2002 Buick Rendezvous Owners Manual

instrument panel outlets.

(Lower): This setting brings in most of the air

through the floor ducts. The rest comes out of the defroster and side window vents.

(Defrost): This setting brings in outside air and

directs most of the air through the defrost vent. Some of the air also goes to the floor ducts and the side window defogger outlets. The air conditioning compressor will run automatically in this setting unless the outside temperature is below 32_F (0_C).

Mode Buttons VENT: This button turns the air conditioning compressor on and off and changes the mode to upper. The words A/C OFF are shown in the display. Recirculation is not permitted when the compressor is off. The system will try to control the temperature automatically, but without the compressor. (Recirculation): Press this button

(the recirculation symbol in the display will be lit) to recirculate the air inside of your vehicle and to limit the amount of outside air and/or odors entering the vehicle. Press this button again (the recirculation symbol will go off) to send outside air into your vehicle. Using this setting while trying to defrost or defog the windows will help clear the vents of moisture. When the defog, defrost or lower setting is selected, the system will automatically go to outside air mode. Operating the Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC) system in the recirculation mode may cause fogging of the vehicle’s windows when the weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, switch the HVAC system to either the defog or defrost mode and increase the fan speed. To avoid refogging of the windows, operate the HVAC system in the outside air mode.

Air Conditioning On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more quickly and economically if you open the windows long enough to let hot, inside air escape. For all settings, adjust the temperature knob and fan speed as desired. To get maximum cooling or a quick cool-down on very hot days, press the recirculation button (the recirculation symbol in the display will be lit) and turn the temperature knob to the desired interior temperature. Then, select the mode to direct the air to the desired location. This setting should not be used for long periods of time because the air may become too cold and dry. Push the recirculation button again (the recirculation symbol will go off) to turn off recirculation. When the air conditioner compressor is on, you may sometimes notice slight changes in your vehicle’s engine performance and power. This is normal. The system is designed to help fuel economy while it maintains the desired cooling level. The air conditioner removes moisture from the air, so you may sometimes notice water dripping from under your vehicle’s engine compartment when it is idling or after it has been turned off. This is normal.

3-7

Heating Turn the temperature knob to the desired interior temperature to warm the air. In the lower mode, outside air will be brought in and sent through the floor outlets. The heater works best if you keep your windows closed while using it. The bi-level setting is designed for use on sunny days when the air is only moderately warm or cool. On days like these, the sun may adequately warm your upper body, but your lower body may not be warm enough. For the best results, move the temperature knob to the middle position, and then adjust it for comfort. Your vehicle has a computer controlled transaxle designed to warm up the engine faster when the outside temperature is 35_F (2_C) or colder. You may notice that the transaxle will shift at a higher vehicle speed until the engine is warmed up. This is a normal condition designed to provide heat to the passenger compartment and defrost the windows more quickly.

If your vehicle is equipped with an engine coolant heater and you use it during cold weather, 0_F (-18_C) or lower, your heating system will provide heat more quickly because the engine coolant is already warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.

Defogging and Defrosting Your system has two settings for clearing the front and side windows. To defrost the windows quickly, press the defrost button and set the temperature to 90_F (32_C) and select a high fan speed. To warm passengers while keeping the window clear, select the defog mode with the mode button (the defog symbol will be lit). Select the fan speed for comfort and windshield clearing performance.

3-8

Rear Window Defogger

Manual System

Automatic System

Press the REAR button (the indicator light will glow) to warm the defogger grid on the rear window. The engine must be running for the defogger grid to warm up. The system will turn off automatically after about 10 minutes of use. If you turn it on again, the defogger will operate for about five minutes. You can also turn the defogger off by turning the ignition to OFF or by pressing the button again. The indicator light will turn off. If your vehicle has heated outside rearview mirrors, the outside mirrors will also defrost when you press this button. Do not attach a temporary vehicle license across the defogger grid on the rear window.

NOTICE:

Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp on the inside of the rear window. If you do, you could cut or damage the warming grid, and the repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.

3-9

Ventilation System

Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies outside air into the vehicle when it is moving. Outside air will also enter the vehicle when the air conditioning is running. Your vehicle has air outlets that allow you to adjust the direction and amount of airflow inside the vehicle. Push the outlet up or down to direct the airflow. Opening and closing the louvers will also direct airflow from side to side.

Ventilation Tips D Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or any other obstruction (such as leaves). This will allow the heater and defroster to work much better, reducing the chance of fogging the inside of your windows.

D When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, select the lower mode and set the fan to the highest setting for a few moments before driving off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow and moisture, and reduces the chance of fogging the inside of your windows. D Keep the air path under the front seats and around

the base of the center console clear of objects. This helps air to circulate throughout your vehicle.

D If the airflow seems very low when the fan is adjusted to the highest setting, your passenger compartment air filter may need replacement. See “Passenger Compartment Air Filter” in the Index for more information.

3-10

Audio Systems Your audio system has been designed to operate easily and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it first. Find out what your audio system can do and how to operate all of it’s controls, to be sure you’re getting the most out of the advanced engineering that went into it. Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio system even after the ignition is turned off. See “Retained Accessory Power” in the Index. Setting the Clock Press and hold H until the correct hour appears. AM will appear on the display for morning hours. Press and hold M until the correct minute appears. The clock may be set with the ignition on or off. If your vehicle is equipped with the six-disc audio system you can set the clock to the time of an FM station broadcasting Radio Data System (RDS) information. Press and hold H and M at the same time until TIME UPDATED appears on the display. If the time is not available from the station, NO UPDATE will appear on the display instead.

AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player with Automatic Tone Control and Radio Data Systems (RDS)

Playing the Radio PWR (Power): Push this knob to turn the system on and off. VOL (Volume): Turn this knob clockwise to increase volume. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease the volume.

3-11

DISP (Display): Press this button to display the station being played or to display the clock. The clock can be displayed with the ignition on or off.

Finding a Station AM FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob clockwise to tune in to the next station. Turn it counterclockwise to tune into the previous station.

