or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you are upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so youcanunbuckle and get out, ismuchgreater if
you are belted.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they workwith
safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has
airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
1-14
Remote Start Ready
(Automatic Transmission Only)
If your vehicle does not have the remote vehicle start
feature, it may have the remote start ready feature. This
feature allows your dealer to add the manufacturer’s
remote vehicle start feature.
If the keyless entry transmitter has a plus (+) symbol
on the back cover, your vehicle has the remote
start ready feature. You can lock or unlock your vehicle
from approximately 197 feet (60 m) away.
See your dealer if you would like to add the
manufacturer’s remote vehicle start feature to
your vehicle.
Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.
2-10
Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets in a
vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the extreme heat
and suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a child, a
helpless adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows closed in warm
or hot weather.
2-16
Sun Visors
Swing down the visors to block glare. The visors can
be removed from the center mount and swung to
the side. The visors also have extenders that can be
pulled out for additional blockage.
Your vehicle may have lighted vanity mirrors on the
driver’s and passenger’s visors. When you lift the cover,
the light will turn on.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle may have a
content theft-deterrent
alarm system.
Arming the System
With the ignition off, you can arm the system by pressing
the remote keyless entry transmitter lock button or the
power door lock switch while the driver’s door is open.
The system will arm thirty seconds after all the doors are
closed, or sixty seconds with any door open.
If you press the lock button on the transmitter a second
time while all the doors are closed, the system will arm
immediately. The system will still arm in sixty seconds if a
door is open. When the open door is closed, it will also
become armed.
The security light, located on the instrument panel
cluster, will turn on to indicate that arming has been
initiated. Once the system is armed, the security light will
ash once every three seconds.
If the security light is ashing twice per second, this
means that a door is open.
If you do not want to arm the system, you may lock the
car with the lock levers on the doors.
Disarming the System
You can disarm the system by pressing the remote
keyless entry transmitter unlock button, or turning the
ignition on.
Once the system is disarmed, the security light will
stop ashing.
2-19
LOW (L):This position, available on the SE model,
gives you more power but lower fuel economy
than THIRD (3). You can use LOW (L) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep mountain
roads, but then you would also want to use your
brakes off and on.
You can use LOW (L) on very steep hills, or in deep
snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in LOW (L),
the transaxle will not shift into rst gear until the vehicle
is going slowly enough.
Notice:Driving in LOW (L) for more than 25 miles
(40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h) may
damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into LOW (L)
at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can cause
damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) instead of LOW (L).
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes, or parking brake to hold the vehicle
in place.
MANUAL MODE (M):This position, available on the
GT/GTP models, allows you to change gears similar to a
manual transaxle. If your vehicle has this feature, see
Manual Shift Mode (MSM).Manual Shift Mode (MSM)
(Automatic Transaxle)
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) rearward and then to the right
into the MANUAL MODE (M).
2. If you do not move the shift lever forward or
rearward, the vehicle will be in the manual
mode and a gear based on the current driving
speed.
While driving in manual mode, the transaxle may
remain in a gear longer than it would in normal
driving mode based on braking, throttle input and
vehicle lateral acceleration.
3. Press the shift level forward to upshift or rearward
to downshift.
The odometer on the instrument panel cluster will
change from the vehicle’s mileage to the letter M, for
manual mode, and a number indicating the requested
gear range when moving the shift lever forward or
rearward. SeeSpeedometer and Odometer on
page 3-31for more information.
2-31
Delayed Headlamps
The delayed headlamps feature will continue to
illuminate the headlamps for 20 seconds after the key is
turned to OFF, then the headlamps will automatically
turn off.
To override the 20 second delayed headlamp feature
while it is active turn the turn signal/multifunction
lever up one position and then back to AUTO.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
rst sold in Canada. The vehicle has a light sensor on
top of the instrument panel. Make sure it is not covered,
or the head lamps will be on when not needed.The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
The exterior lamps control is in the parking lamps
only position (this applies only to vehicles that are
rst sold in Canada).
The light sensor detects daytime light.
The parking brake is released (manual transaxle) or
the vehicle is not in PARK (automatic transaxle).
When the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker
lamps, parking lamps, and instrument panel lights
will not be illuminated unless you have turned the
exterior lamps control to the parking lamp position.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-15
LOW OIL LEVEL:This message may display on some
vehicles. For correct operation of the low oil sensing
system, your vehicle should be on a level surface.
A false LOW OIL LEVEL message may appear if the
vehicle is parked on a grade. The oil level sensing
system does not check for actual oil level if the engine
has been off for a short period of time, and the oil
level is never checked while the engine is running. If the
LOW OIL LEVEL message appears, and your vehicle
has been parked on level ground with the engine off for
at least 30 minutes, the oil level should be checked
by observing the oil dipstick. Prior to checking the
oil level, be sure the engine has been off for a few
minutes and your vehicle is on a level surface. Then
check the dipstick and add oil if necessary. SeeEngine
Oil on page 5-17.
LOW WASHER FLUID:This message will display
when your vehicle is low on windshield washer uid. You
should re ll the windshield washer uid reservoir as
soon as possible. See “Adding Washer Fluid” under
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-38.
PARKING BRAKE:This message will display if the
parking brake is left engaged and you try to drive away.
SeeParking Brake on page 2-33for more information.
POWER STEERING:This message will display if
a problem has been detected with the electric power
steering, if equipped. Have your vehicle serviced
immediately by your GM dealer.SERVICE AIR BAG:There is a problem with the airbag
system when this message appears. Have your
vehicle serviced immediately by your GM dealer.
STABIL (StabiliTrak
®) NOT READY:When you rst
start your vehicle and drive away, especially during cold
winter weather, this message may display. This is
normal. The StabiliTrak
®performance is affected until
this message automatically clears from the DIC display.
If you acknowledge and clear this message by
pressing one of the DIC buttons, the StabiliTrak
®
system will not be ready. The system will only be ready
when this message clears from the DIC display on
its own. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-12for
more information.
TOP FAILED:If your vehicle has a retractable hardtop,
this message will display after ve unsuccessful
attempts at retractable hardtop operation. See your
GM dealer for service. SeeLowering the Retractable
Hardtop on page 2-49andRaising the Retractable
Hardtop on page 2-51for more information.
Top Inop (Inoperative) – Trunk:If your vehicle has a
retractable hardtop, this message will display if the
trunk lid is not completely closed when operating the
retractable hardtop. Make sure that the trunk lid is
closed when operating the retractable hardtop. See
Trunk on page 2-14,Lowering the Retractable Hardtop
on page 2-49, andRaising the Retractable Hardtop
on page 2-51for more information.
3-50