
vehicle is designed to seat multiplied by 150 lbs (68 kg).
See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
Occupant Distribution: Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall: The side of an
asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that faces
outward when mounted on a vehicle. The side of the tire
that contains a whitewall, bears white lettering, or
bears manufacturer, brand, and/or model name molding
that is higher or deeper than the same moldings on
the other sidewall of the tire.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire: A tire used on passenger
cars and some light duty trucks and multipurpose
vehicles.
Recommended Inflation Pressure: Vehicle
manufacturer’s recommended tire inflation pressure and
shown on the tire placard. See Inflation - Tire Pressure
on page 5-52 and Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
Radial Ply Tire: A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Rim: A metal support for a tire and upon which the tire
beads are seated.
Sidewall: The portion of a tire between the tread and
the bead.
Speed Rating: An alphanumeric code assigned to a
tire indicating the maximum speed at which a tire
can operate.
Traction: The friction between the tire and the road
surface. The amount of grip provided.
Tread: The portion of a tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Treadwear Indicators: Narrow bands, sometimes
called wear bars, that show across the tread of a tire
when only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread remains.
See When It Is Time for New Tires on page 5-55.
5-51
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards):
A tire information system that provides consumers with
ratings for a tire’s traction, temperature, and treadwear.
Ratings are determined by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures. The ratings are molded
into the sidewall of the tire. See Uniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 5-58.
Vehicle Capacity Weight: The number of designated
seating positions multiplied by 150 lbs (68 kg) plus
the rated cargo load. See Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-31.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire: Load on an
individual tire due to curb weight, accessory weight,
occupant weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard: A label permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle’s capacity weight and
the original equipment tire size and recommended
inflation pressure. See “Tire and Loading Information
Label” under Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
Inflation - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice: Do not let anyone tell you that
under-inflation or over-inflation is all right. It is not.
If your tires do not have enough air (under-inflation),
you can get the following:
•Too much flexing
•Too much heat
•Tire overloading
•Premature or irregular wear
•Poor handling
•Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-inflation),
you can get the following:
•Unusual wear
•Poor handling
•Rough ride
•Needless damage from road hazards
5-52
A Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the
vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’s
door latch. This label shows your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct inflation pressures for
your tires when they are cold. The recommended
cold tire inflation pressure, shown on the label, is the
minimum amount of air pressure needed to support
your vehicle’s maximum load carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an example of the tire
and loading information label, see Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-31. How you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort, never load your
vehicle with more weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Do not forget
to check the compact spare tire, it should be at
60 psi (420 kPa). For additional information regarding
the compact spare tire, see Compact Spare Tire
on page 5-73.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly
inflated simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they are under-inflated.
Check the tire’s inflation pressure when the tires
are cold. Cold means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage firmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Re-check
the tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
5-53
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. See When It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-55 and Wheel Replacement
on page 5-60 for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Do not include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” under Capacities and
Specifications on page 5-88.
5-54
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to the vehicle.
In an emergency, you can use a cloth or a
paper towel to do this; but be sure to use a
scraper or wire brush later, if needed, to get
all the rust or dirt off. See Changing a Flat
Tire on page 5-62.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it is
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of
tread remaining. Some
commercial truck tires
may not have treadwear
indicators.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
•You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
•You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
•The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
•The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
•The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
5-55
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specific tires for your
vehicle. The original equipment tires installed on
your vehicle, when it was new, were designed to meet
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria Specification
(TPC spec) system rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to give the
same performance and vehicle safety, during normal
use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over a
dozen critical specifications that impact the overall
performance of your vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling, traction control, and
tire pressure monitoring performance. GM’s TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire’s sidewall by the tire
manufacturer. If the tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC spec number will be followed by an
MS for mud and snow. See Tire Sidewall Labeling
on page 5-47 for additional information.
{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different
sizes, brands, or types (radial and bias-belted
tires), the vehicle may not handle properly,
and you could have a crash. Using tires of
different sizes, brands, or types may also
cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to
use the correct size, brand, and type of tires
on all wheels. It is all right to drive with
your compact spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your vehicle. See
Compact Spare Tire on page 5-73.
5-56
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those that
do not have a TPC Spec number, make sure they
are the same size, load range, speed rating, and
construction type (radial and bias-belted tires) as
your vehicle’s original tires.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on
the Tire and Loading Information Label. This label
is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar).
See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31, for more
information about the Tire and Loading Information
Label and its location on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability
and resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle
has electronic systems such as, anti-lock brakes,
traction control, and electronic stability control, the
performance of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your
vehicle may not provide an acceptable level
of performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are selected.
You may increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury. Only use
GM specific wheel and tire systems developed
for your vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on page 5-56 and Accessories
and Modifications on page 5-3 for additional information.
5-57
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-58
Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature
can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The tires and wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to give you
the longest tire life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular basis. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling
to one side or the other, the alignment may need to
be checked. If you notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your tires and wheels
may need to be rebalanced. See your dealer for
proper diagnosis.
5-59
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly
rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose,
the wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be
replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM original equipment parts. This way, you will be
sure to have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel
nuts for your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts, or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice: The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance, and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
See Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-62 for more
information.
5-60
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You cannot know how it has been
used or how far it has been driven. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash. If you have
to replace a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Do not use tire chains. There is not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause you to lose control
of your vehicle and you or others may be
injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it is contacting your vehicle, and do
not spin your vehicle’s wheels. If you do find
traction devices that will fit, install them on
the front tires.
5-61
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your vehicle’s tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if you should ever have a blowout, here
are a few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake
to a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you would
use in a skid. In any rear blowout remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer.
Gently brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.
{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is designed
only for changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could be badly
injured or killed if the vehicle slips off the jack.
Use the jack provided with your vehicle only
for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your vehicle’s
hazard warning flashers. See Hazard Warning Flashers
on page 3-6 for more information.
5-62
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over or fall on you
or other people. You and they could be badly
injured or even killed. Find a level place to
change your tire. To help prevent the vehicle
from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in
the vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle will not
move, you should put blocks at the front and
rear of the tire farthest away from the one
being changed. That would be the tire, on the
other side, at the opposite end of the vehicle.
When your vehicle has a flat tire, use the following
example as a guide to assist you in the placement of
wheel blocks.
The following information will tell you next how to use
the jack and change a tire.
5-63
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The spare tire is located under the load floor in the
rear cargo area. You may need to remove the
rear compartment storage panel/cover and/or the table
to access the load floor. See Rear Compartment
Storage Panel/Cover on page 2-37 and Table on
page 2-39 for more information.
To access the spare tire and tools, do the following:
1. Lift the load floor up and pull it out of the vehicle
and set it aside.
2. Remove the bolt retaining the spare tire.
3. Remove the compact spare tire. See Compact
Spare Tire on page 5-73 for more information.
4. Locate the jack and wheel wrench, which are
located on the driver’s side of the rear cargo
area, behind an access door. Pull out the access
door to reach them.
5-64
5. Remove the wing-bolt
on the jack and then
remove it.
6. Remove the hook and loop fastener straps holding
the bag containing the wheel wrench. Remove the
wheel wrench from the bag.
7. Fold out the socket portion of the wrench from
the handle.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
You must take off the wheel cover or hubcap,
if equipped, to reach the wheel bolts.
1. Loosen all five
hex-shaped plastic
caps by turning
the wheel wrench
counterclockwise.
Do not try to
remove plastic
caps from the cover
or center cap.
2. Pull the cover or center cap away from the wheel.
3. Use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel
nuts. Do not remove them yet.
5-65
4. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack bolt head and
rotate the wheel wrench clockwise. That will raise
the lift head a little.
5. Place the jack near the flat tire.
Notice: Make sure that the jack lift head is in the
correct position or you may damage your vehicle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. 6. Find the arrow on the plastic lower body panel.
Position the jack head under the metal jacking
flange and not the plastic lower body panel.
5-66
With the jack head positioned correctly on the
metal jacking flange, it should look like this from
underneath.
Do not lift the vehicle using the plastic lower
body panel.
7. Put the compact spare tire near you.
{CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
5-67
{CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a flat tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a flat tire.
8. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground so there is enough room for the road tire
to clear the ground.
5-68
9. Remove all of the
wheel nuts.
10. Remove the flat tire.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
the places where the wheel attaches to the
vehicle. In an emergency, you can use a cloth
or a paper towel to do this; but be sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if needed, to get
all the rust or dirt off.
11. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces, and
spare wheel.
5-69
12. Place the compact spare tire on the wheel-mounting
surface.
{CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If
you do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel
could fall off, causing a serious accident.
13. Reinstall the wheel nuts. Tighten each nut by hand
until the wheel is held against the hub.
14. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise.
5-70
{CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to come loose
and even come off. This could lead to an
accident. Be sure to use the correct wheel
nuts. If you have to replace them, be sure to
get new GM original equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to the
proper torque specification. See Capacities
and Specifications on page 5-88 for wheel nut
torque specification.
Notice: Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead
to brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper torque
specification. See Capacities and Specifications on
page 5-88 for the wheel nut torque specification.
15. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence, as shown.
16. Lower the jack all the way and remove the jack
from under the vehicle.
17. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel
wrench.
When reinstalling the full plastic covers or center caps on
the full-size tire, tighten all five plastic caps hand snug
with the aid of the wheel wrench and tighten them with
the wheel wrench an additional one-quarter of a turn.
Notice: Wheel covers will not fit on your compact
spare. If you try to put a wheel cover on the compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
Do not try to put a wheel cover on your compact spare
tire. It will not fit. Store the wheel cover in the cargo
area until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
5-71
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision,
loose equipment could strike someone.
Store all these in the proper place.
To store the flat or spare tire and tools, do the following:
1. Place the wheel wrench into the bag.
2. Use the hook and loop fastener straps to secure
the bag to the jack.
3. Install the jack in the
left side panel of cargo
area and secure
with the wing bolt.
4. Remove the wheel stow rod from the left side of the
floor compartment.
5. Screw the threaded wheel stow rod onto the spare
tire bracket. The final position of the wheel stow rod
must be rotated to the farthest forward position.