SEEK

: Press the right or left arrow to go to the

next or previous station and stay there. The sound will mute while seeking. The radio will seek to stations with a strong signal only. To scan stations, press one of the SEEK arrows for two seconds and SCAN will appear on the display. The radio will go to a station, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning. The sound will mute while scanning. The radio will seek to stations with a strong signal only.

To scan preset stations, press one of the SEEK arrows for four seconds and PSCAN will appear on the display. The radio will go to a station, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning your preset stations. The sound will mute while scanning. The radio will seek to stations with a strong signal only.

Setting Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press AM FM to select the band. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons.

The sound will mute. When it returns, release the pushbutton. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the station you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

3-12

Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) AUDIO: Push and release AUDIO until BAS appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to increase bass. B and a positive number will appear on the display. Turn the AUDIO knob counterclockwise to decrease bass. B and a negative number will appear on the display. B and a zero will appear on the display when the bass level is set to the middle position. Stop turning the knob when you find the bass level you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached. Push and release AUDIO until TRE appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to increase treble. T and a positive number will appear on the display. Turn the AUDIO knob counterclockwise to decrease treble. T and a negative number will appear on the display. T and a zero will appear on the display when the treble level is set to the middle position. Stop turning the knob when you find the treble level you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.

To adjust bass or treble to the middle position, select the desired tone control. Then push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. B and a zero or T and a zero will appear on the display. To adjust all of the tone controls and speaker controls to the middle position, end out of audio mode, by pushing the AUDIO knob until the display goes blank. Then push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. CEN will appear on the display.

Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) AUDIO: To adjust the balance between the right and left speakers, push and release AUDIO until BAL appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to move the sound to the right speakers or counterclockwise to move the sound to the left speakers. R and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the right speakers. L and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the left speakers. L and a zero will appear on the display when the sound is balanced between the speakers. Stop turning the AUDIO knob when you find the speaker balance you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached.

3-13

To adjust the fade between the front and rear speakers, push and release AUDIO until FAD appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to move the sound to the front speakers or counterclockwise to move the sound to the rear speakers. F and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the front speakers. R and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the rear speakers. F and a zero will appear on the display when the sound is balanced between the speakers. Stop turning the AUDIO knob when you find the speaker balance you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached. To adjust balance or fade to the middle position, select the desired speaker control. Then push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. L and a zero or F and a zero will appear on the display. To adjust all of the tone controls and speaker controls to the middle position, end out of audio mode, by pushing the AUDIO knob until the display goes blank. Then press and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. CEN will appear on the display.

EQ (Equalizer): This feature allows you to choose preset bass, mid and treble equalization settings designed for different program types. Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting. Each time you press EQ, another setting will appear on the display. You can preset up to six equalization settings by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Push the AUDIO knob to select the

desired equalization.

3. Press and hold EQ for two seconds. SELECT EQ #

will appear on the display. The EQ symbol will flash.

4. Press EQ or turn the AUDIO knob to select the

desired EQ number. Each time you press EQ or turn the AUDIO knob, another EQ setting will appear on the display.

5. Press and hold the EQ button or push the AUDIO

knob to store the equalization preset. You will hear a beep and EQ SAVED will appear on the display.

6. Repeat the steps for each EQ setting. EQ 5 has been programmed at the factory for use with talk radio, but it can be preset to a different tone.

3-14

Using RDS Your audio system is equipped with a Radio Data System (RDS). With RDS, the radio can do the following: D Seek only to stations with the types of programs you

want to listen to,

D seek to stations with traffic announcements, D receive announcements concerning local and

national emergencies, and

D receive and display messages from radio stations. RDS features are only available for use on FM stations which broadcast RDS information. The RDS features of your radio rely upon receiving specific RDS information from these stations. These features will only work when the RDS 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. When you are tuned to an RDS station, the station name will appear on the display, instead of the frequency. Most RDS stations provide their station name, the time of day and a Program Type (PTY) for their current programming.

Finding a PTY Station P-TYP (Program Type): This button is used to turn on and off Program Type (PTY) select. The P-TYPE symbol will appear on the display and the SELECT LED indicator next to the P-TYP button will light. The last selected PTY will appear on the display for five seconds. Turn the AUDIO knob to select the PTY you want to listen to. Press the SEEK arrows to find radio stations of the PTY you want to listen to. The last PTY selected will be used for seek. If a station with the selected PTY is not found, NOT FOUND will appear on the display. If both P-TYP and TRAF are on, the radio will search for stations with traffic announcements and the selected PTY. To use the PTY interrupt feature, press and hold this button until you hear a beep on the PTY you want to interrupt. An asterisk will appear next to the PTY name, example CLASSICAL*. When you are listening to a CD, the last selected RDS FM station will interrupt play if that selected PTY format is broadcast.

3-15

RDS Messages ALERT!: This type of announcement warns of national or local emergencies. You will not be able to turn off alert announcements. ALERT! appears on the display when an alert announcement plays. When an alert announcement comes on the tuned radio station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape is playing. If the cassette tape is playing, play will stop for the announcement and resume when the announcement is finished. INFO (Information): If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. If the whole message does not appear on the display, parts of the message will appear every three seconds until the message is completed. To see the parts of the message faster than every three seconds, press this button again. A new group of words will appear on the display. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received.

AM FM (Alternate Frequency): Alternate frequency allows the radio to switch to a stronger station with the same program type. Press and hold AM FM for two seconds to turn alternate frequency on. AF ON will appear on the display. The radio may switch to stronger stations. Press and hold AM FM again for two seconds to turn alternate frequency off. AF OFF will appear on the display. The radio will not switch to other stations. When you turn the ignition off and then on again, the alternate frequency feature will automatically be turned on.

