2001 Pontiac Bonneville Owners Manual

The left knob regulates the force of the air coming through the system. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the fan speed and counterclockwise to decrease the fan speed. Push this knob to turn the fan off. The fan must be on to run the air conditioning compressor.

Temperature Knob The right knob regulates the temperature of the air coming through the system. Turn it toward the blue area for cooler air. Turn it toward the red area for warmer air.

Mode Buttons You may choose the direction of air delivery by selecting one of the five mode control buttons.

PANEL: This setting directs airflow through the

upper air outlets located in the instrument panel.

BI-LEVEL: This setting directs airflow through

both the upper air outlets and the lower floor outlets. There is also a small amount of air directed to the front defroster and the side window defrosters.

FLOOR: This setting directs most of the airflow to the lower floor outlets with some airflow directed to the side window defrosters. There is also a small amount of airflow directed to the front defroster.

DEFOG: This setting directs most of the airflow to the lower floor outlets and the front windshield defroster. A small amount of airflow is directed to the side window defroster outlets. This mode can be useful to remove the moisture from the inside of the windshield when the outside temperature is cold or the humidity is high.

FRONT: This setting directs most of the airflow to

the front windshield defroster with some airflow to the side window defrosters and lower floor outlets. To improve windshield clearing performance when you select FRONT defrost, your air conditioning compressor will run automatically above approximately 40_F (4_C). This dehumidifies the air to help dry the windshield. Even though the compressor may be running, the A/C light will not come on in FRONT defrost unless you select A/C.

Recirc Button

RECIRC: Press this button to limit the amount of

outside air entering your vehicle. This is helpful when you are trying to quickly cool the interior of the vehicle or to limit odors entering the vehicle. RECIRC may be selected in all manual airflow modes except FRONT defrost. If you select RECIRC while in defrost, the RECIRC light will flash to let you know that this is not allowed. This is to help prevent fogging.

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When the weather is cool or damp, operating in RECIRC for extended periods of time may cause fogging of the vehicle’s windows. To clear the fog, switch back to outside air by turning off RECIRC, select either DEFOG or FRONT defrost mode and increase the fan speed. To avoid refogging of the windows, minimize your use of RECIRC under these conditions and turn the A/C on to help dehumidify the air.

A/C Button

A/C: Press this button to turn the air conditioning

compressor on and off. The system will cool and dehumidify the air inside your vehicle. If your comfort control system is off, you can also turn it back on in PANEL mode by selecting the A/C button. Even though A/C is not selected, in FRONT defrost mode the A/C compressor will run automatically at temperatures over approximately 40_F (4_C) to improve windshield clearing performance.

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Electronic Climate Control System (Option)

Temperature Knob (Driver’s Side) The driver’s side knob changes the temperature of the air coming through the system on the driver’s side. Turn the knob toward the blue area to decrease the set temperature. Turn the knob toward the red area to increase the set temperature. When this knob is adjusted, the word DRIVER will be displayed under the set temperature. When the passenger’s set temperature is not active, this knob controls both the driver’s and passenger’s side, and both DRIVER and PASS will be displayed under the set temperature.

Temperature Knob (Passenger’s Side) The passenger’s side knob changes the temperature of the air coming through the system on the passenger’s side of the vehicle. Turn the knob toward the blue area to decrease the set temperature. Turn the knob toward the red area to increase the set temperature. When this knob is adjusted, only the word PASS will be displayed under the set temperature.

Auto Button Press the AUTO button to set the system to automatically control the air delivery mode, fan speed, A/C and RECIRC operations. Whenever you press AUTO, the display will change to show the current driver set temperature, automatic air delivery mode and fan speed. After five seconds the display will change back to the EXT (external) temperature outside the vehicle.

Fan Button The button with the fan symbol allows you to manually adjust the fan speed. Press the HIGH side to increase fan speed and the LOW side to decrease fan speed.

Mode Button Press this button to manually select the air delivery mode to the floor, panel or windshield outlets. The system will stay in the selected mode until the MODE or AUTO button is pushed.

Display In full AUTO mode, the electronic climate control system display will show the outside temperature, labeled EXT for external temperature, and AUTO. If you press the MODE button to select an air delivery mode, the display will change to also show you the current system mode. If you press HIGH or LOW on the fan button, the display will change to show the selected fan speed. After five seconds, the display will change back to show the EXT temperature and the selected manual setting.

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Be careful not to cover the sensor located on the top of the instrument panel near the windshield. This sensor regulates temperature based on sun load. The EXT (exterior) temperature sensor is located in the front of the vehicle behind the grille. The displayed temperature is most accurate after the vehicle has been moving for a few minutes. If the vehicle is stopped and then restarted within 2 1/2 hours, the sensor will be hot from the engine heat. In this case, the temperature first displayed will continue to be the previous temperature. The display will update after the vehicle has been moving for a few minutes and the sensor has a chance to cool down to the actual temperature. To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the system will delay turning on the fan until warm air is available. The length of delay depends on engine coolant temperature. Pushing the fan button will override this delay and change the fan to a selected speed.

Automatic Operation When the system is set for AUTO, your climate control system will control the air delivery mode, fan speed, A/C and RECIRC operations. Air will come from the floor, panel or windshield outlets. The fan speed will vary as the system maintains the selected temperature setting. When AUTO is selected, the A/C operation and air inlet will be automatically controlled. The air conditioning compressor will run at outside temperatures over approximately 40_F (4_C). The air inlet will normally be set to outside air. If it’s hot outside, the air inlet will automatically switch to recirculated inside air to help quickly cool down your vehicle. To find your comfort zone, start with 75_ F (24_C) temperature setting and allow about 20 minutes for the system to regulate. Turn the TEMP knob up or down to adjust the temperature setting if necessary. If you choose the temperature setting of 60_F (15_C), the system will remain at the maximum cooling setting and fan speed. If you choose the temperature setting of 90_F (33_C), the system will remain at the maximum heat setting and fan speed. Choosing either maximum setting will not cause the system to heat or cool any faster.

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Manual Operation You may also manually adjust the air delivery mode or fan speed.