5-72
6. Replace the rear compartment storage panel/cover
and/or table load floor over the wheel stow rod
through the hole in the floor.
7. Place the flat, or damaged tire, face down, on the
load floor with the threaded wheel stow rod sticking
up through the center hole of the wheel.
8. Install the nut onto the wheel stow rod and tighten.
The compact spare is for temporary use only. Replace
the compact spare tire with a full-size tire as soon
as you can.
Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated
when the vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on the vehicle,
stop as soon as possible and make sure the
spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare
is made to perform well at speeds up to 65 mph
(105 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can finish your trip and have the full-size
tire repaired or replaced at your convenience.
Of course, it is best to replace the spare with a full-size
tire as soon as possible. The spare tire will last
longer and be in good shape in case it is needed again.
Notice: When the compact spare is installed,
do not take your vehicle through an automatic car
wash with guide rails. The compact spare can
get caught on the rails. That can damage the tire
and wheel, and maybe other parts of your vehicle.
Do not use the compact spare on other vehicles.
And do not mix the compact spare tire or wheel
with other wheels or tires. They will not fit. Keep the
spare tire and its wheel together.
Notice: Tire chains will not fit your compact
spare. Using them can damage your vehicle and
can damage the chains too. Do not use tire chains
on your compact spare.
5-73
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Your vehicle’s interior will continue to look its best if it is
cleaned often. Although not always visible, dust and dirt
can accumulate on your upholstery. Dirt can damage
carpet, fabric, leather, and plastic surfaces. Regular
vacuuming is recommended to remove particles from
your upholstery. It is important to keep your upholstery
from becoming and remaining heavily soiled. Soils
should be removed as quickly as possible. Your vehicle’s
interior may experience extremes of heat that could
cause stains to set rapidly.
Lighter colored interiors may require more frequent
cleaning. Use care because newspapers and garments
that transfer color to your home furnishings may also
transfer color to your vehicle’s interior.
When cleaning your vehicle’s interior, only use cleaners
specifically designed for the surfaces being cleaned.
Permanent damage may result from using cleaners on
surfaces for which they were not intended. Use glass
cleaner only on glass. Remove any accidental over-spray
from other surfaces immediately. To prevent over-spray,
apply cleaner directly to the cleaning cloth.
Notice: If you use abrasive cleaners when cleaning
glass surfaces on your vehicle, you could scratch
the glass and/or cause damage to the rear window
defogger. When cleaning the glass on your
vehicle, use only a soft cloth and glass cleaner.
Many cleaners contain solvents that may become
concentrated in your vehicle’s breathing space. Before
using cleaners, read and adhere to all safety instructions
on the label. While cleaning your vehicle’s interior,
maintain adequate ventilation by opening your vehicle’s
doors and windows.
Dust may be removed from small buttons and knobs
using a small brush with soft bristles.
Your GM dealer has a product for cleaning your vehicle’s
glass. Should it become necessary, you can also obtain
a product from your GM dealer to remove odors from your
vehicle’s upholstery.
Do not clean your vehicle using the following cleaners
or techniques:
•Never use a knife or any other sharp object to
remove a soil from any interior surface.
•Never use a stiff brush. It can cause damage to
your vehicle’s interior surfaces.
•Never apply heavy pressure or rub aggressively
with a cleaning cloth. Use of heavy pressure
can damage your interior and does not improve
the effectiveness of soil removal.
5-74
•Use only mild, neutral-pH soaps. Avoid laundry
detergents or dishwashing soaps with degreasers.
Using too much soap will leave a residue that leaves
streaks and attracts dirt. For liquid cleaners, about
20 drops per gallon (3.78 L) of water is a good guide.
•Do not heavily saturate your upholstery while
cleaning.
•Damage to your vehicle’s interior may result from
the use of many organic solvents such as naptha,
alcohol, etc.
Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment
frequently to remove dust and loose dirt. A canister
vacuum with a beater bar in the nozzle may only
be used on floor carpet and carpeted floor mats.
For soils, always try to remove them first with plain
water or club soda. Before cleaning, gently remove
as much of the soil as possible using one of the
following techniques:
•For liquids: gently blot the remaining soil with a
paper towel. Allow the soil to absorb into the
paper towel until no more can be removed.
•For solid dry soils: remove as much as possible
and then vacuum.
To clean, use the following instructions:
1. Saturate a lint-free, clean white cloth with water
or club soda.
2. Wring the cloth to remove excess moisture.
3. Start on the outside edge of the soil and gently
rub toward the center. Continue cleaning, using
a clean area of the cloth each time it becomes
soiled.
4. Continue to gently rub the soiled area until the
cleaning cloth remains clean.
5. If the soil is not completely removed, use a mild
soap solution and repeat the cleaning process
that was used with plain water.
If any of the soil remains, a commercial fabric cleaner
or spot lifter may be necessary. When a commercial
upholstery cleaner or spot lifter is to be used, test
a small hidden area for colorfastness first. If the
locally cleaned area gives any impression that a ring
formation may result, clean the entire surface.
After the cleaning process has been completed,
a paper towel can be used to blot excess moisture
from the fabric or carpet.
5-75
Leather
A soft cloth dampened with water may be used to
remove dust. If a more thorough cleaning is necessary,
a soft cloth dampened with a mild soap solution can
be used. Allow the leather to dry naturally. Do not use
heat to dry. Never use steam to clean leather. Never
use spot lifters or spot removers on leather. Many
commercial leather cleaners and coatings that are sold
to preserve and protect leather may permanently
change the appearance and feel of your leather and are
not recommended. Do not use silicone or wax-based
products, or those containing organic solvents to clean
your vehicle’s interior because they can alter the
appearance by increasing the gloss in a non-uniform
manner. Never use shoe polish on your leather.
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces
A soft cloth dampened with water may be used to
remove dust. If a more thorough cleaning is necessary,
a clean soft cloth dampened with a mild soap solution
can be used to gently remove dust and dirt. Never
use spot lifters or removers on plastic surfaces.
Many commercial cleaners and coatings that are sold
to preserve and protect soft plastic surfaces may
permanently change the appearance and feel of your
interior and are not recommended. Do not use silicone
or wax-based products, or those containing organic
solvents to clean your vehicle’s interior because
they can alter the appearance by increasing the gloss
in a non-uniform manner.
Some commercial products may increase gloss on
your instrument panel. The increase in gloss may cause
annoying reflections in the windshield and even make
it difficult to see through the windshield under certain
conditions.
5-76
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
{CAUTION:
Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do,
it may severely weaken them. In a crash,
they might not be able to provide adequate
protection. Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth. During very cold,
damp weather frequent application may be required.
See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-11.
Washing Your Vehicle
The paint finish on the vehicle provides beauty,
depth of color, gloss retention, and durability.
The best way to preserve the vehicle’s finish is to
keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or
cold water.
Do not wash the vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Use a car washing soap. Do not use strong soaps
or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle well,
removing all soap residue completely. GM-approved
cleaning products can be obtained from your dealer.
See Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-81.
Do not use cleaning agents that are petroleum
based, or that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning
agents should be flushed promptly and not allowed
to dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish
with a soft, clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter
the vehicle.
5-77
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 Your Vehicle on page 5-77.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of the vehicle
by hand may be necessary to remove residue from the
paint finish. GM-approved cleaning products can be
obtained from your dealer. See Vehicle
Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-81.
Notice: Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish may
damage it. Use only non-abrasive waxes and
polishes that are made for a basecoat/clearcoat
paint finish on your vehicle.
The vehicle has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat
paint finish.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc.,
can damage the vehicle’s finish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible. If
necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather,
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a
period of years. To help keep the paint finish looking
new, keep the vehicle in a garage or covered whenever
possible.
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running,
wax, sap, or other material may be on the blade
or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a glass cleaning
liquid or powder and water solution. The windshield is
clean if beads do not form when it is rinsed with water.
5-78
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by
wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked in full-strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade
with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
Aluminum Wheels
Notice: If you use strong soaps, chemicals,
abrasive polishes, cleaners, brushes, or cleaners
that contain acid on aluminum or chrome-plated
wheels, you could damage the surface of the
wheel(s). The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Use only GM-approved cleaners on
aluminum or chrome-plated wheels.
Keep the wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with mild
soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After rinsing
thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax may
then be applied.
Notice: Using chrome polish on aluminum wheels
could damage the wheels. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Use chrome polish
on chrome wheels only.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of the vehicle. Do not use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners,
cleaners with acid, or abrasive cleaning brushes
on them because the surface could be damaged.
Do not use chrome polish on aluminum wheels.
Notice: If you drive your vehicle through an
automatic car wash that has silicone carbide tire
cleaning brushes, you could damage the aluminum
or chrome-plated wheels. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Never drive a vehicle
equipped with aluminum or chrome-plated wheels
through an automatic car wash that uses silicone
carbide tire cleaning brushes.
Do not take the vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicone carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
5-79
Tires
To clean the tires, use a stiff brush with tire cleaner.
Notice: Using petroleum-based tire dressing
products on your vehicle may damage the paint
finish and/or tires. When applying a tire dressing,
always wipe off any overspray from all painted
surfaces on your vehicle.
Sheet Metal Damage
If the vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will provide
the corrosion protection while maintaining the warranty.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your GM dealer. Larger areas
of finish damage can be corrected in your GM dealer’s
body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, corrosion and rust can develop on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan,
and exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close areas of
the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on the vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ring-shaped discolorations,
and small, irregular dark spots etched into the paint
surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
5-80
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
Description Usage
Polishing Cloth
Wax-Treated Interior and exterior
polishing cloth.
Tar and Road
Oil Remover Removes tar, road oil,
and asphalt.
Chrome Cleaner
and Polish Use on chrome or
stainless steel.
White Sidewall
Tire Cleaner Removes soil and black
marks from whitewalls.
Vinyl Cleaner Cleans vinyl.
Glass Cleaner Removes dirt, grime,
smoke and fingerprints.
Chrome and Wire
Wheel Cleaner
Removes dirt and grime
from chrome wheels and
wire wheel covers.
Finish Enhancer
Removes dust,
fingerprints, and surface
contaminants. Spray on
and wipe off.
Description Usage
Swirl Remover Polish Removes swirl marks, fine
scratches, and other light
surface contamination.