Setting PTY Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite Program Types (PTYs). These pushbuttons have factory PTY presets. You can set up to 12 PTYs (six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Press P-TYP, if it is not already on. 2. Press AM FM to select FM1 or FM2. 3. Turn the AUDIO knob to select a PTY. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons

until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the PTY you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

3-16

TRAF (Traffic): Press this button to receive traffic announcements. The traffic announcement brackets will appear on the display. TRAF will appear on the display if the tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements. If the current tuned station does not broadcast traffic announcements, the radio will seek to a station that does. When the radio finds a station that broadcasts traffic announcements, it will stop. If no station is found, NO TRAFFIC will appear on the display. When a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station or a related network station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape is playing. If the cassette tape player was being used, the tape will stay in the player and resume play at the point where it stopped.

Radio Messages CAL (CALIBRATE): Your audio system has been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If this message appears on the display it means that your radio has not been configured properly for your vehicle and must be returned to the dealership for service.

Playing a Compact Disc Insert a disc partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull it in. The disc should begin playing. If you want to insert a CD while the ignition or the radio is off, first press the eject button or DISP. If you turn off the ignition or radio with a disc in the player, it will stay in the player. When you turn on the ignition or system, the disc will start playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. If an error appears on the display, see “Compact Disc Messages” later in this section. (Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to quickly reverse within a track. Release is it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced level. (Forward): Press and hold this pushbutton to quickly advance within a track. Release is it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced level. 4 RDM (Random): Press this pushbutton to hear the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. Press RDM again to turn off random play.

3-17

DISP (Display): Press this button to see which track is playing. Press it again within five seconds to see how long it has been playing. To change what is normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time), press this button until you see the display you want, then hold the button until the display flashes.

SEEK

: Press the left arrow to go to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. If you hold the button or press it more than once, the player will continue moving back through the disc. Press the right arrow to go to the next track. If you hold the button or press it more than once, the player will continue moving forward through the disc. The sound will mute while seeking. AM FM: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD is playing. CD: Press this button to change to playing a CD when listening to the radio.

(Eject): Press this button to stop a CD when it is

playing and to remove a CD when it is not playing.

Compact Disc Errors E (Error): If you’re driving on a very rough road or if it’s very hot, the disc may not play and an error code may appear on the display. When the road becomes smooth or the temperature returns to normal, the disc should play. If the disc comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: D E20: The disc is upside down. D E20: It is dirty, scratched or wet. D E20: There’s too much moisture in the air.

(Wait about an hour and try again.)

If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be corrected, contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error number, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem.

3-18

AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player with Automatic Tone Control and Radio Data Systems (RDS) (If Equipped)

DISP (Display): Press this button to display the station being played or to display the clock. The clock can be displayed with the ignition on or off. Finding a Station AM FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob clockwise to tune in to the next station. Turn it counterclockwise to tune into the previous station.

SEEK

: Press the right or left arrow to go to the

next or previous station and stay there. The sound will mute while seeking. The radio will seek to stations with a strong signal only. To scan stations, press one of the SEEK arrows for two seconds and SCAN will appear on the display. The radio will go to a station, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning. The sound will mute while scanning. The radio will seek to stations with a strong signal only. To scan preset stations, press one of the SEEK arrows for four seconds and PSCAN will appear on the display. The radio will go to a station, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning your preset stations. The sound will mute while scanning. The radio will seek to stations with a strong signal only.

3-19

Playing the Radio PWR (Power): Push this knob to turn the system on and off. VOL (Volume): Turn this knob clockwise to increase volume. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease the volume.

Push and release AUDIO until TRE appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to increase treble. T and a positive number will appear on the display. Turn the AUDIO knob counterclockwise to decrease treble. T and a negative number will appear on the display. T and a zero will appear on the display when the treble level is set to the middle position. Stop turning the knob when you find the treble level you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble. To adjust bass or treble to the middle position, select the desired tone control. Then push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. B and a zero or T and a zero will appear on the display. To adjust all of the tone controls and speaker controls to the middle position, end out of audio mode, by pushing the AUDIO knob until the display goes blank. Then push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. CEN will appear on the display.

Setting Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press AM FM to select the band. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons.

The sound will mute. When it returns, release the pushbutton. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the station you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) AUDIO: Push and release AUDIO until BAS appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to increase bass. B and a positive number will appear on the display. Turn the AUDIO knob counterclockwise to decrease bass. B and a negative number will appear on the display. B and a zero will appear on the display when the bass level is set to the middle position. Stop turning the knob when you find the bass level you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached.

3-20

Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) AUDIO: To adjust the balance between the right and left speakers, push and release AUDIO until BAL appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to move the sound to the right speakers or counterclockwise to move the sound to the left speakers. R and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the right speakers. L and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the left speakers. L and a zero will appear on the display when the sound is balanced between the speakers. Stop turning the AUDIO knob when you find the speaker balance you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached.

To adjust the fade between the front and rear speakers, push and release AUDIO until FAD appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob clockwise to move the sound to the front speakers or counterclockwise to move the sound to the rear speakers. F and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the front speakers. R and a number will appear on the display when the sound is balanced toward the rear speakers. F and a zero will appear on the display when the sound is balanced between the speakers. Stop turning the AUDIO knob when you find the speaker balance you want or when the maximum or minimum level is reached. To adjust balance or fade to the middle position, select the desired speaker control. Then push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. L and a zero or F and a zero will appear on the display. To adjust all of the tone controls and speaker controls to the middle position, end out of audio mode, by pushing the AUDIO knob until the display goes blank. Then press and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. CEN will appear on the display.

3-21

EQ (Equalizer): This feature allows you to choose preset bass, mid and treble equalization settings designed for different program types. Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting. Each time you press EQ, another setting will appear on the display. You can preset up to six equalization settings by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Push the AUDIO knob to select the

desired equalization.

3. Press and hold EQ for two seconds. SELECT EQ #

will appear on the display. The EQ symbol will flash.

4. Press EQ or turn the AUDIO knob to select the

desired EQ number. Each time you press EQ or turn the AUDIO knob, another EQ setting will appear on the display.

5. Press and hold the EQ button or push the AUDIO

knob to store the equalization preset. You will hear a beep and EQ SAVED will appear on the display.

