2007 Chevrolet Equinox Owners Manual

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all tracks in each folder. When the last track of the last folder has played, play continues from the ﬁrst track of the ﬁrst folder. When play enters a new folder, the display does not automatically show the new folder name unless the folder mode was chosen as the default display. The new track name appears on the display. 255 File System and Naming The song name that displays is the song name that is contained in the ID3 tag. If the song name is not present in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the ﬁle name without the extension (such as .mp3) as the track name. Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages are shortened. Parts of words on the last page of text and the extension of the ﬁlename displays. Preprogrammed Playlists Preprogrammed playlists that were created using WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software can be accessed, however, they cannot be edited using the radio. These playlists are treated as special folders containing compressed audio song ﬁles. Playing an MP3 Insert a CD-R partway into the slot (Single CD Player), or press the load button and wait for the message to insert disc (Six-Disc CD Player), label side up. The player pulls it in, and the CD-R should begin playing. 256 If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD-R in the player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD-R starts to play where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. As each new track starts to play, the track number and song title appears on the display. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CD-Rs with an adapter ring. Full-size CD-Rs and the smaller CD-Rs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs and DVDs on page 282 for more information. If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen. Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could damage the CD player. When using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. Z EJECT: Press the CD eject button to eject CD-R(s). To eject the CD-R that is currently playing, press and release this button. A beep will sound and Ejecting Disc appears on the display. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc appears on the display. The CD-R can be removed. If the CD-R is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R automatically pulls back into the player and begins playing. For the Six-Disc CD player, press and hold the eject button for two seconds to eject all discs. f (Tune): Turn this knob to select MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R currently playing. © SEEK ¨: Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the start of the current MP3 ﬁle, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to the next MP3 ﬁle. If either SEEK arrow is held or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through MP3 ﬁles on the CD. S c (Previous Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the ﬁrst track in the previous folder. c T(Next Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the ﬁrst track in the next folder. s REV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse playback quickly within an MP3 ﬁle. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this button to resume playing the ﬁle. The elapsed time of the ﬁle appears on the display. 257 \ FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold this button to advance playback quickly within an MP3 ﬁle. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this button to resume playing the ﬁle. The elapsed time of the ﬁle appears on the display. RDM (Random): With random, you can listen to MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R in random, rather than sequential order, on one CD-R or all discs in a six-disc CD player. To use random, do one of the following: 1. To play MP3 ﬁles from the CD-R you are listening to in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Random Current Disc displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play. 2. To play songs from all CDs loaded in a six-disc CD player in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Randomize All Discs displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play. h (Music Navigator): Use the music navigator feature to play MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R in order by artist or album. Press the pushbutton located below the music navigator label. The player scans the disc to sort the ﬁles by artist and album ID3 tag information. It may take several minutes to scan the disc depending on the number of MP3 ﬁles recorded to the CD-R. The radio may begin playing while it is scanning the disc in the background. When the scan is ﬁnished, the CD-R begins playing again. Once the disc has been scanned, the player defaults to playing MP3 ﬁles in order by artist. The current artist playing is shown on the second line of the display between the arrows. Once all songs by that artist are played, the player moves to the next artist in alphabetical order on the CD-R and begins playing MP3 ﬁles by that artist. If you want to listen to MP3 ﬁles by another artist, press the pushbutton located below either arrow button. The CD goes to the next or previous artist in alphabetical order. Continue pressing either button until the desired artist displays. 258 To change from playback by artist to playback by album, press the pushbutton located below the Sort By label. From the sort screen, push one of the buttons below the album button. Press the pushbutton below the back label to return to the main music navigator screen. Now the album name is displayed on the second line between the arrows and songs from the current album begins to play. Once all songs from that album are played, the player moves to the next album in alphabetical order on the CD-R and begin playing MP3 ﬁles from that album. To exit music navigator mode, press the pushbutton below the Back label to return to normal MP3 playback. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD is playing. The CD remains safely inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD when listening to the radio. The CD icon and a message showing disc and/or track number appears on the display when a CD is in the player. Press this button again and the system automatically searches for an auxiliary input device such as a portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, “No Input Device Found” appears on the display. 259 Using an MP3 (Radio with CD and DVD Player) MP3/WMA CD-R or CD-RW Disc Compressed Audio or Mixed Mode Discs The radio also plays discs that contain both uncompressed CD audio (.CDA ﬁles) and MP3/WMA ﬁles depending on which slot the disc is loaded into. By default the radio reads only the uncompressed audio (.CDA) and ignores the MP3/WMA ﬁles on the DVD deck. On the CD deck, pressing the CAT (category) button toggles between compressed and uncompressed audio format, the default being the uncompressed format (.CDA). MP3/WMA Format If you burn your own MP3/WMA disc on a personal computer: (cid:127) Make sure the MP3 ﬁles are recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. (cid:127) Do not mix standard audio and MP3 ﬁles on one disc. (cid:127) The CD player (lower slot) is able to read and play a maximum combination of 512 ﬁles and folders. The DVD player (upper slot) is able to read 255 folders, 15 playlists and 40 sessions. (cid:127) Create a folder structure that makes it easy to ﬁnd songs while driving. Organize songs by albums using one folder for each album. Each folder or album should contain 18 songs or less. (cid:127) Avoid subfolders. The system can support up to 8 subfolders deep, however, keep the total number of folders to a minimum in order to reduce the complexity and confusion in trying to locate a particular folder during playback. (cid:127) Make sure playlists have a .m3u, .wpl or .pls extension (other ﬁle extensions may not work). 