Cleaner Wax Removes light scratches
and protects finish.
Foaming Tire Shine
Low Gloss
Cleans, shines, and
protects in one step.
No wiping necessary.
Wash Wax
Concentrate
Medium foaming
shampoo. Cleans
and lightly waxes.
Biodegradable and
phosphate free.
Spot Lifter
Quickly removes
spots and stains from
carpets, vinyl, and
cloth upholstery.
Odor Eliminator Odorless spray odor
eliminator used on fabrics,
vinyl, leather and carpet.
5-81
Vehicle Identification
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
This is the legal identifier for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on
the driver’s side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in the VIN is the engine code.
This code will help you identify your vehicle’s engine,
specifications, and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You will find this label on the inside of the glove box.
It is very helpful if you ever need to order parts.
On this label, you will find the following:
•VIN
•Model designation
•Paint information
•Production options and special equipment
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
5-82
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice: Don’t add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your dealer first.
Some electrical equipment can damage your
vehicle and the damage wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to add anything electrical to your vehicle, see Servicing
Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-61.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow or ice, the wiper will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some electrical problem,
have it fixed.
Power Windows and Other
Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power
seats. When the current load is too heavy, the circuit
breaker opens and closes, protecting the circuit until
the problem is fixed.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by fuses. This greatly reduces the chance
of circuit overload and fire caused by electrical
problems.
There are two fuse blocks — the underhood fuse block,
and the instrument panel fuse block.
To identify and check fuses and relays, refer to
the Fuse Usage Chart on the inside surface of the
fuse panel door.
5-83
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
The instrument panel fuse block is located on the
passenger’s side of the center console, to the left
of the glove box near the floor.
Fuses Usage
LOCK/MIRROR Door Lock, Power Mirror
CRUISE Cruise Control System
EPS Electric Power Steering
IGN 1 Switches, Instrument Panel Cluster
PRNDL/PWR
TRN PRNDL/Powertrain
BCM (IGN) Body Control Module
AIRBAG Airbag System
BCM/ISRVM Body Control Module,
Inside Rearview Mirror
TURN Turn Signals
HTD SEATS Heated Seats
BCM/HVAC Body Control Module, Heating,
Ventilation and Air Conditioning
HZRD Hazard Warning Flashers
RADIO Radio
5-84
Fuses Usage
LOCK/MIRROR Door Lock, Power Mirror
PARK Parking Lamps
BCM/CLSTR Body Control Module,
Instrument Panel Cluster
INT LTS/
ONSTAR
®
Interior Lights/OnStar
®
DR LCK Door Locks
Relays Usage
PARK LAMP Parking Lamps Relay
HVAC
BLOWER Heating, Ventilation and
Air Conditioning Blower Motor
DR LCK Door Locks Relay
PASS DR
UNLOCK Passenger Door Unlock Relay
DRV DR
UNLCK Driver Door Unlock Relay
HEAD LAMP Headlamps
Engine Compartment Fuse Block
The engine compartment fuse block is located on the
driver’s side of the engine compartment.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for
more information on location.
Fuses Usage
HTD SEATS Heated Seats
HVAC
BLOWER Heating, Ventilation,
Air Conditioning Blower Control
5-85
Fuses Usage
HTD SEATS Heated Seats
PREM AUD Premium Audio System, Amplifier
ABS PWR Anti-lock Brake System
RR WIPER Rear Window Wiper
FRT WIPER Front Window Wiper
SUNROOF Sunroof
ETC Electronic Throttle Control
PWR WDW Power Windows
A/C CLUTCH Air Conditioning Clutch
EMISS Emissions
ENG IGN Engine Ignition
CIGAR Cigarette Lighter
LH HDLP Driver’s Side Headlamp
COOL FAN HI Cooling Fan High
Fuses Usage
HTD SEATS Heated Seats
ECM/TCM Engine Control Module,
Transaxle Control Module
AUX OUTLETS Accessory Power Outlets
FUSE PULLER Fuse Puller
INJ Fuel Injectors
PWR TRAIN Powertrain
FUEL PUMP Fuel Pump
A/C DIODE Air Conditioning Diode
TRAILER Trailer Lighting
BRAKE Brake System
RH HDLP Passenger’s Side Headlamp
HORN Horn
BACKUP Back-up Lamps
5-86
Fuses Usage
HTD SEATS Heated Seats
BATT FEED Battery
ABS Anti-lock Brake System
COOL FAN LO Cooling Fan Low
RR DEFOG Rear Window Defogger
ABS Anti-lock Brake System
FOG LP Fog Lamps
IGN Ignition Switch
Relays Usage
ENG MAIN Engine Relay
RR WIPER Rear Window Wiper Relay
FRT WIPER Front Window Wiper Relay
PWR WDW Power Windows Relay
COOL FAN HI Cooling Fan High Relay
Relays Usage
WIPER
SYSTEM Wiper System Relay
HORN Horn Relay
DRL Daytime Running Lamps Relay
FUEL PUMP Fuel Pump Relay
STARTER
RELAY Starter Relay
REAR DEFOG Rear Window Defogger Relay
FOG LP Fog Lamp Relay
COOL FAN LO Cooling Fan Low Relay
A/C CLUTCH Air Conditioning Clutch Relay
Circuit Breaker Usage
POWER
SEATS Power Seats
5-87
Capacities and Specifications
The following approximate capacities are given in English and metric conversions. See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-11 for more information.
Application
Capacities
English Metric
Cooling System 10.5 qt 9.9 L
Engine Oil with Filter 4.0 qt 3.8 L
Fuel Tank 16.6 gal 62.8 L
Transaxle Fluid 4.5 qt 4.2 L
Wheel Nut Torque 100 lb ft 140 Y
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck fluid level after filling.
Engine Specifications
Engine VIN Code Transaxle Spark Plug Gap
3.4L V6 F Automatic 0.060 inches (1.52 mm)
5-88
Maintenance Schedule ......................................6-2
Introduction ...................................................6-2
Maintenance Requirements ..............................6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment ....................6-2
Using the Maintenance Schedule ......................6-2
Scheduled Maintenance ...................................6-4
Additional Required Services ............................6-6
Maintenance Footnotes ...................................6-7
Owner Checks and Services ............................6-8
At Each Fuel Fill ............................................6-8
At Least Once a Month ...................................6-9
At Least Once a Year .....................................6-9
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ...............6-11
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ..........6-13
Maintenance Record .....................................6-14
Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
6-1
Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Notice: Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts, and recommended fluids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are necessary
to keep your vehicle in good working condition.
Any damage caused by failure to follow scheduled
maintenance may not be covered by warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good condition,
be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
Using the Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we do not know
exactly how you will drive it. You may drive very
short distances only a few times a week. Or you may
drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty
weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries.
Or you may drive it to work, to do errands, or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read
the following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer.
6-2
This schedule is for vehicles that:
•carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on the tire and
loading information label. See Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-31.
•are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
•use the recommended fuel. See Gasoline Octane
on page 5-5.
The services in Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
should be performed when indicated. See Additional
Required Services on page 6-6 and Maintenance
Footnotes on page 6-7 for further information.
{CAUTION:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle
can be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs,
you can be seriously injured. Do your own
maintenance work only if you have the
required know-how and the proper tools and
equipment for the job. If you have any doubt,
see your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer to have
a qualified technician do the work.
Some maintenance services can be complex. So, unless
you are technically qualified and have the necessary
equipment, you should have your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer do these jobs.
When you go to your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer for
your service needs, you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will perform the work
using genuine GM parts.
If you want to purchase service information, see Service
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-15.
Owner Checks and Services on page 6-8 tells you what
should be checked, when to check it, and what you
can easily do to help keep your vehicle in good
condition.
The proper replacement parts, fluids, and lubricants to
use are listed in Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-11 and Normal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 6-13. When your vehicle is serviced,
make sure these are used. All parts should be replaced
and all necessary repairs done before you or anyone
else drives the vehicle. We recommend the use of
genuine GM parts.
6-3
Scheduled Maintenance
When the change engine oil message comes on,
it means that service is required for your vehicle.
Have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible within
the next 600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible that, if
you are driving under the best conditions, the engine
oil life system may not indicate that vehicle service
is necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil
and filter must be changed at least once a year and
at this time the system must be reset. Your GM
Goodwrench
®
dealer has GM-trained service technicians
who will perform this work using genuine GM parts
and reset the system.
If the engine oil life system is ever reset accidentally,
you must service your vehicle within 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) since your last service. Remember to reset
the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See
Engine Oil Life System on page 5-16 for information on
the Engine Oil Life System and resetting the system.
When the change engine oil message appears,
certain services, checks, and inspections are required.
Required services are described in the following
for “Maintenance I” and “Maintenance II.” Generally, it is
recommended that your first service be Maintenance I,
your second service be Maintenance II, and that
you alternate Maintenance Iand Maintenance II
thereafter. However, in some cases, Maintenance II
may be required more often.
Maintenance I— Use Maintenance Iif the change
engine oil message comes on within 10 months since
the vehicle was purchased or Maintenance II was
performed.
Maintenance II — Use Maintenance II if the previous
service performed was Maintenance I. Always use
Maintenance II whenever the message comes on
10 months or more since the last service or if the
message has not come on at all for one year.
6-4
Scheduled Maintenance
Service Maintenance IMaintenance II
Change engine oil and filter. See Engine Oil on page 5-13. Reset oil life system.