6. Repeat the steps for each EQ setting. EQ 5 has been programmed at the factory for use with talk radio, but it can be preset to a different tone.

Using RDS Your audio system is equipped with a Radio Data System (RDS). With RDS, the radio can do the following: D Seek only to stations with the types of programs you

want to listen to,

D seek to stations with traffic announcements, D receive announcements concerning local and

national emergencies, and

D receive and display messages from radio stations. RDS features are only available for use on FM stations which broadcast RDS information. The RDS features of your radio rely upon receiving specific RDS information from these stations. These features will only work when the RDS 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. When you are tuned to an RDS station, the station name will appear on the display, instead of the frequency. Most RDS stations provide their station name, the time of day and a Program Type (PTY) for their current programming.

3-22

Finding a PTY Station P-TYP (Program): This button is used to turn on and off Program Type (PTY) select. The P-TYPE symbol will appear on the display and the SELECT LED indicator next to the P-TYP button will light. The last selected PTY will appear on the display for five seconds. Turn the AUDIO knob to select the PTY you want to listen to. Press the SEEK arrows to find radio stations of the PTY you want to listen to. The last PTY selected will be used for seek. If a station with the selected PTY is not found, NOT FOUND will appear on the display. If both P-TYP and TRAF are on, the radio will search for stations with traffic announcements and the selected PTY. To use the PTY interrupt feature, press and hold this button until you hear a beep on the PTY you want to interrupt. An asterisk will appear next to the PTY name, example CLASSICAL*. When you are listening to a CD, the last selected RDS FM station will interrupt play if that selected PTY format is broadcast.

AM FM (Alternate Frequency): Alternate frequency allows the radio to switch to a stronger station with the same program type. Press and hold AM FM for two seconds to turn alternate frequency on. AF ON will appear on the display. The radio may switch to stronger stations. Press and hold AM FM again for two seconds to turn alternate frequency off. AF OFF will appear on the display. The radio will not switch to other stations. When you turn the ignition off and then on again, the alternate frequency feature will automatically be turned on.

Setting PTY Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite Program Types (PTYs). These pushbuttons have factory PTY presets. You can set up to 12 PTYs (six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Press P-TYP, if it is not already on. 2. Press AM FM to select FM1 or FM2. 3. Turn the AUDIO knob to select a PTY. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons

until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the PTY you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

3-23

RDS Messages ALERT!: This type of announcement warns of national or local emergencies. You will not be able to turn off alert announcements. ALERT! appears on the display when an alert announcement plays. When an alert announcement comes on the tuned radio station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape is playing. If the cassette tape is playing, play will stop for the announcement and resume when the announcement is finished. INFO (Information): If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. If the whole message does not appear on the display, parts of the message will appear every three seconds until the message is completed. To see the parts of the message faster than every three seconds, press this button again. A new group of words will appear on the display. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received.

TRAF (Traffic): Press this button to receive traffic announcements. The traffic announcement brackets will appear on the display. TRAF will appear on the display if the tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements. If the current tuned station does not broadcast traffic announcements, the radio will seek to a station that does. When the radio finds a station that broadcasts traffic announcements, it will stop. If no station is found, NO TRAFFIC will appear on the display. When a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station or a related network station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape is playing. If the cassette tape player was being used, the tape will stay in the player and resume play at the point where it stopped.

Radio Messages CAL (CALIBRATE): Your audio system has been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If this message appears on the display it means that your radio has not been configured properly for your vehicle and must be returned to the dealership for service.

3-24

Playing a Cassette Tape The longer side with the tape visible should face to the right. If the ignition and the radio are on, the tape can be inserted and will begin playing. If you hear nothing or hear a garbled sound, the tape may not be in squarely. Press the eject button to remove the tape and start over. While the tape is playing, use the VOLUME and AUDIO controls just as you do for the radio. Other controls may have different functions when a tape is inserted. The display will show an arrow to show which side of the tape is playing. If you want to insert a tape when the ignition or radio is off, first press the eject button or DISP. Cassette tape adapter kits for portable compact disc players will work in your cassette tape player. Your tape bias is set automatically. If an error appears on the display, see “Cassette Tape Messages” later in this section. (Reverse): Press this pushbutton to reverse the tape rapidly. Press it again to return to playing speed. The radio will play while the tape reverses.

(Forward): Press this pushbutton to advance

quickly to another part of the tape. Press this pushbutton again to return to playing speed. The radio will play while the tape advances. 3 D (Dolby): Press this pushbutton to reduce background noise. The double-D symbol will appear on the display. Dolby Noise Reduction is manufactured under a license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. 6 SIDE: Press this pushbutton to change the side of the tape that is playing. AM FM: Press this button to listen to the radio when a cassette tape or CD is playing. CD TAPE: Press this button to play a cassette tape or a CD when listening to the radio.

(Eject): Press this button to stop a tape when it is

playing and to remove a tape when it is not playing.

3-25

Cassette Tape Messages If an E and a number appears while trying to play a cassette tape, it could be for one of the following reasons: D E10: The tape is tight and the player can’t turn

the tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with the open end down and try to turn the right hub counterclockwise with a pencil. Turn the tape over and repeat. If the hubs do not turn easily, your tape may be damaged and should not be used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is working properly.

D E11: The tape is broken. Try a new tape. CLN (Clean): If this message appears on the display, the cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to the tapes and player. See “Care of Your Cassette Tape Player” in the Index. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be corrected, contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error number, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem.

3-26

Playing a Compact Disc Insert a disc partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull it in. The disc should begin playing. If you want to insert a CD while the ignition or the radio is off, first press the eject button or DISP. If you turn off the ignition or radio with a disc in the player, it will stay in the player. When you turn on the ignition or system, the disc will start playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. If an error appears on the display, see “Compact Disc Messages” later in this section. (Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to quickly reverse within a track. You will hear sound. (Forward): Press and hold this pushbutton to quickly advance within a track. You will hear sound. 4 RDM (Random): Press this button to hear the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. Press RDM again to turn off random play. DISP (Display): Press this button to see which track is playing. Press it again within five seconds to see how long it has been playing. To change what is normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time), press this button until you see the display you want, then hold the button until the display flashes.

