Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of windows is a result of high humidity
(moisture) condensing on the cool window glass. This
can be minimized if the climate control system is
used properly. 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 (FRONT) to remove
fog or frost from the windshield more quickly.
SMODET:Press this switch until floor/defog
appears on the display.
/(Floor/Defog):This mode directs the air equally
between the windshield and the floor outlets. When you
select this mode, the system turns off recirculation and
runs the air-conditioning compressor unless the outside
temperature is at or below freezing. The recirculation
mode cannot be selected while in the floor/defog mode.
1FRONT (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 turn off recirculation and run the
air-conditioning compressor, unless the outside
temperature is at or below freezing. Recirculation cannot
be selected while in the defrost mode. Do not drive the
vehicle until all the windows are clear.
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 ON.
=REAR:Press this button to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. Be sure to clear as much snow from
the rear window as possible.
The rear window defogger will turn off approximately 10
minutes after the button is pressed. If turned on
again, the defogger will only run for approximately five
minutes before turning off. The defogger can also
be turned off by pressing the button again or by turning
off the engine.
The heated outside rearview mirrors will heat to help
clear fog or frost from the surface of the mirror when the
REAR button is pressed.
Notice:Using a razor blade or sharp object to clear
the inside rear window may damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not clear the inside of the rear
window with sharp objects.
3-32
DIC Warnings and Messages
These messages will appear if there is a problem
sensed in one of your vehicle’s systems. Vehicles that
are first sold in Canada will have a number after
each message. This number helps to identify the
problem. You must then press INFO or INFO RESET to
clear the display screen for further use. However, be
sure to take any message that appears on the display
screen seriously and remember that pressing the
INFO or INFO RESET button will only make the
message disappear, not the problem.
DIC messages can also be displayed in French,
German, Spanish and Japanese. Contact your dealer to
have the language display adjusted for your vehicle.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING – 7:This message
will appear if the battery is not being charged. Have the
electrical system checked by your dealership at your
earliest convenience.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE – 27:This message is
displayed when the vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a reasonable point. The
battery saver system will start reducing certain features
of the vehicle that you may not be able to notice. At
the point that features are disabled, this message
is displayed. It means that the vehicle is trying to save
the charge in the battery. Turn off unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery to recharge.BATTERY VOLTAGE HIGH – 8:This message shows
that the electrical charging system is overcharging (more
than 16 volts). To avoid being stranded, have the
electrical system checked by your dealership. You can
reduce the charging overload by using the accessories.
Turn on the lamps and radio, set the climate control on
AUTO and the fan speed on HI, and turn the rear window
defogger on. You can monitor battery voltage on the DIC
by pressing the INFO button. The normal range is
11.5 to 15.5 volts when the engine is running.
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW – 6:This message will
appear when the electrical system is charging less than
10 volts or if the battery has been drained. If this
message appears immediately after starting, it is
possible that the generator can still recharge the battery.
The battery should recharge while driving but may
take a few hours to do so. Consider using an auxiliary
charger (be sure to follow the manufacturer’s
instructions) to boost the battery after returning home or
to a final destination. If this message appears while
driving or after starting your vehicle and stays on, have
it checked immediately to determine the cause of
this problem. To help the generator recharge the battery
quickly, you can reduce the load on the electrical
system by turning off the accessories. You can monitor
battery voltage on the DIC by pressing the INFO
button. The normal range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
3-55
Diversity Antenna System
Your AM-FM antennas are located in the windshield and
rear window. Be sure that the inside surfaces of the
windshield and rear window are not scratched and that
the lines on the glass are not damaged. If the inside
surfaces are damaged, they could interfere with radio
reception. Also, for proper radio reception, the antenna
connector located on the passenger’s side top corner of
the windshield and the antenna connector located on the
driver’s side top corner of the rear window need to be
properly attached to the buttons on the glass.
Notice:Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting with
metallic film. The metallic film in some tinting
materials will interfere with or distort the incoming
radio reception. Any damage caused to your
backglass antenna due to metallic tinting materials
will not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Do not try to clear frost or other material
from the inside of the front windshield and rear
window with a razor blade or anything else that is
sharp. This may damage the rear window defogger
grid and affect your radio’s ability to pickup
stations clearly. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.If, when you turn on your rear window defogger, you
hear static on your radio station, it could mean that
a defogger grid line has been damaged. If this is true,
the grid line must be repaired.
If you choose to add an aftermarket cellular telephone
to your vehicle, and the antenna needs to be attached to
the glass, be sure that you do not damage the grid
lines for the AM-FM antennas or place the cellular
telephone antenna over the grid lines.
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System (48 Contiguous US States)
Your XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is located on the roof
of your vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of snow and
ice build up for clear radio reception.
3-103
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance at higher
speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower
than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you
will find experienced and able service experts in GM
dealerships all across North America. They will be ready
and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
•Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
•Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
•Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
•Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
•Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
•Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
•Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-21
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can not see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
4-27
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you are stuck, but
you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle
can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you
are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible.
Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h)
as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
“Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out.”
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-77.
4-28
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-75
Wheel Replacement......................................5-75
Tire Chains..................................................5-77
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-77
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-78
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-87
Appearance Care............................................5-87
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-88
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-90
Weatherstrips...............................................5-90
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-90
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-92
Finish Damage.............................................5-92
Underbody Maintenance................................5-93Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-93
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-94
Vehicle Identification......................................5-95
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).................5-95
Service Parts Identification Label.....................5-95
Electrical System............................................5-96
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-96
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-96
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-96
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-96
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-97
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion...................5-99
Capacities and Specifications........................5-104
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2
If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An overheat warning, along with a low coolant message,
can indicate a serious problem. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-55.
If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
coolant message, but see or hear no steam, the problem
may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can
get a little too hot when you:
•Climb a long hill on a hot day.
•Stop after high-speed driving.
•Idle for long periods in traffic.
•Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it safe to do so, pull of the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Set the temperature control to the highest heat
setting and open the windows, as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you are parked. If you still have the
warning,turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicleuntil it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-28