260 (cid:127) Minimize the length of the ﬁle, folder, or playlist names. Long ﬁle, folder, or playlist names, or a combination of a large number of ﬁles and folders, or playlists may cause the player to be unable to play up to the maximum number of ﬁles, folders, playlists, or sessions. If you wish to play a large number of ﬁles, folders, playlists, or sessions, minimize the length of the ﬁle, folder or playlist name. Long names also take up more space on the display. (cid:127) Finalize the audio disc before you burn it. Trying to add music to an existing disc can cause the disc not to function in the player. Root Directory The root directory of the CD-R is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio ﬁles, the directory is displayed as F1 ROOT. All ﬁles contained directly under the root directory are accessed prior to any root directory folders. However, playlists (Px) are always accessed before root folders or ﬁles. Empty Directory or Folder If a root directory or a folder exists somewhere in the ﬁle structure that contains only folders/ subfolders and no compressed ﬁles directly beneath them, the player advances to the next folder in the ﬁle structure that contains compressed audio ﬁles. The empty folder does not display. No Folder When the CD-R contains only compressed ﬁles, the ﬁles are located under the root folder. The next and previous folder functions are not displayed on a CD-R that was recorded without folders or playlists. When displaying the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT. When the CD-R contains only playlists and compressed audio ﬁles, but no folders, all ﬁles are located under the root folder. The folder down and the folder up buttons search playlists (Px) ﬁrst and then go to the root folder. When the radio displays the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT. 261 Order of Play (cid:127) Play begins from the ﬁrst track in the ﬁrst playlist and continues sequentially through all tracks in each playlist. When the last track of the last playlist has played, play continues from the ﬁrst track of the ﬁrst playlist. (cid:127) Play begins from the ﬁrst track in the ﬁrst folder and continues sequentially through all tracks in each folder. When the last track of the last folder has played, play continues from the ﬁrst track of the ﬁrst folder. When play enters a new folder, the display does not automatically show the new folder name unless you have chosen the folder mode as the default display. The new track name appears on the display. File System and Naming The song name that displays is the song name that is contained in the ID3 tag. If the song name is not present in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the ﬁle name without the extension (such as .mp3) as the track name. Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages are shortened. Parts of words on the last page of text and the extension of the ﬁlename does not display. 262 Preprogrammed Playlists Preprogrammed playlists that were created using WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software can be accessed, however, they cannot be edited using the radio. These playlists are treated as special folders containing compressed audio song ﬁles. Playing an MP3 (In Either the DVD or CD Slot) Insert a CD-R partway into either the top or bottom slot, label side up. The player pulls it in, and the CD-R should begin playing. Depending on the format of the disc, a softkey menu appears and allow navigation of the disc. The menu reads left to right as RDM (Randomize song play order), a Folder icon with left and right arrows (to move up or down through available folders), a PL tag if the disc has a Playlist available, and a Music Navigator tag. If a Playlist tag is shown, toggling this key brings up a Folder softkey only or the menu as previously described. If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD-R in the player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD-R starts to play where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. As each new track starts to play, the track number and song title appears on the display. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CD-Rs with an adapter ring. Full-size CD-Rs and the smaller CD-Rs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD does not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs and DVDs on page 282 for more information. If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could damage the CD player. When using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris. Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a soft marker instead. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. 263 Z CD (Eject): Press and release the CD eject button to eject the CD-R that is currently playing in the bottom slot. A beep will sound and Ejecting Disc appears on the display. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc appears on the display. The CD-R can be removed. If the CD-R is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R automatically pulls back into the player. If loading and reading of a CD cannot be completed, such as unknown format, etc., and the disc fails to eject, press and hold the DVD eject button for more than ﬁve seconds to force the disc to eject. Z DVD (Eject): Press and release the DVD eject button to eject the CD-R that is currently playing in the top slot. A beep will sound and Ejecting Disc appears on the display. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc appears on the display. The CD-R can be removed. If the CD-R is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R automatically pulls back into the player. If loading and reading of a CD cannot be completed, such as unknown format, etc., and the disc fails to eject, press and hold the DVD eject button for more than ﬁve seconds to force the disc to eject. 264 f (Tune): Turn this knob to select MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R currently playing. © SEEK ¨: Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the start of the current MP3 ﬁle, if more than ﬁve seconds have played. If less than ﬁve seconds have played, the previous MP3 ﬁle plays. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to the next MP3 ﬁle. If either SEEK arrow is held, or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through the MP3 ﬁles on the CD. S c (Previous Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the ﬁrst track in the previous folder. c T(Next Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the ﬁrst track in the next folder. s REV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse playback quickly within an MP3 ﬁle. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this button to resume playing the ﬁle. The elapsed time of the ﬁle appears on the display. \ FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold this button to advance playback quickly within an MP3 ﬁle. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this button to resume playing the ﬁle. The elapsed time of the ﬁle appears on the display. RDM (Random): With random, you can listen to MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R in random, rather than sequential order. To play MP3 ﬁles from the CD-R you are listening to in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Random Current Disc displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play. h (Music Navigator): Use the music navigator feature to play MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R in order by artist or album. Press the pushbutton located below the music navigator label. The player scans the disc to sort the ﬁles by artist and album ID3 tag information. It can take several minutes to scan the disc depending on the number of MP3 ﬁles recorded to the CD-R. To cancel music navigator while the player is scanning, press the pushbutton located below the music navigator label or eject the disc. The radio may begin playing while it is scanning the disc in the background. When the scan is ﬁnished, the CD-R begins playing again. Once the disc has been scanned, the player defaults to playing MP3 ﬁles in order by artist. The current artist playing is shown on the second line of the display between the arrows. If you want to listen to MP3 ﬁles by another artist, press the pushbutton located below either arrow button. You will go to the next or previous artist in alphabetical order. Continue pressing either button until the desired artist is displayed. 