FLOOR: Manually selecting FLOOR mode by cycling through the MODE settings will deliver air to the floor outlets.

DEFOG: Manually selecting DEFOG by cycling through the MODE settings will deliver air to the floor and windshield outlets.

BI-LEVEL: Manually selecting BI-LEVEL by

cycling through the MODE settings will deliver warm air to the floor and cooler air to the instrument panel outlets.

PANEL: Manually selecting PANEL by cycling

through the MODE setting will deliver air to the instrument panel outlets. DRIVER PUSH OFF: Press this knob to turn the system off. Some fresh air will continue to flow through the vehicle from the FLOOR outlets, and the system will try to maintain the previously chosen comfort setting.

PASSENGER PUSH OFF: Press this knob to cancel the passenger’s set temperature. The passenger’s set temperature will be set equal to the driver’s set temperature. Both the words DRIVER and PASS will be displayed under the set temperature in the display area. A/C: Press this button to turn the air conditioning

compressor on and off. When A/C is selected or in AUTO mode, the system will run the A/C automatically to cool and dehumidify the air inside the vehicle. If you select A/C OFF while in FRONT defrost, the A/C OFF text will flash to let you know this is not allowed. This is to prevent fogging.

RECIRC: Press this button to limit the amount of outside air entering your vehicle. You may use this setting to limit odors entering your vehicle. Press RECIRC to recirculate inside air until the RECIRC button is pressed again or the OUTSIDE AIR button is pressed. If you select RECIRC while in defrost the RECIRC light will flash to let you know this is not allowed. This is to prevent fogging.

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When the weather is cool or damp, operating in RECIRC for extended periods of time may cause fogging of the vehicle’s windows. To clear the fog, press the OUTSIDE AIR button and select either DEFOG or FRONT defrost. Be sure A/C OFF is not selected to allow the air conditioning compressor to run automatically and help dehumidify the air.

OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button to allow fresh air to enter your vehicle if you currently have RECIRC selected. You may also override the system’s automatic use of RECIRC by selecting OUTSIDE AIR.

FRONT: Press this button to clear the windshield.

The system will automatically control the fan speed if you select defrost from AUTO. If the outside temperature is 38_F (3_C) or warmer, your air conditioning compressor will automatically run to help dehumidify the air and dry the windshield.

Air Conditioning On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes for your vehicle to cool down. Then keep your windows closed for the air conditioner to work its best. If you have the standard system, for quick cool-down on very hot days, use the airflow from the PANEL outlets, press RECIRC and A/C with the temperature knob in the blue area. If this max A/C setting is used for long periods of time, the air in your vehicle may become too cold and dry. For normal cooling on hot days, use A/C without RECIRC with the temperature knob in the blue area. If you have the electronic system, in AUTO mode the system will cool and dehumidify the air inside the vehicle. Also while in AUTO mode, the system will maximize its performance by using RECIRC as necessary. On cool, but sunny days, with the standard system or through manual operation of the electronic system, use BI-LEVEL to deliver warm air to the floor and cooler air to the instrument panel outlets. To warm or cool the air delivered, turn the TEMP knob up or down.

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Heating If you have the standard system, on cold days use FLOOR with the temperature knob in the red area. If you have the electronic system, press AUTO and adjust the temperature by turning the TEMP knob up or down. You may also adjust the electronic system manually by pressing the MODE button and selecting FLOOR. Again, adjust the temperature by turning the TEMP knob up or down. With either system, outside air will be heated and sent through the floor outlets. The heater works best if you keep your windows closed while using it.

Defogging and Defrosting On cool, humid days, use DEFOG to keep the windshield and side windows clear. Use FRONT defrost to remove fog or ice from the windshield quickly in extremely humid or cold conditions. If you have the standard system, select DEFOG and adjust the fan speed to your comfort level. Turn the A/C on to help dehumidify the air. Use FRONT defrost with the temperature toward the red area and the fan control toward high. If you have the electronic system and select FRONT defrost or DEFOG from AUTO, the system will control the fan speed. Adjust the temperature and fan speed to your comfort level. After the windshield is clear, adjust the temperature to your normal setting and select the AUTO button and return to AUTO mode and fan control. For maximum FRONT defrost performance under extreme icing or frosting conditions, increase the temperature setting to 90_F (33_C) and increase the fan speed to high.

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Rear Window Defogger

The lines you see on the rear window warm the glass. Press the button to start warming your window. A light will glow in the button while the defogger is working.

If your vehicle is equipped with heated mirrors, this button will activate them. After 10 minutes it will turn off by itself, or press the button during the heating cycle to turn it off. If you need additional warming time, push the button again. The system will then operate for five minutes before turning off by itself. If your speed is maintained over 30 mph (48 km/h), the rear defog will not turn off automatically to help keep the rear glass clear. Do not attach a temporary vehicle license, tape or decals across the defogger grid on the rear window.

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NOTICE:

Do not try to clear frost or other material from the inside of the rear window with a razor blade or anything else that is sharp. This may damage the defogger grid. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.

Ventilation System For mild outside temperatures when little heating or cooling is needed, use the panel outlet setting (on the standard system) to direct outside air through your vehicle. Air will flow through the instrument panel outlets. Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies outside air into the vehicle when it’s moving. When the vehicle is not moving, you can get outside air to flow through by selecting any air delivery mode and any fan speed.

Your vehicle has air outlets that allow you to adjust the direction and amount of airflow inside the vehicle. Move the knob in the center of each outlet up, down or side-to-side to direct the air from the outlet. Use the control dial in the center to shut the outlet off. For the most efficient airflow and temperature control, keep the shut off door in the fully opened position.

In vehicles equipped with rear seat outlets, you can adjust the airflow toward either seating area, the floor or upward. Move the knob in the center of each outlet in any direction to direct airflow. Increase or reduce the amount of airflow from the upper outlets by adjusting the lever between the two rear vents up or down to the floor outlets.

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

D In cool damp weather, minimize your use of RECIRC

to reduce the chance of fogging your windows.