See Engine Oil Life System on page 5-16.An Emission Control Service. ••
Visually check for any leaks or damage. See footnote (k). ••
Inspect engine air cleaner filter. If necessary, replace filter. See Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.See footnote (l). •
Rotate tires and check inflation pressures and wear. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 5-54 and “Tire Wear Inspection” in At Least Once a Month on
page 6-9.••
Inspect brake system. See footnote (a). ••
Check engine coolant and windshield washer fluid levels and add fluid as
needed. ••
Perform any needed additional services. See “Additional Required Services”
in this section. ••
Inspect suspension and steering components. See footnote (b). •
Inspect engine cooling system. See footnote (c). •
Inspect wiper blades. See footnote (d). •
Inspect restraint system components. See footnote (e). •
Lubricate body components. See footnote (f). •
Check transaxle fluid level and add fluid as needed. •
Replace passenger compartment air filter. See footnote (g). •
Inspect throttle system. See footnote (j). •
6-5
Additional Required Services
The following services should be performed at the first maintenance service (Ior II) after the indicated miles (kilometers)
shown for each item. Additional Required Services
Service and Miles (Kilometers) 25,000
(41 500) 50,000
(83 000) 75,000
(125 000) 100,000
(166 000) 125,000
(207 500) 150,000
(240 000)
Inspect fuel system for damage or leaks. • •••••
Inspect exhaust system for loose
or damaged components. • •••••
Replace engine air cleaner filter. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.•••
Change automatic transaxle fluid (severe
service). See footnote (h). •••
Change automatic transaxle fluid (normal
service). •
Replace spark plugs and inspect
spark plug wires. An Emission Control
Service. •
Engine cooling system service (or every
five years, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
See footnote (i).
•
Inspect engine accessory drive belt.
An Emission Control Service. See
footnote (m). •
6-6
Maintenance Footnotes
(a) Visually 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 drum brake linings/shoes for wear
or cracks. Inspect other brake parts, including drums,
wheel cylinders, calipers, parking brake, etc. Check
parking brake adjustment.
(b) Visually inspect front and rear suspension and
steering system for damaged, loose, or missing parts,
signs of wear. Inspect power steering cables for
proper hook-up, binding, cracks, chafing, etc.
(c) Visually inspect hoses and have them replaced if they
are cracked, swollen, or deteriorated. Inspect all pipes,
fittings and clamps; replace with genuine GM parts as
needed. To help ensure proper operation, a pressure test
of the cooling system and pressure cap and cleaning the
outside of the radiator and air conditioning condenser is
recommended at least once a year.
(d) Visually inspect wiper blades for wear or cracking.
Replace wiper blades that appear worn or damaged
or that streak or miss areas of the windshield.
(e) Make sure the safety belt reminder light and all
your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any
other loose or damaged safety belt system parts.
If you see anything that might keep a safety belt system
from doing its job, have it repaired. Have any torn or
frayed safety belts replaced. Also look for any opened or
broken airbag coverings, and have them repaired or
replaced. The airbag system does not need regular
maintenance.
(f) Lubricate all key lock cylinders, hood latch
assemblies, secondary latches, pivots, spring anchor
and release pawl, hood and door hinges, rear folding
seats, and liftgate hinges. More frequent lubrication may
be required when exposed to a corrosive environment.
Applying silicone grease on weatherstrips with a
clean cloth will make them last longer, seal better,
and not stick or squeak.
(g) If you drive regularly under dusty conditions, the
filter may require replacement more often.
(h) Change automatic transaxle fluid if the vehicle is
mainly driven under one or more of these conditions:
−In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
−In hilly or mountainous terrain.
−When doing frequent trailer towing.
−Uses such as found in taxi, police, or delivery
service.
6-7
(i) Drain, flush, and refill cooling system. This service
can be complex; you should have your dealer perform
this service. See Engine Coolant on page 5-21 for
what to use. Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser,
pressure cap, and filler neck. Pressure test the
cooling system and pressure cap.
(j) Check 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 or cruise
control cables.
(k) A fluid loss in any vehicle system could indicate a
problem. Have the system inspected and repaired
and the fluid level checked. Add fluid if needed.
(l) If you drive regularly under dusty conditions, inspect
the filter at each engine oil change.
(m) Visually inspect belt for fraying, excessive cracks,
or obvious damage. Replace belt if necessary.
Owner Checks and Services
These owner checks and services should be performed
at the intervals specified to help ensure the safety,
dependability, and emission control performance of your
vehicle. Your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer can assist you
with these checks and services.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-11.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important to perform these underhood checks
at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. See Engine Oil on page 5-13 for further
details.
Notice: It is important to check your oil regularly
and keep it at the proper level. Failure to keep your
engine oil at the proper level can cause damage
to your engine not covered by your warranty.
6-8
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add
DEX-COOL
®
coolant mixture if necessary.
See Engine Coolant on page 5-21 for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the
windshield washer fluid reservoir and add the
proper fluid if necessary.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Visually inspect your vehicle’s tires and make sure they
are inflated to the correct pressures. Do not forget to
check the spare tire. See Tires on page 5-46 for further
details. Check to make sure the spare tire is stored
securely. See Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-62.
Tire Wear Inspection
Tire rotation may be required for high mileage highway
drivers prior to the Engine Oil Life System service
notification. Check the tires for wear and, if necessary,
rotate the tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-54.
At Least Once a Year
Starter Switch 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 you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular
brake. See Parking Brake on page 2-22.
Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be ready to
turn off the engine immediately if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle
should start only in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
If the vehicle starts in any other position, contact
your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer for service.
6-9
Automatic Transaxle 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 you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle. It should be parked on a level
surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. See Parking Brake
on page 2-22.
Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately if
the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition to RUN, but do
not start the engine. Without applying the regular
brake, try to move the shift lever out of PARK (P)
with normal effort. If the shift lever moves out
of PARK (P), contact your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer
for service.
Ignition Transaxle Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking brake set, try to turn
the ignition to LOCK in each shift lever position.
•The ignition should turn to LOCK only when the
shift lever is in PARK (P).
•The key should come out only in LOCK.
Contact your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer if service
is required.
Parking Brake and Automatic Transaxle
Park (P) Mechanism Check
{CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, your vehicle
could begin to move. You or others could be
injured and property could be damaged. Make
sure there is room in front of your vehicle in
case it begins to roll. Be ready to apply the
regular brake at once should the vehicle begin
to move.
6-10
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 transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N), slowly remove foot pressure
from the regular brake pedal. Do this until the
vehicle is held by the parking brake only.
•To check the PARK (P) mechanism’s holding
ability: With the engine running, shift to PARK (P).
Then release the parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your GM Goodwrench
®
dealer 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.
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
Fluids and lubricants identified below by name,
part number, or specification may be obtained from
your dealer.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil
Engine oil which meets GM
Standard GM6094M and
displays the American Petroleum
Institute Certified for Gasoline
Engines starburst symbol.
GM Goodwrench
®
oil meets all
the requirements for your vehicle.
To determine the proper viscosity
for your vehicle’s engine, see
Engine Oil on page 5-13.
Engine Coolant
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and use only DEX-COOL
®
Coolant. See Engine Coolant
on page 5-21.
Hydraulic Brake
System Delco
®
Supreme 11 Brake Fluid
or equivalent DOT-3 brake fluid.
6-11
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Windshield
Washer GM Optikleen
®
Washer Solvent.
Automatic
Transaxle
Use only T-IV Automatic
Transmission Fluid
(GM Part No. U.S. 88900925,
in Canada 22689186).
See Automatic Transaxle Fluid
on page 5-21.
Key Lock
Cylinders
Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube
(GM Part No. U.S. 12346241,
in Canada 10953474).
Carrier
Assembly —
Differential
(Rear Drive
Module)
and Transfer
Case (Power
Transfer Unit)
VERSATRAK
®
Fluid
(GM Part No. U.S. 12378514,
in Canada 88901045).
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Hood Latch
Assembly,
Secondary
Latch,
Pivots, Spring
Anchor, and
Release Pawl
Lubriplate Lubricant Aerosol
(GM Part No. U.S. 12346293,
in Canada 992723) or lubricant
meeting requirements of NLGI #2,
Category LB or GC-LB.
Hood and Door
Hinges, Rear
Folding Seat
Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube
(GM Part No. U.S. 12346241,
in Canada 10953474).
Weatherstrip
Conditioning
Dielectric Silicone Grease
(GM Part No. U.S. 12345579,
in Canada 992887).
6-12
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Replacement parts identified below by name, part number, or specification can be obtained from your dealer.
Part GM Part Number ACDelco
®
Part Number
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 22676970 —
Engine Oil Filter 25010792 PF47
Passenger Compartment Air Filter Element 15781507 CF137
Replacement Battery 15104967 75-6YR
Spark Plugs 12568387 41-101
Windshield Wiper Blades
Driver’s Side – 24 inches (60.0 cm) 22703508 —
Passenger’s Side – 19 inches (47.5 cm) 22703507 —
Rear – 11 inches (28.0 cm) 89025824 —
6-13
Maintenance Record
After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading, who performed the service, and
the type of services performed in the boxes provided. See Maintenance Requirements on page 6-2. Any additional
information from Owner Checks and Services on page 6-8 can be added on the following record pages. You should
retain all maintenance receipts. Maintenance Record
Date Odometer
Reading Serviced By Maintenance Ior
Maintenance II Services Performed
6-14
Maintenance Record (cont’d)
Date Odometer
Reading Serviced By Maintenance Ior
Maintenance II Services Performed
6-15
Maintenance Record (cont’d)
Date Odometer
Reading Serviced By Maintenance Ior
Maintenance II Services Performed
6-16
Customer Assistance and Information ...............7-2
Customer Satisfaction Procedure ......................7-2
Online Owner Center ......................................7-4
Customer Assistance for Text
Telephone (TTY) Users ................................7-4
Customer Assistance Offices ............................7-4
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program ................7-6
Roadside Assistance Program ..........................7-6
Courtesy Transportation ...................................7-8
Vehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders .........................................7-10
Collision Damage Repair ................................7-11
Reporting Safety Defects ................................7-14
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government ..........................7-14
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government ................................7-15
Reporting Safety Defects to
General Motors .........................................7-15
Service Publications Ordering
Information ...............................................7-15
Section 7 Customer Assistance and Information
7-1
Customer Assistance and
Information
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to
your dealer and to Pontiac. Normally, any concerns with
the sales transaction or the operation of your vehicle
will be resolved by your dealer’s sales or service
departments. Sometimes, however, despite the best
intentions of all concerned, misunderstandings can
occur. If your concern has not been resolved to your
satisfaction, the following steps should be taken:
STEP ONE: Discuss your concern with a member
of dealership management. Normally, concerns can
be quickly resolved at that level. If the matter has
already been reviewed with the sales, service or
parts manager, contact the owner of the dealership
or the general manager.