SEEK

: Press the left SEEK button to go to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. If you hold the button or press it more than once, the player will continue moving back through the disc. Press the right SEEK button to go to the next track. If you hold the button or press it more than once, the player will continue moving forward through the disc. The sound will mute while seeking. AM FM: Press this button to listen to the radio when a cassette tape or CD is playing. CD TAPE: Press this button to change to playing a cassette tape or a CD when listening to the radio.

(Eject): Press this button to stop a CD when it is

playing and to remove a CD when it is not playing.

Compact Disc Errors E (Error): If you’re driving on a very rough road or if it’s very hot, the disc may not play and an error code may appear on the display. When the road becomes smooth or the temperature returns to normal, the disc should play. If the disc comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: D E20: The disc is upside down. D E20: It is dirty, scratched or wet. D E20: There’s too much moisture in the air.

(Wait about an hour and try again.)

If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be corrected, contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error number, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem.

3-27

AM-FM Stereo with Six-Disc Compact Disc Player with Programmable Equalization and Radio Data System (RDS) (If Equipped)

Playing the Radio PWR (Power): Push this knob to turn the system on and off. VOLUME: Turn the knob clockwise to increase volume. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease volume.

3-28

AUTO VOL (Automatic Volume): Your system has a feature called automatic volume. With this feature, your 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 MIN, MED or MAX. Each higher choice allows for more volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Then, as you drive, automatic volume automatically increases the volume, as necessary, to overcome noise at any speed. The volume level should always sound the same to you as you drive. If you don’t want to use automatic volume, select OFF. RCL (Recall): Push this knob to display the station being played or to display the clock. Pushing this knob with the ignition off will display the clock

Finding a Station AM FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1 and FM2. The display shows your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob to select radio stations. t SEEK u: Press the right or left arrow to go to the next or previous station and stay there. The sound will mute while seeking.

t SCAN u: Press and hold either SCAN arrow for two seconds until SC 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 SCAN arrow again to stop scanning. If you press SCAN for more than four seconds, the radio will change to preset scan mode. The sound will mute while scanning. To scan preset stations, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than four seconds, PRESET SCAN will appear on the display. You will hear a double beep and the P will blink with the preset number. The radio will go to a preset station stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next preset station. Press either SCAN arrow again to stop scanning presets. The sound will mute while scanning.

Setting Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press AM FM to select the band. 3. Tune in the desired station.

4. Press AUTO EQ to select the equalization that best

suits the type of station selected.

5. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons

until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the station you set will return and the equalization that you selected will also be automatically selected for that pushbutton.

6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) AUDIO: To adjust the bass, push the AUDIO knob until BASS appears on the display. Turn the knob to increase or decrease bass. When you use this knob, the radio’s tone setting will switch to custom. To adjust the midrange, push the AUDIO knob until MID appears on the display. Turn the knob to increase or decrease midrange. When you use this knob, the radio’s tone setting will switch to custom. To adjust the treble, push the AUDIO knob until TREB appears on the display. Turn the knob to increase or decrease treble. When you use this knob, the radio’s tone setting will switch to custom. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.

3-29

To adjust bass, midrange or treble to the middle position, select BASS, MID or TREB and push and hold the AUDIO knob. The radio will produce one beep and adjust the display level to zero. To adjust all tone and speaker controls to the middle position, push and hold the AUDIO knob when no tone or speaker control is active. The radio will produce one beep and CENTERED will appear on the display. AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalization): This feature allows you to choose preset bass, midrange and treble equalization settings designed for country, jazz, talk, pop, rock and classical stations. The setting last chosen will appear on the display when you first press AUTO EQ. Each time you press this button, another setting will appear on the display and AUTO EQ will switch to one of the preset settings previously listed. To return to the manual mode (CUSTOM), press the AUTO EQ button until CUSTOM appears on the display. Then you will be able to manually adjust the bass, midrange and treble using the AUDIO knob.

Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) AUDIO: To adjust the balance between the right and left speakers, push the AUDIO knob until BAL appears on the display. Turn the knob to adjust the sound to the left or right speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. To adjust the fade between the front and rear speakers, push and hold the AUDIO knob until FAD appears on the display. Turn the knob to adjust the sound to the front or rear speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. To adjust the balance and fade to the middle position, select balance or fade and push and hold the AUDIO knob. The radio will beep once and will adjust the display level to the middle position. To adjust all tone and speaker controls to the middle position, push and hold the AUDIO knob when tone or speaker controls are not active. The radio will produce one beep and CENTERED will appear on the display.

3-30

Using RDS Your audio system is equipped with a Radio Data System (RDS). RDS mode gives you many useful new features. With RDS, the radio can do the following: D Seek only to stations with the types of programs you

want to listen to,

D seek to stations with traffic announcements, D receive announcements concerning local and

national emergencies, and

D receive and display messages from radio stations. RDS features are only available for use on FM stations which broadcast RDS information. The RDS features of your radio rely upon receiving specific RDS information from these stations. These features will only work when the RDS 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. When you are tuned to an RDS station, the station name will appear on the display, instead of the frequency. Most RDS stations provide their station name, the time of day and a Program Type (PTY) for their current programming.

Finding a PTY Station P-TYPE (Program Type): This button is used to turn on and off Program Type (PTY) selections. PTY and the light next to the button will turn on. The last selected PTY will appear on the display for five seconds. Turn the P-TYPE knob to select the PTY you want to listen to. Press the SEEK arrows to find radio stations for the PTY you want to listen to. The last PTY selected will be used for seek or scan modes. If a station with the selected PTY is not found, NONE FOUND will appear on the display. If both P-TYPE and TRAF are on, the radio will search for stations with traffic announcements and the selected PTY. To use the PTY interrupt feature, press and hold the P-TYPE button until you hear a beep on the PTY you want to interrupt on. When you are listening to a compact disc, the last selected RDS FM station will interrupt play if that selected program type format is broadcast.

