Stop Tabs
If your vehicle has a sunroof, it will have a crossrail stop
tab placed in the siderail. This tab prevents you from
moving the crossrails past the opening of the sunroof
and loading cargo too far forward.
Once you load the cargo onto the crossrails, secure it
by tying it down to the cargo tie downs. Do not load
cargo directly on the roof of your vehicle. SeeCargo Tie
Downs on page 2-45for more information.
Rear Storage Area
Your vehicle is equipped with a rear storage area
located on the passenger’s side of the cargo area.
To open, pull the two tabs out and open lid.
Convenience Net
Your vehicle may be equipped with a convenience net
in the rear of the vehicle. Put small loads behind the net.
The net is not for heavier loads. Store them as far
forward as you can.
Cargo Cover
Notice:If you put items onto the cargo cover, the
weight of the items could cause the attachment clips
to break. You would no longer be able to attach
and use the cargo cover. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Never put anything
on top of the cargo cover.
If your vehicle has a cargo cover, you can use it to
cover items in the rear of the vehicle. Remove the cover
from its pouch and place the loops found on each
corner of the cover, over the two pegs in each corner of
the rear if the vehicle. When it is not in use, fold up
the cover and return it to the pouch.
Cargo Tie Downs
Your vehicle is equipped with four cargo tie-downs.
These tie-downs are located in tracks on the roof of
the vehicle. Each tie-down can be moved to
anywhere on the track. To loosen, turn the tie-down
counterclockwise until it moves freely in the track.
To tighten, turn the tie-down clockwise.
2-45
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) FAULT
This message will be displayed if there is a problem
with the anti-lock brake system. Check the anti-lock
brake system as soon as possible and have your vehicle
serviced by your GM dealer. SeeBrakes on page 5-36
andAnti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-33for more information. Press and release the
reset stem to acknowledge the message and clear
it from the DIC display.
BATTERY
This message will be displayed when there is a problem
with the battery. SeeBattery on page 5-39andBattery
Warning Light on page 3-31for more information.
BRAKES
This message will be displayed if there is a problem
with the brakes. Check the brakes as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by your GM dealer.
SeeBrakes on page 5-36andBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-32for more information. Press and
release the reset stem to acknowledge the message and
clear it from the DIC display.
CHANGE OIL
This message will be displayed when the oil needs to
be changed. Check the oil in your vehicle as soon
as possible and have your vehicle serviced by your
GM dealer. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13andScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4for more information. Press
and release the reset stem to acknowledge the message
and clear it from the display.
DOORS
This message will be displayed when one or more
of the doors is ajar. You should check all the doors
on your vehicle to make sure they are closed. The
message will clear from the display after all of the
doors are closed.
ENG (Engine) HOT
This message will be displayed when the engine coolant
temperature is hot. Check the engine coolant
temperature gage. SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gage on page 3-34. You should have your vehicle
serviced by your GM dealer as soon as possible if you
suspect the engine is overheating. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 5-27for more information.
3-45
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-8
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-10
StabiliTrak
®System
(Automatic Transmission)............................4-11
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-14
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-16
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-17
Driving at Night............................................4-36Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-37
City Driving..................................................4-40
Freeway Driving...........................................4-41
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-42
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-43
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-43
Winter Driving..............................................4-45
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-50
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-50
Recovery Loops...........................................4-51
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-52
Towing..........................................................4-57
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-57
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-57
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-59
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-70
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system 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
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-33.
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 wheel.
4-7
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only
the acceleration skid. If your traction system is off,
then an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9andStabiliTrak
®
System (Automatic Transmission) on page 4-11.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored surface — and
slow down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-16
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
The traction control system (TCS) improves your ability
to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. It will
improve your ability to accelerate. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-50. Even
though your vehicle has TCS, you will want to slow down
and adjust your driving to the road conditions. Under
certain conditions, you may want to turn your traction
system off, such as when driving through deep
snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion
at lower speeds. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-9andStabiliTrak
®System (Automatic
Transmission) on page 4-11.
Your anti-lock brake system (ABS) improve your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, you will wantto begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on
page 4-7.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such
as around clumps of trees, behind buildings,
or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve
or an overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of
ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not
to brake while you are actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
4-47
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow in
DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission
to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if
the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads
and/or hilly conditions.
If you have a manual transmission and you are towing a
trailer, it is better not to use the highest gear.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn your
engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked, preferably on level ground, with
the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off. For manual
transmissions, let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the transmission out of
gear and the parking brake applied, for a few minutes
before turning the engine off. If you do get the overheat
warning, seeEngine Overheating on page 5-27.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet for an automatic transmission, or into
gear for a manual transmission. Turn your wheels
into the curb if facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the
trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and shift into PARK (P) for an automatic
transmission or into gear for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-67
4. Unplug the electrical connector by pushing the
release tab and pulling the bulb socket out.
5. Replace with a new bulb socket.
6. Reinstall the electrical connector.
7. Reinstall the bulb socket into the headlamp
assembly making sure to align the tabs on the bulb
socket with the tabs in the headlamp housing.
8. Turn the bulb socket clockwise to secure it.Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps
A. Stoplamp, Taillamp and
Turn Signal Lamp
B. Back-up Lamp
To replace one of these bulbs in the taillamp assembly,
do the following:
1. Open the swing-gate. SeeSwing-gate on page 2-9
for more information.
5-50