2006 BUICK TERRAZA light

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock brakes, you can steer and brake at the
same time. In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
4-8

Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates if it senses that
one or both of the front wheels are spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When this happens, the system
brakes the spinning wheel(s) and/or reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
The TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVE message will come
on in the Driver Information Center (DIC) when the
traction control system is limiting wheel spin. You may
feel or hear the system working, but this is normal.
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
re-engage the cruise control.
This warning light will
come on to let you know if
there is a problem with
your traction control
system.When this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
If the SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM message in the
DIC comes on and stays on or comes on while you are
driving, there’s a problem with your traction control
system. Have the traction control system serviced by
your GM dealer as soon as possible.
When this warning message is on, the TRACTION
CONTROL OFF message in the DIC will come on to
remind you that the system will not limit wheel spin.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. 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. SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on
page 4-32andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow on page 4-31.
4-9

The STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVE message will appear
on the DIC only when the system is both on and
activated. It means that an advanced computer-controlled
system has come on to help your vehicle continue to go
in the direction in which you are steering. StabiliTrak
®
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle is
just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice or
other slippery spot on the road. When the system
activates, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the
brake pedal. This is normal. When the STABILITY
CONTROL ACTIVE message is on, you should continue
to steer in the direction you want to go. The system is
designed to help you in bad weather or other difficult
driving situations by making the most of whatever road
conditions will permit. For more information on the
stability messages, seeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-49.
If the StabiliTrak
®system turns off, the traction control
system warning light will illuminate, and the STABILITY
CONTROL OFF message will appear on the DIC to
warn the driver that StabiliTrak
®is no longer available
to assist you with directional control of the vehicle.
Adjust your driving accordingly.To limit wheel spin and realize the full benets of the
stability enhancement system, you should normally leave
traction control on, but it may be necessary to turn the
system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to
free it. SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on
page 4-32andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow on page 4-31.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak®
system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine speed management)
and by applying brakes.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle. It will activate and display the
TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVE message in the DIC if it
senses that one or both of the front wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction while driving.
If the brake traction-control system activates constantly or
if the brakes have heated up due to high-speed braking,
brake traction-control will be disabled and the TRACTION
CONTROL ACTIVE message will be displayed. In the
limited mode, the traction control system will only use
engine traction-control and is limited in its ability to
provide optimal performance since the system will not
utilize brake traction-control to control slip on the drive
wheels.
4-11

The system will return to normal operation after the
brakes have cooled. This can take up to two minutes or
longer depending on brake usage.
The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens you may
notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise
or vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVE message
will appear on the DIC and the cruise control will
automatically disengage. When road conditions allow
you to use cruise again, you may re-engage the cruise
control. SeeCruise Control on page 3-11.
StabiliTrak
®may also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system. If the
problem does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
If your vehicle has all-wheel drive (AWD), the AWD
system operates automatically without any action
required by the driver. If the front drive wheels begin to
slip, the rear wheels will automatically begin to drive
the vehicle as required. There may be a slight
engagement noise during hard use but this is normal.
During heavy AWD applications, the engine torque may
be reduced to protect AWD system components. If
the vehicle is exposed to extended heavy AWD usage,
the AWD system will shut itself off to protect the
system from overheating. When the system cools down,
the AWD system will activate itself again automatically;
this cool-down can take up to 20 minutes depending
on outside temperature and vehicle use.
4-12

Off-Road Recovery
You may nd that your right wheels have dropped off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you are
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way,
steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to
one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making a successful pass, wait for a
better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it is all right to pass,
providing the road ahead is clear. Never cross a solid
line on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.
4-15

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare
from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so much road
ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But
as we get older these differences increase. A
50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you
are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle
with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made
much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the
glass can build up a lm caused by dust. Dirty glass
makes lights dazzle and ash more than clean
glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract
repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and
are not even aware of it.
4-18

Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread
left, you will get even less traction. It is always wise to
go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while
you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when
your reexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even
people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer uid reservoir lled with
washer uid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts when
they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the
windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate from
the inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
4-19

Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before you
hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and
you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reections
from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and
raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice:If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If
you cannot avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. If you try to drive through owing
water, as you might at a low water crossing,
your vehicle can be carried away. As little as
six inches of owing water can carry away a
smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown. Do not ignore
police warning signs, and otherwise be very
cautious about trying to drive through owing
water.
4-20