STEP TWO: If after contacting a member of dealership
management, it appears your concern cannot be
resolved by the dealership without further help, contact
the Pontiac Customer Assistance Center by calling
1-800-762-2737. In Canada, contact GM of Canada
Customer Communication Centre in Oshawa by calling
1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French).
We encourage you to call the toll-free number in order
to give your inquiry prompt attention. Please have
the following information available to give the Customer
Assistance Representative:
•Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This is
available from the vehicle registration or title,
or the plate at the top left of the instrument panel
and visible through the windshield.
•Dealership name and location.
•Vehicle delivery date and present mileage.
When contacting Pontiac, please remember that your
concern will likely be resolved at a dealer’s facility.
That is why we suggest you follow Step One first if
you have a concern.
7-2
STEP THREE: Both General Motors and your dealer
are committed to making sure you are completely
satisfied with your new vehicle. However, if you continue
to remain unsatisfied after following the procedure
outlined in Steps One and Two, you should file with
the BBB Auto Line Program to enforce any additional
rights you may have. Canadian owners refer to your
Warranty and Owner Assistance Information booklet for
information on the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration
Plan (CAMVAP).
The BBB Auto Line Program is an out of court program
administered by the Council of Better Business
Bureaus to settle automotive disputes regarding
vehicle repairs or the interpretation of the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. Although you may be required to
resort to this informal dispute resolution program prior
to filing a court action, use of the program is free of
charge and your case will generally be heard within
40 days. If you do not agree with the decision given
in your case, you may reject it and proceed with
any other venue for relief available to you.
You may contact the BBB Auto Line Program using the
toll-free telephone number or write them at the
following address:
BBB Auto Line Program
Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
4200 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
Telephone: 1-800-955-5100
This program is available in all 50 states and the
District of Columbia. Eligibility is limited by vehicle age,
mileage and other factors. General Motors reserves
the right to change eligibility limitations and/or
discontinue its participation in this program.
7-3
Online Owner Center
The Owner Center is a resource for your GM ownership
needs. Specific vehicle information can be found in
one place.
The Online Owner Center allows you to:
•Get e-mail service reminders.
•Access information about your specific vehicle,
including tips and videos and an electronic
version of this owner’s manual (United States only).
•Keep track of your vehicle’s service history and
maintenance schedule.
•Find GM dealers for service nationwide.
•Receive special promotions and privileges only
available to members (United States only).
Refer to the web for updated information.
To register your vehicle, visit www.MyGMLink.com
(United States) or My GM Canada within
www.gmcanada.com (Canada).
Customer Assistance for Text
Telephone (TTY) Users
To assist customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or
speech-impaired and who use Text Telephones (TTYs),
Pontiac has TTY equipment available at its Customer
Assistance Center. Any TTY user can communicate
with Pontiac by dialing: 1-800-833-PONT (7668).
(TTY users in Canada can dial 1-800-263-3830.)
Customer Assistance Offices
Pontiac encourages customers to call the toll-free
number for assistance. However, if a customer wishes
to write or e-mail Pontiac, refer to the addresses below.
7-4
United States — Customer Assistance
Pontiac Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 33172
Detroit, MI 48232-5172
www.Pontiac.com
1-800-762-2737 or
1-800-833-7668 (For Text Telephone devices (TTYs))
Roadside Assistance: 1-800-ROADSIDE (762-3743)
Fax Number: 313-381-0022
From Puerto Rico:
1-800-496-9992 (English)
1-800-496-9993 (Spanish)
Fax Number: 313-381-0022
From U.S. Virgin Islands:
1-800-496-9994
Fax Number: 313-381-0022
Canada — Customer Assistance
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
1-800-263-3777 (English)
1-800-263-7854 (French)
1-800-263-3830 (For Text Telephone devices (TTYs))
Roadside Assistance: 1-800-268-6800
Overseas — Customer Assistance
Please contact the local General Motors Business Unit.
Mexico, Central America and
Caribbean Islands/Countries
(Except Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin
Islands) — Customer Assistance
General Motors de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V.
Customer Assistance Center
Paseo de la Reforma #2740
Col. Lomas de Bezares
C.P. 11910, Mexico, D.F.
01-800-508-0000
Long Distance: 011-52-53 29 0 800
7-5
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program
This program, available to qualified applicants,
can reimburse you up to $1,000 of the cost of
eligible aftermarket adaptive equipment required
for your vehicle, such as hand controls or a
wheelchair/scooter lift.
The offer is available for a very limited period of time
from the date of vehicle purchase/lease. For more
details, or to determine your vehicle’s eligibility,
visit gmmobility.com or call the GM Mobility Assistance
Center at 1-800-323-9935. Text telephone (TTY)
users, call 1-800-833-9935.
GM of Canada also has a Mobility Program.
Call 1-800-GM-DRIVE (463-7483) for details.
TTY users call 1-800-263-3830.
Roadside Assistance Program
As the owner of a new Pontiac vehicle, you are
automatically enrolled in the Pontiac Roadside
Assistance program. This value-added service is
intended to provide you with peace of mind as you drive
in the city or travel the open road. Contact Pontiac’s
Roadside Assistance toll-free at 1-800-ROADSIDE
(762-3743). Roadside Assistance Representatives are
available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We will provide the following services during the
Bumper-to-Bumper warranty period, at no expense
to you:
•Fuel Delivery: Delivery of enough fuel
($5 maximum) for the customer to get to the
nearest service station.
•Lock-out Service (identification required):
Replacement keys or locksmith service will
be covered at no charge if you are unable to gain
entry into your vehicle. Delivery of the replacement
key will be covered within 10 miles (16 km).
•Emergency Tow: Tow to the nearest dealership
for warranty service or in the event of a
vehicle-disabling accident. Assistance provided
when the vehicle is mired in sand, mud, or snow.
7-6
•Flat Tire Change: Installation of a spare tire will be
covered at no charge. The customer is responsible
for the repair or replacement of the tire if not
covered by a warrantable failure.
•Jump Start: No-start occurrences which require a
battery jump start will be covered at no charge.
•Dealer Locator Service
In many instances, mechanical failures are covered
under Pontiac’s Bumper-to-Bumper warranty. However,
when other services are utilized, our Roadside
Assistance Representatives will explain any payment
obligations you might incur.
For prompt and efficient assistance when calling,
please provide the following to the Roadside Assistance
Representative:
•Your name, home address, and home
telephone number.
•Telephone number of your location.
•Location of the vehicle.
•Model, year, color, and license plate number of
the vehicle.
•Mileage, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN),
and delivery date of the vehicle.
•Description of the problem.
While we hope you never have the occasion to use
our service, it is added security while traveling for
you and your family. Remember, we are only a
phone call away. Pontiac Roadside Assistance:
1-800-ROADSIDE (762-3743), text telephone (TTY)
users, call 1-888-889-2438.
Pontiac reserves the right to limit services or
reimbursement to an owner or driver when, in
Pontiac’s judgement, the claims become excessive
in frequency or type of occurrence.
Roadside Assistance is not part of or included in the
coverage provided by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Pontiac reserves the right to make any changes or
discontinue the Roadside Assistance program at any
time without notification.
Canadian Roadside Assistance
Vehicles purchased in Canada have an extensive
roadside assistance program accessible from anywhere
in Canada or the United States. Please refer to the
Warranty and Owner Assistance Information book.
7-7
Courtesy Transportation
To enhance your ownership experience, we and
our participating dealers are proud to offer Courtesy
Transportation, a customer support program for
new vehicles.
The Courtesy Transportation program is offered to
customers in conjunction with the Bumper-to-Bumper
coverage provided by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Several transportation options are available when
warranty repairs are required. This will reduce your
inconvenience during warranty repairs.
Scheduling Service Appointments
When your vehicle requires warranty service, you
should contact your dealer and request an appointment.
By scheduling a service appointment and advising
your service consultant of your transportation needs,
your dealer can help minimize your inconvenience.
If your vehicle cannot be scheduled into the service
department immediately, keep driving it until it can be
scheduled for service, unless, of course, the problem
is safety-related. If it is, please call your dealership,
let them know this, and ask for instructions.
If the dealer requests that you simply drop the vehicle
off for service, you are urged to do so as early in the
work day as possible to allow for the same day repair.
Transportation Options
Warranty service can generally be completed while you
wait. However, if you are unable to wait, GM helps
to minimize your inconvenience by providing several
transportation options. Depending on the circumstances,
your dealer can offer you one of the following:
Shuttle Service
Participating dealers can provide you with shuttle
service to get you to your destination with minimal
interruption of your daily schedule. This includes
one-way or round trip shuttle service to a destination
up to 10 miles (16 km) from the dealership.
Public Transportation or Fuel
Reimbursement
If your vehicle requires overnight warranty repairs,
reimbursement of public transportation expenses may
be available, for up to a maximum of five days. In
addition, should you arrange transportation through
a friend or relative, reimbursement for reasonable fuel
expenses may be available, up to a five-day maximum.
Claim amounts should reflect actual costs and be
supported by original receipts.
7-8
Courtesy Rental Vehicle
Your dealer may arrange to provide you with a courtesy
rental vehicle or reimburse you for a rental vehicle
that you obtain if your vehicle is kept for a warranty
repair. Reimbursement will be limited to a maximum
amount per day and must be supported by receipts.
This requires that you sign and complete a rental
agreement and meet state, local and rental vehicle
provider requirements. Requirements vary and
may include minimum age requirements, insurance
coverage, credit card, etc. You are responsible for
fuel usage charges and may also be responsible for
taxes, levies, usage fees, excessive mileage or
rental usage beyond the completion of the repair.
Generally it is not possible to provide a like-vehicle
as a courtesy rental.
Additional Program Information
Courtesy Transportation is available during the
Bumper-to-Bumper warranty coverage period, but
it is not part of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
A separate booklet entitled Warranty and Owner
Assistance Information furnished with each new vehicle
provides detailed warranty coverage information.
Courtesy Transportation is available only at participating
dealers and all program options, such as shuttle
service, may not be available at every dealer. Please
contact your dealer for specific information about
availability. All Courtesy Transportation arrangements
will be administered by appropriate dealer personnel.
Canadian Vehicles: For warranty repairs during
the Complete Vehicle Coverage period of the General
Motors of Canada New Vehicle Limited Warranty,
alternative transportation may be available under the
Courtesy Transportation Program. Please consult
your dealer for details.
