Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 5-61.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer uid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a ashlight, a red
cloth and a couple of re ective warning triangles. And, if
you will be driving under severe conditions, include a
small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of
burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet
the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You
will have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
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A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which won’t damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you do not
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
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{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque speci cations.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system — for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in — be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change — for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
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Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) system uses radio
and sensor technology to check tire pressure levels.
If your vehicle has this feature, sensors are mounted on
each tire and wheel assembly, except the spare tire.
The TPM sensors transmit tire pressure readings
to a receiver located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the
TPM system will display the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
warning message on the Driver Information Center
(DIC); and at the same time illuminate the low tire
pressure warning symbol. For additional information and
details about the DIC operation and displays seeDIC
Operation and Displays on page 3-56andDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-68.
When the tire pressure
monitoring system
warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is
signi cantly under-in ated.
You should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and in ate them to the proper pressure as
indicated on the vehicle’s tire information placard.Driving on a signi cantly under-in ated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-in ation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability. Each tire, including the spare, should be
checked monthly when cold and set to the
recommended in ation pressure as speci ed in the
vehicle placard and owner’s manual.
The Certi cation/Tire label or the Tire and Loading
Information label (tire information placard) shows the
size of your vehicle’s original tires and the correct
in ation pressure for your vehicle’s tires when they
are cold. SeeIn ation - Tire Pressure on page 5-69.
For the location of the tire and loading information label,
seeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-58.
Your vehicle’s TPM system can alert you about a low
tire pressure condition but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-72andTires on page 5-61.
Notice:Do not use a tire sealant if your vehicle is
equipped with Tire Pressure Monitors. The liquid
sealant can damage the tire pressure monitor
sensors.
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