2006 GMC ENVOY XL brake

Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe
driving. For more information, seeDefensive Driving on
page 4-2.
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 the vehicle has them.
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 safety belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the 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.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can be
played even after the ignition is turned off. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-20for more
information.
3-67

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-9
Locking Rear Axle..........................................4-9
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-9
Steering......................................................4-14
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-16
Passing.......................................................4-16
Loss of Control.............................................4-18
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-19
Driving at Night............................................4-32
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-33
City Driving..................................................4-35Freeway Driving...........................................4-36
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-37
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-38
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-38
Winter Driving..............................................4-40
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-44
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-44
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-45
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-50
Towing..........................................................4-50
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-50
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-50
Electronically Controlled Air
Suspension System...................................4-55
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-56
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it
is easy to ask more of those control systems than
the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-39.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake
force applied.
4-6

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away, ABS
will check itself. You may hear a momentary motor or
clicking noise while this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-40.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for service.
4-7

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.ABS 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.
4-8

Remember: ABS 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 ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time. In
many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one of the rear wheels has no traction
and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak®, Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) which combines antilock
brake, traction and stability control systems and helps
the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle
in most driving conditions.
Traction control activates when the controller senses
wheel spin. StabiliTrak
®will selectively apply the brakes
and reduce engine torque to help regain traction.
Stability control activates when the controller senses a
discrepancy between your intended path and the
direction the vehicle is travelling. StabiliTrak
®selectively
applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s
brakes to help guide the vehicle in the direction which
you are steering.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel
the system working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with your vehicle. If driving
conditions delay system initialization, the STABILITRAK
NOT READY message may be displayed. If this is
the case, your vehicle does not need servicing.
For more information on the stability messages, see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-54.
4-9

Traction Control Off
In this mode, stability control and brake-traction control
are functional. Engine speed management will be
modied and the driven wheels can spin more freely.
This can cause the brake-traction control to activate
more frequently. If the controller detects excessive wheel
spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light may
blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message may be
displayed to warn the driver that damage may occur
to the transfer case.
StabiliTrak®Off
In this mode, both stability control and part of the
traction control system are disabled. Your vehicle will
still have brake-traction control, but will not be able
to use the engine speed management system. You may
still hear system noises as a result of the brake-traction
control coming on. If the controller detects excessive
wheel spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light
may blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message
may be displayed to warn the driver that damage may
occur to the transfer case.It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow, and you may want to “rock” your vehicle in
an attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 4-44for more information.
When the transfer case is in 4LO, the stability system is
automatically disabled. The StabiliTrak
®light will
come on and the STABILITRAK OFF message will
appear on the DIC. The StabiliTrak
®system cannot be
turned on until the vehicle is switched to 2HI, 4HI,
or 4AWD.
4-11

The following chart describes the StabiliTrak®system events and the corresponding messages and lights that will be
displayed on the instrument panel cluster.
Vehicles with a DIC Vehicles without a DIC
Event StabiliTrak®
Indicator LightDIC MessageStabiliTrak
®
Indicator LightStabiliTrak
®
Service Light
Off None Off OffStabiliTrak®On mode
(System is fully enabled, but
is not actively controlling
vehicle stability).
Solid Traction Control Off Solid OffTraction Control
Off Mode
Solid StabiliTrak
®Off Solid OffStabiliTrak
®Off Mode
(StabiliTrak®indicator light
will ash when system rst
enters this mode).
Blinking StabiliTrak
®Active Blinking OffStabiliTrak
®system
activates using engine
speed management, brake
traction control, and/or
stability control.
Solid Service StabiliTrak
®Solid SolidStabiliTrak
®system is
disabled due to a system
fault.
SolidStabiliTrak
®Not
ReadySolid OffStabiliTrak®system is
disabled due to a failure
to initialize.
4-12