2008 Chevrolet HHR Owners Manual

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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. Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) (Radio with CD (Base)) BASS/TREB (Bass/Treble): To adjust the bass or treble, press the f knob or the BASS/TREBLE pushbutton until the desired tone control label displays. Turn the f 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 to adjust BASS and TREBLE Settings. 3-65 Setting the Tone (Bass/Midrange/Treble) BASS/MID/TREB (Bass, Midrange, or Treble): To adjust bass, midrange, or treble, press the f 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 f knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the highlighted setting. The highlighted setting can be adjusted by pressing either SEEK arrow, \ FWD (forward), or s 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 f knob for more than two seconds until a beep sounds. EQ (Equalization): Press to select preset equalization settings. 3-66 To return to the manual mode, press until Manual displays or start to manually adjust the bass, midrange, or treble by pressing the f knob. Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) (Radio with CD (Base)) ` BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To adjust the balance or fade, press this button or the f knob until the desired speaker control label displays. Turn the f knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the setting. Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To adjust balance or fade, press the f 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 f knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the highlighted setting. The highlighted setting can be adjusted by pressing either SEEK arrow, \ FWD, or s 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 f knob for more than two seconds until a beep sounds. 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 SEEK arrows to go to the previous or to the next 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 f 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. Categories cannot be removed or added while the vehicle is moving faster than 5 mph (8 km/h). 3-67 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/retailer for service. Loc or Locked: This message displays when the THEFTLOCK® system has locked up the radio. Take the vehicle to your dealer/retailer for service. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer/retailer. XM™ Satellite Radio Service XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in the 48 contiguous United States and 10 Canadian provinces. XM™ Satellite Radio has a wide variety of programming and commercial-free music, coast-to-coast, and in digital-quality sound. During your trial or when you subscribe, you will get unlimited access to XM™ Radio Online for when you are not in your vehicle. A service fee is required to receive the XM™ service. For more information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or call 1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and www.xmradio.ca or call 1-877-438-9677 in Canada. Radio Messages for XM Only See XM Radio Messages on page 3-77 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. Playing a CD(s) (Six-Disc CD Player) 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 ^ 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 ^ button for two seconds. A beep sounds 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 ^ button again to cancel loading more CDs. 3-68 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 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. Care of Your CDs 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. Handle them carefully. Store CD-R(s) 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. 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. 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. If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. Care of Your CD Player Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen instead. 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 player mechanism. Notice: CD is inserted into the slot at a time, or an attempt is made to play scratched or damaged CDs, the CD player could be damaged. While 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 displays, see “CD Messages” later in this section. If a label is added to a CD, or more than one 3-69 Z EJECT: Press 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 this button for two seconds to eject all discs. f (Tune): Turn to select tracks on the CD currently playing. © SEEK ¨: Press the left arrow to go to the start of the current track, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right arrow to go to the next track. If either 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 to reverse playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. \ FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold to advance playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. 3-70 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 on the Radio with CD (Base), do one of the following: 1. Press to play tracks from the CD you are listening to in random order. The random icon displays. 2. Press again to turn off random play. The random icon disappears from the display. To use random on the Radio with CD (MP3) or the Radio with Six-Disc player, do one of the following: (cid:129) 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:129) 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. RPT (Repeat): For Radios with CD (Base), one track can be repeated by using the repeat setting. CD Messages 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) (Radio with CD (Base)): Press 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 to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press 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 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 Radios with the MP3 feature are 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 3-72 later in this section. CHECK DISC: If an error message displays and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. (cid:129) You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smoother, the CD should play. The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. There could have been a problem while burning the CD. 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/retailer. If the radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer/retailer while reporting the problem. 3-71 (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) 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 4-2 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 speakers. O (Power/Volume): Turn clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume of the portable player. Additional volume adjustments might need to be made from the portable device. BAND: Press 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 to play a CD while a portable audio device is playing. Press 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. 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. 3-72 MP3 Format If you burn your own MP3 disc on a personal computer: (cid:129) Make sure the MP3 ﬁles are recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. (cid:129) Do not mix standard audio and MP3 ﬁles on one disc. (cid:129) Make sure the CD does not have more than a maximum of 50 folders, 50 playlists, and 255 ﬁles to read and play. (cid:129) 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:129) 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:129) Make sure playlists have a .mp3 or .wpl extension (other ﬁle extensions might not work). (cid:129) 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. 