A/C (Air Conditioning): Press this button to turn the
air-conditioning system on or
off. When A/C is pressed,
an indicator light above the button will come on to let
you know that
A/C is active. The instrument brightness
control may have to be adjusted to
the highest setting
during the daytime in order to see the indicator light.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside
air escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the
time it takes for your vehicle to cool down. It also helps
the system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down
on hot days:
1. Select the MAX recirculation mode.
2. Select A/C.
3. Select the coolest temperature.
4. Select the highest fan speed.
Using these settings together for long periods of time
may cause the air inside your vehicle to become too dry.
To prevent this from happening, after the air in your
vehicle has cooled, change the mode from MAX
to another mode such as bi-level.
The air-conditioning system removes moisture from the
air,
so you may sometimes notice a small amount of
water dripping underneath your vehicle while idling
or after turning
off the engine. This is normal.
Defogging and Defrosting
There are two modes to clear fog from your windshield.
Use the floor/defog mode
to clear the windows of fog
or moisture and warm the passengers. Use the defrost
mode to remove fog or frost from the windshield
more quickly.
Turn the mode knob to select the defog or defrost mode.
,2 (Floor/Defog): This mode directs the air equally
between the windshield and the floor outlets. When you
select this mode, the system turns on the
air-conditioning compressor unless the outside
temperature is at or below freezing.
9 FRONT (Defrost): Pressing FRONT directs most
of the air to the windshield and the side window
outlets, with some air directed to the floor outlets. In this
mode, the system will automatically run the
air-conditioning compressor, unless the outside
temperature is at or below freezing.
3-21
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog or frost from the rear window.
The rear window defogger will only work when the
ignition is in
RUN.
REAR: Press this button to turn the rear window
defogger on or
off. When this button is pressed an
indicator light above the button will come on to show that
the rear window defogger is active. The instrument
brightness control may have to be adjusted to the
highest setting during the daytime in order to see the
indicator light.
Be sure to clear as much snow from the rear window
as possible.
The rear window defogger will turn
off approximately
15 minutes after the button is pressed. If turned on
again, the defogger will only run for approximately seven
and one-half minutes before turning
off. The defogger
can also be turned
off by pressing the button again or by
turning
off the engine.
Notice: Don’t use a razor blade or something else
sharp on the inside of the rear window.
If you
do, you could cut or damage the defogger and the
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license, tape, a
decal or anything similar to the defogger grid.
3-22
Outlet Adjustment
Use the controls located in the center of each outlet to
change the direction
of the airflow.
Operation Tips
e
e
Clear away any ice, snow or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the windshield that may
block the flow of air into your vehicle.
Use of non-GM approved hood deflectors
may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
Keep the path under the front seats clear of objects
to help circulate the air inside
of your vehicle more
effectively.
The Driver Information Center (DIC) gives you important
safety and maintenance facts. When you turn the
ignition on, all of the DIC lights illuminate for a few
seconds. After this, the DIC will begin working.
Functions
__ (Door Ajar): If one of the doors is ajar, this light
will appear next to that door on the vehicle outline.
CHANGE OIL SOON: This light will appear when the
system indicates that it’s time for an oil change. The
system predicts remaining oil life using data from length
of drives, coolant temperature, engine rpm and
vehicle speed. It alerts you to change the oil on a
schedule consistent with the vehicle’s driving conditions.
After changing the oil, the system must be reset. See
How to Reset the GM
Oil Life SystemTM under
Engine
Oil on page 5- 18.
e LOW: This light will come on when the ignition is
on and the fluid in the washer fluid container is low.
AJAR: This light alerts you that the trunk is not
fully closed.
LOW TRAC (Low Traction): If your vehicle is equipped
with anti-lock brakes, this light will come on when the
enhanced traction system is limiting wheel spin. See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-
I I or
Low Traction Light on page 3-30.
