2008 Pontiac Solstice Owners Manual

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3-38 FUEL RANGE Press the information button until FUEL RANGE displays. This mode shows the remaining distance you can drive without refueling in either miles (mi) or kilometers (km). It is based on fuel economy and the fuel remaining in the tank. When the fuel level is low, FUEL RANGE LOW displays. The fuel economy data used to determine fuel range is an average of recent driving conditions. As your driving conditions change, this data is gradually updated. The FUEL RANGE mode cannot be reset. MPG (L/100 KM) AVG (Average) Press the information button until MPG (L/100 KM) AVG displays. This mode shows how many miles per gallon (mpg) or liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) your vehicle is getting based on current and past driving conditions. To reset the average fuel economy, press and hold the reset button while MPG (L/100 KM) AVG is displayed. Average fuel economy is then calculated starting from that point. If the average fuel economy is not reset, it is continually updated each time you drive. MPG (L/100 KM) INST (Instantaneous) Press the information button until MPG (L/100 KM) INST displays. This mode shows the current fuel economy at a particular moment and changes frequently as driving conditions change. This mode shows the instantaneous fuel economy in miles per gallon (mpg) or liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km). Unlike average fuel economy, this screen cannot be reset. AV (Average) SPEED Press the information button until AV SPEED displays. This mode shows the vehicle’s average speed in miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per hour (km/h). To reset the average vehicle speed, press and hold the reset button while AV SPEED is displayed. OIL LIFE Press the information button until OIL LIFE displays. The engine oil life system shows an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful life. It shows 100% when the system is reset after an oil change. It alerts you to change the oil on a schedule consistent with your driving conditions. In addition to the engine oil life system monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this manual. See Engine Oil on page 5-15 and Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4. Always reset the engine oil life system after an oil change. See “How to Reset the Engine Oil Life System” under Engine Oil Life System on page 5-19. COOLANT Press the information button until COOLANT displays. This mode shows the temperature of the engine coolant in either degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or degrees Celsius (°C). Tire Pressure The pressure for each tire can be viewed in the DIC. The tire pressure is shown in either pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa). Press the information button until LF ## PSI (kPa) ## RF displays for the front tires. Press the information button again until LR ## PSI (kPa) ## RR displays for the rear tires. If a low tire pressure condition is detected by the system while driving, a message advising you to check the tire pressure appears in the display. See Inﬂation - Tire Pressure on page 5-58 and DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40 for more information. BOOST (Turbo Only) If your vehicle has this feature, press the information button until BOOST displays. This mode shows a graphic that indicates the amount of boost the engine is receiving in either pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa). 3-39 DIC Warnings and Messages These messages appear if there is a problem detected in one of your vehicle’s systems. A message clears when the vehicle’s condition is no longer present. To acknowledge a message and clear it from the display, press and hold any of the DIC buttons. If the condition is still present, the warning message comes back on the next time the vehicle is turned off and back on. With most messages, a warning chime sounds when the message displays. Your vehicle may have other warning messages. AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS OFF This message displays if the automatic headlamp system is disabled with the headlamp switch. AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS ON This message displays if the automatic headlamp system is enabled with the headlamp switch. BRAKE FLUID This message displays, while the ignition is on, when the brake ﬂuid level is low. The brake system warning light on the instrument panel cluster also comes on. See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-27 for more information. Have the brake system serviced by your dealer/retailer as soon as possible. 3-40 CHANGE OIL SOON This message displays when the life of the engine oil has expired and it should be changed. When this message is acknowledged and cleared from the display, the engine oil life system must still be reset separately. See Engine Oil Life System on page 5-19 and Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4 for more information. CHECK GAS CAP This message displays if the fuel cap has not been fully tightened. Recheck the fuel cap to make sure that it is on properly. A few driving trips with the cap properly installed should turn the message off. CHECK TIRE PRESS (Pressure) This message displays when the pressure in one or more of the vehicle’s tires needs to be checked. If a tire pressure message appears on the DIC, stop as soon as you can. Have the tire pressures checked and set to those shown on the Tire Loading Information label. See Tires on page 5-51, Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-24, and Inﬂation - Tire Pressure on page 5-58. The DIC also shows the tire pressure values. See DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-38. If the tire pressure is low, the low tire pressure warning light comes on. See Tire Pressure Light on page 3-31. COMPETITIVE MODE If your vehicle has this feature, this message displays when the Competitive Driving mode is selected. The Traction Control System (TCS) will not be operating while in the Competitive Driving mode and the ESC/TCS light on the instrument panel cluster will be on solid. Adjust your driving accordingly. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/ Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. CRUISE ENGAGED This message displays when the cruise control system is active. See Cruise Control on page 3-10 for more information. DOOR AJAR This message displays if one or more of the vehicle’s doors are not closed properly. Make sure that the door(s) are closed completely. ENGINE DISABLED This message displays if the starting of the engine is disabled. Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer immediately. ESC (Electronic Stability Control) ACTIVE If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on the instrument panel cluster ﬂashes when ESC is assisting you with directional control of the vehicle. You may feel or hear the system working and see this message displayed in the DIC. Slippery road conditions may exist when this message is displayed, so adjust your driving accordingly. This message may stay on for a few seconds after ESC stops assisting you with directional control of the vehicle. This is normal when the system is operating. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/ Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. ESC (Electronic Stability Control) NOT READY If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), this message may display brieﬂy after starting the vehicle if the system’s sensors are not yet calibrated. The system is not functional until the message stops displaying. Adjust your driving accordingly. When the message is no longer displayed, the system is functional. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9 for more information. 3-41 ESC (Electronic Stability Control) OFF If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on the instrument panel cluster comes on solid when ESC is turned off. Adjust your driving accordingly. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. KEY FOB BATT (Battery) LOW This message displays if the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter battery is low. Replace the battery in the transmitter. See “Battery Replacement” under Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 2-4. LEARN COMPLETE On vehicles without the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) system, this message displays when the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) has completed the tire learning process. See Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-59 for more information. LOW TRACTION If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS), this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on the instrument panel cluster ﬂashes when the system is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery road conditions may exist if this message is displayed, so adjust your driving accordingly. This message stays on for a few seconds after the system stops limiting wheel spin. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. PARKING BRAKE This message displays if the parking brake is left engaged. See Parking Brake on page 2-25 for more information. SERVICE AIR BAG This message displays when there is a problem with the airbag system. Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer immediately. 3-42 SERVICE ESC (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), this message displays and a chime sounds if there has been a problem detected with ESC. The ESC/TCS light also appears on the instrument panel cluster. This light stays on solid as long as the detected problem remains present. When this message displays, the system is not working. Adjust your driving accordingly. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. If this message turns on while you are driving, pull off the road as soon as possible and stop carefully. Try resetting the system by turning the ignition off and then back on. If this message still stays on or turns back on again while you are driving, your vehicle needs service. Have the ESC inspected by your dealer/retailer as soon as possible. SERVICE TRACTION If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS), this message displays and a chime sounds when the system is not functioning properly. The ESC/TCS light also appears on the instrument panel cluster. This light stays on solid as long as the detected problem remains present. When this message displays, the system is not working. Adjust your driving accordingly. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. Have the TCS serviced by your dealer/retailer as soon as possible. SVC (Service) BRAKE SYSTEM This message may display if you have a turbocharged vehicle with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and if the hydraulic brake boost is not working or is working improperly. Have the brake system serviced by your dealer/retailer as soon as possible. 3-43 SVC (Service) TIRE MONITOR This message displays if a part on the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) is not working properly. The tire pressure light also ﬂashes and then remains on during the same ignition cycle. See Tire Pressure Light on page 3-31. Several conditions may cause this message to appear. See Tire Pressure Monitor Operation on page 5-61 for more information. If the warning comes on and stays on, there may be a problem with the TPMS. See your dealer/retailer. TIRE LEARN ON On vehicles without the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) system, this message displays when the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) is re-learning the tire positions on your vehicle. The tire positions must be re-learned after rotating the tires or after replacing a tire or sensor. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on page 5-65, Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-59, and Inﬂation - Tire Pressure on page 5-58 for more information. TRACTION OFF If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS), this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on the instrument panel cluster comes on solid when the TCS is turned off. Adjust your driving accordingly. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. TRUNK AJAR This message displays when the trunk is not closed completely. Make sure that the trunk is closed completely. See Trunk on page 2-9 and Trunk Ajar Light on page 3-36. DIC Vehicle Personalization Your vehicle has personalization capabilities that allow you to program certain features to a preferred setting. All of the features listed may not be available on your vehicle. Only the features available will be displayed on the DIC. 3-44 The default settings for the features were set when your vehicle left the factory, but may have been changed from their default state since that time. To change feature settings, use the following procedure: Entering Personalization Menu 1. Turn the ignition on while the vehicle is stopped. To avoid excessive drain on the battery, it is recommended that the headlamps are turned off. 2. Press and hold the information and reset buttons at the same time for one second, then release to enter the personalization menu. If the vehicle speed is greater than 2 mph (3 km/h), only the UNITS menu will be accessible. 3. Press the information button to scroll through the available personalization menu modes. Press the reset button to scroll through the available settings for each mode. If you do not make a selection within ten seconds, the display will go back to the previous information displayed. Personalization Menu Modes OIL LIFE RESET When this feature is displayed, you can reset the engine oil life system. To reset the system, see Engine Oil Life System on page 5-19. See “OIL LIFE” under DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-38 for more information. UNITS This feature allows you to select the units of measurement in which the DIC will display the vehicle information. When UNITS appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: ENGLISH (default in United States): All information will be displayed in English units. METRIC (default in Canada): All information will be displayed in metric units. To select a setting and move on to the next feature, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. 3-45 TIRE LEARN? This mode is available on vehicles without the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) system. After rotating the tires or after replacing a tire or sensor, the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) must re-learn the tire positions. To re-learn the tire positions, see Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-59. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on page 5-65 and DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40 for more information. LOCK HORN If your vehicle has Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), this feature, which allows the vehicle’s horn to chirp every time the lock button on the RKE transmitter is pressed, can be enabled or disabled. When LOCK HORN appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: OFF (default): The horn will not chirp on the ﬁrst press of the lock button on the RKE transmitter. The horn will still chirp on the second press. ON: The horn will chirp on the ﬁrst press of the lock button on the RKE transmitter. See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 2-4 for more information. To select a setting and move on to the next feature, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. UNLOCK HORN If your vehicle has Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), this feature, which allows the vehicle’s horn to chirp on the ﬁrst press of the unlock button on the RKE transmitter, can be enabled or disabled. When UNLOCK HORN appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: OFF (default): The horn will not chirp when the unlock button on the RKE transmitter is pressed. ON: The horn will chirp on the ﬁrst press of the unlock button on the RKE transmitter. See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 2-4 for more information. To select a setting and move on to the next feature, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. 3-46 LIGHT FLASH If your vehicle has Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), this feature, which allows the vehicle’s exterior hazard/turn signal lighting to ﬂash every time the lock, unlock, or trunk release buttons on the RKE transmitter are pressed, can be enabled or disabled. When LIGHT FLASH appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: OFF: The exterior hazard/turn signal lighting will not ﬂash when the lock, unlock, or trunk release buttons on the RKE transmitter are pressed. ON (default): The exterior hazard/turn signal lighting will ﬂash when the lock, unlock, or trunk release buttons on the RKE transmitter are pressed. See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 2-4 for more information. To select a setting and move on to the next feature, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. AUTO UNLK (Unlock) This feature, which allows the vehicle to automatically unlock certain doors, can be enabled or disabled. When AUTO UNLK appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: ALL (default): All of the doors will automatically unlock. DRIVER: The driver’s door will automatically unlock. NONE: None of the doors will automatically unlock. You will need to manually unlock the doors. If you have a manual transmission vehicle, the door(s) will automatically unlock when the key is turned off. If you have an automatic transmission vehicle, you can select when the automatic unlocking will occur. See “UNLK (Unlock) (Automatic Transmission Only)” following. See Automatic Door Unlock on page 2-8 for more information. To select a setting and move on to the next feature, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. 3-47 UNLK (Unlock) (Automatic Transmission Only) This screen displays only if your vehicle has an automatic transmission and DRIVER or ALL is selected for the AUTO UNLK feature. This feature determines when the automatic door unlocking will occur. When UNLK appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: KEY OFF: The door(s) will unlock when the key is turned off. SHIFT TO P (Park) (default): The door(s) will unlock when the vehicle is shifted into PARK (P). See Automatic Door Unlock on page 2-8 for more information. To select a setting and move on to the next feature, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. EXT (Exterior) LIGHTS If your vehicle has Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), this feature, which allows the vehicle’s exterior perimeter lighting to turn on each time the unlock button on the RKE transmitter is pressed, can be enabled or disabled. When EXT LIGHTS appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: OFF: The exterior perimeter lighting will not turn on when the unlock button on the RKE transmitter is pressed. ON (default): The exterior perimeter lighting will turn on when the unlock button on the RKE transmitter is pressed. See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 2-4 for more information. To select a setting and move on to the next feature, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. 3-48 LANGUAGE This feature allows you to select the language in which the DIC will display. When LANGUAGE appears on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least one second to scroll through the available settings: ENGLISH (default): All messages will appear in English. FRENCH: All messages will appear in French. SPANISH: All messages will appear in Spanish. GERMAN: All messages will appear in German. To select a setting and exit out of the personalization menu mode, press the information button while the desired setting is displayed on the DIC. Exiting Personalization Menu The personalization menu will be exited when any of the following conditions occur: (cid:129) A ten second time period has elapsed. The ignition is turned off. The end of the personalization menu list is reached. Audio System(s) Determine which radio your vehicle has and then read the pages following to familiarize yourself with its features. {CAUTION: This system provides you with far greater access to audio stations and song listings. Giving extended attention to entertainment tasks while driving can cause a crash and you or others can be injured or killed. Always keep your eyes on the road and your mind on the drive — avoid engaging in extended searching while driving. Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe driving. See Defensive Driving on page 4-2. Here are some ways in which you can help avoid distraction while driving. While your vehicle is parked: Familiarize yourself with all of its controls. Familiarize yourself with its operation. 3-49 (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) Set up your audio system by presetting your favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite radio stations using the presets and steering wheel controls if the vehicle has them. Notice: Before adding any sound equipment to your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player, CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make sure that it can be added by checking with your dealer/retailer. Also, check federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone units. If sound equipment can be added, it is very important to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or other systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has been added. Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can be played even after the ignition is turned off. See Retained Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-20 for more information. Setting the Time Without Date Display AM/FM Base Radio with a Single CD Player This type of radio has a H (clock) button for setting the time. You can set the time by following these steps: 1. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN. Press the O(power) knob, located in the center of the radio, to turn the radio on. 2. Press the H button until the hour begins ﬂashing on the display. Press the H button a second time and the minute begins ﬂashing on the display. 3. While either the hour or the minute numbers are ﬂashing, turn the f (tune) knob, located on the upper right side of the radio, clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the time. 4. Press the H button again until the clock display stops ﬂashing to set the currently displayed time; otherwise, the ﬂashing stops after ﬁve seconds and the current time displayed is automatically set. 3-50 To change the time default setting from 12 hour to 24 hour, press the H button and then the pushbutton located under the forward arrow label. Once the time 12H and 24H are displayed, press the pushbutton located under the desired option to select the default. Press the H button again to apply the selected default, or let the screen time out. With Date Display Single CD (MP3) Player This type of radio has a H button for setting the time and date. To set the time and date, follow these instructions: 1. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN. Press the O knob, located in the center of the radio, to turn the radio on. 2. Press the H button and the HR, MIN, MM, DD, YYYY (hour, minute, month, day, and year) displays. 3. Press the pushbutton located under any one of the labels that you want to change. Every time the pushbutton is pressed again, the time or the date if selected, increases by one. (cid:129) Another way to increase the time or date, is to press the right ¨ SEEK arrow or \FWD button. To decrease the time or date, press the left © SEEK arrow or s REV button, or turn the f knob, located on the upper right side of the radio. The date does not automatically display. To see the date press the H button while the radio is on. The date with display times out after a few seconds and goes back to the normal radio and time display. 3-51 (cid:129) The date does not automatically display. To see the date press the MENU button and then the H button while the radio is on. The date with display times out after a few seconds and goes back to the normal radio and time display. To change the time default setting from 12 hour to 24 hour or to change the date default setting from month/day/year to day/month/year, follow these instructions: 1. Press the H button and then the pushbutton located under the forward arrow label. Once the time 12H and 24H, and the date MM/DD/YYYY (month, day, and year) and DD/MM/YYYY (day, month, and year) displays. 2. Press the pushbutton located under the desired option. 3. Press the H or MENU button again to apply the selected default, or let the screen time out. Six-Disc CD (MP3) Player This type of radio has a MENU button instead of the H button to set the time and date. To set the time and date, follow these instructions: 1. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN. Press the Oknob, located in the center of the radio, to turn the radio on. 2. Press the MENU button. Once the clock option is displayed. 3. Press the pushbutton located under that label. The HR, MIN, MM, DD, YYYY displays. 4. Press the pushbutton located under any one of the labels you want to change. Every time the pushbutton is pressed again, the time or the date if selected, increases by one. (cid:129) Another way to increase the time or date, is to press the right ¨ SEEK arrow or \FWD button. To decrease the time or date, press the left © SEEK arrow or s REV button, or turn the f knob, located on the upper right side of the radio. 3-52 (cid:129) Radio(s) Radio with CD (Base) Radio with CD (MP3) shown, Radio with Six-Disc CD (MP3) similar Radio Data System (RDS) Your radio may have a Radio Data System (RDS). The RDS feature is available for use only on FM stations that broadcast RDS information. This system relies upon receiving speciﬁc information from these stations and only works when the information is available. While the radio is tuned to an FM-RDS station, the station name or call letters display. In rare cases, a radio station can broadcast incorrect information that causes the radio features to work improperly. If this happens, contact the radio station. 3-53 Playing the Radio O(Power/Volume): Press this knob to turn the system on and off. Turn this knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume. Speed Compensated Volume (SCV): Radios with the Speed Compensated Volume (SCV) feature will automatically adjust the radio volume to compensate for road and wind noise as the vehicle’s speed changes while driving, so that the volume level is consistent. To activate SCV: 1. Set the radio volume to the desired level. 2. Press the MENU button to display the radio setup menu. 3. Press the pushbutton under the AUTO VOLUM (automatic volume) label on the radio display. 4. Press the pushbutton under the desired Speed Compensated Volume setting (OFF, Low, Med, or High) to select the level of radio volume compensation. The display times out after approximately 10 seconds. Each higher setting allows for more radio volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds. 3-54 Finding a Station BAND: Press this button to switch between FM1 and FM2, AM, or XM™ (if equipped). The selection displays. f (Tune): Turn to select radio stations. ©SEEK ¨: Press the arrows to go to the previous or to the next station and stay there. To scan stations, press and hold either arrow for a few seconds until a beep sounds. The radio goes to a station, plays for a few seconds, then goes on to the next station. Press either arrow again to stop scanning. The radio only seeks and scans stations with a strong signal that are in the selected band. 4 (Information) (Radio with CD (Base)): Press to switch the display between the radio station frequency and the time. While the ignition is off, press this button to display the time. 4 (Information) (XM™ Satellite Radio Service, MP3, and RDS Features): Press to display additional text information related to the current FM-RDS or XM™ station, or MP3 song. A choice of additional information such as: Channel, Song, Artist, and CAT (category) can display. Continue pressing to highlight the desired label, or press the pushbutton positioned under any one of the labels and the information about that label displays. While information is not available, No Info displays. Setting Preset Stations (Radio with CD (Base)) Up to 18 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM), can be programmed on the six numbered pushbuttons, by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press BAND to select FM1, FM2, or AM. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons for three seconds until a beep sounds. When that pushbutton is pressed and released, the station that was set, returns. 5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for each pushbutton. Storing a Radio Station as a Favorite Drivers are encouraged to set up their radio station favorites while the vehicle is parked. Tune to your favorite stations using the presets, favorites button, and steering wheel controls if the vehicle has this feature. See Defensive Driving on page 4-2. FAV (Favorites): A maximum of 36 stations can be programmed as favorites using the six pushbuttons positioned below the radio station frequency labels and by using the radio favorites page button (FAV button). Press the FAV button to go through up to six pages of favorites, each having six favorite stations available per page. Each page of favorites can contain any combination of AM, FM, or XM™ (if equipped) stations. To store a station as a favorite, perform the following steps: 1. Tune to the desired radio station. 2. Press the FAV button to display the page where you want the station stored. 3. Press and hold one of the six pushbuttons until a beep sounds. When that pushbutton is pressed and released, the station that was set, returns. 4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton radio station you want stored as a favorite. The number of favorites pages can be setup using the MENU button. To setup the number of favorites pages, perform the following steps: 1. Press the MENU button to display the radio setup menu. 2. Press the pushbutton located below the FAV 1 through 6 label. 