2007 Chevrolet HHR Owners Manual

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Audio System(s) Determine which radio your vehicle has and then read the pages following to familiarize yourself with its features. Driving without distraction is a necessity for a safer driving experience. See Defensive Driving on page 238. By taking a few moments to read this manual and get familiar with your vehicle’s audio system, you can use it with less effort, as well as take advantage of its features. While your vehicle is parked, set up your audio system by presetting your favorite radio stations, setting the tone and adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite stations using the presets and steering wheel controls if the vehicle has them. 206 {CAUTION: This system provides you with a far greater access to audio stations and song listings. Giving extended attention to entertainment tasks while driving can cause a crash and you or others can be injured or killed. Always keep your eyes on the road and your mind on the drive — avoid engaging in extended searching while driving. Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe driving. For more information, see Defensive Driving on page 238. Here are some ways in which you can help avoid distraction while driving. While your vehicle is parked: (cid:127) Familiarize yourself with all of its controls. (cid:127) Familiarize yourself with its operation. (cid:127) Set up your audio system by presetting your favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite radio stations using the presets and steering wheel controls if the vehicle has them. Notice: Before adding any sound equipment to your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player, CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make sure that it can be added by checking with your dealer. Also, check federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone units. If sound equipment can be added, it is very important to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or other systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has been added. Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can be played even after the ignition is turned off. See Retained Accessory Power (RAP) on page 119 for more information. Setting the Time (Without Date Display) If your vehicle has an AM/FM base radio with a single CD player and preset buttons numbered one through six, the radio will have a clock button for setting the time. You can set the time by following these steps: 1. Turn the ignition key to ACC (accessory) or RUN. Press the power knob, located in the center of the radio, to turn the radio on. 2. Press the clock button until the hour numbers begin ﬂashing on the display. Press the clock button a second time and the minute numbers will begin ﬂashing on the display. 3. While either the hour or the minute numbers are ﬂashing, turn the tune knob, located on the upper right side of the radio, clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the time. 4. Press the clock button again until the clock display stops ﬂashing to set the currently displayed time; otherwise, the ﬂashing will stop after ﬁve seconds and the current time displayed will be automatically set. 207 To change the time default setting from 12 hour to 24 hour, press the clock button and then the pushbutton located under the forward arrow label. Once the time 12H and 24H are displayed, press the pushbutton located under the desired option to select the default. Press the clock button again to apply the selected default, or let the screen time out. Setting the Time (With Date Display) If your vehicle has a radio with a single CD player, the radio has a clock button for setting the time and date. To set the time and date, follow these instructions: 1. Turn the ignition key to ACC (accessory) or RUN. Press the power knob, located in the center of the radio, to turn the radio on. 2. Press the clock button and the HR, MIN, MM, DD, YYYY (hour, minute, month, day, and year) displays. 3. Press the pushbutton located under any one of the labels that you want to change. Every time the pushbutton is pressed again, the time or the date if selected, increases by one. (cid:127) Another way to increase the time or date, is to press the right SEEK arrow or FWD (forward) button. (cid:127) To decrease, press the left SEEK arrow or REV (reverse) button. You can also turn the tune knob, located on the upper right side of the radio, to adjust the selected setting. The date does not automatically display. The only way to see the date is by pressing the clock button when the radio is on. The date with display times out after a few seconds and goes back to the normal radio and time display. If your vehicle has a radio with a six-disc CD player, the radio has a MENU button instead of the clock button to set the time and date. 208 To set the time and date, follow these instructions: 1. Turn the ignition key to ACC (accessory) or RUN. Press the power knob, located in the center of the radio, to turn the radio on. 2. Press the MENU button. Once the clock option is displayed. 3. Press the pushbutton located under that label. The HR, MIN, MM, DD, YYYY displays. 4. Press the pushbutton located under any one of the labels that you want to change. Every time the pushbutton is pressed again, the time or the date if selected, increases by one. (cid:127) Another way to increase the time or date, is to press the right SEEK arrow or FWD (forward) button. (cid:127) To decrease, press the left SEEK arrow or REV (reverse) button. You can also turn the tune knob, located on the upper right side of the radio, to adjust the selected setting. The date does not automatically display. The only way to see the date is by pressing the MENU button and then the clock button when the radio is on. The date with display times out after a few seconds and goes back to the normal radio and time display. To change the time default setting from 12 hour to 24 hour or to change the date default setting from month/day/year to day/month/year, follow these instructions: 1. Press the clock button and then the pushbutton located under the forward arrow label. Once the time 12H and 24H, and the date MM/DD/YYYY (month, day, and year) and DD/MM/YYYY (day, month, and year) displays. 2. Press the pushbutton located under the desired option. 