265 To change from playback by artist to playback by album, press the pushbutton located below the Sort By label. From the sort screen, push one of the buttons below the album button. Press the pushbutton below the back label to return to the main music navigator screen. The album name displays on the second line between the arrows and songs from the current album begins to play. Once all songs from that album are played, the player moves to the next album in alphabetical order on the CD-R and begins playing MP3 ﬁles from that album. To exit music navigator mode, press the pushbutton below the Back label to return to normal MP3 playback. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD or a DVD is playing. The CD or DVD remains safely inside the radio for future listening or viewing entertainment. DVD/CD AUX (Auxiliary): Press this button to cycle through DVD, CD, or Auxiliary when listening to the radio. The DVD/CD text label and a message showing track or chapter number appears on display when a disc is in either slot. Press this button again and the system automatically searches for an auxiliary input device, such as a portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, “No Aux Input Device” appears on the display. If a disc is in both the DVD slot and the CD slot the DVD/CD AUX button cycles between the two sources and does not indicate “No Aux Input Device”. If a front auxiliary device is connected, the DVD/CD AUX button cycles through all available options, such as: DVD slot, CD slot, Front AUX, and Rear AUX (if available). See “Using the Auxiliary Input Jack(s)” later in this section, or Rear Seat Entertainment System on page 269 Rear Seat Entertainment System, “Audio/Video (A/V) Jacks” for more information. If a MP3 is inserted into top DVD slot, the rear seat operator can turn on the video screen and use the remote control to navigate the CD (tracks only) through the remote control. 266 XM Radio Messages Radio Display Message Condition Action Required XL (Explicit Language Channels) XL on the radio display, after the channel name, indicates content with explicit language. These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696). XM Updating Updating encryption code The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and no action is required. This process should take no longer than 30 seconds. No XM Signal Loss of signal The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When you move into an open area, the signal should return. Loading XM Acquiring channel audio (after four second delay) The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text data. No action is needed. This message should disappear shortly. Channel Off Air Channel not in service Channel Unavail Channel no longer available This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another channel. This previously assigned channel is no longer assigned. Tune to another station. If this station was one of the presets, choose another station for that preset button. No Artist Info No Title Info Artist Name/Feature not available Song/Program Title not available No artist information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. No song title information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. 267 Radio Display Message Condition Action Required No CAT Info No Information CAT Not Found Category Name not available No category information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. No Text/Informational message available No text or informational messages are available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. No channel available for the chosen category There are no channels available for the selected category. The system is working properly. XM Theftlocked Theft lock active XM Radio ID Radio ID label (channel 0) Unknown Radio ID not known (should only be if hardware failure) Check XM Receivr Hardware failure XM Not Available XM™ Not Available The XM™ receiver in the vehicle may have previously been in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™ receivers cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this message appears after having your vehicle serviced, check with your dealer. If tuned to channel 0, this message will alternate with the XM™ Radio eight digit radio ID label. This label is needed to activate the service. If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there may be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer. If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver may have a fault. Consult with your dealer. If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver may have a fault. Consult with your dealer. 268 Navigation/Radio System Your vehicle may have a navigation radio system. The navigation system has built-in features intended to minimize driver distraction. Technology alone, no matter how advanced, can never replace your own judgment. See the Navigation System manual for some tips to help you reduce distractions while driving. Rear Seat Entertainment System Your vehicle may have a DVD Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) system. The RSE system works with the vehicle’s audio system. The DVD player is part of the front radio. The RSE system includes a radio with a DVD player, a video display screen, audio/video jacks, two wireless headphones, and a remote control. See Radio with CD and DVD on page 235 for more information on the vehicle’s audio/DVD system. Before You Drive The RSE is designed for rear seat passengers only. The driver cannot safely view the video screen while driving and should not try to do so. In severe or extreme weather conditions the RSE system may or may not work until the temperature is within the operating range. The operating range for the RSE system is above −4°F (−20°C) or below 140°F (60°C). If the temperature of your vehicle is outside of this range, heat or cool the vehicle until the temperature is within the operating range of the RSE system. 269 Parental Control The Rear Seat Entertainment System may have a Parental Control feature, depending on which radio you have. The Parental Control feature will turn off the video screen and disable all button operations from the remote control. This feature can also be used to gain the attention of the rear passengers that are using headphones. To enable Parental Control press and hold the radio power button for more than 2 seconds. If on, the radio and video screen will turn off. If a DVD and/or CD is playing, it will be stopped. A “padlock” icon or a text message may be displayed on the radio display depending on which radio you have, while Parental Control is on. The radio can be turned back on with a single press of the power button and used normally, but the RSE system will remain in Parental Control. To turn off Parental Control, press and hold the radio power button for more than 2 seconds. The video screen will return to the state they were in before Parental Control was turned on. The “padlock” icon will disappear from the radio display. Parental Control can also be turned off by inserting or ejecting any disc, an ignition cycle, or pressing the “play” icon on the radio DVD display menu. 270 Headphones The RSE includes two sets of wireless headphones that are only dedicated to this system. These