TRAC OFF (Traction Off): If your vehicle is equipped
with anti-lock brakes, this light lets you know that
the enhanced traction system has been disabled and
will not limit wheel spin. See Enhanced Traction System
Warning Light
on page 3-30 or Low Traction Light on
page 3-30.
TRAC (Traction): If the vehicle has anti-lock brakes
and the enhanced traction system, you will have a
disable button on the far right side of the DIC.
The enhanced traction system is automatically activated
when you turn the ignition on. This button will
activate/deactivate the system. If you need to disable
the system, such
as when you are stuck and are rocking
the vehicle back and forth, push this button. See If
You Are Stuck: in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-32.
3-39
Control Buttons
The trip computer has three buttons that control its
functions.
ENG/MET (English/Metric): Press this button to
change the display from English
to metric units or metric
to English.
RESET: Press this button for two seconds to reset the
mode displayed.
MODE: Press this button to change the function mode,
(Fuel Used, AVG ECON, OIL LIFE, RANGE) being
displayed.
OIL LIFE: This shows a percentage of the engine’s oil
remaining useful life. The system predicts remaining
oil life using data from length of drives, coolant
temperature, engine rpm and vehicle speed. Each time
you get an oil change, be sure to reset this function
so that it will give you an accurate percentage. See
“How to Reset the GM Oil Life System” under Engine
Oil on page
5-18.
RANGE: This mode shows how much farther you can
travel with the fuel you have remaining in the gas
tank before refueling. When the range displays
L, for
40 to
50 miles (64.36 to 80.45 km), the display will flash
LOW continuously. The range is calculated from the
AVG ECON value multiplied by the fuel remaining in
the tank.
Functions
LOW: This light will come on the vehicle outline when
FUEL USED: This mode shows the total amount of fuel the ignition is on and the fluid in the washer fluid
used since you last reset it. The amount can be container is low.
displayed in gallons or liters.
AVG ECON (Average Economy): This mode shows
the average fuel economy since you last reset
it.
3-42
Disabling the Theft-Deterrent Feature
Enter your secret code as follows; pause no more than
15 seconds between steps:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press the 1 and 4 pushbuttons at the same time.
Hold them down until
SEC shows on the display.
4. Press MIN and 000 will appear on the display.
5. Press MIN again to make the last two digits agree
with your code.
6. Press HR to make the first one or two digits agree
with your code.
7. Press AM/FM after you have confirmed that the
code matches the secret code you have written
down. The display will show
---, indicating that the
radio is no longer secured.
If the code entered is incorrect,
SEC will appear on the
display. The radio will remain secured until the correct
code is entered.
When battery power is removed and later applied to
a
secured radio, the radio won’t turn on and LOC will
appear on the display.
To unlock a secured radio, see “Unlocking the
Theft-Deterrent Feature After a Power
Loss” earlier in
this section.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering
wheel.
PRESET: Press this button to play the stations you
have programmed on the radio preset pushbuttons.
The radio will go to a preset station, play for a few
seconds, then go to the next station. When a cassette
tape is playing, press this button to change tape
sides. Press this button again to stop scanning the
preset stations.
3-56
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time to apply
your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However,
if you don’t have anti-lock,
your first reaction
- to hit the brake pedal hard and
hold it down
- may be the wrong thing to do. Your
wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle
can’t 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 don’t have anti-lock, 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
anti-lock, it’s different. See “Anti-Lock Brakes.”
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
4-9
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity.
For one thing, following too closely reduces your
area of vision, especially
if you’re following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space
if
the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops.
Keep back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane.
If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And
if
something happens to cause you to cancel your
pass, you need only slow down and drop back again
and wait for another opportunity.
If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying
to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate
your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following
driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease
a
little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens
when the three control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
4-1 6
Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct eq+ment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you pull
a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
-- or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. You may also damage your
vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps
in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer
if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment.
To identify what
the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. But trailering
is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has
to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In
it are many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and
under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more,
the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
4-37