D When you enter a vehicle with the standard system in

cold weather, select FLOOR mode to supply air through the floor outlets. Then turn the fan on high for a few moments before driving away. This will blow moist air from the intake outlets toward the floor, not the windshield. It reduces the chance of fogging your windows. If you have the electronic system, the AUTO setting will do this for you. Manual operation of the electronic system in the FLOOR mode will also supply air through the floor outlets.

D Keep the air path under the front seats clear of objects. This helps air to circulate throughout your vehicle.

Audio Systems Your audio system has been designed to operate easily and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it first. Find out what your audio system can do and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you’re getting the most out of the advanced engineering that went into it. Setting the Clock for Systems with Radio Data System Press and hold HR or MIN for two seconds. Then press and hold HR until the correct hour appears. AM or PM will appear on the display. Press and hold MIN until the correct minute appears. The clock may be set with the ignition on or off. To set the clock to the time of an FM station broadcasting Radio Data System (RDS) information, press and hold HR and MIN at the same time for two seconds until UPDATED and the clock symbol appear on the display. If the time is not available from the station, NO UPDATE will appear on the display instead.

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AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player with Programmable Equalization and Radio Data System (RDS) (If Equipped)

Playing the Radio PWR VOL: Press this knob to turn the system on and off. To increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease volume.

SCV: Your system has a feature called Speed-Compensated Volume (SCV). With SCV, your audio system adjusts automatically to make up for road and wind noise as you drive. Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to select MIN, MED or MAX. Each choice allows for more volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Then, as you drive, SCV automatically increases the volume, as necessary, to overcome noise at any particular speed. The volume level should always sound the same to you as you drive. If you don’t want to use SCV, select OFF.

Finding a Station AM FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob to choose radio stations. SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next higher or lower station and stay there. The sound will mute while seeking.

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SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for two seconds until the scan icon appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use SCAN to listen to stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to a station, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning. The sound will mute while scanning. PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press AM FM to select the band. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press EQ to select the desired equalization. 5. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered button, the station you set will return and the equalization that you selected will also be automatically selected for that button. 6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

PRESET SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for more than four seconds until the pscan icon and the preset number appear on the display. You will hear a double beep. Use PRESET SCAN to listen to each of your preset stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to the first preset station stored on your pushbuttons, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next preset station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning presets. Preset scan will skip over presets where no station is being received at that time to prevent hearing static.

Setting the Tone TONE: Press and release this button until the desired tone control (BASS, MID or TREB) is found. The SELECT LED indicator will light to show that the tone control can be adjusted. When using BASS, MID or TREB, turn the SELECT knob clockwise to increase. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble. Pressing and holding the TONE button for at least two seconds will return all tone settings to flat regardless of tone selected. FLAT will appear on the display.

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EQ: This feature allows you to choose preset bass, mid and treble equalization settings designed for different individual listening tastes. Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting. Each time you press EQ, another setting will appear on the display. You can preset up to six equalization settings by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Use the TONE button and the SELECT knob to

select the desired equalization.

3. Press and hold EQ for two seconds. SELECT EQ # will appear on the display. The EQ icon will flash.

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

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

5. Press and hold the EQ button or push the

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

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

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

you want to listen to,

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

national emergencies, and

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

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

TRAF: Press this button to receive traffic announcements. The traffic announcement brackets will appear on the display. TRAF will appear on the display if the tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements. If the current tuned station does not broadcast traffic announcements, the radio will seek to a station that does. When the radio finds a station that broadcasts traffic announcements, it will stop. If no station is found, NO TRAFFIC will appear on the display. When a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station or a related network station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape is playing. If the cassette tape player was being used, the tape will stay in the player and resume play at the point where it stopped. INFO: If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. If the whole message does not appear on the display, parts of the message will appear every three seconds until the message is completed. To see the parts of the message faster than every three seconds, press this button again. A new group of words will appear on the display. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received.

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PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite Program Types (PTYs). These buttons have factory PTY presets. You can set up to 12 PTYs (six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Press PROG TYPE, if it is not already on. 2. Press AM FM to select FM1 or FM2. 3. Turn the SELECT knob to select a PTY. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered button, the PTY you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton. ALERT!: This type of announcement warns of national or local emergencies. You will not be able to turn off alert announcements. ALERT! appears on the display when an alert announcement plays. When an alert announcement comes on the tuned radio station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape is playing. If the cassette tape is playing, play will stop for the announcement and resume when the announcement is finished.

ALTERNATE FREQUENCY: This feature allows the radio to switch to a stronger station with the same program type. Press and hold AM FM for two seconds to turn alternate frequency on. AF ON will appear on the display. The radio may switch to stronger stations. Press and hold AM FM again for two seconds to turn alternate frequency off. AF OFF will appear on the display. The radio will not switch to other stations.

Adjusting the Speakers BAL FADE: This button adjusts balance and fade. To adjust balance, press this button until BAL appears on the display. Turn the SELECT knob clockwise for the right speakers and counterclockwise for the left speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. To adjust fade, press this button until FAD appears on the display. Turn the SELECT knob clockwise to adjust the sound to the front speakers and counterclockwise for the rear speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. Press and hold this button for two seconds to return both fade and balance to the middle position.

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Playing a Cassette Tape Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are up to 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than that are so thin they may not work well in this player. The longer side with the tape visible should face out. If the ignition is on, but the radio is off, the tape can be inserted and will begin playing. If you hear nothing but a garbled sound, the tape may not be in squarely. Press the eject button to remove the tape and start over. While the tape is playing, use the BAL FADE, TONE, EQ, SEEK and SCAN controls just as you do for the radio. The display will show TAPE and an arrow showing which side of the tape is playing. The tape player automatically begins playing the other side when it reaches the end of the tape. Your tape bias is set automatically when a metal or chrome tape is inserted. If you want to insert a tape when the ignition is off, first press the eject button or the RCL knob. If an error appears on the radio display, the tape won’t play because of an error. TIGHT TAPE is displayed when the tape is tight and the player can’t turn the tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with the open end down and try to turn the right hub counterclockwise with a pencil.

