2004 SATURN VUE parking brake

Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-27.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 4-40.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic Transaxle)
on page 2-24.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-55.
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Exterior Lamps
Headlamps
SeeTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7for
more information on the headlamps.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness in daylight when
the following conditions are met:
The ignition is on,
the exterior lamp band is in the AUTO position,
the transaxle is not in PARK (P),
the light sensor determines it is daytime, and
the parking brake is released.When the DRL are on, the low-beam headlamps will be
on at a reduced brightness. The taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps will not be on. The instrument panel will
not be lit up either.
When you turn the exterior lamp band to the headlamp
position, your low-beam headlamps will come on.
The other lamps that come on with your headlamps will
also come on.
When you turn off the headlamps, the regular lamps will
go off, and your high-beam headlamps will come on
to the reduced brightness.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, move the shift
lever to PARK (P). The DRL will stay off until you move
the shift lever out of PARK (P). To override the DRL
on manual transaxle vehicles, you must set the parking
brake while the ignition is off and then start your
vehicle. The DRL will stay off until you release the
parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
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Up-Shift Light
Your vehicle may have up-shift light. When this light
comes on, you should shift to the next higher gear
if weather, road, and traffic conditions allow you to.
This light is located in
your instrument panel
cluster under your
temperature gage.
SeeManual Transaxle Operation on page 2-21for more
information.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can still
work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need
both parts working well.If the brake system warning light comes on, there is a
brake problem. Have your brake system inspected
right away.
The BRAKE light is
located in the instrument
panel cluster.
This light should come on briey when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a
problem.
When the ignition is on, the BRAKE light will come on
when you set your parking brake. The light will stay on if
your parking brake doesn’t release fully. A chime will
also sound if the parking brake is not fully released and
the vehicle is moving. If it stays on after your parking
brake is fully released, it means you have a brake
problem. United States Only
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Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or
is about to stall, and I cannot make it up
the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do?
First, here is what youshoulddo:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transaxle to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you will
need to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed
and the parking brake still applied, shift the
transaxle to PARK (P) (or, shift to NEUTRAL if
you have a manual transaxle) and restart the
engine. Then shift to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill
as straight as possible in REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position.
This way you will be able to tell if your wheels
are straight and maneuver as you back down.It is best that you back down the hill with your
wheels straight rather than in the left or right
direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or
right will increase the possibility of a rollover.
Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) (or pressing the clutch if you
have a manual transaxle) to “rev-up” the engine
and regain forward momentum. This will not work.
Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly
and you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the
vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake,
and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about
to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you
cannot make it up the hill you must back straight
down the hill.
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Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the
hill and decide I just cannot do it. What should
I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put your transaxle in
PARK (P) (or FIRST (1) if you have a manual
transaxle) and turn off the engine. Leave the vehicle
and go get some help. Exit on the uphill side and
stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if
it rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want to
consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a there
a hidden creek bank or even a river bottom with
large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a
low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes
and they will not have to do all the work. Descend
slowly, keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
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Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you ignore
them you could lose control and have a serious
accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over if you do not drive
straight down.
Never go downhill with the transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free wheeling.”
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
Unless you have anti-lock brakes, avoid braking so
hard that you lock the wheels when going downhill.
If your wheels are locked, you cannot steer your
vehicle. If your wheels lock up during downhill
braking, you may feel the vehicle starting to slide
sideways. To regain your direction, just ease off the
brakes and steer to keep the front of the vehicle
pointing straight downhill.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P) (or NEUTRAL if you have a
manual transaxle) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go
across the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to
decide whether to try to drive across the incline.
Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or down may
be too steep to drive across. When you go
straight up or down a hill, the length of the wheel
base (the distance from the front wheels to the rear
wheels) reduces the likelihood the vehicle will
tumble end over end. But when you drive across an
incline, the much more narrow track width (the
distance between the left and right wheels) may not
prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over.
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Once you have reached your destination, do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transaxle to FIRST (1) for manual
transaxle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK and remove the
key from the ignition.
4. Replace the large IGNITION fuse.
Notice:Too much or too little uid can damage
the transaxle. Be sure that the transaxle uid is
at the proper level before towing with all four wheels
on the ground.
Notice:Don’t tow a vehicle with the front drive
wheels on the ground if one of the front tires is a
compact spare tire. Towing with two different
tire sizes on the front of the vehicle can cause
severe damage to the transaxle.
Dolly Towing (All-Wheel Drive Vehicles)
All-wheel drive vehicles should not be towed from the
front with two wheels on the ground. To properly
tow these vehicles, they should be placed on a platform
trailer with all four wheels off of the ground.
Dolly Towing (Front-Wheel Drive
Vehicles)
To tow your front-wheel drive vehicle from the front with
two wheels on the ground, do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. If you have a ve-speed automatic transaxle or
VTi variable transaxle, move the shift lever to
PARK (P). If you have a manual transaxle, move
the shift lever to SECOND (2).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
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4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
Towing Your Vehicle From the Rear
Notice:Towing your vehicle from the rear could
damage it. Also, repairs would not be covered by
the warranty. Never have your vehicle towed
from the rear.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all occupants,
cargo and all nonfactory-installed options. Two labels
on your vehicle show how much weight it may properly
carry, the Tire and Loading Information label and the
Certication/Tire label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it can
change the way your vehicle handles. These
could cause you to lose control and crash.
Also, overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
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