General Motors reserves the right to unilaterally modify,
change or discontinue Courtesy Transportation at
any time and to resolve all questions of claim eligibility
pursuant to the terms and conditions described
herein at its sole discretion.
7-9
Vehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders
Your vehicle, like other modern motor vehicles,
has a number of sophisticated computer systems that
monitor and control several aspects of the vehicle’s
performance. Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle
computers to monitor emission control components
to optimize fuel economy, to monitor conditions
for airbag deployment and, if so equipped, to provide
anti-lock braking and to help the driver control the
vehicle in difficult driving situations. Some information
may be stored during regular operations to facilitate
repair of detected malfunctions; other information
is stored only in a crash event by computer systems,
such as those commonly called event data
recorders (EDR).
In a crash event, computer systems, such as the
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) in your
vehicle may record information about the condition of the
vehicle and how it was operated, such as data related
to engine speed, brake application, throttle position,
vehicle speed, safety belt usage, airbag readiness,
airbag performance, and the severity of a collision.
This information has been used to improve vehicle
crash performance and may be used to improve crash
performance of future vehicles and driving safety.
Unlike the data recorders on many airplanes, these
on-board systems do not record sounds, such as
conversation of vehicle occupants.
To read this information, special equipment is needed
and access to the vehicle or the device that stores
the data is required. GM will not access information
about a crash event or share it with others other than:
•with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the
vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee,
•in response to an official request of police or similar
government office,
•as part of GM’s defense of litigation through the
discovery process, or
•as required by law.
In addition, once GM collects or receives data, GM may:
•use the data for GM research needs,
•make it available for research where appropriate
confidentiality is to be maintained and need is
shown, or
•share summary data which is not tied to a specific
vehicle with non-GM organizations for research
purposes.
7-10
Others, such as law enforcement, may have access
to the special equipment that can read the information
if they have access to the vehicle or the device that
stores the data.
If your vehicle is equipped with OnStar
®
, please
check the OnStar
®
subscription service agreement
or manual for information on its operations and
data collection.
Collision Damage Repair
If your vehicle is involved in a collision and it is
damaged, have the damage repaired by a qualified
technician using the proper equipment and quality
replacement parts. Poorly performed collision repairs
will diminish your vehicle’s resale value, and safety
performance can be compromised in subsequent
collisions.
Collision Parts
Genuine GM Collision parts are new parts made with
the same materials and construction methods as
the parts with which your vehicle was originally built.
Genuine GM Collision parts are your best choice
to assure that your vehicle’s designed appearance,
durability and safety are preserved. The use of
Genuine GM parts can help maintain your GM New
Vehicle Warranty.
Recycled original equipment parts may also be used for
repair. These parts are typically removed from vehicles
that were total losses in prior accidents. In most
cases, the parts being recycled are from undamaged
sections of the vehicle. A recycled original equipment
GM part, may be an acceptable choice to maintain your
vehicle’s originally designed appearance and safety
performance, however, the history of these parts is not
known. Such parts are not covered by your GM New
Vehicle Limited Warranty, and any related failures
are not covered by that warranty.
Aftermarket collision parts are also available. These
are made by companies other than GM and may
not have been tested for your vehicle. As a result,
these parts may fit poorly, exhibit premature
durability/corrosion problems, and may not perform
properly in subsequent collisions. Aftermarket parts
are not covered by your GM New Vehicle Limited
Warranty, and any vehicle failure related to such
parts are not covered by that warranty.
7-11
Repair Facility
GM also recommends that you choose a collision repair
facility that meets your needs before you ever need
collision repairs. Your GM dealer may have a collision
repair center with GM-trained technicians and state
of the art equipment, or be able to recommend a
collision repair center that has GM-trained technicians
and comparable equipment.
Insuring Your Vehicle
Protect your investment in your GM vehicle with
comprehensive and collision insurance coverage.
There are significant differences in the quality of
coverage afforded by various insurance policy terms.
Many insurance policies provide reduced protection
to your GM vehicle by limiting compensation for
damage repairs by using aftermarket collision parts.
Some insurance companies will not specify aftermarket
collision parts. When purchasing insurance, we
recommend that you assure your vehicle will be
repaired with GM original equipment collision parts.
If such insurance coverage is not available from
your current insurance carrier, consider switching to
another insurance carrier.
If your vehicle is leased, the leasing company may
require you to have insurance that assures repairs with
Genuine GM Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
parts or Genuine Manufacturer replacement parts. Read
your lease carefully, as you may be charged at the
end of your lease for poor quality repairs.
If an Accident Occurs
Here is what to do if you are involved in an accident.
•Try to relax and then check to make sure you
are all right. If you are uninjured, make sure that
no one else in your vehicle, or the other vehicle,
is injured.
•If there has been an injury, call 911 for help.
Do not leave the scene of an accident until
all matters have been taken care of. Move your
vehicle only if its position puts you in danger or
you are instructed to move it by a police officer.
•Give only the necessary and requested information
to police and other parties involved in the accident.
Do not discuss your personal condition, mental
frame of mind, or anything unrelated to the
accident. This will help guard against post-accident
legal action.
7-12
•If you need roadside assistance, call GM Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Assistance Program on
page 7-6 for more information.
•If your vehicle cannot be driven, know where the
towing service will be taking it. Get a card from
the tow truck operator or write down the driver’s
name, the service’s name, and the phone number.
•Remove any valuables from your vehicle before it is
towed away. Make sure this includes your insurance
information and registration if you keep these
items in your vehicle.
•Gather the important information you will need from
the other driver. Things like name, address, phone
number, driver’s license number, vehicle license
plate, vehicle make, model and model year, Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN), insurance company
and policy number, and a general description of
the damage to the other vehicle.
•If possible, call your insurance company from the
scene of the accident. They will walk you through
the information they will need. If they ask for a
police report, phone or go to the police department
headquarters the next day and you can get a
copy of the report for a nominal fee. In some states
with “no fault” insurance laws, a report may not
be necessary. This is especially true if there are
no injuries and both vehicles are driveable.
•Choose a reputable collision repair facility for your
vehicle. Whether you select a GM dealer or a
private collision repair facility to fix the damage,
make sure you are comfortable with them.
Remember, you will have to feel comfortable
with their work for a long time.
•Once you have an estimate, read it carefully
and make sure you understand what work will be
performed on your vehicle. If you have a question,
ask for an explanation. Reputable shops welcome
this opportunity.
7-13
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 to have 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.
Reporting Safety Defects
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which
could cause a crash or could cause injury or death,
you should immediately inform the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition
to notifying General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in
a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved
in individual problems between you, your dealer,
or General Motors.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety
Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in
the Washington, D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from the hotline.
7-14
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government
If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle
has a safety defect, you should immediately notify
Transport Canada, in addition to notifying General
Motors of Canada Limited. You may call them at
1-800-333-0510 or write to:
Transport Canada
Place de Ville Tower C
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5
Reporting Safety Defects to
General Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada)
in a situation like this, we certainly hope you’ll notify us.
Please call us at 1-800-762-2737, or write:
Pontiac Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 33172
Detroit, MI 48232-5172
In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English)
or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Service Publications Ordering
Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair
information on engines, transmission, axle suspension,
brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc.
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer
Case Unit Repair Manual
This manual provides information on unit repair service
procedures, adjustments, and specifications for GM
transmissions, transaxles, and transfer cases.
7-15
Service Bulletins
Service Bulletins give 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.
In Canada, information pertaining to Product Service
Bulletins can be obtained by contacting your General
Motors dealer or by calling 1-800-GM-DRIVE
(1-800-463-7483).
Owner’s Information
Owner publications are written specifically for owners
and intended to provide basic operational information
about the vehicle. The owner’s manual will include
the Maintenance Schedule for all models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio, Owner’s Manual,
and Warranty Booklet.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $35.00
Without Portfolio: Owner’s Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $25.00
Current and Past Model Order Forms
Service Publications are available for current and
past model GM vehicles. To request an order form,
please specify year and model name of the vehicle.
ORDER TOLL FREE: 1-800-551-4123
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit Helm, Inc.
on the World Wide Web at: www.helminc.com
Or you can write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change without notice and without
incurring obligation. Allow ample time for delivery.
Note to Canadian Customers: All listed prices are
quoted in U.S. funds. Canadian residents are to make
checks payable in U.S. funds.
7-16
A
Accessories and Modifications ............................ 5-3
Accessory Power Outlet(s) ............................... 3-18
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................... 1-62
Additives, Fuel ................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment ............................ 5-83
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine ................................. 5-18
Air Conditioning .............................................. 3-19
Airbag
Readiness Light .......................................... 3-26
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) .... 7-10
Airbag System ................................................ 1-53
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ................................................... 1-62
How Does an Airbag Restrain? ...................... 1-59
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .......... 1-61
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? ...................... 1-59
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .... 1-60
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .................... 1-58
Where Are the Airbags? ............................... 1-55
All-Wheel Drive ............................................... 5-40
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System ......................... 4-10
Antenna, Fixed Mast ....................................... 3-81
Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System .... 3-81
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........................... 4-7
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light .............. 3-29
Appearance Care
Aluminum Wheels ........................................ 5-79
Care of Safety Belts .................................... 5-77
Chemical Paint Spotting ............................... 5-80
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses .................... 5-78
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle ................ 5-74
Fabric/Carpet .............................................. 5-75
Finish Care ................................................. 5-78
Finish Damage ............................................ 5-80
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces ....................................... 5-76
Leather ...................................................... 5-76
Sheet Metal Damage ................................... 5-80
Tires .......................................................... 5-80
Underbody Maintenance ............................... 5-80
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials ................ 5-81
Washing Your Vehicle ................................... 5-77
Weatherstrips .............................................. 5-77
Windshield and Wiper Blades ........................ 5-78
Ashtray(s) ...................................................... 3-19
Audio System(s) ............................................. 3-38
Audio Steering Wheel Controls ...................... 3-79
Care of Your CD Player ............................... 3-81
Care of Your CDs ........................................ 3-80
Chime Level Adjustment ............................... 3-81
Fixed Mast Antenna ..................................... 3-81
Radio with CD .................................... 3-40, 3-50
Radio with Six-Disc CD ................................ 3-65
1
Audio System(s) (cont.)