Turn the tape over and repeat. If the hubs do not turn easily, your tape may be damaged and should not be used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is working properly. BROKEN TAPE is displayed when the tape is broken. Try a new tape. WRAPPED TAPE is displayed when the tape is wrapped around the tape head. Attempt to get the cassette out. Try a new tape. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be corrected, please contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. "" (1): Press this button to advance quickly to another part of the tape. Press the button again to return to play. The radio will play the last selected station while the tape advances. You may select stations during forward operation by using TUNE. While in forward mode the display will show FREQ and FWD and two right arrows. If the radio is playing a RDS station the display will only show FREQ. BY (2): Press this button to play the other side of the tape.

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AA (4): Press this button to reverse the tape rapidly. Press it again to return to playing speed. The radio will play the last selected station while the tape reverses. You may select stations during reverse operation by using TUNE. D (6): Press this button to reduce background noise. DOLBY NR ON will appear on the display. Press it again to turn Dolby NR off. Dolby Noise Reduction is manufactured under a license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. EQ: Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting while playing a cassette. The equalization will be automatically set whenever you play a cassette tape. SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to search for the next or previous selection on the tape. Your tape must have at least three seconds of silence between each selection for SEEK to work. You can skip nine selections up or down on the tape. Choose how many selections you want to skip. Press the SEEK arrow that many times. The number of selections to be skipped will appear on the display.

SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use SCAN to listen to each selection for a few seconds. The tape will go to the next selection, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next selection. Press this button again to stop scanning. The sound will mute and SCAN will appear on the display while scanning. The tape will only scan forward. AM FM: Press this button to play the radio when a tape is in the player. The tape will stop but remain in the player. TAPE AUX: With a cassette tape in the player and the radio playing, press this button to play a cassette tape. Press AM FM to return to the radio when a cassette tape is playing. The inactive tape will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. The tape icon will appear on the display when a cassette tape is loaded. If you have the optional CD changer and the CD changer is loaded, the TAPE AUX button will activate the changer and an icon will be lit in the display.

: Press this button to remove the tape. The radio will

play. Eject may be activated with either the ignition or radio off. Cassettes may be loaded with the radio and ignition off if this button is pressed first.

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

Playing the Radio PWR VOL: Press this knob to turn the system on and off. To increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease volume.

CLEAN PLAYER: If this message appears on the display, the cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to the tapes and player. See “Care of Your Cassette Tape Player” in the Index. After you clean the player, press and hold the eject button for five seconds to reset the CLEAN PLAYER indicator. The radio will display CLEANED to show the indicator was reset.

CD Adapter Kits It is possible to use a portable CD player adapter kit with your cassette tape player after activating the bypass feature on your tape player. To activate the bypass feature, use the following steps: 1. Turn the ignition to ON or ACCESSORY. 2. Turn the radio off. 3. Press and hold the TAPE AUX button for

three seconds. The tape symbol on the display will flash for five seconds and READY will appear on the display, indicating the feature is active.

4. Insert the adapter into the cassette slot. It will power

up the radio and begin playing.

This override routine will remain active until the eject button is pressed.

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SCV: Your system has a feature called Speed-Compensated Volume (SCV). With SCV, your audio system adjusts automatically to make up for road and wind noise as you drive. Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to select MIN, MED or MAX. Each choice allows for more volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Then, as you drive, SCV automatically increases the volume, as necessary, to overcome noise at any particular speed. The volume level should always sound the same to you as you drive. If you don’t want to use SCV, select OFF.

Finding a Station AM FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection. TUNE: Turn this button to choose radio stations. SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next higher or lower station and stay there. The sound will mute while seeking.

SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for two seconds until the scan icon appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use SCAN to listen to stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to a station, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning. The sound will mute while scanning. PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press AM FM to select the band. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press EQ to select the equalization. 5. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered button, the station you set will return and the equalization that you selected will also be automatically selected for that button. 6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

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PRESET SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for more than four seconds until the preset scan icon and the preset number appear on the display. You will hear a double beep. Use PRESET SCAN to listen to each of your preset stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to the first preset station stored on your pushbuttons, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next preset station. Preset scan will only scan the six presets that are in the band selected. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning presets. PRESET SCAN will skip over presets where no station is being received at that time to prevent hearing static.

Setting the Tone TONE: Press and release this button until the desired tone control (BASS, MID or TREB) is found. The SELECT LED indicator will light to show that the tone control can be adjusted. When using BASS or MID, turn the SELECT knob clockwise to increase bass. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease bass. When using TREB, turn the SELECT knob clockwise to increase treble. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease treble. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble. To set all of the tone controls to the middle position, press and hold TONE until FLAT appears on the display.

EQ: This feature allows you to choose preset bass, mid and treble equalization settings designed for different individual listening tastes. Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting. Each time you press EQ, another setting will appear on the display. You can preset up to six equalization settings by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Use the TONE button and the SELECT knob to

select the desired equalization.

3. Press and hold EQ for two seconds. SELECT EQ # will appear on the display. The EQ icon will flash.

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

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

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

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

6. Repeat the steps for each EQ setting. EQ 5 has been

programmed at the factory for use with talk radio, but it can be preset to a different tone.

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

want to listen to,

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

national emergencies, and

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

TRAF: Press this button to receive traffic announcements. The traffic announcement brackets will appear on the display. TRAF will appear on the display if the tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements. If the current tuned station does not broadcast traffic announcements, the radio will seek to a station that does. When the radio finds a station that broadcasts traffic announcements, it will stop. If no station is found, NO TRAFFIC will appear on the display. When a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station or a related network station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a compact disc is playing. If the compact disc player was being used, the compact disc will stay in the player and resume play at the point where it stopped. INFO: If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. If the whole message does not appear on the display, parts of the message will appear every three seconds until the message is completed. To see the parts of the message faster than every three seconds, press this button again. A new group of words will appear on the display. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received.

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

PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite Program Types (PTYs). These buttons have factory PTY presets. You can set up to 12 PTYs (six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Press PROG TYPE, if it is not already on. 2. Press AM FM to select FM1 or FM2. 3. Turn the SELECT knob to select a PTY. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered button, the PTY you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton. ALERT!: This type of announcement warns of national or local emergencies. You will not be able to turn off alert announcements. ALERT! appears on the display when an alert announcement plays. When an alert announcement comes on the tuned radio station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a compact disc is playing. If the compact disc player is playing, play will stop for the announcement and resume when the announcement is finished.