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. Playlists can be changed by using the previous and next folder buttons, the tuner knob, or the seek buttons. An MP3 CD-R or CD-RW that was recorded using no ﬁle folders can also be played. If a CD-R or CD-RW 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. 3-73 (cid:129) Root Directory The root directory of the CD-R or CD-RW 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 or CD-RW 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 or CD-RW that was recorded without folders or playlists. When displaying the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT. When the CD-R or CD-RW 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 or CD-RW are played in the following order: (cid:129) 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:129) 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. 3-74 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 or CD-RW 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 or CD-RW should begin playing. If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD-R or CD-RW 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. Z EJECT: Press this button to eject CD-R(s) or CD-RW(s). To eject the CD-R or CD-RW 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-R or CD-RW can be removed. If the CD-R or CD-RW is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R or CD-RW automatically pulls back into the player and begins playing. For the Six-Disc CD player, press and hold this button for two seconds to eject all discs. f (Tune): Turn this knob to select MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R or CD-RW 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. 3-75 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. \ 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 or CD-RW can be played in random, rather than sequential order, on one CD-R/CD-RW 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 or CD-RW 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. h (Music Navigator): Use the music navigator feature to play MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R or CD-RW 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 or CD-RW. The radio can begin playing while it is scanning the disc in the background. When the scan is ﬁnished, the CD-R or CD-RW 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/CD-RW 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. 3-76 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 or CD-RW 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. XM Radio Messages XL (Explicit Language Channels): These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696). XM Updating: 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: 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. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future listening. Loading XM: The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text data. No action is needed. This message should disappear shortly. 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. Channel Off Air: This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another channel. Channel Unavail: 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 artist information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. 3-77 No Title Info: No song title information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. Unknown: If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there could be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer/retailer. No CAT Info: No category information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. Check XM Receivr: If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer/retailer. No Information: No text or informational messages are available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. XM Not Available: If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer/retailer. CAT Not Found: There are no channels available for the selected category. The system is working properly. XM TheftLocked: The XM receiver in the vehicle could 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/retailer. XM Radio ID: 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. 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 does not operate and LOC, LOCK, or LOCKED could display. With THEFTLOCK® activated, the radio does not operate if stolen. 3-78 Audio Steering Wheel Controls If your vehicle has this feature, some audio controls can be adjusted at the steering wheel. They include the following: x w (Next/Previous): Press the arrows to go to the next or to the previous stored radio station and stay there. Press and hold the arrows longer than three-quarters of a second to advance ahead or reverse back to a station with a strong signal in the selected band. When a CD is playing, press the arrows to go to the next or to the previous track. Press and hold the arrows longer than three-quarters of a second to continue advancing ahead or reversing back to other tracks within the disc. + e − e (Volume): Press the plus or minus button to increase or to decrease the radio volume. g (Mute/Voice Activation): Press this button to silence the system. Press this button again to turn the sound on. If your vehicle has OnStar®, press and hold this button for two seconds to activate voice on the OnStar® system. See the OnStar® System on page 2-44 in this manual for more information. Radio Reception Frequency interference and static can occur during normal radio reception if items such as cell phone chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external electronic devices are plugged into the accessory power outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the item from the accessory power outlet. AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause station frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio reception, most AM radio stations 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. 3-79 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. FM Stereo FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals only reach 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 through tunnels could cause loss of the XM signal for a period of time. The radio may display NO XM SIGNAL to indicate interference. 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. 3-80 Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..........4-2 Defensive Driving ...........................................4-2 Drunk Driving .................................................4-2 Control of a Vehicle ........................................4-3 Braking .........................................................4-3 Antilock Brake System (ABS) ...........................4-5 Braking in Emergencies ...................................4-6 Traction Control System (TCS) .........................4-6 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) .....................4-9 Limited-Slip Differential ..................................4-10 Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ....................4-10 Steering ......................................................4-13 Off-Road Recovery .......................................4-15 Passing .......................................................4-16 Loss of Control .............................................4-16 Driving at Night ............................................4-18 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ..................4-18 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .......................4-20 Highway Hypnosis ........................................4-20 Hill and Mountain Roads ................................4-20 Winter Driving ..............................................4-22 If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow ...................................................4-26 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out .................4-26 Loading Your Vehicle ....................................4-27 Towing ..........................................................4-32 Towing Your Vehicle .....................................4-32 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...........................4-32 Towing a Trailer (Manual Transaxle) ................4-34 Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transaxle) ............4-34 4-1 Drunk Driving {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. 