2005 GMC ENVOY XL four wheel drive

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-5
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-6
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-8
Traction Assist System (TAS)...........................4-8
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-10
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-12
Passing.......................................................4-12
Loss of Control.............................................4-13
Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle....................................................4-15
Driving at Night............................................4-28
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-29City Driving..................................................4-32
Freeway Driving...........................................4-33
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-34
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-35
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-36
Winter Driving..............................................4-38
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-42
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-43
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-43
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-50
Towing..........................................................4-50
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-50
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-50
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-55
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Off-Road Driving with Your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also, seeBraking on page 4-5. If your vehicle
does not have four-wheel drive, you should not
drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is the
terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not
marked. Curves are not banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or
downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that
is why it is very important that you read this guide.
You will nd many driving tips and suggestions.
These will help make your off-road driving safer and
more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if equipped) are properly attached.
Be sure you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual.
Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inated?
Are the uid levels up where they should be? What are
the local laws that apply to off-roading where you
will be driving? If you do not know, you should check
with law enforcement people in the area. Will you be on
someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
4-15

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. SeeOff-Road
Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle on
page 4-15for information about driving off-road.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system,
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
4-36

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. If you have
a four-wheel-drive vehicle, shift into 4HI. Then shift
back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-50.
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 was designed
to 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.
4-43

{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.
Using heavier suspension components to get
added durability might not change your vehicle’s weight
ratings. Ask your dealer to help you load your vehicle
the right way.
Notice:Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not overload your vehicle.
If you put things inside your vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else — they will go as
fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or
turn quickly, or if there’s a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded down unless
you need to.
There’s also important loading information for off-road
driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle
for Off-Road Driving” underOff-Road Driving with Your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle on page 4-15.
4-48

Indicator Light
The indicator light on the inator switch in the rear
passenger compartment also serves as an indicator for
internal system error. If the indicator light is ashing
without the load leveling function or the inator being
active, turn off the ignition. The next day turn on
the ignition and check the indicator light. The vehicle
can be driven with the light ashing, but if it is you
should have the vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar
Equipment
Your vehicle was neither designed nor intended for a
snow plow.
Notice:Adding a snow plow or similar equipment
to your vehicle can damage it, and the repairs would
not be covered by warranty. Do not install a snow
plow or similar equipment on your vehicle.
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”).
4-50

With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following. You may
also need brakes for the vehicle being towed. See your
dealer for additional trailering information.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the trailering 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
be towed.
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 4-34.
Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground, the drivetrain components could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with
all four wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles,
they should be placed on a platform trailer.
4-51

Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be dinghy towed if you
follow the proper procedures. The transmission has
no provisions for internal lubrication while being towed,
so it is important that you follow all the steps listed
in this manual to dinghy tow your four-wheel-drive
vehicle.
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle:
1. Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
2. Turn the engine off, but leave the ignition on.3. Firmly set the parking brake.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the
tow vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in PARK (P).
You or others could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is rmly set before you shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL.
5. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N). See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-27for the proper
procedure to select the NEUTRAL (N) position for
your vehicle.
6. Release the parking brake only after the
vehicle being towed is rmly attached to the
towing vehicle.
7. Turn the ignition off.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of Neutral” under
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-27.
4-52