
B (ACCESSORY):This position lets you use things
like the radio and the windshield wipers when the
engine is off.
Notice:Lengthy operation of features such as
the radio in the accessory ignition position may
drain the battery and prevent your vehicle from
starting. Do not operate your vehicle in the
accessory ignition position for a long period
of time.
C (RUN):This is the position for driving.
D (START):This position starts the engine.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) feature which will allow certain
features on your vehicle to continue to work up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned to LOCK.
Your radio, power windows, sunroof (if equipped),
and OnStar
®System (if equipped) will work when the
ignition key is in RUN or ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from RUN to LOCK, these features will continue
to work for up to 10 minutes or until a door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Your vehicle is equipped with Starter Motor Control.
This feature assists in starting the engine and protects
the electrical system. This feature may cause the
engine to crank even after the ignition key is not
in START.
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position — that
is a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage
the transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down
as your engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer
than 15 seconds at a time will disengage the starter
motor, cause your battery to be drained much
sooner, and add excessive heat that can damage
your starter motor. Try not to hold the key in
START for longer than 15 seconds and wait
about 15 seconds between each try to help avoid
draining your battery or damaging your starter.
2-20

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission
and features an electronic shift position indicator
within the instrument panel cluster. This display must
be powered anytime the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of PARK (P).
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-32. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-60.
{CAUTION:
If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle
will be free to roll — even if your shift lever
is in PARK (P) — if your transfer case is in
NEUTRAL. So, be sure the transfer case is
in a drive gear, two-wheel high, four-wheel
high or four-wheel low — not in NEUTRAL.
SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-32.
2-23

When Tow/Haul mode
is selected the
Tow/Haul indicator
light will illuminate.
The Tow/Haul mode also interacts with the Autoride
®
feature, if equipped, to enhance the ride when trailering
or with a loaded vehicle. SeeAutoride®on page 4-60.
Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you will see the
buttons shown below. You can send your engine’s
driving power to all four wheels for extra traction.
To get the most satisfaction out of four-wheel drive,
you must be familiar with its operation. Read the
part that follows before using four-wheel drive.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive Low for
an extended period of time may cause premature
wear on your vehicle’s powertrain. Do not drive on
clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel-Drive Low for extended periods of time.The transfer case buttons
are located to the left
of the instrument panel
cluster.
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically when
you shift the transfer case. Some delay for the axle
to lock or unlock is normal.
For information on StabiliTrak
®, seeStabiliTrak®
System on page 4-9.
Use these buttons to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.
2-26

Shifting into NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will
not roll.
2. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-31for more information.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel High.
6. Simultaneously press and hold the Two-Wheel High
and Four-Wheel Low buttons for 10 seconds.
The NEUTRAL light will come on when the transfer
case shift to NEUTRAL is complete.
7. If the engine is running, verify that the transmission
is in NEUTRAL (N) by shifting the transmission
to REVERSE (R) for one second, then shift
the transmission to DRIVE (D) for one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY, which will turn
the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
10. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N) and turn
the ignition to RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the button for the desired transfer case
shift position (Two-Wheel High, Four-Wheel High,
AUTO 4WD, or Four-Wheel Low).
After the transfer case has shifted out of
NEUTRAL the NEUTRAL light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear
before the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has
stopped ashing could damage the transfer case.
To help avoid damaging your vehicle, always
wait for the Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop
ashing before shifting the transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the transmission to
the desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or out of
the different modes may cause the transfer case to enter
the shift protection mode. This will protect the transfer
case from possible damage and will only allow the
transfer case to respond to one shift per 10 seconds.
The transfer case may stay in this mode for up to
three minutes.
2-30