3. Select the desired number of favorites pages by pressing the pushbutton located below the displayed page numbers. 4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the original main radio screen showing the radio station frequency labels and to begin the process of programming your favorites for the chosen amount of numbered pages. 3-55 Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) (Radio with CD (Base)) BASS/TREB (Bass/Treble): To adjust the bass or treble, press the f knob or the BASS/TREBLE pushbutton until the desired tone control label displays. Turn the f knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the setting. The current bass or treble level displays. If a station’s frequency is weak, or has static, decrease the treble. EQ (Equalization): Press to adjust BASS and TREBLE Settings. Setting the Tone (Bass/Midrange/Treble) BASS/MID/TREB (Bass, Midrange, or Treble): To adjust bass, midrange, or treble, press the f knob until the tone control labels display. Continue pressing to highlight the desired label, or press the pushbutton positioned under the desired label. Turn the f knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the highlighted setting. The highlighted setting can be adjusted by pressing either SEEK arrow, \FWD (forward), or sREV (reverse) button until the desired levels are obtained. If a station’s frequency is weak, or has static, decrease the treble. To quickly adjust bass, midrange, or treble to the middle position, press the pushbutton positioned under the BASS, MID, or TREB label for more than two seconds. A beep sounds and the level adjusts to the middle position. To quickly adjust all tone and speaker controls to the middle position, press the f knob for more than two seconds until a beep sounds. EQ (Equalization): Press to select preset equalization settings. To return to the manual mode, press until Manual displays or start to manually adjust the bass, midrange, or treble by pressing the f knob. Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) (Radio with CD (Base)) ` BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To adjust the balance or fade, press this button or the f knob until the desired speaker control label displays. Turn the f knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the setting. 3-56 Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) Finding a Category (CAT) Station BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To adjust balance or fade, press the f knob until the speaker control labels display. Continue pressing to highlight the desired label, or press the pushbutton positioned under the desired label. Turn the f knob clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the highlighted setting. The highlighted setting can be adjusted by pressing either SEEK arrow, \FWD, or sREV button until the desired levels are obtained. To quickly adjust balance or fade to the middle position, press the pushbutton positioned under the BAL or FADE label for more than two seconds. A beep sounds and the level adjusts to the middle position. To quickly adjust all speaker and tone controls to the middle position, press the f knob for more than two seconds until a beep sounds. CAT (Category): The CAT button is used to ﬁnd XM™ stations while the radio is in the XM™ mode. To ﬁnd XM™ channels within a desired category, perform the following: 1. Press the BAND button until the XM™ frequency is displayed. Press the CAT button to display the category labels on the radio display. Continue pressing the CAT button until the desired category name displays. 2. Press either of the two buttons below the desired category label to immediately tune to the ﬁrst XM™ station associated with that category. 3. Turn the tune knob, press the buttons below the right or left arrows displayed, or press the SEEK arrows to go to the previous or to the next XM™ station within the selected category. 4. To exit the category search mode, press the FAV button or BAND button to display your favorites again. 3-57 Undesired XM™ categories can be removed through the setup menu. To remove an undesired category, perform the following: 1. Press the MENU button to display the radio setup menu. 2. Press the pushbutton located below the XM CAT label. 3. Turn the f knob to display the category you want removed. 4. Press the pushbutton located under the Remove label until the category name along with the word Removed displays. 5. Repeat the steps to remove more categories. Removed categories can be restored by pressing the pushbutton under the Add label when a removed category displays or by pressing the pushbutton under the Restore All label. Categories cannot be removed or added while the vehicle is moving faster than 5 mph (8 km/h). 3-58 Radio Messages Calibration Error: The audio system has been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If Calibration Error displays, it means that the radio has not been conﬁgured properly for your vehicle and it must be returned to your dealer/retailer for service. Loc or Locked: This message displays when the THEFTLOCK® system has locked up the radio. Take the vehicle to your dealer/retailer for service. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer/retailer. XM™ Satellite Radio Service XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in the 48 contiguous United States and 10 Canadian provinces. XM™ Satellite Radio has a wide variety of programming and commercial-free music, coast-to-coast, and in digital-quality sound. During your trial or when you subscribe, you will get unlimited access to XM™ Radio Online for when you are not in your vehicle. A service fee is required to receive the XM™ service. For more information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or call 1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and www.xmradio.ca or call 1-877-438-9677 in Canada. Radio Messages for XM Only See XM Radio Messages on page 3-67 later in this section for further detail. Playing a CD (Single CD Player) Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls it in and the CD should begin playing. Playing a CD(s) (Six-Disc CD Player) LOAD ^: Press this button to load CDs into the CD player. This CD player holds up to six CDs. To insert one CD, do the following: 1. Press and release the ^ button. 2. Wait for the message to insert the disc. 3. Load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls the CD in. To insert multiple CDs, do the following: 1. Press and hold the ^ button for two seconds. A beep sounds and Load All Discs displays. 2. Follow the displayed instruction on when to insert the discs. The CD player takes up to six CDs. 3. Press the ^ button again to cancel loading more CDs. If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD starts playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol displays on the CD. As each new track starts to play, the track number displays. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. Care of Your CDs If playing a CD-R, the sound quality can be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. Handle them carefully. Store CD-R(s) in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD does not play properly or not at all. Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while handling it; this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process starts from the center to the edge. If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. 3-59 If a label is added to a CD, or more than Care of Your CD Player Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen instead. The use of CD lens cleaners for CDs is not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD player mechanism. Notice: one CD is inserted into the slot at a time, or an attempt is made to play scratched or damaged CDs, the CD player could be damaged. While using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris. If an error displays, see “CD Messages” later in this section. Z EJECT: Press to eject CD(s). To eject the CD that is currently playing, press and release this button. A beep sounds and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc displays. The CD can be removed. If the CD is not removed after several seconds, the CD automatically pulls back into the player and begins playing. For the Six-Disc CD player, press and hold this button for two seconds to eject all discs. f (Tune): Turn to select tracks on the CD currently playing. ©SEEK ¨: Press the left arrow to go to the start of the current track, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right arrow to go to the next track. If either arrow is held, or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through the tracks on the CD. sREV (Reverse): Press and hold to reverse playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. \FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold to advance playback quickly. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release to resume playing the track. The elapsed time of the track displays. 3-60 RDM (Random): With the random setting, you can listen to the tracks in random, rather than sequential order, on one CD or all CDs in a six-disc CD player. To use random on the Radio with CD (Base), do one of the following: 1. Press to play tracks from the CD you are listening to in random order. The random icon displays. 