3-31

RDS Messages ALERT!: This type of announcement warns of national or local emergencies. You will not be able to turn off alert announcements. ALERT! appears on the display when an alert announcement plays. When an alert announcement comes on the tuned radio station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a compact disc is playing. If the compact disc player is playing, play will stop for the announcement and resume when the announcement is finished. INFO (Information): If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. If the whole message does not appear on the display, parts of the message will appear every three seconds until the message is completed. To see the parts of the message faster than every three seconds, press this button again. A new group of words will appear on the display. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received.

AM FM (Alternate Frequency): Alternate frequency allows the radio to switch to a stronger station with the same program type. Press and hold AM FM for two seconds to turn alternate frequency on. AF ON will appear on the display. The radio may switch to stronger stations. Press and hold AM FM again for two seconds to turn alternate frequency off. AF OFF will appear on the display. The radio will not switch to other stations. When you turn the ignition off and then on again, the alternate frequency feature will automatically be turned on.

Setting PTY Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite PTYs. These buttons have factory PTY presets. You can set up to 12 PTYs (six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Press AM FM to select FM1 or FM2. 2. Press P-TYPE, if it is not already on. 3. Turn the P-TYPE knob to select a PTY. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons

until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the PTY you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

3-32

TRAF (Traffic): Press this button to receive traffic announcements. The traffic announcement brackets will appear on the display. TRAF will appear on the display if the tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements. If the current tuned station does not broadcast traffic announcements, the radio will seek to a station that does. When the radio finds a station that broadcasts traffic announcements, it will stop. If no station is found, NONE FOUND will appear on the display. When a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station or a related network station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a compact disc is playing. If the compact disc player was being used, the compact disc will stay in the player and resume play at the point where it stopped.

: Press the LOAD side of this button to

Playing a Compact Disc If an error appears on the display, see “Compact Disc Messages” later in this section. LOAD CD load CDs into the compact disc player. This compact disc player will hold up to six discs. To insert one disc, do the following: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Press and release the LOAD side of the LOAD

CD button.

3. Wait for the light, located to the right of the slot, to

turn green.

4. Load a disc. Insert a disc partway into the slot, label

side up. The player will pull the disc in.

When a disc is inserted, the CD symbol will be displayed. If you select an equalization setting for your disc, it will be activated each time you play a disc. If the radio is on or off, the disc will begin to play automatically. To insert multiple discs, do the following: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Press and hold the LOAD side of the LOAD CD

button for two seconds. You will hear a beep and the light, located to the right of the slot, will begin to flash.

3. Once the light stops flashing and turns green, load a disc. Insert a disc partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull the disc in. Once the disc is loaded, the light will begin flashing again. Once the light stops flashing and turns green you can load another disc. The disc player takes up to six discs. Do not try to load more than six.

3-33

To load more than one disc but less than six, complete Steps 1 through 3. When you have finished loading discs, with the radio on or off, press the LOAD side of the LOAD CD button to cancel the loading function. The radio will begin to play the last CD loaded. When a disc is inserted, the CD symbol will be displayed. If more than one disc has been loaded, a number for each disc will be displayed. If you select an equalization setting for your disc, it will be activated each time you play a disc. If the radio is on or off, the last disc loaded will begin to play automatically. As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display.

Playing a Specific Loaded Compact Disc For every CD loaded, a number will appear on the radio display. To play a specific CD, first press the CD AUX button to start playing a CD. Then 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 radio display, see “Compact Disc Messages” later in this section.

3-34

(Eject): The CD eject side of this button

LOAD CD will eject a disc or discs, if you have multiple discs loaded. To eject a disc or discs from the disc player, perform one of the following steps: D Press and release the CD eject side of the LOAD CD

button to eject the disc that is currently playing, or

D to eject all of the discs, press the CD eject side of the

LOAD CD button for two seconds, you will hear a beep, and the light will flash to let you know when a disc is being ejected.

When the CD eject side of the LOAD CD button is pressed, the receiver will eject the disc and REMOVE CD will be displayed. You can now remove the disc. If the disc is not removed, after 25 seconds, the disc will be automatically pulled back into the receiver. If you try to push the disc back into the receiver, before the 25 second time period is complete, the receiver will sense an error and will try to eject the disc several times before stopping. Do not repeatedly press the CD eject side of the LOAD CD eject button to eject a disc after you have tried to push it in manually. The receivers 25-second eject timer will reset at each press of eject, which will cause the receiver to not eject the disc until the 25-second time period has elapsed.

Once the player stops and the disc is ejected, remove the disc. After removing the disc, press the PWR knob off and then on again. This will clear the disc-sensing feature and enable discs to be loaded into the player again. << REV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show elapsed time. FWD >> (Forward): Press and hold this button to advance quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show elapsed time. RPT (Repeat): With repeat, you can repeat one track or an entire disc. To use repeat, do the following: D To repeat the track you are listening to, press and

release the RPT button. RPT will appear on the display. Press RPT again to turn it off.

D To repeat the disc you are listening to, press and hold the RPT button for two seconds. RPT will appear on the display. Press RPT again to turn if off.

RDM (Random): With random, you can listen to the tracks in random, rather than sequential order, on all of the discs or on one disc. To use random, do the following: D To play the tracks on the disc you are listening to in

random order, press and hold RDM for more than two seconds. You will hear a beep and RDM will appear on the display. Press RDM again to turn if off. Or,

D press and release the RDM button to play the tracks on all of the discs that are loaded, in random order. RDM will appear on the display. Press RDM to turn it off.

AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalization): Press AUTO EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting while playing a compact disc. The equalization will be automatically set whenever you play a compact disc. For more information on AUTO EQ, see “AUTO EQ” listed previously in this section. t SEEK u: To seek, press the left arrow while playing a CD to go to the start of the current track, if more than ten seconds have passed. Press the right arrow to go to the next track. If you press the button more than once, the player will continue moving backward or forward through the disc.

