Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) feature which will allow certain
features on your vehicle to continue to work up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned to OFF.
Your radio, power windows, sunroof (if equipped), and
OnStar
®System (if equipped) will work when the ignition
key is in RUN or ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from RUN to LOCK, these features will continue
to work for up to 10 minutes or until a door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Your vehicle is equipped with Starter Motor Control.
This feature assists in starting the engine and protects
the electrical system. This feature may cause the
engine to crank even after the ignition key is not
in START.
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position — that
is a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will disengage the starter
motor, cause your battery to be drained much
sooner, and add excessive heat that can damage
your starter motor. Try not to hold the key in
START for longer than 15 seconds and wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it does not start within 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the oor, while
you hold the ignition key in START. When
the engine starts, let go of the key and let up
on the accelerator pedal. Wait about 15 seconds
between each try.
2-21
When starting your engine in very cold weather
(below 0°F or−18°C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START and hold it there up
to 15 seconds. When the engine starts, let go
of the key.
2. If your engine still will not start, or starts but then
stops, it could be ooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
oor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts brie y but then stops again, do the
same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for ve or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal
If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, you can
change the position of the throttle and brake pedals.
This feature is designed for shorter drivers, since
the pedals can not move farther away from the standard
position, but can move toward the driver for better
pedal reach.
The vehicle must be in PARK (P) for this feature to
operate.
The switch used to
adjust the pedals is
located on the driver’s
side door panel.
Press the arrow at the end of the switch closest to you
to move the pedals closer to your body. Press the
arrow at the far end of the switch to move the pedals
away from your body.
2-22
2m(Two Wheel-High):This setting is used for driving
in most street and highway situations. Your front axle
is not engaged in two-wheel drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy.
4
m(Four Wheel-High):Use the four-wheel high
position when you need extra traction, such as on snowy
or icy roads or in most off-road situations. This setting
also engages your front axle to help drive your vehicle.
This is the best setting to use when plowing snow.
4
n(Four Wheel-Low):This setting also engages your
front axle and delivers extra torque. You may never need
this setting. It sends maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose Four Wheel-Low if you are driving
off-road in deep sand, deep mud, deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills. StabiliTrak
®will not
engage in this mode. SeeStabiliTrak®System on
page 4-11for more information.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can cause
your vehicle to roll even if the transmission is
in PARK (P). You or someone else could be
seriously injured. Be sure to set the parking
brake before placing the transfer case in
NEUTRAL. SeeParking Brake on page 2-35.
NEUTRAL (N):Shift the vehicle’s transfer case
to NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle.
SeeRecreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-62or
Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-62for more information.
Indicator lights in the button show which setting you
are in. The indicator lights will come on brie y when you
turn on the ignition and one will stay on. If the lights
do not come on, you should take your vehicle to your
dealer for service. An indicator light will ash while
shifting the transfer case. It will remain illuminated when
the shift is complete. If for some reason the transfer
case cannot make a requested shift, it will return to the
last chosen setting.
If the SERVICE 4WD message stays on, you should
take your vehicle to your dealer for service. See “Service
4WD message” underDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-56.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel High or
AUTO 4WD (Automatic Four Wheel Drive)
Press and release the Four-Wheel High or AUTO
4WD button. This can be done at any speed, except
when shifting from Four Wheel-Low, and the indicator
light will ash while shifting. It will remain on when
the shift is completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel High
Press and release the Two-Wheel High button.
This can be done at any speed, except when shifting
from Four-Wheel Low.
2-29
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Low
To shift to the Four-Wheel Low position, the ignition
must be in RUN and the vehicle must be stopped
or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N). The preferred method
for shifting into four-wheel low is to have your vehicle
moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release
the Four-Wheel Low button. You must wait for the
four-wheel low indicator light to stop ashing and remain
on before shifting your transmission in gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To
help avoid damaging your vehicle, always wait for
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
It is typical for your vehicle to exhibit signi cant
engagement noise and bump when shifting between
Four-Wheel Low and Four-Wheel High ranges or from
NEUTRAL with the engine running.
If the Four-Wheel Low button is pressed when your
vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the Four-Wheel Low
indicator light will ash for 30 seconds and not complete
the shift unless your vehicle is moving less than
3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
After 30 seconds the transfer case will shift to
Four-Wheel High mode.