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. Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a global tragedy. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and attentiveness. Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving Defensive driving means “always expect the unexpected.” The ﬁrst step in driving defensively is to wear your safety belt — See Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 1-12. {CAUTION: Assume that other road users (pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do and be ready. In addition: (cid:129) Allow enough following distance between you and the driver in front of you. (cid:129) Focus on the task of driving. Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in injury or possible death. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. 4-2 Police records show that almost 40 percent 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 17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with about 250,000 people injured. 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. 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. Control of a Vehicle The following three systems help to control your vehicle while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6,Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-10. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3. Braking See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-35. 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. 4-3 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. 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 might 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 could 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 can take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the 2.0L turbocharged engine, it also has a hydraulic brake boost feature which supplements the power brake system to maintain consistent brake performance under conditions of low brake booster vacuum. Low brake booster vacuum conditions can include initial start up after the vehicle has been parked for several hours, very frequent brake stops, or high altitude driving. When hydraulic brake boost is active, you might feel minor brake pulsation or movement but this is normal. If brake pedal feel changes or the brake pedal feels hard to push, you might not be receiving the intended brake boost and the SVC BRAKE SYSTEM DIC message may be displayed. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3. 4-4 Antilock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle might have the Antilock 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 the engine, or when you begin to drive away, ABS will check itself. You might hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is going on, and you might even notice that the brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal. Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what happens with ABS: A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each wheel. 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. As you brake, the 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 the 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 antilock work for you. You might feel a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but this is normal. 4-5 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 — might 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 Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-5. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. Brake Assist If your vehicle has ESC with ABS, it also has a brake assist feature that responds to emergency braking by generating additional pressure and engaging the ABS. When this happens, the brake pedal will feel easier to push. Just hold the brake pedal down ﬁrmly and let the system work for you. You might feel the brakes vibrate or notice some noise, but this is normal. The brakes will return to normal operation after the brake pedal is released. Brake assist cannot compensate for unsafe driving practices and braking effectiveness, itself, depends on the condition of the road, tires, and brakes and vehicle mass. Traction Control System (TCS) Your vehicle may have a Traction Control System (TCS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it senses that the wheels are spinning too much or are beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system works the front brakes and reduces engine power by closing the throttle and managing engine spark to limit wheel spin. If your vehicle has TCS, there is a ESC/TCS button located on the instrument panel. 4-6 This light ﬂashes while the traction control system is limiting wheel spin. You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-37 for more information. If your vehicle is in cruise control while TCS begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, the cruise control can be re-engaged. See Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7. When this light is on and either the SERVICE TRACTION or TRACTION OFF message is displayed, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48 for more information. The Traction Control System is automatically enabled whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system enabled. You can turn TCS off if you ever need to. It is recommended to leave the system on for normal driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high wheel spin is required. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-26. To turn the system off or on, press and release the ESC/TCS button located on the instrument panel. The DIC displays the appropriate message as described previously when the button is pressed. 4-7 Traction Control Operation Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing engine power to the wheels (engine speed management) and by applying brakes to each individual wheel (brake-traction control) as necessary. The traction control system is enabled automatically when you start your vehicle, and it will activate and ﬂash the ESC/TCS light and display the LOW TRACTION message if it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction while driving. For more information on the LOW TRACTION message, see Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-46. Notice: excessively while the ESC/TCS, ABS and Brake warning lights and the SERVICE ESC and/or SERVICE TRACTION messages are displayed, you could damage the differential. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights and this message are displayed. If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin Notice: When traction control is turned off, or Competitive Driving Mode is active, it is possible to lose traction. If you attempt to shift with the front wheels spinning with a loss of traction, it is possible to cause damage to the transmission. Do not attempt to shift when the front wheels do not have traction. Damage caused by misuse of the vehicle is not covered. See your warranty book for additional information. The traction control system may activate on dry or rough roads or under conditions such as heavy acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the transmission. When this happens, you may notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise or vibration. This is normal. If your vehicle is in cruise control while the system activates, the ESC/TCS light ﬂashes and the cruise control automatically disengages. When road conditions allow you to use cruise control again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on page 3-12. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3 for more information. 4-8 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 transmission to limit wheel spin. You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. If your vehicle has ETS, there is not an ESC/TCS button on the instrument panel. To turn the system off, shift to LOW (L) or REVERSE (R). There is more information about how to turn the system off later in this section. 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 ETS 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 3-12. When the system is on, this warning light will come on to let you know there’s a problem. The ETS warning light may come on for the following reasons: 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. 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 transmission 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. 4-9 (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) If the warning light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there may be a problem with your ETS 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 ETS warning light comes on and stays on for an extended period of time when the transmission 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 ETS 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 ETS 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 ETS 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 ETS warning light should go off. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3 for more information. 4-10 Limited-Slip Differential Your vehicle may have this feature. A limited-slip transmission can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a standard transmission most of the time, but when one of the front wheels loses traction, this feature will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle. The limited slip design has minimal impact to the steering feel, but boosts the traction performance under all conditions. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Your vehicle may have an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system which combines antilock brake, and traction and stability control systems that help the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle in most driving conditions. When the vehicle is started and begins to move, the system performs several diagnostic checks to ensure there are no problems. You may hear or feel the system working. This is normal and does not mean there is a problem with your vehicle. The system should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h). If the system fails to turn on or activate, the ESC/TCS light comes on, and the ESC OFF and/or SERVICE ESC message displays. For more information, see Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-46 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-37. This light ﬂashes on the instrument panel cluster when the ESC system is on and activated. ESC activates when the computer senses a discrepancy between your intended path and the direction the vehicle is actually travelling. ESC selectively applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s brakes to help steer the vehicle in the direction which you are steering. When the system activates, an ESC ACTIVE message displays on the Driver Information Center. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48. This light also ﬂashes on the instrument panel cluster when the ESC system is on and activated. You may also hear a noise or feel vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal. Continue to steer the vehicle in the direction you want it to go. When the light is on solid and the message(s), SERVICE ESC, ESC OFF, or both display, the system will not assist the driver in maintaining directional control of the vehicle. Adjust your driving accordingly. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is automatically enabled whenever you start your vehicle. To assist the driver with vehicle directional control, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system on. But, you can turn ESC off if you ever need to. If the vehicle is in cruise control when the system begins to assist the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle, the ESC/TCS light will ﬂash and the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on page 3-12. The ESC/TCS button is located on the instrument panel. 4-11 The traction control system can be turned off or back on by pressing the ESC/TCS button. To disable both traction control and ESC, press and hold the button from ﬁve to ten seconds. When the ESC system is turned off, the TRACTION OFF and ESC OFF messages appear, and the ESC/TCS light comes on to warn the driver that both traction control and ESC are disabled. It is recommended that the system remain on for normal driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high wheel spin is required. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-26. ESC may also turn off automatically if it determines that a problem exists with the system. The ESC OFF and SERVICE ESC messages and the ESC/TCS light comes on to warn the driver that ESC is disabled and requires service. If the problem does not clear after restarting the vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48 for more information. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3 for more information. 4-12 Competitive Driving Mode The driver can select this optional handling mode by pressing the ESC/TCS button on the console two times within a ﬁve second time period. COMPETITIVE MODE will be displayed in the DIC. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48. Competitive Driving Mode allows the driver to have full control of the front wheels while the ESC system helps maintain directional control of the vehicle by selective brake application. The ESC/TCS light will be on and the traction control system will not be operating. Adjust your driving accordingly. This electronic stability control mode is recommended only for use during closed track events and competitive driving venues. When the ESC button is pressed again, or the vehicle is restarted, the ESC and TCS will be turned back on. Notice: When traction control is turned off, or Competitive Driving Mode is active, it is possible to lose traction. If you attempt to shift with the front wheels spinning with a loss of traction, it is possible to cause damage to the transmission. Do not attempt to shift when the front wheels do not have traction. Damage caused by misuse of the vehicle is not covered. See your warranty book for additional information. Launch Control If your vehicle has this feature, LAUNCH CONTROL displays after the COMPETITIVE MODE message, when the vehicle is stopped. Launch control is a form of traction control, to control wheel spin while launching the vehicle during closed track events and competitive driving venues. The system will exit to COMPETITIVE MODE after the vehicle is launched. See “Competitive Driving Mode” earlier in this section. The normal Traction Control System (TCS) will not be operating while in the Competitive Driving mode and the TCS light on the instrument panel cluster comes on. Adjust your driving accordingly. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48 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 and/or the POWER STEERING message comes on, contact your dealer/retailer for service repairs. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48. 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. 4-13 The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of the tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control systems — steering and braking — have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Unless you have antilock 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 Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6, Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-10. 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 the 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-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3. Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ﬁnd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply the brakes — but, unless you have antilock brakes, not enough to lock the wheels. See Braking on page 4-3. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available. 4-14 Off-Road Recovery You may ﬁnd that your vehicle’s right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you are driving. An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly. 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 the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway. 4-15 Passing Passing another vehicle on a two-lane road can be dangerous. To reduce the risk of danger while passing, we suggest the following tips: Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads for situations that might affect a successful pass. If in doubt, wait. (cid:129) Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines that could indicate a turn or an intersection. Never cross a solid or double-solid line on your side of the lane. (cid:129) Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass. Doing so can reduce your visibility. (cid:129) Wait your turn to pass a slow vehicle. (cid:129) When you are being passed, ease to the right. Loss of Control Let us review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems — brakes, steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid, the 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. 4-16 (cid:129) 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 Antilock 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. A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS) or the Enhanced Traction System (ETS), remember: It helps to avoid only the acceleration skid. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6 or Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9. If you do not have TCS or ETS, 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. If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the ESC might activate. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-10. 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. 4-17 Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Night driving tips include: (cid:129) Drive defensively. (cid:129) Do not drink and drive. (cid:129) Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside rearview mirror. (cid:129) Slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles because your headlamps can only light up so much road ahead. (cid:129) Watch for animals. (cid:129) When tired, pull off the road. (cid:129) Do not wear sunglasses. (cid:129) Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps. (cid:129) Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle clean — inside and out. (cid:129) Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or curves. 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 might need at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old. Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid driving through large puddles and deep-standing or ﬂowing water. 4-18 {CAUTION: Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not work as well in a quick stop and could cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle. After driving through a large puddle of water or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal until the brakes work normally. Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. Driving through ﬂowing water could cause your vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not ignore police warnings and be very cautious about trying to drive through ﬂowing water. Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build up under your vehicle’s tires so they 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. There is no hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when the road is wet. Other Rainy Weather Tips Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips include: (cid:129) Allow extra following distance. (cid:129) Pass with caution. (cid:129) Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape. (cid:129) Keep the windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir ﬁlled. (cid:129) Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires on page 5-52. 4-19 Before Leaving on a Long Trip To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing. Things to check on your own include: (cid:129) Windshield Washer Fluid: Reservoir full? Windows clean — inside and outside? (cid:129) Wiper Blades: In good shape? Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: All levels checked? Lamps: Do they all work and are lenses clean? Tires: Are treads good? Are tires inﬂated to recommended pressure? (cid:129) Weather and Maps: Safe to travel? Have up-to-date maps? Highway Hypnosis Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, ﬁnd a safe place to park your vehicle and rest. Other driving tips include: (cid:129) Keep the vehicle well ventilated. (cid:129) Keep interior temperature cool. (cid:129) Keep your eyes moving — scan the road ahead and to the sides. (cid:129) Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments often. Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different than driving on ﬂat or rolling terrain. Tips for driving in these conditions include: (cid:129) Keep your vehicle serviced and in good shape. (cid:129) Check all ﬂuid levels and brakes, tires, cooling system, and transmission. (cid:129) Going down steep or long hills, shift to a lower gear. 4-20 (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) {CAUTION: {CAUTION: If you do not shift down, the 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 the engine assist the brakes on a steep downhill slope. Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down and 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 the engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. (cid:129) Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. Top of hills: Be alert — something could be in your lane (stalled car, accident). (cid:129) Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks area, winding roads, long grades, passing or no-passing zones) and take appropriate action. 