headphones are used to listen to the DVD radio or an auxiliary device connected to the RCA jacks. The wireless headphones have an ON/OFF switch and a volume control. To use the headphones, turn the switch to ON. An indicator light located on the headphones will illuminate. If the light does not illuminate, the batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery Replacement” later in this section for more information. Switch the headphones to OFF when not in use. The infrared transmitters are located in the display below the video screen. The headphones will shut off automatically to save the battery power if the RSE system and RSA are shut off or if the headphones are out of range of the transmitters for more than three minutes. If you move too far forward or step out of the vehicle, the headphones will lose the audio signal. To adjust the volume on the headphones, use the volume control located on the right side. If the remote control becomes lost or damaged, a new universal remote control can be purchased. If this happens, make sure the universal remote control uses a code set of Toshiba®. Notice: Do not store the headphones in heat or direct sunlight. This could damage the headphones and repairs will not be covered by your warranty. Keep the headphones stored in a cool, dry place. The foam ear pads attached to the headphones may become worn or damaged if they are not handled or stored properly. If the foam ear pads do become damaged or worn out, the pads can be replaced separately from the headphone set. It is not necessary to replace the complete headphone set. The headphone replacement foam ear pads can be ordered in pairs. See your dealer for more information. Battery Replacement To change the batteries, do the following: 1. Turn the screw with a coin or screw driver to loosen, then slide open the battery door located on the left side of the headphones. 2. Replace the two AAA batteries in the compartment. Make sure that they are installed correctly, using the diagram on the inside of the battery compartment. 3. Replace the battery door and tighten the door screw. If the headphones are to be stored for a long period of time, remove the batteries and keep them in a cool, dry place. 271 The A/V jacks are color coded to match typical home entertainment system equipment. The yellow jack (A) is for the video input. The white jack (B) is for the left audio input. The red jack is (C) for the right audio input. Power for auxiliary devices is not supplied by the radio system. To use the auxiliary inputs of the RSE system, connect an external auxiliary device to the color-coded A/V jacks and turn both the auxiliary device and the video screen power on. If the video screen is in the DVD player mode, pressing the AUX button on the remote control will switch the video screen from the DVD player mode to the auxiliary device. The radio can listen to the audio of the connected auxiliary device by sourcing to auxiliary. See Radio with CD and DVD on page 235 for more information. Audio/Video (A/V) Jacks The A/V jacks are located on the rear of the ﬂoor console. The A/V jacks allow audio or video signals to be connected from an auxiliary device such as a camcorder or a video game unit to the RSE system. Adapter connectors or cables may be required to connect the auxiliary device to the A/V jacks. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for proper usage. 272 How to Change the RSE Video Screen Settings The screen display mode (normal, full, and zoom), screen brightness, and setup menu language can be changed from the on screen setup menu. To change any feature, perform the following: 1. Press the display menu button on the remote control. 2. Use the remote control menu navigation arrows and the enter button to use the setup menu. 3. Press the display menu button again to remove the setup menu from the screen. Audio Output Audio from the DVD player or auxiliary inputs may be heard through the following possible sources: (cid:127) Wireless Headphones (cid:127) Vehicle Speakers (cid:127) Vehicle wired headphone jacks on the rear seat audio system, if your vehicle has this feature. The RSE system will always transmit the audio signal to the wireless headphones, if there is audio available. See “Headphones” earlier in this section for more information. When a device is connected to the radio’s auxiliary input jack, if your vehicle has this feature, or A/V jacks, the rear seat passengers will be able to hear audio from the auxiliary device through the wireless or wired headphones. The front seat passengers will be able to listen to playback from this device through the vehicle speakers by selecting AUX as the source on the radio. 273 Video Screen The video screen is located in the RSE overhead console. To use the video screen, do the following: 1. Push the release button located on the RSE overhead console. 2. Turn the screen to the desired position. When the video screen is not in use, push it up into its locked position. If a DVD is playing and the screen is raised to its locked position, the screen will remain on, this is normal, and the DVD will continue to play through the previous audio source. Use the remote control power button or eject the disc to turn off the screen. The RSE overhead console contains the IR transmitters for the wireless headphones and the IR receivers for the remote control. They are located at the rear of the console. Notice: Avoid directly touching the video screen, as damage may occur. See “Cleaning the Video Screen” later in this section for more information. 274 Remote Control To use the remote control, aim it at the transmitter window at the rear of the RSE overhead console and press the desired button. Direct sunlight or very bright light may affect the ability of the RSE transmitter to receive signals from the remote control. If the remote control does not seem to be working, the batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery Replacement” later in this section. Objects blocking the line of sight may also affect the function of the remote control. If a CD or DVD is in the Radio DVD slot, the remote control power button can be used to turn on the video screen display and start the disc. The radio can also turn on the video screen display. See Radio with CD and DVD on page 235 for more information. Notice: Storing the remote control in a hot area or in direct sunlight may damage it, and the repairs will not be covered by your warranty. Keep the remote control stored in a cool, dry place. Remote Control Buttons O (Power): Press this button to turn the video screen on and off. P (Illumination): Press this button to turn the remote control backlight on. The backlight will automatically time out after 7 to 10 seconds if no other button is pressed while the backlight is on. v (Title): Press this button to return the DVD to the main menu of the DVD. This function may vary for each disc. y (Main Menu): Press this button to access the DVD menu. The DVD menu is different on every DVD. Use the up, down, left, and right arrow buttons to move the cursor around the DVD menu. After making a selection press the enter button. This button only operates when using a DVD. n, q, p, o (Menu Navigation Arrows): Use the arrow buttons to navigate through a menu. r (Enter): Press this button to select the choice that is highlighted in any menu. z (Display Menu): Press this button to adjust the brightness, screen display mode (normal, full, or zoom), and display the language menu. q (Return): Press this button to exit the current active menu and return to the previous menu. This button will operate only when the display menu or a DVD menu is active. 