Shifting Out of Four-Wheel Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Low to Four-Wheel High,
AUTO 4WD or Two-Wheel High, your vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with
the transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and the ignition in
RUN. The preferred method for shifting out of
Four-Wheel Low is to have your vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the
Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD or Two-Wheel High
button. You must wait for the Four-Wheel High,
AUTO 4WD or Two-Wheel High indicator light to stop
ashing and remain on before shifting your transmission
into gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To
help avoid damaging your vehicle, always wait for
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
It is typical for your vehicle to exhibit signi cant
engagement noise and bump when shifting between
Four-Wheel Low and Four-Wheel High ranges or from
NEUTRAL with the engine running.
If the Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD or Two Wheel High
switch is pressed when your vehicle is in gear and/or
moving, the Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD or Two-Wheel
High indicator light will ash for 30 seconds but will not
complete the shift unless your vehicle is moving less than
3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
2-30
Shifting into NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will
not roll.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel High.
6. Simultaneously press and hold the Two-Wheel High
and Four-Wheel Low buttons for 10 seconds. The
NEUTRAL light will come on when the transfer case
shift to NEUTRAL is complete.
7. If the engine is running, verify that the transmission
is in NEUTRAL (N) by shifting the transmission to
REVERSE (R) for one second, then shift the
transmission to DRIVE (D) for one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY, which will turn
the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
10. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N) and turn
the ignition to RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the button for the desired transfer case
shift position (Two-Wheel High, Four-Wheel
High, AUTO 4WD, or Four-Wheel Low).
4. After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL
the NEUTRAL light will go out.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the
desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or out of
the different modes may cause the transfer case to
enter the shift protection mode. This will protect
the transfer case from possible damage and will
only allow the transfer case to respond to one shift
per 10 seconds. The transfer case may stay in this
mode for up to three minutes.
2-31
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-35.
N (Neutral):Shift the vehicle’s transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-62orTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-62for more information.
Indicator lights in the buttons show which mode you are
in. The indicator lights will come on brie y when you turn
on the ignition and one will stay on. If the lights do not
come on, you should take your vehicle to your dealer for
service. An indicator light will ash while the transfer case
is shifting. It will remain on when the shift is complete.
If for some reason the transfer case cannot make a
requested shift, it will return to the last chosen setting.
If the SERVICE 4WD message stays on, you should
take your vehicle to your dealer for service. See
SERVICE 4WD underDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-56.
Shifting Into Four Wheel Low
To shift to the Four-Wheel Low position, the ignition
must be in RUN and the vehicle must be stopped
or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N). Press and release the
Four-Wheel Low switch. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing and
remain on before shifting your transmission in gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To
help avoid damaging your vehicle, always wait for
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
If the Four-Wheel Low button is pressed when your
vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the Four-Wheel Low
indicator light will ash for 30 seconds and not complete
the shift unless your vehicle is moving less than
3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
After 30 seconds, the transfer case will return to the
setting last chosen.
When in Four-Wheel Low, StabiliTrak
®is automatically
disabled. For more information seeStabiliTrak®
System on page 4-11.
2-33
Shifting Out of Four Wheel-Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Low to All-Wheel Drive,
your vehicle must be stopped or moving less than
3 mph (5 km/h) with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N)
and the ignition in RUN. Press and release the all-wheel
drive button. You must wait for the All-Wheel Drive
indicator light to stop ashing and remain illuminated
before shifting your transmission into gear.
If the All-Wheel Drive button is pressed when your
vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the All-Wheel Drive
indicator light will ash for 30 seconds but will not
complete the shift unless your vehicle is moving less
than 3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is in
NEUTRAL (N).
Shifting Into NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL, do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will
not roll.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to All-Wheel Drive.6. Simultaneously press and hold the StabiliTrak
®
and four-wheel low buttons for 10 seconds. The
red NEUTRAL light will come on when the transfer
case shift to NEUTRAL is complete.
7. If the engine is running, verify that the transmission
is in NEUTRAL (N) by shifting the transmission to
REVERSE (R) for one second, then shift the
transmission to DRIVE (D) for one second.
8. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N) and turn the
ignition to RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the button for the desired transfer case shift
position (All-Wheel Drive or Four-Wheel Low).
4. After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL
the NEUTRAL light will go out.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the
desired position.
2-34
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
A chime will activate and the warning light will ash when
the parking brake is applied and the vehicle is moving at
least 3 mph (5 km/h) for at least three seconds.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of the lever, located
above the parking brake pedal, with the parking
brake symbol, to release the parking brake.If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-67.
2-35