4-21 (cid:129) Winter Driving Here are some tips for winter driving: (cid:129) Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. (cid:129) You might want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle. 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. Also see Tires on page 5-52. 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 have a lot less traction, or grip, and need to be very careful. 4-22 What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it can offer the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there. Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution. Traction control improves your ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even if your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS) or Enhanced Traction System (ETS), slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. Under certain conditions, you might want to turn the TCS or ETS off, such as when driving through deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion at lower speeds or if your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6, Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-10, and If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-26. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even more. Unless your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), you will want to brake very gently, too. If you have ABS, see Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-5. ABS improves your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Whether your vehicle has ABS or not, begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. Without ABS, if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get the most traction you can. Remember, unless your vehicle has ABS, if you brake so hard that the wheels stop rolling, you will just slide. Brake so the wheels always keep rolling and you can still steer. (cid:129) Whatever your vehicle’s braking system, allow greater following distance on any slippery road. (cid:129) Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ﬁne until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear in shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass can remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers. 4-23 If You Are Caught in a Blizzard If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You should probably stay with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe: Turn on the hazard warning ﬂashers. Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that you have been stopped by the snow. (cid:129) Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you. If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, ﬂoor mats — anything you can wrap around yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm. 4-24 You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful. (cid:129) (cid:129) {CAUTION: Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it or smell it, so you might not know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from around the base of your vehicle, especially any that is blocking the exhaust pipe. And check around again from time to time to be sure snow does not collect there. Open a window just a little on the side of the vehicle that is away from the wind. This will help keep CO out. Run the engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with the headlamps. Let the heater run for a while. Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until help comes. 4-25 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out First, turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area around the front wheels. Turn off any traction system. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6, Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-10. Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, or with a manual transmission, between FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R), spinning the wheels as little as possible. To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that could free your vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be towed out. If your vehicle does need to be towed out, see Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-32. If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free your vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-26. If your vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to free a stuck vehicle. Refer to your vehicle’s traction system in the Index. If the stuck condition is too severe for the traction system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off and use the rocking method. {CAUTION: If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high speed, they can explode, and you or others could be injured. The vehicle can overheat, causing an engine compartment ﬁre or other damage. Spin the wheels as little as possible and avoid going above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer. For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see Tire Chains on page 5-74. 4-26 Loading Your Vehicle It is very important to know how much weight your vehicle can carry. Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading Information label and the Vehicle Certiﬁcation label. {CAUTION: Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, and it can change the way your vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose control and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle. Tire and Loading Information Label Label Example A vehicle speciﬁc Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar). With the driver’s door open, you will ﬁnd the label attached below the door lock post (striker). The tire and loading information label lists the number of occupant seating positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity weight (B) in kilograms and pounds. The vehicle capacity weight includes the weight of all occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed options. 4-27 The Tire and Loading Information label also lists the tire size of the original equipment tires (C) and the recommended cold tire inﬂation pressures (D). For more information on tires and inﬂation, see Tires on page 5-52 and Inﬂation - Tire Pressure on page 5-60. There is also important loading information on the Certiﬁcation/Tire label. It tells you the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axles. See “Certiﬁcation/Tire Label” later in this section. Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit 1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s placard. 2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle. 3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs. 4. The resulting ﬁgure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs and there will be ﬁve 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs (1400 − 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs). 5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4. 