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ALTERNATE FREQUENCY: This feature allows the radio to switch to a stronger station with the same program type. Press and hold AM FM for two seconds to turn alternate frequency on. AF ON will appear on the display. The radio may switch to stronger stations. Press and hold AM FM again for two seconds to turn alternate frequency off. AF OFF will appear on the display. The radio will not switch to other stations.

Adjusting the Speakers BAL FADE: This button adjusts balance and fade. To adjust balance, press this button until BAL appears on the display. Turn the SELECT knob clockwise for the right speakers and counterclockwise for the left speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. To adjust fade, press this button until FAD appears on the display. Turn the SELECT knob clockwise to adjust the sound to the front speakers and counterclockwise for the rear speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. Press and hold this button for two seconds to return both fade and balance to the middle position.

Playing a Compact Disc With the ignition on, insert a disc partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull it in and the disc should begin playing. If you want to insert a CD when the ignition is off, first press the eject button or the RCL knob. Inserting a CD with the radio off and the ignition on will start auto play. When the disc is inserted, the CD symbol will be displayed. If you select an EQ setting for your CD, it will be activated each time you play a CD. As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display. If CHECK CD appears on the radio display and the disc comes out, it could be that: D The road is too rough. The disc should play when the

road is smoother.

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

try again.

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

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SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use SCAN to listen to each selection for a few seconds. The disc will go to the next selection, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next selection. Press this button again to stop scanning. The sound will mute while scanning. SCAN and the track number will appear on the display. RCL: Press this button to see how long the current track has been playing. To change what is normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time), press the button until you see the display you want, then hold the button until the display flashes. While elapsed time is showing, CD TIME will appear on the display. AM FM: Press this button to play the radio when a disc is in the player.

"" (1): Press and hold this button to advance quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show elapsed time. RDM (3): Press this button to hear the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. RDM and the track number will appear on the display. AA (4): Press and hold this button to reverse quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show elapsed time. EQ: Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting while playing a compact disc. The equalization will be automatically set whenever you play a compact disc. SEEK: Press the down arrow while playing a CD to go to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. Press the up arrow to go to the next track. If you hold the button or press it more than once, the player will continue moving backward or forward through the disc.

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CD AUX: With a compact disc in the player and the radio playing, press this button to play a compact disc. Press AM FM to return to the radio when a compact disc is playing. The inactive CD will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. The CD icon will appear on the display when a compact disc is loaded. If you have the optional CD changer and the CD changer is loaded, the CD AUX button will activate the changer and an icon will be lit in the display.

: Press this button to remove the disc. The radio will play. Eject may be activated with either the ignition or radio off. CDs may be loaded with the radio and ignition off if this button is pressed first.

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

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

Playing the Radio PWR VOL: Press this knob to turn the system on and off. To increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease volume.

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SCV: Your system has a feature called Speed-Compensated Volume (SCV). With SCV, your audio system adjusts automatically to make up for road and wind noise as you drive. Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to select MIN, MED or MAX. Each choice allows for more volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Then, as you drive, SCV automatically increases the volume, as necessary, to overcome noise at any particular speed. The volume level should always sound the same to you as you drive. If you don’t want to use SCV, select OFF.

Finding a Station AM FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob to choose radio stations. SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next higher or lower station and stay there. The sound will mute while seeking.

SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for two seconds until the scan icon appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use SCAN to listen to stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to a station, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning. The sound will mute while scanning. PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press AM FM to select the band. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press EQ to select the equalization. 5. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered button, the station you set will return and the equalization that you selected will also be automatically selected for that button. 6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

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PRESET SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for more than four seconds until the preset scan icon and the preset number appear on the display. You will hear a double beep. Use PRESET SCAN to listen to each of your preset stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to the first preset station stored on your pushbuttons, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next preset station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning presets. Preset scan will skip over presets where no station is being received at that time to prevent hearing static.

Setting the Tone TONE: Press and release this button until the desired tone control (BASS, MID or TREB) is found. The SELECT LED indicator will light to show that the tone control can be adjusted. When using BASS or MID, turn the SELECT knob clockwise to increase bass. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease bass. When using TREB, turn the SELECT knob clockwise to increase treble. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease treble. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble. To set all of the tone controls to the middle position, press and hold TONE until FLAT appears on the display.

EQ: This feature allows you to choose preset bass, mid and treble equalization settings designed for different individual listening tastes. Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting. Each time you press EQ, another setting will appear on the display. You can preset up to six equalization settings by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Use the TONE button and the SELECT knob to

select the desired equalization.

3. Press and hold EQ for two seconds. SELECT EQ # will appear on the display. The EQ icon will flash.

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

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

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

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

6. Repeat the steps for each EQ setting. EQ 5 has been

programmed for use with talk radio, but it can be preset to a different tone.

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

want to listen to,

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

national emergencies, and

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

TRAF: Press this button to receive traffic announcements. The traffic announcement brackets will appear on the display. TRAF will appear on the display if the tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements. If the current tuned station does not broadcast traffic announcements, the radio will seek to a station that does. When the radio finds a station that broadcasts traffic announcements, it will stop. If no station is found, NO TRAFFIC will appear on the display. When a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station or a related network station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape or compact disc is playing. If the cassette tape or compact disc player was being used, the tape or compact disc will stay in the player and resume play at the point where it stopped. INFO: If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. If the whole message does not appear on the display, parts of the message will appear every three seconds until the message is completed. To see the parts of the message faster than every three seconds, press this button again. A new group of words will appear on the display. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received.

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

PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite Program Types (PTYs). These buttons have factory PTY presets. You can set up to 12 PTYs (six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Press PROG TYPE, if it is not already on. 2. Press AM FM to select FM1 or FM2. 3. Turn the SELECT knob to select a PTY. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered button, the PTY you set will return.