Setting the Time .......................................... 3-40
Theft-Deterrent Feature ................................ 3-79
Understanding Radio Reception ..................... 3-80
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System ............ 3-81
Automatic Door Lock ......................................... 2-8
Automatic Headlamp System ............................ 3-15
Automatic Transaxle
Fluid .......................................................... 5-21
Operation ................................................... 2-19
B
Battery .......................................................... 5-34
Run-Down Protection ................................... 3-18
Battery Warning Light ...................................... 3-27
Before Leaving on a Long Trip ......................... 4-22
Brake
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........................ 4-7
Emergencies ................................................ 4-8
Parking ...................................................... 2-22
System Warning Light .................................. 3-28
Brakes .......................................................... 5-32
Braking ........................................................... 4-6
Braking in Emergencies ..................................... 4-8
Break-In, New Vehicle ..................................... 2-15
Bulb Replacement ........................................... 5-42
Halogen Bulbs ............................................ 5-42
Bulb Replacement (cont.)
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps .................................. 5-42
Replacement Bulbs ...................................... 5-44
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps ........................................ 5-43
Buying New Tires ........................................... 5-56
C
California Fuel .................................................. 5-6
California Proposition 65 Warning ....................... 5-4
Canadian Owners ................................................ ii
Capacities and Specifications ............................ 5-88
Carbon Monoxide .................... 2-10, 2-25, 4-26, 4-38
Care of
Safety Belts ................................................ 5-77
Your CD Player ........................................... 3-81
Your CDs ................................................... 3-80
Cargo Lamp ................................................... 3-17
Center Console Storage Area ........................... 2-35
Chains, Tire ................................................... 5-61
Check
Engine Light ............................................... 3-32
Checking Things Under the Hood ...................... 5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting ................................... 5-80
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems ............................... 1-36
Infants and Young Children ........................... 1-33
2
Child Restraints (cont.)
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children .......... 1-42
Older Children ............................................. 1-30
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position ........................................... 1-47
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position ................................... 1-50
Where to Put the Restraint ........................... 1-40
Chime Level Adjustment .................................. 3-81
Cigarette Lighter ............................................. 3-19
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels ........................................ 5-79
Exterior Lamps/Lenses ................................. 5-78
Fabric/Carpet .............................................. 5-75
Finish Care ................................................. 5-78
Inside of Your Vehicle .................................. 5-74
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces ....................................... 5-76
Leather ...................................................... 5-76
Tires .......................................................... 5-80
Underbody Maintenance ............................... 5-80
Washing Your Vehicle ................................... 5-77
Weatherstrips .............................................. 5-77
Windshield and Wiper Blades ........................ 5-78
Climate Control System ................................... 3-19
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment ................. 3-22
Outlet Adjustment ........................................ 3-22
Collision Damage Repair .................................. 7-11
Comfort Guides, Rear Safety Belt ..................... 1-27
Compact Spare Tire ........................................ 5-73
Content Theft-Deterrent .................................... 2-13
Control of a Vehicle .......................................... 4-5
Convenience Net ............................................ 2-40
Coolant
Engine Temperature Gage ............................ 3-31
Engine Temperature Warning Light ................. 3-31
Heater, Engine ............................................ 2-18
Cooling System .............................................. 5-26
Cruise Control ................................................ 3-11
Cupholder(s) .................................................. 2-34
Customer Assistance Information
Courtesy Transportation .................................. 7-8
Customer Assistance for Text
Telephone (TTY) Users ............................... 7-4
Customer Assistance Offices ........................... 7-4
Customer Satisfaction Procedure ..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program ............... 7-6
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors .... 7-15
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government .............................. 7-15
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government ......................... 7-14
Roadside Assistance Program ......................... 7-6
Service Publications Ordering Information ........ 7-15
3
D
Daytime Running Lamps .................................. 3-14
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light ............. 3-37
Defensive Driving ............................................. 4-2
Delayed Locking ............................................... 2-7
Doing Your Own Service Work ........................... 5-4
Dome Lamp ................................................... 3-16
Door
Automatic Door Lock ..................................... 2-8
Delayed Locking ........................................... 2-7
Locks .......................................................... 2-6
Power Door Locks ......................................... 2-7
Programmable Automatic Door Unlock .............. 2-8
Rear Door Security Locks ............................... 2-8
Driver
Position, Safety Belt ..................................... 1-18
Seat Height Adjuster ...................................... 1-3
Six-Way Power Seat ...................................... 1-3
Driving
At Night ..................................................... 4-16
City ........................................................... 4-20
Defensive ..................................................... 4-2
Drunken ....................................................... 4-3
Freeway ..................................................... 4-21
Hill and Mountain Roads .............................. 4-24
In Rain and on Wet Roads ........................... 4-17
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out ................. 4-31
Winter ........................................................ 4-26
E
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment ...................................... 5-83
Engine Compartment Fuse Block ................... 5-85
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ........................... 5-83
Instrument Panel Fuse Block ......................... 5-84
Power Windows and Other Power Options ...... 5-83
Windshield Wiper Fuses ............................... 5-83
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter ......................................... 5-18
Battery ....................................................... 5-34
Change Engine Oil Light ............................... 3-36
Check and Service Engine Soon Light ............ 3-32
Coolant ...................................................... 5-21
Coolant Heater ............................................ 2-18
Coolant Temperature Gage ........................... 3-31
Coolant Temperature Warning Light ................ 3-31
Engine Compartment Overview ...................... 5-12
Exhaust ..................................................... 2-25
Oil ............................................................. 5-13
Oil Life System ........................................... 5-16
Overheated Protection Operating Mode ........... 5-25
Overheating ................................................ 5-23
Reduced Power Light ................................... 3-36
Starting ...................................................... 2-17
Entry Lighting ................................................. 3-17
Event Data Recorders (EDR) ............................ 7-10
Extender, Safety Belt ....................................... 1-30
4
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner ...................................... 5-18
Finish Damage ............................................... 5-80
Fixed Mast Antenna ........................................ 3-81
Flash-to-Pass ................................................... 3-8
Flat Tire ........................................................ 5-62
Flat Tire, Changing ......................................... 5-62
Flat Tire, Storing ............................................. 5-72
Fluid
Automatic Transaxle ..................................... 5-21
Windshield Washer ...................................... 5-31
Fog Lamps .................................................... 3-15
Folding Rear Seat ........................................... 1-10
Folding Seatback, Passenger ............................. 1-9
Fuel ............................................................... 5-5
Additives ...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel .............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container .................... 5-10
Filling Your Tank ........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. 5-7
Gage ......................................................... 3-37
Gasoline Octane ........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specifications .................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light ....................................... 3-38
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse Block ................... 5-85
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ........................... 5-83
Instrument Panel Fuse Block ......................... 5-84
Windshield Wiper ......................................... 5-83
G
Gage
Engine Coolant Temperature ......................... 3-31
Fuel .......................................................... 3-37
Speedometer .............................................. 3-25
Tachometer ................................................. 3-25
Gasoline
Octane ........................................................ 5-5
Specifications ............................................... 5-5
Gate Ajar Light ............................................... 3-37
Glove Box ..................................................... 2-34
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program .................. 7-6
H
Hazard Warning Flashers ................................... 3-6
Head Restraints ............................................... 1-8
Headlamps .................................................... 3-14
Automatic Headlamp System ......................... 3-15
Bulb Replacement ....................................... 5-42
5
Headlamps (cont.)
Daytime Running Lamps ............................... 3-14
Flash-to-Pass ............................................... 3-8
Halogen Bulbs ............................................ 5-42
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps .................................. 5-42
High/Low Beam Changer ................................ 3-8
On Reminder .............................................. 3-14
Heated Seats ................................................... 1-4
Heater ........................................................... 3-19
Height Adjuster, Driver Seat ............................... 1-3
Highbeam On Light ......................................... 3-37
Highway Hypnosis ........................................... 4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads .................................. 4-24
Hood
Checking Things Under ................................ 5-10
Release ..................................................... 5-11
Horn ............................................................... 3-6
How to Use This Manual ...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................... 1-17
I
Ignition Positions ............................................. 2-16
Infants and Young Children, Restraints ............... 1-33
Inflation - Tire Pressure ................................... 5-52
Instrument Panel
Overview ..................................................... 3-4
Instrument Panel (I/P)
Brightness .................................................. 3-16
Cluster ....................................................... 3-24
J
Jump Starting ................................................. 5-34
K
Keyless Entry System ....................................... 2-3
Keys ............................................................... 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall ..................................... 5-47
Lamps
Battery Run-Down Protection ......................... 3-18
Cargo ........................................................ 3-17
Dome ........................................................ 3-16
Fog ........................................................... 3-15
Map .......................................................... 3-17
LATCH System
Child Restraints ........................................... 1-42
Liftgate .......................................................... 2-10
Light
Airbag Readiness ........................................ 3-26
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning ................... 3-29
6
Light (cont.)