2. Press again to turn off random play. The random icon disappears from the display. To use random on the Radio with CD (MP3) or the Radio with Six-Disc player, do one of the following: (cid:129) Press the CD/AUX button, or for a single CD player, insert a disc partway into the slot of the CD player. A RDM label displays. To play the tracks from the single CD in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Random Current Disc displays. Press the pushbutton again to turn off random play. (cid:129) Press the CD/AUX button, or for a six-disc CD player, press and hold the LOAD ^button. A beep sounds and Load All Discs displays. Insert one or more discs partway into the slot of the CD player. To play tracks from all CDs loaded in a six-disc CD player in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Randomize All Discs displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play. RPT (Repeat): For Radios with CD (Base), one track can be repeated by using the repeat setting. To repeat the track you are listening to, press and release the RPT button. An arrow symbol displays. Press RPT again to turn off repeat play. 4 (Information) (Radio with CD (Base)): Press to switch the display between the track number, elapsed time of the track, and the time. When the ignition is off, press this button to display the time. BAND: Press to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press to play a CD while listening to the radio. The CD icon and a message showing disc and/or track number displays when a CD is in the player. Press again and the system automatically searches for an auxiliary input device, such as a portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, “No Aux Input Device” displays. Playing an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW Disc Radios with the MP3 feature are capable of playing an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc. For more information on how to play an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc, see Using an MP3 on page 3-63 later in this section. 3-61 CD Messages CHECK DISC: If an error message displays and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. (cid:129) You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smoother, the CD should play. The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. There could have been a problem while burning the CD. The label could be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer/retailer. If the radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer/retailer while reporting the problem. Using the Auxiliary Input Jack Your radio system has an auxiliary input jack located on the lower right side of the faceplate. This is not an audio output; do not plug the headphone set into 3-62 the front auxiliary input jack. You can however, connect an external audio device such as an iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD changer, or cassette tape player, etc. to the auxiliary input jack for use as another source for audio listening. Drivers are encouraged to set up any auxiliary device while the vehicle is in PARK (P). See Defensive Driving on page 4-2 for more information on driver distraction. To use a portable audio player, connect a 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) cable to the radio’s front auxiliary input jack. When a device is connected, press the radio CD/AUX button to begin playing audio from the device over the vehicle speakers. O(Power/Volume): Turn clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume of the portable player. Additional volume adjustments might need to be made from the portable device. BAND: Press to listen to the radio while a portable audio device is playing. The portable audio device continues to play, so you might want to stop it or turn it off. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press to play a CD while a portable audio device is playing. Press again and the system begins to play audio from the connected portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, “No Aux Input Device” displays. (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) Using an MP3 MP3 CD-R or CD-RW Disc The radio plays MP3 ﬁles that were recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. The ﬁles can be recorded with the following ﬁxed bit rates: 32 kbps, 40 kbps, 56 kbps, 64 kbps, 80 kbps, 96 kbps, 112 kbps, 128 kbps, 160 kbps, 192 kbps, 224 kbps, 256 kbps, and 320 kbps or a variable bit rate. Song title, artist name, and album can display when recorded using ID3 tags version 1 and 2. Compressed Audio The radio also plays discs that contain both uncompressed CD audio (.CDA ﬁles) and MP3 ﬁles. By default the radio reads only the uncompressed audio and ignores the MP3 ﬁles. Pressing the CAT (category) button toggles between compressed and uncompressed audio format. MP3 Format If you burn your own MP3 disc on a personal computer: (cid:129) Make sure the MP3 ﬁles are recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. (cid:129) Do not mix standard audio and MP3 ﬁles on one disc. (cid:129) Make sure the CD does not have more than a maximum of 50 folders, 50 playlists, and 255 ﬁles to read and play. (cid:129) Create a folder structure that makes it easy to ﬁnd songs while driving. Organize songs by albums using one folder for each album. Each folder or album should contain 18 songs or less. (cid:129) Avoid subfolders. The system can support up to 8 subfolders deep, however, keep the total number of folders to a minimum in order to reduce the complexity and confusion in trying to locate a particular folder during playback. (cid:129) Make sure playlists have a .mp3 or .wpl extension (other ﬁle extensions might not work). (cid:129) Minimize the length of the ﬁle, folder, or playlist names. Long ﬁle, folder, or playlist names, or a combination of a large number of ﬁles and folders, or playlists can cause the player to be unable to play up to the maximum number of ﬁles, folders, playlists, or sessions. If you wish to play a large number of ﬁles, folders, playlists, or sessions, minimize the length of the ﬁle, folder, or playlist name. Long names also take up more space on the display, and might not fully display. Finalize the audio disc before you burn it. Trying to add music to an existing disc can cause the disc not to function in the player. 3-63 (cid:129) Playlists can be changed by using the previous and next folder buttons, the tuner knob, or the seek buttons. An MP3 CD-R or CD-RW that was recorded using no ﬁle folders can also be played. If a CD-R or CD-RW contains more than the maximum of 50 folders, 50 playlists, and 255 ﬁles, the player lets you access and navigate up to the maximum, but all items over the maximum are not accessible. Root Directory The root directory of the CD-R or CD-RW is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio ﬁles, the directory displays as F1 ROOT. All ﬁles contained directly under the root directory are accessed prior to any root directory folders. However, playlists (Px) are always accessed before root folders or ﬁles. Empty Directory or Folder If a root directory or a folder exists somewhere in the ﬁle structure that contains only folders/subfolders and no compressed ﬁles directly beneath them, the player advances to the next folder in the ﬁle structure that contains compressed audio ﬁles. The empty folder does not display. 3-64 No Folder When the CD-R or CD-RW contains only compressed ﬁles, the ﬁles are located under the root folder. The next and previous folder functions are not displayed on a CD-R or CD-RW that was recorded without folders or playlists. When displaying the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT. When the CD-R or CD-RW contains only playlists and compressed audio ﬁles, but no folders, all ﬁles are located under the root folder. The folder down and the folder up buttons search playlists (Px) ﬁrst and then goes to the root folder. When the radio displays the name of the folder, the radio displays ROOT. Order of Play Tracks recorded to the CD-R or CD-RW are played in the following order: (cid:129) Play begins from the ﬁrst track in the ﬁrst playlist and continues sequentially through all tracks in each playlist. When the last track of the last playlist has played, play continues from the ﬁrst track of the ﬁrst playlist. (cid:129) Play begins from the ﬁrst track in the ﬁrst folder and continues sequentially through all tracks in each folder. When the last track of the last folder has played, play continues from the ﬁrst track of the ﬁrst folder. When play enters a new folder, the display does not automatically show the new folder name unless the folder mode was chosen as the default display. The new track name displays. File System and Naming The song name that displays is the song name that is contained in the ID3 tag. If the song name is not present in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the ﬁle name without the extension (such as .mp3) as the track name. Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages are shortened. Parts of words on the last page of text and the extension of the ﬁlename does not display. Preprogrammed Playlists Preprogrammed playlists that were created using WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software, can be accessed, however, they cannot be edited using the radio. These playlists are treated as special folders containing compressed audio song ﬁles. Playing an MP3 Insert a CD-R or CD-RW partway into the slot (Single CD Player), or press the load button and wait for the message to insert disc (Six-Disc CD Player), label side up. The player pulls it in, and the CD-R or CD-RW should begin playing. If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD-R or CD-RW in the player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD-R starts to play where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. As each new track starts to play, the track number and song title displays. Z EJECT: Press this button to eject CD-R(s) or CD-RW(s). To eject the CD-R or CD-RW that is currently playing, press and release this button. A beep sounds and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc displays. The CD-R or CD-RW can be removed. If the CD-R or CD-RW is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R or CD-RW automatically pulls back into the player and begins playing. For the Six-Disc CD player, press and hold this button for two seconds to eject all discs. f (Tune): Turn this knob to select MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R or CD-RW currently playing. ©SEEK ¨: Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the start of the current MP3 ﬁle, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to the next MP3 ﬁle. If either SEEK arrow is held or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through MP3 ﬁles on the CD. 3-65 S c (Previous Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the ﬁrst track in the previous folder. c T(Next Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the ﬁrst track in the next folder. sREV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse playback quickly within an MP3 ﬁle. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this button to resume playing the ﬁle. The elapsed time of the ﬁle displays. \FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold this button to advance playback quickly within an MP3 ﬁle. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release this button to resume playing the ﬁle. The elapsed time of the ﬁle displays. RDM (Random): With the random setting, MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R or CD-RW can be played in random, rather than sequential order, on one CD-R/CD-RW or all discs in a six-disc CD player. To use random, do one of the following: 1. To play MP3 ﬁles in random order from the CD-R or CD-RW that is currently playing, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Random Current Disc displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play. 2. To play songs from all CDs loaded in a six-disc CD player in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Randomize All Discs displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play. h (Music Navigator): Use the music navigator feature to play MP3 ﬁles on the CD-R or CD-RW in order by artist or album. Press the pushbutton located below the music navigator label. The player scans the disc to sort the ﬁles by artist and album ID3 tag information. It can take several minutes to scan the disc depending on the number of MP3 ﬁles recorded to the CD-R or CD-RW. The radio can begin playing while it is scanning the disc in the background. When the scan is ﬁnished, the CD-R or CD-RW begins playing again. 3-66 Once the disc has been scanned, the player defaults to playing MP3 ﬁles in order by artist. The current artist playing is shown on the second line of the display between the arrows. Once all songs by that artist are played, the player moves to the next artist in alphabetical order on the CD-R/CD-RW and begins playing MP3 ﬁles by that artist. If you want to listen to MP3 ﬁles by another artist, press the pushbutton located below either arrow button. The CD goes to the next or previous artist in alphabetical order. Continue pressing either button until the desired artist displays. To change from playback by artist to playback by album, press the pushbutton located below the Sort By label. From the sort screen, push one of the buttons below the album button. Press the pushbutton below the back label to return to the main music navigator screen. The album name displays on the second line between the arrows and songs from the current album and begins to play. Once all songs from that album are played, the player moves to the next album in alphabetical order on the CD-R or CD-RW and begins playing MP3 ﬁles from that album. To exit music navigator mode, press the pushbutton below the Back label to return to normal MP3 playback. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The CD remains inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD while listening to the radio. The CD icon and a message showing disc and/or track number displays while a CD is in the player. Press this button again and the system automatically searches for an auxiliary input device such as a portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, “No Aux Input Device” displays. XM Radio Messages XL (Explicit Language Channels): These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696). XM Updating: The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and no action is required. This process should take no longer than 30 seconds. No XM Signal: The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When you move into an open area, the signal should return. Loading XM: The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text data. No action is needed. This message should disappear shortly. Channel Off Air: This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another channel. 3-67 Channel Unavail: This previously assigned channel is no longer assigned. Tune to another station. If this station was one of the presets, choose another station for that preset button. No Artist Info: No artist information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. XM Radio ID: If tuned to channel 0, this message alternates with the XM™ Radio eight digit radio ID label. This label is needed to activate the service. Unknown: If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there could be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer/retailer. No Title Info: No song title information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. Check XM Receivr: If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer/retailer. No CAT Info: No category information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. XM Not Available: If this message does not clear within a short period of time, the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer/retailer. No Information: No text or informational messages are available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. CAT Not Found: There are no channels available for the selected category. The system is working properly. XM TheftLocked: The XM™ receiver in the vehicle could have previously been in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™ receivers cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this message appears after having your vehicle serviced, check with your dealer/retailer. Theft-Deterrent Feature THEFTLOCK® is designed to discourage theft of your vehicle’s radio. The feature works automatically by learning a portion of the Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it does not operate and LOC, LOCK, or LOCKED could display. With THEFTLOCK® activated, the radio does not operate if stolen. 3-68 Audio Steering Wheel Controls Radio controls are located on the inboard side of the steering wheel. If your vehicle has this feature, some audio controls can be adjusted at this location. They include the following: wx (Previous/Next): Press the arrows to go to the previous or to the next stored radio station and stay there. Press and hold the arrows longer than three-quarters of a second to advance to the previous or to the next station with a strong signal in the selected band. When a CD is playing, press the arrows to go to the previous or to the next track. Press and hold the arrows longer than three-quarters of a second to continue reversing back or advancing ahead, to other tracks within the disc. + − (Volume): Press the plus or minus button to increase or to decrease the volume. g (Mute/Voice Activation): Press this button to silence the system. Press this button again to turn the sound on. If your vehicle has OnStar®, press and hold this button for two seconds to activate voice on the OnStar® system. See the OnStar® System on page 2-32 in this manual for more information. Radio Reception Frequency interference and static can occur during normal radio reception if items such as cell phone chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external electronic devices are plugged into the accessory power outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the item from the accessory power outlet. 3-69 Fixed Mast Antenna The ﬁxed mast antenna can withstand most car washes without being damaged. If the mast should ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by hand. If the mast is badly bent, replace it. Check occasionally to make sure the mast is still tightened to its base. If tightening is required, tighten by hand, then with a wrench one quarter turn. XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System Your vehicle may have the XM™ Satellite Radio antenna that is located on the trunk of your vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of snow and ice build up for clear radio reception. AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause station frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio reception, most AM radio stations boost the power levels during the day, and then reduce these levels during the night. Static can also occur when things like storms and power lines interfere with radio reception. When this happens, try reducing the treble on your radio. FM Stereo FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals only reach about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. XM™ Satellite Radio Service XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous United States, and in Canada. Just as with FM, tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. In addition, traveling or standing under heavy foliage, bridges, garages, or through tunnels could cause loss of the XM™ signal for a period of time. The radio may display NO XM SIGNAL to indicate interference. 3-70 Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..........4-2 Defensive Driving ...........................................4-2 Drunk Driving .................................................4-2 Control of a Vehicle ........................................4-3 Braking .........................................................4-3 Antilock Brake System (ABS) ...........................4-4 Braking in Emergencies ...................................4-5 Traction Control System (TCS) .........................4-6 Limited-Slip Rear Axle .....................................4-9 Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......................4-9 Steering ......................................................4-12 Off-Road Recovery .......................................4-14 Passing .......................................................4-14 Loss of Control .............................................4-14 Driving at Night ............................................4-16 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ..................4-16 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .......................4-17 Highway Hypnosis ........................................4-18 Hill and Mountain Roads ................................4-18 Winter Driving ..............................................4-19 If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow ...................................................4-23 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out .................4-24 Loading Your Vehicle ....................................4-24 Towing ..........................................................4-29 Towing Your Vehicle .....................................4-29 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...........................4-29 Towing a Trailer ...........................................4-29 4-1 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving Defensive driving means “always expect the unexpected.” The ﬁrst step in driving defensively is to wear your safety belt — See Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 1-6. {CAUTION: Assume that other road users (pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do and be ready. In addition: (cid:129) Allow enough following distance between you and the driver in front of you. (cid:129) Focus on the task of driving. Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in injury or possible death. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. 4-2 Drunk Driving {CAUTION: Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reﬂexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking. Do not drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a driver who will not drink. Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a global tragedy. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and attentiveness. Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking and driving. In recent years, more than 17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with about 250,000 people injured. For persons under 21, it is against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical, psychological, and developmental reasons for these laws. The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means that when anyone who has been drinking — driver or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the person had not been drinking. Control of a Vehicle The following three systems help to control your vehicle while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3. Braking See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-27. Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time. Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a second. But that is only an average. It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied. Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. The brakes might not have time to cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. 4-3 If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving, brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do, the pedal could get harder to push down. If the engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the 2.0L turbocharged engine, it also has a hydraulic brake boost feature which supplements the power brake system to maintain consistent brake performance under conditions of low brake booster vacuum. Low brake booster vacuum conditions can include initial start up after the vehicle has been parked for several hours, very frequent brake stops, or high altitude driving. When hydraulic brake boost is active, you might feel minor brake pulsation or movement but this is normal. If brake pedal feel changes or the brake pedal feels hard to push, you might not be receiving the intended brake boost and the SVC BRAKE SYSTEM DIC message may be displayed. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3. 4-4 Antilock Brake System (ABS) If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), it also the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. If your vehicle has ABS, this warning light on the instrument panel will come on brieﬂy when you start your vehicle. When you start the engine, or when you begin to drive away, ABS will check itself. You might hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is going on, and you might even notice that the brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal. Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what happens with ABS: A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each wheel. ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard. As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply the brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have ABS. Using ABS Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down ﬁrmly and let antilock work for you. You might feel a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but this is normal. Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. If you have Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Antilock Brake System (ABS), you can steer and brake at the same time. However, if you do not have ESC with ABS, your ﬁrst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it down — might be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure. In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help you retain steering control. If you do have ABS, it is different. See Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. 4-5 Brake Assist If your vehicle has ESC with ABS, it also has a brake assist feature that responds to emergency braking by generating additional pressure and engaging the ABS. When this happens, the brake pedal will feel easier to push. Just hold the brake pedal down ﬁrmly and let the system work for you. You might feel the brakes vibrate or notice some noise, but this is normal. The brakes will return to normal operation after the brake pedal is released. Brake assist cannot compensate for unsafe driving practices and braking effectiveness, itself, depends on the condition of the road, tires, and brakes and vehicle mass. Traction Control System (TCS) Your vehicle may have a Traction Control System (TCS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it senses that the rear wheels are spinning too much or are beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system works the rear brakes and reduces engine power by closing the throttle and managing engine spark to limit wheel spin. If your vehicle has TCS, there is a ESC/TCS button located on the instrument panel. This light will ﬂash when your traction control system is limiting wheel spin. You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. 4-6 See Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. If your vehicle is in cruise control when TCS begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7. It is recommended to leave the system on for normal driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high wheel spin is required. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-23. When this light is on solid and either the SERVICE TRACTION or TRACTION OFF message is displayed, the system will not limit wheel spin. To turn the system off or on, press and release the ESC/TCS button located on the instrument panel. Adjust your driving accordingly. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40 for more information. The Traction Control System is automatically enabled whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system enabled. You can turn TCS off if you ever need to. The DIC will display the appropriate message as described previously when you press the button. 4-7 Traction Control Operation Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing engine power to the wheels (engine speed management) and by applying brakes to each individual wheel (brake-traction control) as necessary. The traction control system is enabled automatically when you start your vehicle, and it will activate and ﬂash the ESC/TCS light and display the LOW TRACTION message if it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction while driving. For more information on the LOW TRACTION message, see Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-37. Notice: spin excessively while the ESC/TCS, ABS and Brake warning lights and the SERVICE ESC and/or SERVICE TRACTION messages are displayed, you could damage the differential. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights and this message are displayed. If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to Notice: When traction control is turned off, or Competitive Driving Mode is active, it is possible to lose traction. If you attempt to shift with the rear wheels spinning with a loss of traction, it is possible to cause damage to the transmission. Do not attempt to shift when the rear wheels do not have traction. Damage caused by misuse of the vehicle is not covered. See your warranty book for additional information. The traction control system may activate on dry or rough roads or under conditions such as heavy acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the transmission. When this happens, you may notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise or vibration. This is normal. If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system activates, the ESC/TCS light will ﬂash and the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to use cruise control again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on page 3-10. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3 for more information. 4-8 Limited-Slip Rear Axle Your vehicle may have a limited-slip rear differential which provides maximum power and performance. It is designed to give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the time, but when one of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle. During a sudden shift, such as shifting from FIRST (1) to SECOND (2) gear at low engine speeds or suddenly applying the clutch, you may feel or hear a clunking or rattling noise. This is normal. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Your vehicle may have an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system which combines antilock brake, and traction and stability control systems that help the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle in most driving conditions. When the vehicle is started and begins to move, the system performs several diagnostic checks to ensure there are no problems. You may hear or feel the system working. This is normal and does not mean there is a problem with your vehicle. The system should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h). If the system fails to turn on or activate, the ESC/TCS light comes on, and the ESC OFF and/or SERVICE ESC message displays. For more information, see Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-37 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29. This light ﬂashes on the instrument panel cluster while the ESC system is on and activated. ESC activates when the computer senses a discrepancy between your intended path and the direction the vehicle is actually traveling. ESC selectively applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s brakes to help steer the vehicle in the direction which you are steering. 4-9 When the system activates, an ESC ACTIVE message displays on the Driver Information Center. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40. This light ﬂashes on the instrument panel cluster when the ESC system is on and activated. You may also hear a noise or feel vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal. Continue to steer the vehicle in the direction you want it to go. When the light is comes on and the message(s) SERVICE ESC, ESC OFF, or both displays, the system will not assist the driver in maintaining directional control of the vehicle. Adjust your driving accordingly. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-29 for more information. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is automatically enabled whenever the vehicle is started. To assist the driver with vehicle directional control, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system on. But, ESC can be turned off if needed. If the vehicle is in cruise control while the system begins to assist the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle, the ESC/TCS light ﬂashes and the cruise control automatically disengages. When road conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on page 3-10. The ESC/TCS button is located on the instrument panel. The traction control system can be turned off or back on by pressing the ESC/TCS button. To disable both traction control and ESC, press and hold the button from ﬁve to ten seconds. When the ESC system is turned off, the TRACTION OFF and ESC OFF messages appear, and the ESC/TCS light comes on to warn the driver that both traction control and ESC are disabled. 4-10 It is recommended to leave the system on for normal driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high wheel spin is required. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-23. Also, see “Competitive Driving Mode” later in this section. ESC may also turn off automatically if it determines that a problem exists with the system. The ESC OFF and SERVICE ESC messages and the ESC/TCS light comes on to warn the driver that ESC is disabled and requires service. If the problem does not clear after restarting the vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40 for more information. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3 for more information. Competitive Driving Mode The driver can select this optional handling mode by pressing the ESC/TCS button on the console two times within a ﬁve second time period. COMPETITIVE MODE displays in the DIC. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40 for more information. Competitive Driving Mode allows the driver to have full control of the rear wheels while the ESC system helps maintain directional control of the vehicle by selective brake application. The ESC/TCS light will be on and the traction control system will not be operating. Adjust your driving accordingly. This electronic stability control mode is recommended only for use during closed track events and competitive driving venues. When the ESC/TCS button is pressed again, or the vehicle is restarted, the ESC and TCS turn back on. Notice: When traction control is turned off, or Competitive Driving Mode is active, it is possible to lose traction. If you attempt to shift with the rear wheels spinning with a loss of traction, it is possible to cause damage to the transmission. Do not attempt to shift when the rear wheels do not have traction. Damage caused by misuse of the vehicle is not covered. See your warranty book for additional information. 4-11 Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. Steering Tips It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here is why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of the tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control systems — steering and braking — have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Unless you have antilock brakes, adding the hard braking can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. The same thing can happen if you are steering through a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems — steering and acceleration — can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make you lose control. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6 and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9. What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your the wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can drive through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway. Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 5-3. 4-12 Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ﬁnd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply the brakes. See Braking on page 4-3. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available. An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly. 4-13 Off-Road Recovery You may ﬁnd that your vehicle’s right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you are driving. Passing Passing another vehicle on a two-lane road can be dangerous. To reduce the risk of danger while passing, we suggest the following tips: Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads for situations that might affect a successful pass. If in doubt, wait. (cid:129) Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines that could indicate a turn or an intersection. Never cross a solid or double-solid line on your side of the lane. (cid:129) Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass. Doing so can reduce your visibility. (cid:129) Wait your turn to pass a slow vehicle. (cid:129) When you are being passed, ease to the right. Loss of Control Let us review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems — brakes, steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway. 4-14 (cid:129) Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS), remember: It helps to avoid only the acceleration skid. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6. If you do not have TCS, or if the system is off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs. If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the ESC might activate. See Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-9. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down when you have any doubt. If you have your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with the Antilock Brake System (ABS), remember: ABS helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have ESC with ABS, then in a braking skid, where the wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control. 4-15 Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Night driving tips include: (cid:129) Drive defensively. (cid:129) Do not drink and drive. (cid:129) Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside rearview mirror. (cid:129) Slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles because your headlamps can only light up so much road ahead. (cid:129) Watch for animals. (cid:129) When tired, pull off the road. (cid:129) Do not wear sunglasses. (cid:129) Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps. (cid:129) Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle clean — inside and out. (cid:129) Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or curves. No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But, as we get older, these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old. 4-16 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid driving through large puddles and deep-standing or ﬂowing water. {CAUTION: Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not work as well in a quick stop and could cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle. After driving through a large puddle of water or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal until the brakes work normally. Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. Driving through ﬂowing water could cause your vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not ignore police warnings and be very cautious about trying to drive through ﬂowing water. Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build up under your vehicle’s tires so they actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. There is no hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when the road is wet. Other Rainy Weather Tips Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips include: (cid:129) Allow extra following distance. (cid:129) Pass with caution. (cid:129) Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape. (cid:129) Keep the windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir ﬁlled. (cid:129) Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires on page 5-51. Before Leaving on a Long Trip To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing. Things to check on your own include: (cid:129) Windshield Washer Fluid: Reservoir full? Windows clean — inside and outside? (cid:129) Wiper Blades: In good shape? Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: All levels checked? Lamps: Do they all work and are lenses clean? Tires: Are treads good? Are tires inﬂated to recommended pressure? (cid:129) Weather and Maps: Safe to travel? Have up-to-date maps?

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2008 Pontiac Solstice Owners Manual