275 c (Stop): Press this button to stop playing, rewinding, or fast forwarding a DVD. Press this button twice to return to the beginning of the DVD. s (Play/Pause): Press this button to start playing a DVD. Press this button while a DVD is playing to pause it. Press it again to continue playing the DVD. When the DVD is playing, depending on the radio, you may be able to do slow play by pressing the pause button then pressing the fast forward button. The DVD will continue playing in a slow play mode. You may also, depending on the radio, perform reverse slow play by pressing the pause button and then pressing the fast reverse button. To cancel slow play mode, press the play/pause button. t (Previous Track/Chapter): Press this button to return to the start of the current track or chapter. Press this button again to go to the previous track or chapter. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. u (Next Track/Chapter): Press this button to go to the beginning of the next chapter or track. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. r (Fast Reverse): Press this button to fast reverse the DVD or CD. To stop fast reversing a DVD video, press the play button. To stop fast reversing a DVD audio or CD, release the fast reverse button. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. [ (Fast Forward): Press this button to fast forward the DVD or CD. To stop fast forwarding a DVD video, press the play button. To stop fast forwarding a DVD audio or CD, release the fast forward button. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. e (Audio): Press this button to change audio tracks on DVDs that have this feature when the DVD is playing. The format and content of this function will vary for each disc. 276 Battery Replacement To change the remote control batteries, do the following: 1. Remove the battery compartment door located on the bottom of the remote control. 2. Replace the two AA batteries in the compartment. Make sure that they are installed correctly, using the diagram on the inside of the battery compartment. 3. Close the battery door securely. If the remote control is to be stored for a long period of time, remove the batteries and keep them in a cool, dry place. { (Subtitles): Press this button to turn ON/OFF subtitles and to move through subtitle options when a DVD is playing. The format and content of this function will vary for each disc. AUX (Auxiliary): Press this button to switch the system between the DVD player and an auxiliary source. d (Camera): Press this button to change camera angles on DVDs that have this feature when a DVD is playing. The format and content of this function will vary for each disc. 1 through 0 (Numeric Keypad): The numeric keypad provides the capability of direct chapter or track number selection. \ (Clear): Press this button within three seconds after inputting a numeric selection, to clear all numeric inputs. } 10 (Double Digit Entries): Press this button to select chapter or track numbers greater than 9. Press this button before inputting the number. 277 Problem No power. The picture does not ﬁll the screen. There are black borders on the top and bottom or on both sides or it looks stretched out. In auxiliary mode, the picture moves or scrolls. The remote control does not work. After stopping the player, I push Play but sometimes the DVD starts where I left off and sometimes at the beginning. Recommended Action The ignition might not be turned on or in accessory. Check the display mode settings in the setup menu by pressing the display menu button on the remote control. Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices. Check to make sure there is no obstruction between the remote control and the transmitter window. Check the batteries to make sure they are not dead or installed incorrectly. If the stop button was pressed one time, the DVD player will resume playing where the DVD was stopped. If the stop button was pressed two times the DVD player will begin to play from the beginning of the DVD. 278 Problem The auxiliary source is running but there is no picture or sound. Sometimes the wireless headphone audio cuts out or buzzes. I lost the remote and/or the headphones. The DVD is playing, but there is no picture or sound. Recommended Action Check that the RSE video screen is in the auxiliary source mode. Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices. Check for obstructions, low batteries, reception range, and interference from cellular telephone towers or by using your cellular telephone in the vehicle. Check that the headphones are on correctly using the L (left) and R (right) on the headphones. See your dealer for assistance. Check that the RSE video screen is sourced to the DVD player. DVD Display Error Messages The DVD display error message depends on which radio you have. The video screen may display one of the following: Disc Load/Eject Error: This message is displayed when there are disc load or eject problems. Disc Format Error: This message will be displayed, if the disc is inserted with the disc label wrong side up, or if the disc is damaged. Disc Region Error: This message will be displayed, if the disc is not from a correct region. No Disc Inserted: This message will be displayed, if no disc is present when the EJECT button is pressed on the radio. DVD Distortion Video distortion may occur when operating cellular phones, scanners, CB radios, Global Position Systems (GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile fax, or walkie talkies. It may be necessary to turn off the DVD player when operating one of these devices in or near the vehicle. *Excludes the OnStar® System. Cleaning the RSE Overhead Console When cleaning the RSE overhead console surface, use only a clean cloth dampened with clean water. Cleaning the Video Screen When cleaning the video screen, use only a clean cloth dampened with clean water. Use care when directly touching or cleaning the screen, as damage may result. Theft-Deterrent Feature THEFTLOCK® is designed to discourage theft of your vehicle’s 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. The radio is automatically armed when it is put into the vehicle for the ﬁrst time. If THEFTLOCK® is activated, the radio will not operate if stolen. The radio will display LOCKED. If this occurs, the radio will need to be returned to your GM dealer. 279 Audio Steering Wheel Controls The audio steering wheel controls may be different depending on your vehicles options. Some audio controls can be adjusted at the steering wheel. They include the following: xw (Next/Previous): Press the up or the down arrow to go to the next or to the previous radio station stored as a favorite. When a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow to go to the next or previous track. If your vehicle has OnStar®, press the down arrow button to end an OnStar® Hands-Free Call or the Advisor Playback. It will also cancel or hang-up an incoming Hands-Free Call. 280 g (Mute/Voice Recognition): Press and release this button to silence the system. Press and release this button again, to turn the sound on. If your vehicle has the navigation system, press and hold this button for longer than one second to initiate voice recognition. See “Voice Recognition” in the Navigation System manual for more information. If your vehicle has OnStar®, press and hold this button for longer than one second to interact with the OnStar® system. If your vehicle also has the Navigation System, press this button to initiate voice recognition and say “OnStar” to enter OnStar® mode. See the OnStar® System on page 133 in this manual for more information. SRCE (Source): Press this button to switch between AM, FM, XM (if equipped), CD, and AUX jack. + e − e (Volume): Press the plus or minus button to increase or to decrease the radio volume. ¨ (Seek): Press the seek arrow to go to the next radio station and stay there. If you have the navigation system, some of the audio steering wheel controls work when a DVD is playing in the navigation radio. See the Navigation System manual for more information. Radio Reception XM™ Satellite Radio Service XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous United States, and in Canada. You may experience interference with satellite radio signals, while driving near tall buildings or through hilly areas, causing the sound to fade in and out. In addition, driving or standing under heavy foliage, bridges, garages, or tunnels may cause loss of the XM™ signal for a period of time. The radio screen may display NO XM SIGNAL to indicate interference. AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause station frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio reception, most AM radio stations will boost the power levels during the day, and then reduce these levels during the night. Static can also occur when things like storms and power lines interfere with radio reception. When this happens, try reducing the treble on your radio. FM FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. 