2006 BUICK RAINIER ESP

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you are upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so youcanunbuckle and get out, ismuchgreater
if you are belted.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be
in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they workwith
safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has
airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
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Your vehicle may or may not have a roof-mounted airbag
and a rollover sensor. SeeAirbag System on page 1-48.
These “rollover capable” airbags are intended to inate
in moderate to severe side crashes or during a rollover.
A roof-mounted airbag will inate if the crash severity is
above the system’s designed “threshold level.” The
threshold level can vary with specic vehicle design.
Roof-mounted airbags are not intended to inate in
frontal or near-frontal impacts, or rear impacts. Both
roof-mounted airbags will deploy when either side of
the vehicle is struck or during a rollover.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, ination is determined by
what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For roof-mounted
airbags, ination is determined by the location and
severity of the impact.
The airbag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. SeeOff-Road
Driving on page 4-18for tips on off-road driving.What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. In the
case of a “rollover capable” roof-mounted side impact
airbag, the sensing system detects that the vehicle
is about to roll over. The sensing system triggers
a release of gas from the inator, which inates the
airbag. The inator, airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag modules inside the steering wheel
and in the instrument panel in front of the right front
passenger. For vehicles with roof-mounted side impact
airbags, the airbag modules are located in the ceiling
of the vehicle, near the side windows.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag.
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Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use the remote keyless entry
transmitter or the key.
From the inside, slide
the manual lever forward
or rearward.
The manual lever on each door works only that
door’s lock.
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Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets in a
vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the extreme heat
and suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a child, a
helpless adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows closed in warm or
hot weather.
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Sun Visors
Sun Visors with Slide Rod
Your vehicle may have this feature. Pull the sun visor
down to block glare. Detach the sun visor from the
center mount and slide it along the rod from side-to-side
to cover the driver or passenger side of the front
window. Swing the sun visor to the side to cover the
side window. It can also be moved along the rod from
side-to-side in this position.
Sun Visors with Fixed Rod and Pull-out
Extension
Your vehicle may have this feature. Pull the sun visor
down to block glare. Pull the sun visor extender out
for additional coverage. Detach the sun visor from the
center mount and swing it to the side to cover the
side window.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Pull the sun visor down to expose the vanity mirror.
You may have to lift a cover to expose the mirror.
Lighted Visor Vanity Mirror
Your vehicle may have this feature. Pull the sun visor
down and lift the mirror cover to turn on the lamps.
The lamps will turn off when the cover is closed.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle is
equipped with a
content theft-deterrent
alarm system.
Here is how to operate the system:
1. Open the door.
2. Lock the door with the power door lock switch or
the remote keyless entry transmitter. The security
light should ash.
3. Close all doors. The security light should turn off
after approximately 30 seconds. The alarm is not
armed until the security light turns off.
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Directions and Connections®Plan

All Safe and Sound Plan Services
Driving Directions
RideAssist
Information and Convenience Services
OnStar®Personal Calling
As an OnStar®subscriber, the Personal Calling
capability allows you to make hands-free calls using a
wireless system that is integrated into the vehicle.
Calls can be placed nationwide using simple voice
commands with no additional contracts and no additional
roaming charges. To nd out more about OnStar
®
Personal Calling, refer to the OnStar®User’s Guide in
the vehicle’s glove box, visit www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca, or speak to an OnStar
®advisor by
pressing the blue OnStar®button or calling
1-888-4-ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827).
OnStar®Virtual Advisor
Your vehicle may have Virtual Advisor. It is a feature
of OnStar®Personal Calling that uses minutes to
access weather, local traffic reports, and stock
quotes. By pressing the phone button and giving a
few simple voice commands, you can browse through
the various topics. Customize your information prole
at www.myonstar.com. See the OnStar
®User’s
Guide for more information.
OnStar®Steering Wheel Controls
Your vehicle may be
equipped with a Talk/Mute
button that can be used
to interact with OnStar
®.
SeeAudio Steering Wheel
Controls on page 3-126
for more information.
When calling into voice-mail systems, or to dial directory
numbers, press this button once, wait for the response,
say the number(s) to be dialed, wait for the number(s)
to be repeated and then say “dial”. See the OnStar
®
User’s Guide for more information.
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;(Parking Lamps):Turn the knob to this symbol
to manually turn on the following:
Parking Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
2(Headlamps):Turn the knob to this symbol to turn
on all the lamps listed as well as the headlamps.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
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 headlamps come on
at reduced brightness when the following conditions
are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps knob is in automatic
headlamp mode.
The light sensor detects daytime light.
The transmission is not in PARK (P).
When the DRL are on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be
on. The instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL to the regular headlamps.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, your Automatic
Headlamp System will turn on your headlamps at the
normal brightness along with other lamps such as
the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps and the
instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also be on.
Your vehicle is equipped with a light sensor on the
top of the instrument panel. Be sure it is not covered
or the system will be on whenever the ignition is on.
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Driver Information Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC) display is located
on the instrument panel cluster, below the speedometer.
If your vehicle has DIC buttons, they are located on
the steering wheel. The DIC can display information
such as the trip odometer, fuel economy, customization
features, and warning/status messages.
If your vehicle does not have DIC steering wheel
buttons, you will not have all of the features listed.
Scroll through the odometer and trip odometer by
pressing the trip odometer reset stem located on the
instrument panel cluster. Turn off, or acknowledge,
DIC messages by pressing the trip odometer reset
stem. SeeSpeedometer and Odometer on page 3-27
for information on features for vehicles without
DIC buttons.
3(Trip Information):Press this button to display
the odometer, trip odometers, and timer.
t(Fuel Information):Press this button to display
the current range, fuel used, average fuel economy,
and engine oil life.
4(Customization):Press this button to access the
vehicle settings menu and customize the personal
settings on your vehicle.
r(Select):Press this button to reset certain DIC
functions and set your customization settings.
Pressing any of the DIC buttons will acknowledge
DIC messages and clear them from the DIC display.
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