3-35

t SCAN u: To scan one disc, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use this feature to listen to each track of the currently selected disc for ten seconds. The sound will mute while scanning. SCAN will appear on the display. Press either SCAN arrow again, to stop scanning. To scan all loaded discs, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than four seconds until DISC SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use this feature to listen to the first track, for ten seconds for each disc loaded. The sound will mute while scanning to the next track. DISC SCAN will appear on the display. Press either SCAN arrow again, to stop scanning. P-TYPE (Program Type): Press this knob to see how long the current track has been playing. To change what is normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time), press the knob until you see the display you want, then hold the knob until the display flashes. AM FM: Press this button to play the radio when a disc(s) is in the player.

3-36

Using Song List Mode The integrated 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 disc player on and load it with at least one

disc. See “LOAD CD” listed previously in this section for more information.

2. Check to see that the disc changer is not in song list

mode. S-LIST should not appear in the display. If S-LIST is present, press the SONG LIST button to turn it off.

3. Select the desired disc by pressing the numbered pushbutton and then use the SEEK SCAN right arrow button to locate the track that you want to save. 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 pressing SONG LIST continuously, two beeps will sound to confirm that the track has been saved.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for saving other selections.

If you attempt to save more than 20 selections, S-LIST FULL will appear on the display. To play the song list, press the SONG LIST button. One beep will be heard and S-LIST will appear on the display. The recorded tracks will begin to play in the order that they were saved. You may seek through the song list by using the SEEK SCAN arrows. Seeking past the last saved track will return you to the first saved track. To delete tracks from the song list, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the disc player on. 2. Press the SONG LIST button to turn song list on.

S-LIST will appear on the display.

3. Press the SEEK SCAN arrows 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 pressing the SONG LIST button continuously, two beeps will be heard to confirm that the track has been deleted.

After a track has been deleted, the remaining tracks are moved up the list. When another track is added to the song list, the tracks will be added to the end of the list. To delete the entire song list, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the disc player on. 2. Press the SONG LIST button to turn song list on.

S-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. S-LIST EMPTY will appear on the display indicating that the song list has been deleted.

If a disc is ejected, and the song list contains saved tracks from that disc, those tracks are automatically deleted from the song list. To end song list mode, press the SONG LIST button. One beep will be heard and S-LIST will be removed from the display.

3-37

Compact Disc Messages CHECK CD: If this message appears on the radio display, it could be due to one of the following conditions: D The road is too rough. The disc should play when the

road is smoother.

D The disc is dirty, scratched, wet or upside down. D The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and

try again.

If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be corrected, contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem.

Theft-Deterrent Feature THEFTLOCKR is designed to discourage theft of your radio. It works by using a secret code to disable all radio functions whenever battery power is removed and the radio is placed in a different vehicle. This feature requires no user input to be activated. It is automatically armed when it is put into the vehicle for the first time. When the ignition is turned off, the blinking red light indicates that THEFTLOCK is armed. If THEFTLOCK is activated, your radio will not operate if stolen. The radio will display LOC and a red LED indicator light will come on above the THEFTLOCK logo to indicate a locked condition. If this occurs, the radio will have to be returned to the dealer.

3-38

Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped) If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel.

SOURCE: Press this button to play a cassette tape or compact disc when listening to the radio. If a cassette tape and a compact disc are both loaded, the system will go to the tape play first.

MUTE: Press this button to silence the system. Press it again to turn on the sound. YVOL B (Volume): Press the up or down arrow to increase or decrease volume. Y SEEK B: Press the up arrow to seek to the next station and the down arrow to seek to the previous station. The sound will mute while seeking. When playing a cassette tape or a compact disc, press the up arrow to hear the next selection. AM/FM: Press this button to choose AM, FM1 or FM2. SCAN: Press this button to scan your radio preset stations. The radio will scan to the first preset station stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next preset station. The radio will scan preset stations with a strong signal only. Press this button again to stop scanning.

3-39

Understanding Radio Reception

AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range, however, can cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.

FM Stereo FM stereo will give you 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 come and go. Tips About Your Audio System Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe sound level before your hearing adapts to it.

To help avoid hearing loss or damage do the following: D Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting. D Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably

and clearly.

NOTICE:

Before you add any sound equipment to your vehicle -- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile telephone or two-way radio -- be sure you can add what you want. If you can, it’s very important to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, Delphi Electronics radio or other systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has been added improperly. So, before adding sound equipment, check with your dealer and be sure to check federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone units.

3-40

Care of Your Cassette Tape Player A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may not operate properly or may cause failure of the tape player. Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every 50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate that you have used your tape player for 50 hours without resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears on the display, your cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a known good cassette to see if it is the tape or the tape player at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement in sound quality, clean the tape player. The recommended cleaning method for your cassette tape player is the use of a scrubbing action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. The recommended cleaning cassette is available through your dealer (GM Part No. 12344789).

When cleaning the cassette tape player with the recommended non-abrasive cleaning cassette, it is possible that the cassette may eject, because the cut tape detection feature on your radio may recognize it as a broken tape. If the cleaning cassette ejects, insert the cassette at least three times to ensure thorough cleaning. You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not eject on its own. A non-scrubbing action cleaner may not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner. The use of a non-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning cassette is not recommended. After you clean the player, press and hold the eject button for five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will display --- to show the indicator was reset. Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette tape is in good condition before you have your tape player serviced.

3-41

Care of Your Compact Discs Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge. Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge.

Care of Your Compact Disc Player The use of CD lens cleaner discs is not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism. Integrated Windshield Antenna The antenna in your vehicle is a very thin, metal layer in the windshield. If you look near the edges of the windshield, you can see the outline of the antenna. The connector is at the top of the windshield, where the headliner ends. If you experience difficulty with remote transmitters, such as a garage door opener, try pointing the device through the very top of the windshield.

3-42

Section 4 Your Driving and the Road

Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve also included many other useful tips on driving.