281 Care of Your CDs and DVDs Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD does not play properly or not at all. If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process starts from the center to the edge. Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while handling it; this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Care of the CD and DVD Player The use of CD lens cleaners for CDs is not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism. Multi-Band Antenna The multi-band antenna is located on the roof of your vehicle. This type of antenna is used with an AM/FM radio, and if your vehicle has the OnStar® and/or the XM™ Satellite Radio Service System. Keep this antenna clear of snow and ice build up for clear radio reception. If your vehicle has a sunroof, the performance of the radio system may be affected if the sunroof is open. Loading items onto the roof of your vehicle can interfere with the performance of the radio system and, if your vehicle has this feature, OnStar®. Make sure the multi-band antenna is not obstructed. 282 Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle .... 284 Defensive Driving ...................................... 284 Drunken Driving ........................................ 285 Control of a Vehicle .................................. 288 Braking ...................................................... 288 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .................. 289 Braking in Emergencies ............................. 291 Traction Control System (TCS) .................. 291 StabiliTrak® System ................................... 292 All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System .................. 293 Steering .................................................... 294 Off-Road Recovery .................................... 297 Passing ..................................................... 297 Loss of Control .......................................... 299 Driving at Night ......................................... 300 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ............ 302 City Driving ............................................... 305 Freeway Driving ........................................ 306 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .................. 307 Highway Hypnosis ..................................... 308 Hill and Mountain Roads ........................... 308 Winter Driving ........................................... 310 If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow ................................. 314 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out ........... 315 Loading Your Vehicle ................................ 315 Towing ........................................................ 320 Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 320 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...................... 320 Towing a Trailer ........................................ 322 283 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle {CAUTION: Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. See Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 19. Defensive driving really means “Be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or expressways, it means “Always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do and be ready. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do these things, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. 284 Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: (cid:127) Judgment (cid:127) Muscular Coordination (cid:127) Vision (cid:127) Attentiveness Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking and driving. In recent years, more than 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured. Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the adult population — choose never to drink alcohol, so they never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it is against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical, psychological, and developmental reasons for these laws. The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But what if people do? How much is “too much” if someone plans to drive? It is a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon four things: (cid:127) The amount of alcohol consumed (cid:127) The drinker’s body weight (cid:127) The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking (cid:127) The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol 285 According to the American Medical Association, a 180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors like whiskey, gin, or vodka. It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level. There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same body weight will when each has the same number of drinks. The law in most U.S. states, and throughout Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other countries, the limit is even lower. For example, it is 0.05 percent in both France and Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them. 286 But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater! The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not the right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision. There is something else about drinking and driving that many people do not know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means that when anyone who has been drinking — driver or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the person had not been drinking. {CAUTION: Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reﬂexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking. Please do not drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a driver who will not drink. 287 Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road. Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 291. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 333. Braking See Brake System Warning Light on page 178. Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time. Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a second. But that is only an average. It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied. 288 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. The brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. The 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 vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving, brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If the engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 333. Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. When you start your engine and begin to drive away, ABS 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 a little. This is normal. If there is a problem with ABS, this warning light will stay on. See Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 180. 289 ABS 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 us say the road is wet and you are driving safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what happens with ABS: A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each wheel. 