2003 BUICK RANDEZVOUS wheel

Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
•Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don’t use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
•Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Don’t use cruise control on
slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-10. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you’re
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch, located on the turn
signal/multifunction lever, to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Push in the SET button at the end of the lever and
release it.
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See each of these messages in the Index for more
information.
Under warning conditions, the CHECK GAGES icon will
illuminate in the HUD. Look at the instrument panel
cluster for more information.
Notice:Although the HUD image appears to be
near the front of the vehicle, do not use it as
a parking aid. The HUD was not designed for that
purpose. If you try to use it as such, you may
misjudge the distance and damage your vehicle.The HUD controls are
located to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
When the HUD is on, the speedometer reading will
always be displayed. The current radio station, cassette
tape or CD number and track number will only be
displayed for three seconds after the radio, tape or CD
track status changes. This will happen whenever
one of the radio controls is pressed, either on the radio
or on the audio steering wheel controls (if equipped).
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Here are four things that some owners ask about.
All these things are normal and do not indicate that
anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
•At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
•It takes a little more (or less) fuel tofill up than the
gage reads. For example, the gage reads half full,
but it took more (or less) than half of the tank’s
capacity tofill it.
•The gage pointer may move while cornering,
braking or speeding up.
•The gage may not indicate empty when the ignition
is turned off.
Message Center
The message center is located at the top of the
instrument panel cluster in between the tachometer and
speedometer. It gives you important safety and
maintenance facts.
Service Traction System Warning
Message
If your vehicle has the traction control system and this
message is displayed when you’re driving, there may be
a problem with your traction control system. Your
vehicle may need service.
When this message is displayed, the traction control
system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
If there’s an engine-related and brake system problem
that is specifically related to traction control, the
traction control system will turn off and the warning
message will come on.
If the traction control system warning message comes
on and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.United States
Canada
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Traction Active Message
If your vehicle has the traction control system, the
TRACTION ACTIVE message will appear when the
traction control system is limiting wheel spin. You may
feel or hear the system working, but this is normal.
Slippery road conditions may exist if this message
appears, so adjust your driving accordingly. The
message will stay on for a few seconds after the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Message
This message will come on when your engine gets
too hot.
If this message comes on, it means that your engine
coolant has overheated. If you have been operating your
vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should
pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the
engine as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-22. United States
Canada
United StatesCanada
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PASS-Key®III Security Message
If you are ever driving and this message comes on and
stays on, you will be able to restart your engine if
you turn it off.
Your PASS-Key
®III system, however, is not working
properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your
vehicle is not protected by the PASS-Key
®III system at
this time. SeePASS-Key®III on page 2-16for more
information.
All-Wheel Drive Disable Warning
Message
Your vehicle may have this message. If it does, it will
come on when there is a spare tire on the vehicle, or
when the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
or when the rear differentialfluid is overheating. This
message will go out when the differentialfluid cools.
The all-wheel-drive system will be disabled until the
compact spare tire is replaced by a full-size tire. If the
warning message is still on after putting on the full-size
tire, you need to reset the warning message. To
reset the warning message, turn the ignition off and
then back on again. If the message stays on, see your
dealer right away. SeeAll-Wheel Drive (AWD)
System on page 4-11for more information. United States
Canada
United StatesCanada
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If THEFTLOCK®is activated, your radio will not operate
if stolen. The radio will display LOCKED and a red
LED indicator light will come on above the key symbol
to indicate a locked condition. If this occurs, the radio will
need to be returned to the dealer.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering
wheel.
SOURCE:Press this button to play a cassette tape or
compact disc when listening to the radio. If a cassette
tape and a compact disc are both loaded, the system will
go to the tape playfirst.
MUTE:Press this button to silence the system. Press it
again to turn on the sound.
QVOL (Volume)R:Press the up or down arrow to
increase or decrease volume.
QSEEKR:Press the up arrow to seek to the next
station and the down arrow to seek to the previous
station. The sound will mute while seeking. When
playing a cassette tape or a compact disc, press the up
arrow to hear the next selection.
BAND:Press this button to choose AM, FM1, FM2, or
XM1 or XM2 (USA only, if equipped).
SCAN:Press this button to scan your radio preset
stations. The radio will scan to thefirst preset station
stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then
go on to the next preset station. The radio will scan
preset stations with a strong signal only. Press
this button again to stop scanning.
DVD Distortion
You may experience video distortion when operating
cellular phones, scanners, CB radios, Global Position
Systems (GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile fax, or
walkie talkies.
It may be necessary to turn off the DVD player when
operating one of these devices in or near the vehicle.
*Excludes the OnStar
®System.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Driver Behavior..............................................4-2
Driving Environment........................................4-2
Vehicle Design...............................................4-3
Defensive Driving...........................................4-3
Drunken Driving.............................................4-4
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-7
Traction Control System (TCS).......................4-10
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.......................4-11
Steering......................................................4-11
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-13
Passing
.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control
.............................................4-15Driving at Night............................................4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-18
City Driving..................................................4-20
Freeway Driving...........................................4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-22
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-24
Winter Driving..............................................4-25
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow........4-30
Towing..........................................................4-31
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-31
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-31
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-32
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-34
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
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Vehicle Design
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation,
utility vehicles have a signicantly higher rollover
rate than other types of vehicles. Utility vehicles do
have higher ground clearance and a narrower track or
shorter wheelbase than passenger cars, to make
them more capable for off-road driving. Specic design
characteristics like these give the driver a better
view of the road, but also give utility vehicles a higher
center of gravity than other types of vehicles. This
means that you shouldn’t expect a utility vehicle
to handle the same way a vehicle with a lower center of
gravity, like a car, would in similar situations.
But driver behavior factors are far more often the cause
of a utility vehicle rollover than are environmental or
vehicle factors. Safe driver behavior and understanding
the environment in which you’ll be driving can help
avoid a rollover crash in any type of vehicle, including
utility vehicles.
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. SeeSafety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-19.Defensive driving really means“be ready for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to
be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following
distance. It’s the best defensive driving maneuver, in
both city and rural driving. You never know when
the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn
suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on
the driving task. Anything that distracts from the
driving task—such as concentrating on a cellular
telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on
theoor—makes proper defensive driving more difficult
and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury.
Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull off the
road in a safe place to do them yourself. These simple
defensive driving techniques could save your life.
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