Page 125 of 360

yellowblue
2-67
If the light and chime come on while you are driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that
the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer
to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. (See ªTowing
Your Vehicleº in the Index.)
CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake warning light is on. Driving with the
brake warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you've pulled off the
road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle
towed for service.
Parking Brake Indicator Light
When the ignition is on, this
light will come on when
you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if
your parking brake doesn't
release fully.
If you try to drive off with the parking brake set,
a chime will also come on until you release the
parking brake.
This light should also come on when you turn the
ignition key to START. If it doesn't come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to remind you if the parking
brake is applied or hasn't released fully.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 126 of 360

yellowblue
2-68 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light(s) will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That's normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you're driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you're driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light isn't
on, you still have brakes, but you don't have anti
-lock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don't have anti
-lock brakes and there's a
problem with your regular brakes. See ªBrake System
Warning Lightº earlier in this section.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine.
If the warning light doesn't come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there's a problem. If it
stays on, or comes on when you're driving, there may be
a problem with your traction control system and your
vehicle may need service. When this warning light is
on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 127 of 360

yellowblue
2-69
The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by pressing the
TRACTION CONTROL button located on the
center console, the warning light will come on and
stay on. To turn the system back on, press the
button again. The warning light should go off.
(See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index for
more information.)
If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine
-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Traction Control System Active Light
When your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin, this light will come on.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the traction
control system active light comes on, so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 131 of 360

yellowblue
2-73
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. See
ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a few
driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
ªFuelº in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration
or stumbling on acceleration. (These conditions may go
away once the engine is warmed up.) This will be detected
by the system and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
A warning chime and the message LOW OIL
PRESSURE may also come on.
These indicate that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it cool. The engine could be low
on oil, or could have some other oil problem. Have it
fixed right away.
The oil light could also come on briefly when the
ignition is on but the engine is not running. The light
will come on as a test to show you it is working, but the
light will go out when you turn the ignition to START. If
it doesn't come on with the ignition on, you may have a
problem with the fuse or bulb. Have it fixed right away.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 177 of 360

yellowblue
4-7
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on, and you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there's a problem with the
anti
-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.
Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 179 of 360

yellowblue
4-9
This light will come on
when your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin. See ªTraction Control
System Active Lightº in
the Index.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. (See ªCruise Controlº in
the Index.)This light should come
on briefly when you start
the engine. If it stays on
or comes on while you are
driving, there's a problem
with your traction
control system.
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº
in the Index.)
ProCarManuals.com
Page 180 of 360

yellowblue
4-10
To turn the system off,
press the TRACTION
CONTROL button on
the center console.
The traction control system warning light will come
on and stay on. If the system is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button, the warning light will
come on
-- but the system won't turn off right away.
It will wait until there's no longer a current need to
limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The traction control system warning
light should go off.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
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.
Magnasteer
Your vehicle is equipped with GM Magnasteer, a
steering system that continuously adjusts the effort you
feel when steering at all vehicle speeds. It provides ease
when parking yet a firm, solid feel at highway speeds.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 190 of 360
yellowblue
4-20
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You'll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross
-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You'll save time and energy. (See the
next part, ªFreeway Driving.º)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough to
need it. When a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
ProCarManuals.com