4-2
4-3
4-4
4-7
4-7
4-10
4-12
4-12
4-14
4-15
4-16

Your Driving, the Road and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving Drunken Driving Control of a Vehicle Braking Traction Control System (If Equipped) All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System (Option) Steering Off-Road Recovery Passing Loss of Control

4-17
4-19
4-22
4-23
4-24
4-25
4-26
4-28
4-32
4-34
4-36

Driving at Night Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads City Driving Freeway Driving Before Leaving on a Long Trip Highway Hypnosis Hill and Mountain Roads Winter Driving Recreational Vehicle Towing Loading Your Vehicle Towing a Trailer

4-

4-1

But statistics show that the most important factor, by far, is how we drive. Knowing how these three factors work together can help you understand how your vehicle handles and what you can do to avoid many types of crashes, including a rollover crash. Driver Behavior The single most important thing is this: everyone in the vehicle, including the driver, should buckle up. See “Safety Belts” in the Index. In fact, most serious injuries and fatalities to unbelted occupants can be reduced or prevented by the use of safety belts. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt. In addition, avoiding excessive speed, sudden or abrupt turns and drunken or aggressive driving can help make trips safer and avoid the possibility of a crash, especially a rollover crash. This section provides many useful tips to help you drive more safely.

Your Driving, the Road and Your Vehicle Whenever we drive, we’re taking on an important responsibility. This is true for any motor vehicle -- passenger car, van, truck or sport utility. Driver behavior, the driving environment, and the vehicle’s design all affect how well a vehicle performs.

4-2

Driving Environment You can also help avoid a rollover or other type of crash by being prepared for driving in inclement weather, at night, or during other times where visibility or traction may be limited (such as on curves, slippery roads or hilly terrain). Unfamiliar surroundings can also have hidden hazards. To help you learn more about driving in different conditions, this section contains information about city, freeway, and off-road driving, as well as other hints for driving in various weather conditions. Vehicle Design According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. Utility vehicles do have a higher ground clearance and a narrower track or shorter wheelbase than passenger cars to make them more capable for off-road driving. Specific design characteristics like these give the driver a better view of the road, but also give utility vehicles a higher center of gravity than other types of vehicles. This means that you shouldn’t expect a utility vehicle to handle the same way a vehicle with a lower center of gravity, like a car, would in similar situations.

But driver behavior factors are far more often the cause of a utility vehicle rollover than are environmental or vehicle factors. Safe driver behavior and understanding the environment in which you’ll be driving can help avoid a rollover crash in any type of vehicle, including utility vehicles. 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” in the Index. Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads or freeways, 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. Be ready for their mistakes. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. It’s the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly.

4-3

Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task -- such as concentrating on a cellular telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on the floor -- makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them yourself. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It’s 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: D Judgment D Muscular Coordination D Vision D Attentiveness.

4-4

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, about 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’s 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 solve 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 the driver plans to drive? It’s 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: D The amount of alcohol consumed D The drinker’s body weight D The amount of food that is consumed before and

during drinking

D The length of time it has taken the drinker to

consume the alcohol.

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 a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.

It’s 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 when each has the same number of drinks. The law in an increasing number of 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’ve 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.

4-5

All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. 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’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer. What if there’s 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’s something else about drinking and driving that many people don’t 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 don’t drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you’re with a group, designate a driver who will not drink.

4-6

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’re driving on snow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle. Also see “Traction Control System” in the Index.

Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That’s perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That’s reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that’s 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 3/4 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’s pavement or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.

4-7

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’re driving, brake normally but don’t 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.

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. 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.

United States

Canada

If there’s a problem with the anti-lock brake system, this warning light will stay on. See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in the Index.

4-8

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.

Let’s say the road is wet and you’re driving safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here’s 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.

As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

4-9

Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t 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 won’t 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 Don’t 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 With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking.

Traction Control System (If Equipped) 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 works the front brakes and reduces engine power to limit wheel spin. The TRACTION ACTIVE message will come on when the traction control system is limiting wheel spin. See “TRACTION ACTIVE Message” in the Index. You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may reengage the cruise control. See “Cruise Control” in the Index.

4-10

To turn the system off, press the TRAC OFF button located on the center console switchbank.

United States

Canada

If this message comes on and stays on or comes on while you are driving, there’s a problem with your traction control system. See “Service Traction System Warning Message” in the Index. When this warning message is on, the TRAC OFF light will come on to remind you that the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. 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 or snow and rocking the vehicle is required. See “Rocking Your Vehicle” in the Index.

If the system is limiting wheel spin when you press the button, the message will go off, but the system will not turn off until there is no longer a current need to limit wheel spin. The TRAC OFF light will come on to remind you the system is off. You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing the button again. The traction control system warning message should go off.

4-11

All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System (Option) 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. 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. See “AWD Disable Warning Message” in the Index. Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort.

Steering Tips

Driving on Curves It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here’s 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’s no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll 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’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems -- steering and acceleration -- have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. Refer to “Traction Control System” in the Index.

4-12

What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the 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’ll 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.

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 can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time for evasive action -- steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. See “Braking in Emergencies” earlier in this section. 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.

4-13

Off-Road Recovery You may find that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.

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.

4-14

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.

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: D “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.

D 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’s 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.

D Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.

D When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,

start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t 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.

D If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot.

4-15

D 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. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.)

D Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time

on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.

D Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn.

D If you’re 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’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.

4-16

In any emergency, don’t 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 aren’t 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,” remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If you 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. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll 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. Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid.

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.

4-17

Here are some tips on night driving. D Drive defensively. D Don’t drink and drive. D Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the

glare from headlamps behind you.

D Since you can’t see as well, you may need to

slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles.

D Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your

headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.

D In remote areas, watch for animals. D If you’re 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. 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’re

driving, don’t 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 readjust to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep your 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 your headlamps light up far less of a roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as your 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 aren’t even aware of it.

4-18

Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads

Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even less traction. It’s 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. 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’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your windshield washer tank 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.

4-19

CAUTION:

Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t 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.

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’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning doesn’t 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.

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 can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.