5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton. ALERT!: This type of announcement warns of national or local emergencies. You will not be able to turn off alert announcements. ALERT! appears on the display when an alert announcement plays. When an alert announcement comes on the tuned radio station, you will hear it, even if the volume is muted or a cassette tape or compact disc is playing. If the cassette tape or compact disc player is playing, play will stop for the announcement and resume when the announcement is finished.

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ALTERNATE FREQUENCY: This feature allows the radio to switch to a stronger station with the same program type. Press and hold AM FM for two seconds to turn alternate frequency on. AF ON will appear on the display. The radio may switch to stronger stations. Press and hold AM FM again for two seconds to turn alternate frequency off. AF OFF will appear on the display. The radio will not switch to other stations.

Adjusting the Speakers BAL FADE: This button adjusts balance and fade. To adjust balance, press this button until BAL appears on the display. Turn the SELECT knob clockwise for the right speakers and counterclockwise for the left speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. To adjust fade, press this button until FAD appears on the display. Turn the SELECT knob clockwise to adjust the sound to the front speakers and counterclockwise for the rear speakers. The middle position balances the sound between the speakers. Press and hold this button for two seconds to return both fade and balance to the middle position.

Playing a Cassette Tape Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are up to 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than that are so thin they may not work well in this player. The longer side with the tape visible should face to the right. If the ignition is on, but the radio is off, the tape can be inserted and will begin playing. If you hear nothing but a garbled sound, the tape may not be in squarely. Press the eject button to remove the tape and start over. While the tape is playing, use the VOL, BAL FADE, TONE, EQ, SEEK and SCAN controls just as you do for the radio. The display will show TAPE and an arrow showing which side of the tape is playing. The tape player automatically begins playing the other side when it reaches the end of the tape. Your tape bias is set automatically when a metal or chrome tape is inserted. If you want to insert a tape when the ignition is off, first press the eject button or the RCL knob. If an error appears on the radio display, the tape won’t play because of an error.

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TIGHT TAPE is displayed when the tape is tight and the player can’t turn the tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with the open end down and try to turn the right hub counterclockwise with a pencil. Turn the tape over and repeat. If the hubs do not turn easily, your tape may be damaged and should not be used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is working properly. BROKEN TAPE is displayed when the tape is broken. Try a new tape. WRAPPED TAPE is displayed when the tape is wrapped around the tape head. Attempt to get the cassette out. Try a new tape. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be corrected, please contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. "" (1): Press this button to advance quickly to another part of the tape. Press the button again to return to playing speed. The radio will play the last selected station while the tape advances. You may select stations during FWD operation by using TUNE. While in FWD mode the display will show FREQ and FWD and two right arrows. If the radio is playing a RDS station the display will only show FREQ.

BY (2): Press this button to play the other side of the tape. AA (4): Press this button to reverse the tape rapidly. Press it again to return to playing speed. The radio will play the last selected station while the tape reverses. You may select stations during REV operation by using TUNE. D (6): Press this button to reduce background noise. DOLBY NR ON will appear on the display. Press it again to turn Dolby NR off. Dolby Noise Reduction is manufactured under a license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. EQ: Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting while playing a cassette. The equalization will be automatically set whenever you play a cassette tape. SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to search for the next or previous selection on the tape. Your tape must have at least three seconds of silence between each selection for SEEK to work. You can skip nine selections up or down on the tape. Choose how many selections you want to skip. Press the SEEK arrow that many times. The number of selections to be skipped will appear on the display.

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SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use SCAN to listen to each selection for a few seconds. The tape will go to the next selection, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next selection. Press this button again to stop scanning. The sound will mute and SCAN will appear on the display while scanning. The tape will scan in forward only. AM FM: Press this button to play the radio when a tape is in the player. The tape will stop but remain in the player. CD TAPE: With a compact disc in the player and the radio playing, press this button to play a compact disc. Press AM FM to return to the radio when a compact disc is playing. Press CD TAPE to switch between the tape and compact disc if both are loaded. The inactive tape or CD will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. The display will show tape and CD icons. If you have the optional CD changer and the CD changer is loaded, the CD-TAPE button will activate the changer and an icon will be lit in the display.

: Press this button to remove the tape. The radio will

play. Eject may be activated with either the ignition or radio off. Cassettes may be loaded with the radio and ignition off if this button is pressed first.

CLEAN PLAYER: If this message appears on the display, the cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to the tapes and player. See “Care of Your Cassette Tape Player” in the Index. After you clean the player, press and hold the eject button for five seconds to reset the CLEAN PLAYER indicator. The radio will display CLEANED to show the indicator was reset.

Playing a Compact Disc With the ignition on, insert a disc partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull it in and the disc should begin playing. If you want to insert a CD when the ignition is off, first press the eject button or the RCL knob. Inserting a CD with the radio off and the ignition on will start auto play. When the disc is inserted, the CD symbol will be displayed. If you select an EQ setting for your CD, it will be activated each time you play a CD. As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display.

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If CHECK CD appears on the radio display and the disc comes out, it could be that: D The road is too rough. The disc should play when the

road is smoother.

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

try again.

If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be corrected, please contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. "" (1): Press and hold this button to advance quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show elapsed time. RDM (3): Press this button to hear the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. RDM and the track number will appear on the display. AA (4): Press and hold this button to reverse quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. The display will show elapsed time.

EQ: Press EQ to select the desired preset equalization setting while playing a compact disc. The equalization will be automatically set whenever you play a compact disc. SEEK: Press the down arrow while playing a CD to go to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. Press the up arrow to go to the next track. If you hold the button or press it more than once, the player will continue moving backward or forward through the disc. SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use SCAN to listen to each selection for a few seconds. The disc will go to the next selection, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next selection. Press this button again to stop scanning. The sound will mute while scanning. SCAN and the track number will appear on the display. RCL: Press this button to see how long the current track has been playing. To change what is normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time), press the button until you see the display you want, then hold the button until the display flashes. While elapsed time is showing, CD TIME will appear on the display.

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Trunk-Mounted CD Changer (Option)

With the optional compact disc changer, you can play up to 12 discs continuously. Normal size discs may be played using the trays supplied in the magazine.