290 As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have ABS. Using ABS Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down ﬁrmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear the anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the brake pedal pulsate, but this is normal. Braking in Emergencies With ABS, 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 (TCS) Your vehicle has 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 more of the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system works the brakes and reduces engine power to limit wheel spin. This light will come on when your traction control system is limiting wheel spin. You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. The traction control system automatically comes on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system on. But you can turn the traction control system off if you ever need to. 291 StabiliTrak® System Your vehicle has this feature. The StabiliTrak® system is an advanced computer controlled system that helps the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions. This is accomplished by selectively applying any one of the vehicle’s brakes and reducing engine power. The StabiliTrak® system comes on automatically whenever you start your vehicle. The STABILITRAK NOT READY message may be displayed in the DIC and the traction control system and StabiliTrak® warning light on the instrument panel cluster will be on after ﬁrst driving the vehicle and exceeding 30 mph 48 (km/h) for 30 seconds. The StabiliTrak® system is off until the light has turned off. This could take up to 15 minutes. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 198 for more information. You should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow and rocking the vehicle is required. See Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 315. The traction control system can be turned off by pressing the traction control button, located next to the gear shift lever. The traction control system can be activated again by pressing the traction control button. If the system is limiting wheel spin when you press the button, the traction control off light will appear on the instrument panel cluster. The system will not turn off until there is no longer a current need to limit wheel spin. You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing the button again. If the light does not come on, you may not have traction control and your vehicle should be serviced by a dealer. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 333 for more information. 292 The traction control system and StabiliTrak® warning light on the instrument panel cluster will ﬂash when the system is operating. You may also feel or hear the system working. This is normal. StabiliTrak® can be turned off using the traction control button. To disable StabiliTrak®, press and hold the traction control button for ﬁve seconds. StabiliTrak® can be activated again by pressing the traction control button. The SERVICE STABILITRAK message will be displayed and the traction control system and StabiliTrak® warning light on the instrument panel cluster will come on if there is a problem with the system. When this light and the SERVICE STABILITRAK message are on, the system is not operational. Adjust your driving accordingly. All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System If your vehicle has all-wheel drive (AWD), the AWD system operates automatically without any action required by the driver. If the front drive wheels begin to slip, the rear wheels will automatically begin to drive the vehicle as required. Torque is also applied to the rear wheels during launches. There may be a slight engagement noise during hard use but this is normal. This light is located on the instrument panel cluster. This light and the SERVICE ALL WHEEL DRIVE message in the DIC will come on and stay on to indicate there may be a problem with the drive system and service is required. See Service All-Wheel Drive Light on page 189 and DIC Warnings and Messages on page 198 for more information. 293 This light will come on along with the ALL WHEEL DRIVE OFF message when the rear drive system is overheating. This light will turn off when the rear drive system cools down. If this light stays on, it must be reset. To reset the light, turn the ignition off and then back again. If the light stays on, see your dealer for service. See “All Wheel Drive Off” under DIC Warnings and Messages on page 198 for more information. Steering Electric Power Steering If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power steering assist system will continue to operate until you are able to stop your vehicle. If you lose power steering assist because the electric power steering system is not functioning, you can steer, but it will take more effort. If you turn the steering wheel in either direction several times until it stops, or hold the steering wheel in the stopped position for an extended amount of time, you may notice a reduced amount of power steering assist. The normal amount of power steering assist should return shortly after a few normal steering movements. The electric power steering system does not require regular maintenance. If you suspect steering system problems, such as abnormally high steering effort for a prolonged period of time, contact your dealer for service repairs. 294 Steering Tips It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here is why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly 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. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 291 Traction Control System (TCS) and StabiliTrak® System on page 292. What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 333. 295 Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ﬁnd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. See Braking on page 288. 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. 296 An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly. Off-Road Recovery You may ﬁnd that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you are driving. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway. 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. 297 So here are some tips for passing: (cid:127) 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. (cid:127) Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually indicates it is all right to pass, providing the road ahead is clear. Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic. (cid:127) Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you are following a larger vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance. (cid:127) When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and do not get too close. 298 Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a running start that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity. If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone is not trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot. (cid:127) (cid:127) Check your vehicle’s 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 vehicle’s inside mirror, activate the right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. Remember that your vehicle’s passenger side outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is. (cid:127) Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. (cid:127) Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not ﬂashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you are being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. (cid:127) Loss of Control Let us review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems — brakes, steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If your traction system is off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 291 and StabiliTrak® System on page 292. 