3. Press the clock or MENU button again to apply the selected default, or let the screen time out. 209 Radio with CD (Base) Finding a Station BAND: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2, or AM. The selection displays. f (Tune): Turn this knob to select radio stations. © SEEK ¨: Press the right or left SEEK arrow to go to the next or to the previous station and stay there. To scan stations, press and hold either SEEK arrow for a few seconds until a beep sounds. The radio goes to a station, plays for a few seconds, then goes to the next station. Press either SEEK arrow again to stop scanning. The radio only seeks and scans stations with a strong signal that are in the selected band. 4(Information): Press this button to switch the display between the radio station frequency and the time. While the ignition is off, press this button to display the time. Playing the Radio O (Power/Volume): Press this knob to turn the system on and off. Turn this knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume. The radio goes to the previous volume setting whenever the radio is turned on. The volume can still be adjusted by using the volume knob. 210 Setting Preset Stations Up to 18 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM), can be programmed on the six numbered pushbuttons, by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press BAND to select FM1, FM2, or AM. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons for three seconds until a beep sounds. When that pushbutton is pressed and released, the station that was set, returns. 5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for each pushbutton. Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) BASS/TREB (Bass/Treble): To adjust the bass or treble, press the tune knob or the BASS/TREBLE pushbutton until the desired tone control label displays. Turn the tune knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the setting. The current bass or treble level displays. If a station’s frequency is weak, or has static, decrease the treble. EQ (Equalization): Press this button to adjust BASS and TREBLE Settings. Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) ` BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To adjust the balance or fade, press this button or the tune knob until the desired speaker control label displays. Turn the tune knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the setting. Radio Messages Calibration Error: The audio system has been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If Calibration Error displays, it means that the radio has not been conﬁgured properly for your vehicle and it must be returned to your dealer for service. Loc (Locked): This message is displayed while the THEFTLOCK® system has locked up the radio. Take the vehicle to your dealer for service. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. Playing a CD (Single CD Player) Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls it in and the CD should begin playing. 211 If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD in the player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD starts playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol displays. As each new track starts to play, the track number displays. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R, the sound quality can 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 can be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 235 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 marking pen. If an error displays, see “CD Messages” later in this section. Z EJECT: Press the CD eject button to eject the CD. If the CD is not removed, after several seconds, the CD automatically pulls back into the player. f (Tune): Turn this knob to select tracks on the CD currently playing. 212 © SEEK ¨: Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the start of the current track, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to the next track. If either SEEK arrow is held or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through the CD. s REV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this pushbutton to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. \ FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold this pushbutton to advance playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this pushbutton to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. RDM (Random): With the random setting, you can listen to CD tracks in random, rather than sequential order. To use random, do the following: 1. Press this button to play tracks from the CD you are listening to in random order. The random icon displays. 2. Press this button again to turn off random play. The random icon disappears from the display. RPT (Repeat): With the repeat setting, one track can be repeated. To repeat the track you are listening to, press and release the RPT button. An arrow symbol displays. Press RPT again to turn off repeat play. 4(Information): Press this button to switch the display between the track number, elapsed time of the track, and the time. When the ignition is off, press this button to display the time. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD while listening to the radio. The CD icon and track number displays while 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. 213 Using the Auxiliary Input Jack Your radio system has an auxiliary input jack located on the lower right side of the faceplate. This is not an audio output; do not plug the headphone set into the front auxiliary input jack. You can however, connect an external audio device such as an iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD changer, or cassette tape player, etc. to the auxiliary input jack for use as another source for audio listening. Drivers are encouraged to set up any auxiliary device while the vehicle is in PARK (P). See Defensive Driving on page 238 for more information on driver distraction. To use a portable audio player, connect a 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) cable to the radio’s front auxiliary input jack. When a device is connected, press the radio CD/AUX button to begin playing audio from the device over the car speakers. CD Messages CHECK DISC: If an error message displays and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: (cid:127) It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. (cid:127) You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smoother, the CD should play. (cid:127) The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. (cid:127) The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. (cid:127) There could have been a problem while burning the CD-R. (cid:127) The label could be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer while reporting the problem. 214 O (Power/Volume): Turn this knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume of the portable player. You might need to make additional volume adjustments from the portable device. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio while a portable audio device is playing. The portable audio device continues playing, so you might want to stop it or turn it off. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD while a portable audio device is playing. Press this button again and the system begins playing audio from the connected portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, “No Aux” displays. Radio with CD (MP3) Radio with CD (MP3) shown, Radio with Six-Disc CD (MP3) similar 215 Radio Data System (RDS) The audio system has a Radio Data System (RDS). The RDS feature is available for use only on FM stations that broadcast RDS information. This system relies upon receiving speciﬁc information from these stations and only works when the information is available. While the radio is tuned to an FM-RDS station, the station name or call letters appears on the display. In rare cases, a radio station can broadcast incorrect information that causes the radio features to work improperly. If this happens, contact the radio station. XM™ Satellite Radio Service XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in the 48 contiguous United States and Canada. XM™ offers a large variety of coast-to-coast channels including music, news, sports, talk, traffic/weather (U.S. subscribers), and children’s programming. XM™ provides digital quality audio and text information that includes song title and artist name. A service fee is required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more information, contact XM™; In the U.S. at www.xmradio.com or call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696) or in Canada at www.xmradio.ca or call 1-877-GET-XMSR (438-9677). 216 Playing the Radio O (Power/Volume): Press this knob to turn the system on and off. Turn this knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume. Speed Compensated Volume (SCV): The radio has Speed Compensated Volume (SCV). While SCV is on, the radio volume automatically adjusts to compensate for road and wind noise as your speed changes while driving. That way, the volume level should sound about the same as you drive. To activate SCV: 1. Set the radio volume to the desired level. 2. Press the MENU button to display the radio setup menu. 3. Press the pushbutton under the AUTO VOLUM (automatic volume) label on the radio display. 4. Press the pushbutton under the desired Speed Compensated Volume setting (OFF, Low, Med (medium), or High) to select the level of radio volume compensation. The display times out after approximately 10 seconds. Each higher setting allows for more radio volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Finding a Station BAND: Press this button to switch between AM, FM, or XM™ (if equipped). The selection displays. f (Tune): Turn this knob to select radio stations. © SEEK ¨: Press the right or left SEEK arrow to go to the next or to the previous station and stay there. To scan stations, press and hold either SEEK arrow for a few seconds until a beep sounds. The radio goes to a station, plays for a few seconds, then goes on to the next station. Press either SEEK arrow again to stop scanning. The radio only seeks and scans stations with a strong signal that are in the selected band. 4(Information) (XM™ Satellite Radio Service, MP3, and RDS Features): Press the information button to display additional text information related to the current FM-RDS or XM™ station, or MP3 song. A choice of additional information such as: Channel, Song, Artist, and CAT (category) can display. Continue pressing the information button to highlight the desired label, or press the pushbutton positioned under any one of the labels and the information about that label displays. While information is not available, No Info displays. Storing a Radio Station as a Favorite Drivers are encouraged to set up their radio station favorites while the vehicle is parked. Tune to your favorite stations using the presets, favorites button, and steering wheel controls if the vehicle has this feature. See Defensive Driving on page 238. 217 FAV (Favorites): A maximum of 36 stations can be programmed as favorites using the six pushbuttons positioned below the radio station frequency labels and by using the radio favorites page button (FAV button). Press the FAV button to go through up to six pages of favorites, each having six favorite stations available per page. Each page of favorites can contain any combination of AM, FM, or XM™ (if equipped) stations. To store a station as a favorite, perform the following steps: 1. Tune to the desired radio station. 2. Press the FAV button to display the page where you want the station stored. 3. Press and hold one of the six pushbuttons until a beep sounds. When that pushbutton is pressed and released, the station that was set, returns. 4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton radio station you want stored as a favorite. The number of favorites pages can be setup using the MENU button. To setup the number of favorites pages, perform the following steps: 1. Press the MENU button to display the radio setup menu. 2. Press the pushbutton located below the FAV 1 through 6 label. 3. Select the desired number of favorites pages by pressing the pushbutton located below the displayed page numbers. 4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the original main radio screen showing the radio station frequency labels and to begin the process of programming your favorites for the chosen amount of numbered pages. 218 Setting the Tone (Bass/Midrange/Treble) BASS/MID/TREB (Bass, Midrange, or Treble): To adjust bass, midrange, or treble, press the tune knob until the tone control labels display. Continue pressing to highlight the desired label, or press the pushbutton positioned under the desired label. Turn the tune knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the highlighted setting. The highlighted setting can be adjusted by pressing either the SEEK, FWD (forward) or REV (reverse) button until the desired levels are obtained. If a station’s frequency is weak, or has static, decrease the treble. To quickly adjust bass, midrange, or treble to the middle position, press the pushbutton positioned under the BASS, MID, or TREB label for more than two seconds. A beep sounds and the level adjusts to the middle position. To quickly adjust all tone and speaker controls to the middle position, press the tune knob for more than two seconds until a beep sounds. EQ (Equalization): Press this button to select preset equalization settings. To return to the manual mode, press the EQ button until Manual displays or start to manually adjust the bass, midrange, or treble by pressing the tune knob. Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To adjust balance or fade, press the tune knob until the speaker control labels display. Continue pressing to highlight the desired label, or press the pushbutton positioned under the desired label. Turn the tune knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the highlighted setting. The highlighted setting can be adjusted by pressing either the SEEK, FWD, or REV button until the desired levels are obtained. To quickly adjust balance or fade to the middle position, press the pushbutton positioned under the BAL or FADE label for more than two seconds. A beep sounds and the level adjusts to the middle position. To quickly adjust all speaker and tone controls to the middle position, press the tune knob for more than two seconds until a beep sounds. 219 Finding a Category (CAT) Station CAT (Category): The CAT button is used to ﬁnd XM™ stations while the radio is in the XM™ mode. To ﬁnd XM™ channels within a desired category, perform the following: 1. Press the BAND button until the XM™ frequency is displayed. Press the CAT button to display the category labels on the radio display. Continue pressing the CAT button until the desired category name displays. 