AM FM: Press this button to play the radio when a disc is in the player. CD TAPE: With a cassette tape in the player and the radio playing, press this button to play a cassette tape. Press AM FM to return to the radio when a cassette tape is playing. Press CD TAPE to switch between the tape and compact disc if both are loaded. The inactive tape or CD will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. The display will show tape and CD icons. If you have the optional CD changer and the CD changer is loaded, the CD TAPE button will activate the changer and an icon will be lit in the display.

: Press this button to remove the disc. The radio will play. Eject may be activated with either the ignition or radio off. CDs may be loaded with the radio and ignition off if this button is pressed first.

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

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You must first load the magazine with discs before you can play a compact disc. Each of the 12 trays holds one disc. Slide the button on the top of the magazine and pull gently on one of the trays. Load the trays from top to bottom, placing a disc on the tray label side up. If you load a disc label side down, the disc will not play and an error will occur. Gently push the tray back into the magazine slot until it locks into place. Repeat this procedure for loading up to 12 discs in the magazine.

Once you have loaded the discs in the magazine, slide open the door of the compact disc (CD) changer. Push the magazine into the changer in the direction of the arrow marked on top of the magazine.

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All of the CD functions are controlled by the radio buttons except for ejecting the magazine. Whenever a CD magazine with discs is loaded in the changer and the door is closed, the compact disc symbol will appear on the radio display. If the CD changer is checking the magazine for CDs, the compact disc symbol will flash on the display until the changer is ready to play. If CD changer mode is entered during initialization, LOADING will appear on the display. When a CD begins playing, a disc and track number will be displayed. The disc numbers are listed on the front of the magazine.

Compact Disc Changer Errors If an error appears on the display, an error has occurred and the compact disc temporarily cannot play. NO CD’S is displayed when the CD changer cartridge is empty. An empty magazine is inserted in the CD changer. Try the magazine again with a disc loaded on one of the trays. CHECK CD # could be displayed for the following: D The road is too rough. The disc should play when the

road is smoother.

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

try again.

Close the door by sliding it all the way to the right. When the door is closed, the changer will begin checking for discs in the magazine. This will continue for up to one and a half minutes depending on the number of discs loaded. To eject the magazine from the player, slide the CD changer door all the way open. The magazine will automatically eject. Remember to keep the door closed whenever possible to keep dirt and dust from getting inside the changer.

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CD DOOR OPEN is displayed when the CD changer door is left open. Completely close the changer door to restore normal operation. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, please contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem.

Playing a Compact Disc "" (1): Press and hold this button to advance quickly within a track. As the CD advances, elapsed time will be displayed to help you find the correct passage. BY (2): Press this button to select the next disc in the magazine. Each time you press PROG, the disc number on the radio display will go to that of the next available CD. RDM (3): Press this button to enter the multi-disc random play mode. RANDOM ALL will appear on the display. The tracks on all the discs will play in random order. Press and hold this button to enter the single-disc random play mode. RANDOM ONE will appear on the display and a chime will sound. The tracks on the current disc will play in random order. Press this button again to turn off the random feature and return to normal operation.

AA (4): Press and hold this button to reverse quickly within a track. As the CD reverses, elapsed time will be displayed with a flashing arrow to help you find the correct passage. (5): Press this button to select the previous disc in the magazine. Each time you press this button, the disc number on the radio display will go to that of the previous available CD. RCL: Press this button to see how long the current track has been playing. To change what is normally shown on the display (track or elapsed time), press the button until you see the display you want, then hold the button until the display flashes. While elapsed time is showing, CD TIME will appear on the display. SEEK: Press the down arrow while playing a CD to go to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. Press the up arrow to go to the next track. If the button is pressed more than once, the player will continue moving backward or forward through the disc.

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TRACK SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for two seconds until TRACK SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. You will hear the first few seconds of each track on the current disc. The sound will mute while scanning. The SCAN icon will be lit and the T will blink to indicate track scan mode. Press SEEK again to stop TRACK SCAN. DISC SCAN: Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows for four seconds until DISC SCAN appears on the display and you hear a double beep. You will hear the first few seconds of track one on each disc. The sound will mute while scanning. The SCAN icon will be lit and the D will blink to indicate disc scan mode. Press SEEK again to stop DISC SCAN. Theft-Deterrent Feature RDS Radios THEFTLOCKR is designed to discourage theft of your radio. The feature works automatically by learning a portion of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it will not operate and LOCKED will be displayed. With THEFTLOCK activated, your radio will not operate if stolen.

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

SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next higher or lower radio station and stay there.

If a cassette tape is playing, press the up arrow to search for the next selection on the tape. Press the down arrow to search for the previous selection on the tape. Your tape must have at least three seconds of silence between each selection for SEEK to work. If a compact disc is playing, press the up arrow to go to the start of the next track. Press the down arrow to go to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. If less than eight seconds have played, press the down arrow to go to the previous track.

AM FM: Press this button to select AM, FM1 or FM2. The band you select will be displayed. The frequency will also be displayed and, if the station is in stereo, the stereo indicator will also be displayed. If a cassette tape or compact disc is playing, the tape or disc will stop playing and the radio will play. PRE-SET: Press this button to hear the radio stations that are set on your pushbuttons. If a cassette tape is playing, press this button to play the other side of the tape. If a compact disc is playing in the CD changer, press this button to select the next loaded disc.

VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or decrease volume. PLAY: Press this button to play a cassette tape or compact disc when the radio is playing.

MUTE: Press this button to silence the system. Press it again, or any other radio button, to turn on the sound.

Understanding Radio Reception

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

FM Stereo FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to come and go.

Cellular Phone Usage Cellular phone usage may cause interference with your vehicle’s radio. This interference may occur when making or receiving phone calls, charging the phone’s battery or simply having the phone “on.” This interference is described as an increased level of static while listening to the radio. If you notice static while listening to the radio, unplug the cellular phone and turn it off.

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Tips About Your Audio System Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe sound level before your hearing adapts to it. To help avoid hearing loss or damage: D Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting. D Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably

and clearly.

NOTICE:

Before you add any sound equipment to your vehicle -- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile telephone or two-way radio -- be sure you can add what you want. If you can, it’s very important to do it properly.