299 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 will want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking, including reducing vehicle speed 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. 300 Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving. (cid:127) Drive defensively. (cid:127) Do not drink and drive. (cid:127) Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps behind you. (cid:127) Since you cannot see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. (cid:127) Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so much road ahead. In remote areas, watch for animals. If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest. (cid:127) (cid:127) 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 are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot of things invisible. You can be temporarily blinded by approaching headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare, as from a driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass can build up a ﬁlm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and ﬂash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and are not even aware of it. 301 It is always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reﬂexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement. The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even people walking. It is wise to keep your windshield wiper and washer system in good shape and keep your windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir ﬁlled with washer ﬂuid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts. Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread left, you will get even less traction. 302 {CAUTION: Wet brakes can cause accidents. They may not work as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle. After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally. Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before you hit them. Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that they can actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on the road. If you can see reﬂections from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when it is raining. 303 Some Other Rainy Weather Tips (cid:127) Turn on your low-beam headlamps — not just your parking lamps — to help make you more visible to others. (cid:127) Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road spray. (cid:127) Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires on page 382. Driving Through Deep Standing Water Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or standing water, water can come in through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water that is slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you cannot avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive through them very slowly. Driving Through Flowing Water {CAUTION: Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. If you try to drive through ﬂowing water, as you might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can be carried away. As little as six inches of ﬂowing water can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not ignore police warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious about trying to drive through ﬂowing water. 304 City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on them. You will want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving: (cid:127) Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for a cross-country trip. (cid:127) Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You will save time and energy. See Freeway Driving on page 306. (cid:127) Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light. 305 Freeway Driving Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways — are the safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. 306 The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic ﬂow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with the ﬂow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors, and glance over your shoulder as often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic ﬂow. Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it is slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass. Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle in your blind spot. Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night. When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the next exit. The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower than you actually are. Before Leaving on a Long Trip Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you are not fresh — such as after a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that ﬁrst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily drive in. Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you will ﬁnd experienced and able service experts in GM dealerships all across North America. They will be ready and willing to help if you need it. Here are some things you can check before a trip: (cid:127) Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean inside and outside? (cid:127) Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape? (cid:127) Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels? (cid:127) Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean? (cid:127) Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inﬂated to the recommended pressure? (cid:127) Weather Forecasts: What is the weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major storm system? (cid:127) Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps? 307 Highway Hypnosis Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a second, and you could crash and be injured. What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen. Then here are some tips: (cid:127) Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior. (cid:127) Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your instruments frequently. If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as an emergency. (cid:127) 308 Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in ﬂat or rolling terrain. If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (cid:127) Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all ﬂuid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system, and transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. {CAUTION: If you do not shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they would not work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope. {CAUTION: Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could get so hot that they would not work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Always have your engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. (cid:127) Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. (cid:127) Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better. (cid:127) Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. (cid:127) As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident. (cid:127) You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. 309 Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply of windshield washer ﬂuid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a ﬂashlight, a red cloth, and a couple of reﬂective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these items in your vehicle. Driving on Snow or Ice Most of the time, those places where the tires meet the road probably have good traction. However, if there is snow or ice between the tires and the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip, and will need to be very careful. Winter Driving Here are some tips for winter driving: (cid:127) Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. (cid:127) You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle. Also see Tires on page 382. 310

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2007 Chevrolet Equinox Owners Manual