2. Press either of the two buttons below the desired category label to immediately tune to the ﬁrst XM™ station associated with that category. 3. Turn the tune knob, press the buttons below the right or left arrows displayed, or press the right or left SEEK buttons to go to the next or previous XM™ station within the selected category. 4. To exit the category search mode, press the FAV button or BAND button to display your favorites again. Undesired XM™ categories can be removed through the setup menu. To remove an undesired category, perform the following: 1. Press the MENU button to display the radio setup menu. 2. Press the pushbutton located below the XM CAT label. 3. Turn the tune knob to display the category you want removed. 4. Press the pushbutton located under the Remove label until the category name along with the word Removed displays. 5. Repeat the steps to remove more categories. Removed categories can be restored by pressing the pushbutton under the Add label when a removed category displays or by pressing the pushbutton under the Restore All label. The radio does not let you to remove or add categories while the vehicle is moving faster than 5 mph (8 km/h). 220 Radio Messages Playing a CD(s) (Six-Disc CD Player) Calibration Error: The audio system has been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If Calibration Error displays, it means that the radio has not been conﬁgured properly for your vehicle and it must be returned to your dealer for service. Locked: This message displays when the THEFTLOCK® system has locked up the radio. Take the vehicle to your dealer for service. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. Radio Messages for XM Only See XM Radio Messages on page 232 later in this section for further detail. Playing a CD (Single CD Player) Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls it in and the CD should begin playing. LOAD ^: Press this button to load CDs into the CD player. This CD player holds up to six CDs. To insert one CD, do the following: 1. Press and release the load button. 2. Wait for the message to insert the disc. 3. Load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls the CD in. To insert multiple CDs, do the following: 1. Press and hold the load button for two seconds. You will hear a beep and Load All Discs displays. 2. Follow the displayed instruction on when to insert the discs. The CD player takes up to six CDs. 3. Press the Load button again to cancel loading more CDs. If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD starts playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. 221 When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol displays on the CD. As each new track starts to play, the track number displays. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R, the sound quality can 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 can be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 235 for more information. If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. 222 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 marking pen. If an error displays, see “CD Messages” later in this section. Z EJECT: Press the CD eject button to eject CD(s). To eject the CD that is currently playing, press and release this button. A beep sounds and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc displays. The CD can be removed. If the CD is not removed after several seconds, the CD 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 tracks on the CD currently playing. © SEEK ¨: Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the start of the current track, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to the next track. If either SEEK arrow is held, or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through the tracks on the CD. s REV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this pushbutton to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. \ FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold this button to advance playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this button to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. RDM (Random): With the random setting, you can listen to the tracks in random, rather than sequential order, on one CD or all CDs in a six-disc CD player. To use random, do one of the following: (cid:127) Press the CD/AUX button, or for a single CD player, insert a disc partway into the slot of the CD player. A RDM label displays. To play the tracks from the single CD in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Random Current Disc displays. Press the pushbutton again to turn off random play. (cid:127) Press the CD/AUX button, or for a six-disc CD player, press and hold the LOAD button. A beep sounds and Load All Discs displays. Insert one or more discs partway into the slot of the CD player. To play tracks 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. 223 BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD while listening to the radio. The CD icon and a message showing disc and/or track number displays 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 Aux Input Device” displays. Playing an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW Disc Your vehicle’s radio system may have the MP3 feature. If it has this feature, it is capable of playing an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc. For more information on how to play an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc, see Using an MP3 on page 226 later in this section. CD Messages CHECK DISC: If an error message displays and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: (cid:127) It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. (cid:127) You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smoother, the CD should play. (cid:127) The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. (cid:127) The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. (cid:127) There could have been a problem while burning the CD. (cid:127) The label could be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer while reporting the problem. 224 Using the Auxiliary Input Jack Your radio system has an auxiliary input jack located on the lower right side of the faceplate. This is not an audio output; do not plug the headphone set into the front auxiliary input jack. You can however, connect an external audio device such as an iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD changer, or cassette tape player, etc. to the auxiliary input jack for use as another source for audio listening. Drivers are encouraged to set up any auxiliary device while the vehicle is in PARK (P). See Defensive Driving on page 238 for more information on driver distraction. To use a portable audio player, connect a 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) cable to the radio’s front auxiliary input jack. When a device is connected, press the radio CD/AUX button to begin playing audio from the device over the vehicle’s speakers. O (Power/Volume): Turn this knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume of the portable player. You might need to make additional volume adjustments from the portable device. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio while a portable audio device is playing. The portable audio device continues to play, so you might want to stop it or turn it off. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD while a portable audio device is playing. Press this button again and the system begins to play audio from the connected portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, “No Aux Input Device” displays. 225 Using an MP3 MP3 CD-R or CD-RW Disc The radio plays MP3 ﬁles that were recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. The ﬁles can be recorded with the following ﬁxed bit rates: 32 kbps, 40 kbps, 56 kbps, 64 kbps, 80 kbps, 96 kbps, 112 kbps, 128 kbps, 160 kbps, 192 kbps, 224 kbps, 256 kbps, and 320 kbps or a variable bit rate. Song title, artist name, and album can display when recorded using ID3 tags version 1 and 2. Compressed Audio The radio also plays discs that contain both uncompressed CD audio (.CDA ﬁles) and MP3 ﬁles. By default the radio reads only the uncompressed audio and ignores the MP3 ﬁles. Pressing the CAT (category) button toggles between compressed and uncompressed audio format. MP3 Format If you burn your own MP3 disc on a personal computer: (cid:127) Make sure the MP3 ﬁles are recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. (cid:127) Avoid mixing standard audio and MP3 ﬁles on one disc. (cid:127) The CD player is able to read and play a maximum of 50 folders, 50 playlists, and 255 ﬁles. (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. 226 (cid:127) Make sure playlists have a .mp3 or .wpl extension (other ﬁle extensions may not work). (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 can 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, and might not fully 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. Change playlists by using the previous and next folder buttons, the tuner knob, or the seek buttons. An MP3 CD-R that was recorded using no ﬁle folders can also be played. If a CD-R contains more than the maximum of 50 folders, 50 playlists, and 255 ﬁles, the player lets you access and navigate up to the maximum, but all items over the maximum are not accessible. Root Directory The root directory of the CD-R is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio ﬁles, the directory displays 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. 227 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 goes to the root folder. When the radio displays the name of the folder, the radio displays ROOT. Order of Play Tracks recorded to the CD-R are played in the following order: (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 the folder mode was chosen as the default display. The new track name displays. 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. 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. 228 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 displays. 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 can 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 can be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 235 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 marking pen. If an error displays, 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 displays. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc displays. 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. 229 \ 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 displays. RDM (Random): With the random setting, MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R can be played 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 in random order from the CD-R that is currently playing, 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. 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 displays. 230 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. The radio can 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. 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 and 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 while a CD is playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD while listening to the radio. The CD icon and a message showing disc and/or track number displays while 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 Aux Input Device” displays. 231 XM Radio Messages Radio Display Message XL (Explicit Language Channels) XM Updating No XM Signal Loading XM Channel Off Air Channel Unavail No Artist Info No Title Info No CAT Info No Information 232 Condition Action Required Loss of signal Acquiring channel audio (after four second delay) These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696). XL on the radio display, after the channel name, indicates content with explicit language. 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. 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. The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text data. No action is needed. This message should disappear shortly. 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 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. No category information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. No text or informational messages are available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. Artist Name/Feature not available Song/Program Title not available Category Name not available No Text/Informational message available Channel no longer available Channel not in service Radio Display Message CAT Not Found XM Theft Locked Condition No channel available for the chosen category Theftlock® active XM Radio ID Radio ID label (channel 0) Unknown Check XM Receivr Radio ID not known (should only be if hardware failure) Hardware failure XM Not Available XM™ Not Available Action Required There are no channels available for the selected category. The system is working properly. 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 displays after having your vehicle serviced, check with your dealer. If tuned to channel 0, this message alternates 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 could be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer. If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer. If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer. Theft-Deterrent Feature THEFTLOCK® is designed to discourage theft of your vehicle’s radio. The feature works automatically by learning a portion of the Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it will not operate and LOCK or LOCKED will appear on the display. With THEFTLOCK® activated, the radio will not operate if stolen. 