NOTICE: (Continued)

NOTICE: (Continued)

Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, Delphi Delco Electronics radio or other systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has been added improperly. So, before adding sound equipment, check with your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone units.

Care of Your Cassette Tape Player A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may not operate properly or may cause failure of the tape player.

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Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every 50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLEAN PLAYER to indicate that you have used your tape player for 50 hours without resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears on the display, your cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a known good cassette to see if it is the tape or the tape player at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement in sound quality, clean the tape player. The recommended cleaning method for your cassette tape player is the use of a scrubbing action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. The recommended cleaning cassette is available through your dealer (GM Part No. 12344789). You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not eject on its own. A non-scrubbing action cleaner may not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner. The use of a non-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning cassette is not recommended.

After you clean the player, press and hold the eject button for five seconds to reset the CLEAN PLAYER indicator. The radio will display CLEANED to show the indicator was reset. Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette tape is in good condition before you have your tape player serviced. Care of Your Compact Discs Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge. Be sure never to touch the side without writing when handling discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Care of Your Compact Disc Player The use of CD lens cleaner discs is not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism.

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Diversity Antenna System Your AM-FM antennas are located in the front windshield and rear window. Be sure that the inside surfaces of the front windshield and rear window are not scratched and that the lines on the glass are not damaged. If the inside surfaces are damaged, they could interfere with radio reception. Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting. The metallic film in some tinting materials will interfere with or distort the incoming radio reception.

NOTICE:

Do not try to clear frost or other material from the inside of the rear window with a razor blade or anything else that is sharp. This may damage the rear defogger grid and affect your radio’s ability to pick up stations clearly. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.

If, when you turn on your rear window defogger, you hear static on your radio station, it could mean that a defogger grid line has been damaged. If this is true, the grid line must be repaired. If you choose to add an aftermarket cellular telephone to your vehicle, and the antenna needs to be attached to the glass, be sure that you do not damage the grid lines for the AM-FM antennas or place the cellular telephone antenna over the grid lines. Chime Level Adjustment The volume level of the vehicle’s chimes can be controlled by the radio. To change the volume level, press and hold pushbutton six with the ignition on and the radio power off. The chime volume level will change from the normal level to loud, and LOUD will be displayed on the radio. To change back to the default or normal setting, press and hold pushbutton six again. The chime level will change from the loud level to normal, and NORMAL will be displayed.

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Section 4 Your Driving and the Road

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

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Defensive Driving Drunken Driving Control of a Vehicle Braking Traction Control System (If Equipped) Steering Off-Road Recovery Passing Loss of Control Driving at Night

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

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Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means “always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do. Be ready for their mistakes. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. It’s the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task -- such as concentrating on a cellular telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on the floor -- makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them yourself. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life.

Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. See “Safety Belts” in the Index.

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Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: D Judgment D Muscular Coordination D Vision D Attentiveness. Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking and driving. In recent years, about 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured. Many adults -- by some estimates, nearly half the adult population -- choose never to drink alcohol, so they never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it’s against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical, psychological and developmental reasons for these laws.

The obvious way to solve the leading highway safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But what if people do? How much is “too much” if the driver plans to drive? It’s a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon four things: D The amount of alcohol consumed D The drinker’s body weight D The amount of food that is consumed before and

during drinking

D The length of time it has taken the drinker to

consume the alcohol.

According to the American Medical Association, a 180-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same BAC by drinking three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.

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Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same body weight when each has the same number of drinks. The law in many U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC of 0.10 percent. In a growing number of U.S. states, and throughout Canada, the limit is 0.08 percent. In some other countries, it’s even lower. The BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them. But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. 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!

It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level. There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative percentage of body water than men.

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The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer. What if there’s an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision. There’s something else about drinking and driving that many people don’t know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord or heart. This means that when anyone who has been drinking -- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the person had not been drinking.

CAUTION:

Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You can have a serious -- or even fatal -- collision if you drive after drinking. Please don’t drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you’re with a group, designate a driver who will not drink.

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Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road.

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

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Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That’s perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That’s reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts -- heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking -- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push.

Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is going on, and you may even notice that your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.

United States

Canada

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

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The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.

Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here’s what happens with ABS. A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at both rear wheels.

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

Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have anti-lock brakes. Using Anti-Lock Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but this is normal. Braking in Emergencies With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking.

Traction Control System (If Equipped) Your vehicle may have a traction control system that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it senses that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system works the front brakes and reduces engine power to limit wheel spin. You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may reengage the cruise control. See “Cruise Control” in the Index.

This light should come on briefly when you start the engine. If it stays on or comes on while you are driving, there’s a problem with your traction control system.

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See “Traction Control System Warning Light” in the Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. The traction control system automatically comes on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system on. But you can turn the traction control system off if you ever need to. You should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is required. See “Rocking Your Vehicle” in the Index.

To turn the system off, press the TRACTION CONTROL button located on the console next to the gear shift selector.

The traction control system warning light in the instrument cluster will come on and stay on. If the system is limiting wheel spin when you press the button, the warning light will come on -- 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 pressing the button again. The traction control system warning light should go off. The switch indicator light should go back on. Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. Magnetic-Speed Variable Assist Steering (Option) Your vehicle may have this optional steering system that continuously adjusts the effort you feel when steering at all vehicle speeds. It provides ease when parking, yet a firm, solid feel at highway speeds.

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Steering Tips

Driving on Curves It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here’s why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems -- steering and acceleration -- have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. Refer to “Traction Control” in the Index.

What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down. If you have StabilitrakR, you may see the STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information Center. See “Stability System Active Message” in the Index. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.

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Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking -- if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time for evasive action -- steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. See “Braking in Emergencies” earlier in this section. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available.

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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’re 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: D “Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to crossroads for situations that might affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time.

D Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.

If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.

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

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

start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity.

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

D Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.)

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

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

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

D If you’re being passed, make it easy for the

following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.

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Loss of Control Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If you have the traction control system, remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If you do not have traction control, 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 you have StabilitrakR, you may see the STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information Center. See “Stability System Active Message” in the Index. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,