Battery Warning .......................................... 3-27
Brake System Warning ................................. 3-28
Change Engine Oil ...................................... 3-36
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator .................. 3-37
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning ............. 3-31
Gate Ajar ................................................... 3-37
Highbeam On ............................................. 3-37
Low Fuel Warning ....................................... 3-38
Low Traction ............................................... 3-30
Malfunction Indicator .................................... 3-32
Oil Pressure ............................................... 3-35
Reduced Engine Power ................................ 3-36
Safety Belt Reminder ................................... 3-26
Security ..................................................... 3-36
TCS Warning Light ...................................... 3-30
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning .......... 3-30
Lighting
Entry ......................................................... 3-17
Loading Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-31
Lockout Protection ............................................ 2-9
Locks
Automatic Door Lock ..................................... 2-8
Delayed Locking ........................................... 2-7
Door ........................................................... 2-6
Lockout Protection ......................................... 2-9
Power Door .................................................. 2-7
Programmable Automatic Door Unlock .............. 2-8
Rear Door Security Locks ............................... 2-8
Loss of Control ............................................... 4-15
Low Fuel Warning Light ................................... 3-38
Low Traction Light .......................................... 3-30
Luggage Carrier .............................................. 2-35
Lumbar
Manual Controls ............................................ 1-4
M
Maintenance Schedule
Additional Required Services ........................... 6-6
At Each Fuel Fill ........................................... 6-8
At Least Once a Month .................................. 6-9
At Least Once a Year .................................... 6-9
Introduction .................................................. 6-2
Maintenance Footnotes .................................. 6-7
Maintenance Record .................................... 6-14
Maintenance Requirements ............................. 6-2
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ......... 6-13
Owner Checks and Services ........................... 6-8
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ............. 6-11
Scheduled Maintenance ................................. 6-4
Using .......................................................... 6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment ................... 6-2
Malfunction Indicator Light ................................ 3-32
Manual Lumbar Controls .................................... 1-4
Manual Seats ................................................... 1-2
Map Lamps .................................................... 3-17
7
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview with Compass
and Temperature Display ........................... 2-29
Automatic Dimming Rearview with OnStar
®
,
Compass and Temperature Display ............. 2-27
Manual Rearview Mirror ................................ 2-27
Outside Convex Mirrors ................................ 2-32
Outside Power Mirrors .................................. 2-31
MyGMLink.com ................................................ 7-4
N
New Vehicle Break-In ...................................... 2-15
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ............ 6-13
O
Odometer ...................................................... 3-25
Odometer, Trip ............................................... 3-25
Off-Road Recovery .......................................... 4-13
OilChange Engine Oil Light ............................... 3-36
Engine ....................................................... 5-13
Pressure Light ............................................. 3-35
Oil, Engine Oil Life System .............................. 5-16
Older Children, Restraints ................................ 1-30
Online Owner Center ........................................ 7-4
OnStar
®
System, see OnStar
®
Manual ............... 2-32
Other Warning Devices ...................................... 3-6
Outlet Adjustment ............................................ 3-22
Outside
Convex Mirrors ............................................ 2-32
Power Mirrors ............................................. 2-31
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode ..... 5-25
Owner Checks and Services .............................. 6-8
Owners, Canadian ............................................... ii
P
Park (P)
Shifting Into ................................................ 2-23
Shifting Out of ............................................ 2-24
Parking
Brake ........................................................ 2-22
Over Things That Burn ................................. 2-25
Passenger Compartment Air Filter ..................... 3-22
Passing ......................................................... 4-14
Passlock
®
...................................................... 2-15
Power ............................................................. 1-3
Accessory Outlet(s) ...................................... 3-18
Door Locks .................................................. 2-7
Electrical System ......................................... 5-83
Reduced Engine Light .................................. 3-36
Retained Accessory (RAP) ............................ 2-17
Windows .................................................... 2-12
Pretensioners, Safety Belt ................................ 1-29
Programmable Automatic Door Unlock ................. 2-8
8
Q
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......... 1-17
R
Radios .......................................................... 3-38
Care of Your CD Player ............................... 3-81
Care of Your CDs ........................................ 3-80
Radio with CD .................................... 3-40, 3-50
Radio with Six-Disc CD ................................ 3-65
Setting the Time .......................................... 3-40
Theft-Deterrent ............................................ 3-79
Understanding Reception .............................. 3-80
Rear Compartment Storage Panel/Cover ............ 2-37
Rear Door Security Locks .................................. 2-8
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ...................... 1-27
Rear Seat Passengers, Safety Belts .................. 1-25
Rear Windshield Washer/Wiper ......................... 3-10
Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming with
Compass and Temperature Display ................ 2-29
Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming with
OnStar
®
, Compass and Temperature
Display ...................................................... 2-27
Rearview Mirrors ............................................. 2-27
Reclining Seatbacks .......................................... 1-5
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ................. 6-11
Recreational Vehicle Towing ............................. 4-36
Reduced Engine Power Light ............................ 3-36
Remote Keyless Entry System ............................ 2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System, Operation ............ 2-4
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire .................................................. 5-65
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ................... 5-64
Replacement Bulbs ......................................... 5-44
Reporting Safety Defects
Canadian Government .................................. 7-15
General Motors ........................................... 7-15
United States Government ............................ 7-14
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems .................... 1-62
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash .......................................... 1-63
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) ...................... 2-17
Right Front Passenger Position, Safety Belts ...... 1-25
Roadside
Assistance Program ....................................... 7-6
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out .................... 4-31
Running the Engine While Parked ..................... 2-26
S
Safety Belt
Pretensioners .............................................. 1-29
Reminder Light ............................................ 3-26
Safety Belts
Care of ...................................................... 5-77
Driver Position ............................................ 1-18
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................ 1-17
9
Safety Belts (cont.)
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ..... 1-17
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ................... 1-27
Rear Seat Passengers ................................. 1-25
Right Front Passenger Position ...................... 1-25
Safety Belt Extender .................................... 1-30
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ................. 1-24
Safety Belts Are for Everyone ....................... 1-12
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster ........................ 1-24
Safety Warnings and Symbols .............................. iii
Scheduled Maintenance ..................................... 6-4
Seatback, Folding Passenger ............................. 1-9
Seats
Driver Seat Height Adjuster ............................. 1-3
Head Restraints ............................................ 1-8
Heated Seats ............................................... 1-4
Manual ........................................................ 1-2
Manual Lumbar ............................................. 1-4
Passenger Folding Seatback ........................... 1-9
Reclining Seatbacks ...................................... 1-5
Six-Way Power Driver .................................... 1-3
Split Folding Rear Seat ................................ 1-10
Securing a Child Restraint
Rear Seat Position ...................................... 1-47
Right Front Seat Position .............................. 1-50
Security Light ................................................. 3-36
Service ........................................................... 5-3
Accessories and Modifications ......................... 5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle .............................................. 5-5
Service (cont.)
California Proposition 65 Warning .................... 5-4
Doing Your Own Work ................................... 5-4
Engine Soon Light ....................................... 3-32
Publications Ordering Information ................... 7-15
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .............. 1-61
Setting the Time ............................................. 3-40
Sheet Metal Damage ....................................... 5-80
Shifting Into Park (P) ....................................... 2-23
Shifting Out of Park (P) ................................... 2-24
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster ........................... 1-24
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change .......................... 3-8
Spare Tire
Compact .................................................... 5-73
Installing .................................................... 5-65
Removing ................................................... 5-64
Storing ....................................................... 5-72
Specifications, Capacities ................................. 5-88
Speedometer .................................................. 3-25
Split Folding Rear Seat .................................... 1-10
Starting Your Engine ....................................... 2-17
Steering ........................................................ 4-11
Steering Wheel Controls, Audio ......................... 3-79
Steering Wheel, Tilt Wheel ................................. 3-7
Storage Areas
Center Console Storage Area ........................ 2-35
Convenience Net ......................................... 2-40
Cupholder(s) ............................................... 2-34
Glove Box .................................................. 2-34
Luggage Carrier .......................................... 2-35
10
Storage Areas (cont.)
Rear Compartment Storage Panel/Cover ......... 2-37
Table ......................................................... 2-39
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ...................... 4-30
Sun Visors ..................................................... 2-12
Sunroof ......................................................... 2-40
T
Table ............................................................ 2-39
Tachometer .................................................... 3-25
Taillamps
Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps .... 5-43
TCS Warning Light .......................................... 3-30
Theft-Deterrent, Radio ..................................... 3-79
Theft-Deterrent Systems ................................... 2-13
Content Theft-Deterrent ................................ 2-13
Passlock
®
................................................... 2-15
Tilt Wheel ........................................................ 3-7
Tires ............................................................. 5-46
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning .......................... 5-79
Buying New Tires ........................................ 5-56
Chains ....................................................... 5-61
Changing a Flat Tire .................................... 5-62
Cleaning .................................................... 5-80
Compact Spare Tire ..................................... 5-73
Different Size .............................................. 5-57
Tires (cont.)
If a Tire Goes Flat ....................................... 5-62
Inflation - Tire Pressure ................................ 5-52
Inspection and Rotation ................................ 5-54
Installing the Spare Tire ................................ 5-65
Removing the Flat Tire ................................. 5-65
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ............... 5-64
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools ............ 5-72
Tire Sidewall Labeling .................................. 5-47
Tire Terminology and Definitions .................... 5-50
Uniform Tire Quality Grading ......................... 5-58
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ................. 5-59
Wheel Replacement ..................................... 5-60
When It Is Time for New Tires ...................... 5-55
Towing
Recreational Vehicle ..................................... 4-36
Towing a Trailer .......................................... 4-38
Your Vehicle ............................................... 4-36
Traction
Control System (TCS) .................................... 4-9
Control System Warning Light ....................... 3-30
Low Light ................................................... 3-30
Transaxle
Fluid, Automatic ........................................... 5-21
Transaxle Operation, Automatic ......................... 2-19
Trip Odometer ................................................ 3-25
Turn and Lane-Change Signals .......................... 3-8
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever ........................... 3-7
11
U
Understanding Radio Reception ........................ 3-80
Uniform Tire Quality Grading ............................ 5-58
V
Vehicle
Control ........................................................ 4-5
Damage Warnings ........................................... iv
Loading ...................................................... 4-31
Symbols ......................................................... iv
Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders .................................................. 7-10
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) ............................................. 5-82
Service Parts Identification Label ................... 5-82
Ventilation Adjustment ...................................... 3-22
Visors ........................................................... 2-12
W
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ................ 3-23
Warnings
Hazard Warning Flashers ............................... 3-6
Other Warning Devices .................................. 3-6
Safety and Symbols ......................................... iii
Vehicle Damage .............................................. iv
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance .......................... 5-59
Different Size .............................................. 5-57
Replacement ............................................... 5-60
Where to Put the Restraint ............................... 1-40
Windows ....................................................... 2-11
Power ........................................................ 2-12
Windshield
Washer ...................................................... 3-10
Washer Fluid .............................................. 5-31
Wiper Blade Replacement ............................. 5-45
Wiper Blades, Cleaning ................................ 5-78
Wiper Fuses ............................................... 5-83
Wipers ......................................................... 3-8
Windshield, Rear Washer/Wiper ........................ 3-10
Winter Driving ................................................ 4-26
X
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System ................ 3-81
Y
Your Vehicle and the Environment ....................... 6-2
12

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