233 + − (Volume): Press the plus or minus button to increase or to decrease the volume. g (Mute/Voice Activation): Press this button to silence the system. Press this button again to turn the sound on. If your vehicle is equipped with OnStar®, press and hold this button for two seconds to activate voice on the OnStar system. See the OnStar® System on page 139 in this manual for more information. Radio Reception You may experience frequency interference and static during normal radio reception if items such as cellphone chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external electronic devices are plugged into the accessory power outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the item from the accessory power outlet. Audio Steering Wheel Controls Radio controls are located on the right side of the steering wheel. If your vehicle has this feature, some audio controls can be adjusted at this location. They include the following: x w: Press the up or the down arrow to go to the next or to the previous stored radio station and stay there. Press and hold the up or down arrow longer than three-quarters of a second to advance to the next or previous station with a strong signal in the selected band. When a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow to go to the next or previous track. Press and hold the up or down arrow longer than three-quarters of a second to continue advancing ahead or reversing back, to other tracks within the disc. 234 AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause station frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio reception, most AM radio stations will boost the power levels during the day, and then reduce these levels during the night. Static can also occur when things like storms and power lines interfere with radio reception. When this happens, try reducing the treble on your radio. FM Stereo FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. XM™ Satellite Radio Service XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous United States, and in Canada. Just as with FM, tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. In addition, traveling or standing under heavy foliage, bridges, garages, or tunnels may cause loss of XM signal for a period of time. The radio may display NO XM SIGNAL to indicate interference. Care of Your CDs Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly or not at all. If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process starts from the center to the edge. Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while handling it; this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Care of the CD Player Do not use CD lens cleaners for CD players because the lens of the CD optics can become contaminated by lubricants. 235 Fixed Mast Antenna This type of antenna is called a ﬁxed mast antenna. It is mounted at the center of the roof, just behind the windshield. The mast antenna can withstand most car washes without being damaged. If the mast should ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by hand. If the mast is badly bent, replace it. Check occasionally to make sure the mast is still tightened to the roof. If tightening is required, tighten by hand. If you are putting a protective cover over the vehicle, remove the mast by hand. XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System The XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is located at the rear of the vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of snow and ice build up for clear radio reception. If your vehicle has a sunroof, the performance of the XM™ system may be affected if the sunroof is open. If your vehicle has a roof rack, loading items onto the roof of your vehicle can interfere with the performance of the XM™ system. Make sure the XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is not obstructed. 236 Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle .... 238 Defensive Driving ...................................... 238 Drunken Driving ........................................ 239 Control of a Vehicle .................................. 242 Braking ...................................................... 242 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .................. 243 Braking in Emergencies ............................. 245 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) .............. 246 Steering .................................................... 248 Off-Road Recovery .................................... 251 Passing ..................................................... 251 Loss of Control .......................................... 253 Driving at Night ......................................... 254 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ............ 256 City Driving ............................................... 258 Freeway Driving ........................................ 259 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .................. 260 Highway Hypnosis ..................................... 261 Hill and Mountain Roads ........................... 262 Winter Driving ........................................... 264 If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow ................................. 268 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out ........... 269 Loading Your Vehicle ................................ 269 Towing ........................................................ 274 Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 274 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...................... 274 Towing a Trailer (Manual Transaxle) ......... 276 Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transaxle) ............................ 277 237 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. See Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 20. 238 {CAUTION: Defensive driving really means “Be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or expressways, it means “Always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do and be ready. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do these things, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. 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 239 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. 240 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. 241 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 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 246. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 289. Braking See Brake System Warning Light on page 185. 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. 242 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 289. Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle may have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. If your vehicle has ABS, this warning light on the instrument panel will come on brieﬂy when you start your vehicle. When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive away, your 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 or pulses a little. This is normal. 243 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. 