
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front or
sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end or side sheet
metal or height, they may keep the airbag system
from working properly. Also, the airbag system may
not work properly if you relocate any of the airbag
sensors. If you have any questions about this,
you should contact Customer Assistance before you
modify your vehicle. The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two
of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on
page 7-2.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modi ed. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, or the instrument panel can affect
the operation of the airbag system. If you have
questions, call Customer Assistance. The phone
numbers and addresses for Customer Assistance
are in Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
1-78

Terms and conditions of the Subscription Service
Agreement can be found at www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca.
OnStar®Services
For new vehicles equipped with OnStar®, the Safe and
Sound Plan is included for one year from the date of
purchase. You can extend this plan beyond the rst year,
or upgrade to the Directions and Connections
®Plan to
meet your needs. For more information, press the
OnStar
®button to speak to an advisor.
Safe and Sound Plan
Automatic Noti cation of Airbag Deployment
Emergency Services
Roadside Assistance
Stolen Vehicle Tracking
AccidentAssist
Remote Door Unlock/Vehicle Alert
Remote Diagnostics
Online Concierge
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 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 your 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 pro le
at www.myonstar.com. See the OnStar
®user’s guide
for more information.
2-39

Exit Lighting
With exit lighting, the interior lamps will come on when
you remove the key from the ignition. The lamps will not
come on if the dome override button is pressed in.
Battery Run-Down Protection
This feature shuts off the dome lamp if it is left on for
more than 20 minutes when the ignition is in LOCK.
This will help prevent your battery from running down.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
Your vehicle may have accessory power outlets.
With accessory power outlets you can plug in auxiliary
electrical equipment such as a cellular telephone or
CB radio.
Your vehicle may have two accessory power outlets
located on the lower part of the instrument panel below
the climate control system and there may be one
located on the rear of the center console. A small cap
must be pulled down to access an accessory power
outlet. When not using an outlet be sure to cover it with
the protective cap.Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn
off electrical equipment when not in use and do
not plug in equipment that exceeds the maximum
amperage rating.
Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer for additional information
on accessory power outlets.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage rating. Check
with your dealer before adding electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the proper installation instructions included with
the equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by your warranty. Do not
hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the power outlets are
designed for accessory power plugs only.
3-18

Here are some ways in which you can help avoid
distraction while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering wheel
controls (if equipped).
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player,
CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking with your
dealer. Also, check federal rules covering mobile
radio and telephone units. If sound equipment can
be added, it is very important to do it properly.
Added sound equipment may interfere with
the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or
other systems, and even damage them. Your
vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation
of sound equipment that has been added.Notice:The chime signals related to seat belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the GM radio/entertainment system.
If that equipment is replaced or additional
equipment is added to your vehicle, the chimes may
not work. Make sure that replacement or additional
equipment is compatible with your vehicle before
installing it. SeeAccessories and Modifications on
page 5-3.
Figure out which audio system is in your vehicle, nd
out what your audio system can do, and how to operate
all of its controls.
Setting the Time for Radios without
Radio Data Systems (RDS)
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears on the
display. Press and hold MIN until the correct minute
appears on the display. There is an initial two-second
delay before the clock goes into time-set mode. Display
the time with the ignition off, by pressing RCL, HR,
or MIN.
3-47

INFO (Information):If the current station has a
message, the information symbol will appear on the
display. Press this button to see the message.
The message may display the artist, song title, call in
phone numbers, etc.
If the entire message is not displayed, parts of the
message will appear every three seconds. To scroll
through the message, press and release the INFO button.
A new group of words will appear on the display after
every press of this button. Once the complete message
has been displayed, the information symbol will
disappear from the display until another new message is
received. The last message can be displayed by pressing
the INFO button. You can view the last message until a
new message is received or a different station is tuned to.
When a message is not available from a station,
NO INFO will appear on the display.
TRAF (Traffic):If TRAF appears on the display, the
tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements
and when a traffic announcement comes on the tuned
radio station you will hear it.
If the station does not broadcast traffic announcements,
press the TRAF button and the radio will seek to a station
that does. When a station that broadcasts traffic
announcements is found, the radio will stop seeking and
TRAF will appear on the display.If no station is found that broadcasts traffic
announcements, NO TRAF will appear on the display.
If TRAF is on the display, press the TRAF button to turn
off the traffic announcements.
The radio will play the traffic announcement if the volume
is low. The radio will interrupt the play of a CD if the last
tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements.
This function does not apply to XM™ Satellite Radio
Service.
Radio Messages
CAL ERR (Calibration Error):The audio system has
been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If
CAL ERR appears on the display it means that the radio
has not been con gured properly for your vehicle and
it must be returned to your GM dealer for service.
LOCKED:This message is displayed when the
THEFTLOCK
®system has locked up. Take your vehicle
to your GM dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your GM dealer.
3-56

RDS Messages
INFO (Information):If the current station has a
message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this
button to see the message. The message may display
the artist, song title, call in phone numbers, etc.
If the entire message is not displayed, parts of the
message will appear every three seconds. To scroll
through the message, press and release the INFO button.
A new group of words will appear on the display after
every press of this button. Once the complete message
has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display
until another new message is received. The last message
can be displayed by pressing the INFO button. You can
view the last message until a new message is received or
a different station is tuned to.
Radio Messages
CAL ERR (Calibration Error):The audio system has
been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If
CAL ERR appears on the display, it means that the radio
has not been con gured properly for the vehicle and
must be returned to your GM dealer for service.
LOCKED:This message is displayed when the
THEFTLOCK
®system has locked up. Take the vehicle
to your GM dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly, or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your GM dealer.
Playing a CD
If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the
player, it will stay in the player. When the ignition
or radio is turned on, the CD will start playing where it
stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol will appear on
the display. As each new track starts to play, the
track number will appear on the display.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm)
single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the
smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner.
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced
due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality
of the music that has been recorded, and the way the
CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase
in skipping, difficulty in nding tracks, and/or difficulty in
loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check
the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is
damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the
CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD
is soiled, see “Care of Your CDs” later in this section.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
3-71

Radio Reception
You may experience frequency interference and static
during normal radio reception if items such as cellphone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and
external electronic devices are plugged into the
accessory power outlet. If there is interference or static,
unplug the item from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other. For
better radio reception, most AM radio stations will boost
the power levels during the day, and then reduce
these levels during the night. Static can also occur when
things like storms and power lines interfere with radio
reception. When this happens, try reducing the treble on
your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will
reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous
United States, and in Canada (if available). Just as with
FM, tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite
radio signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. In
addition, traveling or standing under heavy foliage,
bridges, garages, or tunnels may cause loss of the XM™
signal for a period of time. The radio may display NO
SIGNAL to indicate interference.
Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct
sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the bottom
surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged,
such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will
not play properly or not at all. If the surface of a CD is
soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft
cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with
water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process starts
from the center to the edge.
Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while handling it;
this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs by
grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and
the outer edge.
3-78

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.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 re ections
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.
4-30