6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load from your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity for your vehicle. If your vehicle can tow a trailer, see Towing a Trailer (Manual Transaxle) on page 4-34 or Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transaxle) on page 4-34 for important information on towing a trailer, towing safety rules, and trailering tips. 4-28 Example 1 Example 2 Item Description Maximum Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 1 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) × 2 = Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = Total Item 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 300 lbs (136 kg) 700 lbs (317 kg) Description Maximum Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 2 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) × 5 = Available Cargo Weight = Total 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 750 lbs (340 kg) 250 lbs (113 kg) 4-29 Refer to your vehicle’s tire and loading information label for speciﬁc information about your vehicle’s maximum vehicle capacity weight and seating positions. The combined weight of the driver, passengers, and cargo should never exceed your vehicle’s maximum vehicle capacity weight. Certiﬁcation Label A vehicle speciﬁc Certiﬁcation/Tire label is found on the rear edge of the driver’s door, or on the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar). Example 3 Item Description Maximum Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 3 = Subtract Occupant Weight 200 lbs (91 kg) × 5 = Available Cargo Weight = Total 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 0 lbs (0 kg) 4-30 The label shows the size of your original tires and the inﬂation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel, and cargo. The Certiﬁcation/Tire label also tells you the maximum weights for the front and rear axles, called the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To ﬁnd out the actual loads on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load equally on both sides of the centerline. Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the GAWR for either the front or rear axle. {CAUTION: Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, and it can change the way your vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose control and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle. Notice: Overloading your vehicle may cause damage. Repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not overload your vehicle. 4-31 Towing Towing Your Vehicle Consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing service if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6. If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome), see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following. Recreational Vehicle Towing Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle behind another vehicle — such as behind a motorhome. The two most common types of recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”). If you put things inside your vehicle — like suitcases, tools, packages, or anything else — they will go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they will keep going. {CAUTION: Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. (cid:129) Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly. (cid:129) Never stack heavier things, like suitcases, inside the vehicle so that some of them are above the tops of the seats. (cid:129) Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle. (cid:129) When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it whenever you can. (cid:129) Do not leave a seat folded down unless you need to. 4-32 With the proper preparation and equipment, many vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following. Here are some important things to consider before you do recreational vehicle towing: (cid:129) What is the towing capacity of the towing vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. (cid:129) How far will you tow? Some vehicles have restrictions on how far and how long they can tow. (cid:129) Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your dealer/retailer or trailering professional for additional advice and equipment recommendations. Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you will want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed. See Before Leaving on a Long Trip on page 4-20. Dinghy Towing You may dinghy tow your vehicle from the front following these steps: 1. Set the parking brake. 2. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the steering wheel. 3. Shift your transmission to NEUTRAL (N). 4. Release the parking brake. 4-33 (cid:129) If you exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while To prevent the battery from draining while the vehicle is being towed, remove the following fuse from the ﬂoor console fuse block: 8 (Ignition Switch, PASS-Key® III+). See Floor Console Fuse Block on page 5-120 for more information. Remember to reinstall the fuse once you have reached your destination. Notice: towing your vehicle, it could be damaged. Never exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while towing your vehicle. Notice: Towing your vehicle from the rear could damage it. Also, repairs would not be covered by the warranty. Never have your vehicle towed from the rear. Dolly Towing Your vehicle cannot be dolly towed, but can be dinghy towed. See “Dinghy Towing” earlier in this section. Notice: Dolly towing your vehicle may cause damage because of reduced ground clearance. Always tow your vehicle using the dinghy towing procedure listed in this section or put your vehicle on a ﬂatbed truck. Towing a Trailer (Manual Transaxle) Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is equipped with a manual transaxle. Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transaxle) {CAUTION: If you do not use the correct equipment and drive properly, you can lose control when you pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not work well — or even at all. You and your passengers could be seriously injured. You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the steps in this section. Ask your dealer/retailer for advice and information about towing a trailer with your vehicle. 4-34 Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with an automatic transmission and the proper trailer towing equipment. If your vehicle is not equipped as stated above, do not tow a trailer. To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle, you should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in this section. Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in handling, acceleration, braking, cooling, durability and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be used properly. That is the reason for this part. In it are many time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety and that of your passengers. So please read this section carefully before you pull a trailer. Load-pulling components such as the engine, transmission, wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder against the drag of the added weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra heat. Also, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements. SS Package If your vehicle has the SS package, it is neither designed nor intended to tow a trailer. If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer If you do, here are some important points: There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you will be driving. A good source for this information can be state or provincial police. (cid:129) Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer/retailer about sway controls. (cid:129) Do not tow a trailer at all during the ﬁrst 1,000 miles (1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged. Then, during the ﬁrst 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads. 4-35 (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer. Do not drive faster than the maximum posted speed for trailers, or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h), to save wear on your vehicle’s parts. (cid:129) Do not tow when the outside air temperature is above 100°F (38°C). (cid:129) Do not tow more than 1,000 miles (1 600 km) per year.

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2008 Chevrolet HHR Owners Manual