244 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 feel a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but this is normal. Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time. However, if you do not have ABS, your ﬁrst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure. In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help you retain steering control. If you do have ABS, it is different. See Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 243. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. 245 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction System (ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it senses that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system reduces engine power and may also upshift the transaxle to limit wheel spin. You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. A LOW TRACTION message will appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC) when the traction control system is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery road conditions may exist if this message is displayed, so adjust your driving accordingly. If your vehicle is in cruise control when the Enhanced Traction System begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on page 160. (cid:127) 246 When the system is on, this warning light will come on to let you know there’s a problem. The Enhanced Traction System warning light may come on for the following reasons: (cid:127) If you turn the system off by moving the shift lever to LOW (L), the warning light will come on and stay on. To turn the system back on, move the shift lever back to a position other than LOW (L). The warning light should go off. (cid:127) The warning light will come on when you set your parking brake with the engine running, and it will stay on if your parking brake does not release fully. If the transaxle shift lever is in any position other than LOW (L)and the warning light stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it means there is a problem with the system. If the traction control system is affected by an engine related problem, the system will turn off and the warning light will come on. If the warning light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there may be a problem with your Enhanced Traction System and your vehicle may need service. When this warning light is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes on and stays on for an extended period of time when the transaxle shift lever is in any position other than LOW (L), your vehicle needs service. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the Enhanced Traction System on. But you can turn the system off if you prefer. To turn the system off, shift to LOW (L) or REVERSE (R). When you turn the system off, the Enhanced Traction System warning light will come on and stay on when the gear shift is in LOW (L). The warning light will not come on when the gear shift is in REVERSE (R). If the Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin when you shift to LOW (L) or REVERSE (R) to turn the system off, the warning light will come on in LOW (L). But the system won’t turn off right away. It will wait until there’s no longer a current need to limit wheel spin. You can turn the system back on at any time by shifting to AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) or INTERMEDIATE (I). The Enhanced Traction System warning light should go off. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 289 for more information. 247 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 and/or the POWER STEERING message comes on, contact your dealer for service repairs. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 197. 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. 248 Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control systems — steering and braking — have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Unless you have four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. The same thing can happen if you are steering through a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems — steering and acceleration — can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make you lose control. See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 246. 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 289. 249 Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ﬁnd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you have anti-lock brakes, not enough to lock your wheels. See Braking on page 242. 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. 250 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. 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. 251 (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. 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. 252 (cid:127) 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) 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. If you have the Enhanced Traction System (ETS), remember: It helps to avoid only the acceleration skid. See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 246. If you do not have the Enhanced Traction 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 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. 253 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. If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have ABS, then in a braking skid, where the wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control. Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving. (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) 254 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. 255 {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 the brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before you hit them. Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread left, you will get even less traction. It is always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reﬂexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement. The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if the 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 the windshield wiping equipment in good shape and keep the windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir ﬁlled with washer ﬂuid. Replace the 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. 256 Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under the 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 the 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. Driving Through Deep Standing Water Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or standing water, water can come in through the engine’s air intake and badly damage the 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. 257 Some Other Rainy Weather Tips (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 336. 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. 258 Freeway Driving 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 259. (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,

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2007 Chevrolet HHR Owners Manual