2004 SATURN ION service

Low Fuel Warning Message
When the LOW FUEL
message is displayed, you
may have less than
1.5 gallons (5.5 liters) of
fuel left. A chime will
also sound to alert you to
this message.
You should refuel your vehicle immediately. When the
fuel tank is lled to more than 3.3 gallons (11.5 liters),
this message will no longer be displayed.
Service Vehicle Message
If the SERVICE VEHICLE
message is displayed, a
non-emission related
problem has occurred
which requires the vehicle
be taken in for service.
These problems may not be obvious and may affect
vehicle performance and durability. See your retailer for
necessary repairs to maintain top vehicle performance.
Error Message
When the ERROR
message is displayed,
there is a problem
with your odometer
system.
See your retailer for service and repair if this message
is displayed.
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With RDS, your radio can do the following:
Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type of
programming
Receive announcements concerning local and
national emergencies
Display messages from radio stations
Seek to stations with traffic announcements
This system relies upon receiving specic information
from these stations and will only work when the
information is available. In some cases, a radio station
may broadcast incorrect information that will cause
the radio features to work improperly. If this happens,
contact the radio station.
While you are tuned to an RDS station, the station
name or the call letters will appear on the display instead
of the frequency. RDS stations may also provide the
time of day, a program type category for current
programming, and the name of the program being
broadcast.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
(48 Contiguous US States)
XM™ is a continental U.S. based satellite radio service
that offers 100 coast to coast channels including
music, news, sports, talk, and children’s programming.
XM™ provides digital quality audio and text information,
including song title and artist name. A service fee is
required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more
information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or
call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Playing the Radio
O
(Power):Press this knob to turn the system
on and off.
u(Volume):Turn this knob to increase or to
decrease volume.
RCL (Recall):Press this button to view station call
letters or RDS category, if available.
4(Information):Press this button to view RDS text
information, if available.
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Finding a Station
AM FM:Press this button to switch between FM1,
FM2, or AM. The display will show your selection.
AUX (Auxiliary):To select XM™ Satellite Radio
Service (48 contiguous US states, if equipped), perform
the following:
1. Press either CAT arrow to select different
categories.
2. Rotate the tune knob or use either SEEK arrow to
change channels.
3. Press the information button to view track title, artist
title, and channel title.
O(Tune):Turn this knob to select radio stations.
tSEEKu:Press and hold the right or left arrow to
go to the next or to the previous station and stay there.
To scan stations, press either arrow until you hear a
beep. The radio will go to a station, play for a few
seconds, then go on to the next station. Press either
arrow again to stop scanning.
To scan preset stations, press either arrow for four
seconds until you hear a beep. The radio will go to a
preset station stored on the pushbuttons, play for a few
seconds, then go on to the next station. Press either
arrow again or one of the pushbuttons to stop scanning
presets.
The radio will seek and scan only to stations that are in
the selected band and only to those with a strong signal.
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Disabling the Theft-Deterrent Feature
Enter your secret code as follows; pause no more than
15 seconds between steps:
Preform Steps 1 through 9 from the “Activating the
Theft-Deterrent Feature” earlier to enter your secret
code. OFF will appear on the display indicating the theft
deterrent feature is off.
If OFF or SECURITY OFF does not appear on the
display, the wrong code was entered. If you enter the
wrong code, the display will momentarily show an error
message and all radio functions will continue to be
disabled. If -- -- -- -- appears on the display, you can try
to enter your secret code again.
If you enter the wrong code three times, LOCK will
appear on the display. Contact your retailer. Your retailer
is authorized to obtain the factory programmed code
that is assigned to the radio to reset the system.
If you forget your code, if the theft deterrent feature is
accidentally activated with an unknown code, or if
the radio is in the locked mode, contact your retailer.
Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other.
Static can occur on AM stations caused by things like
storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to
reduce this noise.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast to coast. Just as with FM, tall
buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio signals,
causing the sound to fade in and out. The radio may
display NO SIGNAL to indicate interference.
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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 “Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. The light on the traction
control button will also come on to let you know the
system is on. 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 or snow and
rocking the vehicle is required. See “Rocking Your
Vehicle” underIf You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow on page 4-30.
To turn the system off,
press the traction control
button with this symbol
on it, located on the
instrument panel
switchbank.If the system is limiting wheel spin when you press the
button, the LOW TRAC message will go off, but the
system will not turn off until there is no longer a current
need to limit wheel spin. The TRAC OFF light will
come on briey to let you know the system has been
turned off, and will not limit wheel spin. The light on the
traction control button will also go off. Adjust your
driving accordingly. You can turn the system back on at
any time by pressing the button again.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you
are able to stop the vehicle.
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.
If you suspect steering
problems and/or the
PWR STR message is
displayed, see your retailer
for service and repair.
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Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle in
your “blind” spot.
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
rst 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 nd experienced and able service experts at
Saturn retailers all across North America. They will be
ready and willing to help if you need it.
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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 inated 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?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road inless than a second,and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
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Vehicles Equipped with VTi Variable
Transaxle
If you press too hard on the accelerator pedal, you may
not be able to shift into DRIVE (D) or REVERSE (R).
If this happens, release the accelerator pedal, then shift
to the gear you want.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle – such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing”
(towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing” following in this section.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-22.
Dinghy Towing (Five-Speed Automatic
Transaxle and VTi Variable Transaxle)
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. Your vehicle may be towed
from the front with two of its wheels on the ground, or
with car carrier equipment. See “Dolly Towing” later
in this section.
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