2006 SATURN ION mirror

Compass Calibration
The compass may need calibration from time to time.
In order to calibrate, CAL must be displayed in the mirror
compass window. If CAL is not displayed, push in the
COMP button for approximately eight seconds or
until CAL is displayed.
The compass can be calibrated by driving the vehicle
in circles at 5 mph (8 km/h) or less until the display
reads a direction, or the word CAL disappears.
Compass Variance
The mirror is set in zone eight upon leaving the
factory. It will be necessary to adjust the compass to
compensate for compass variance if you live outside
zone eight. Under certain circumstances, as during
a long distance cross-country trip, it will be necessary
to adjust for compass variance. Compass variance is
the difference between earth’s magnetic north and
true geographic north. If not adjusted to account
for compass variance, your compass could give
false readings.
To adjust for compass variance:
1. Find your current location and variance zone
number on the following zone map.2. Press and hold the COMP button for ve seconds
until a zone number appears in the display.
3. Press the COMP button on the bottom of the mirror
until the new zone number appears in the display.
After you stop pressing the button, the display
will show a compass direction within a few seconds.
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Cleaning the Mirror
Use a paper towel or similar material dampened with
glass cleaner. Do not spray glass cleaner directly on the
mirror as that may cause the liquid cleaner to enter
the mirror housing.
Outside Remote Control Mirror
Adjust the driver’s outside
mirror by moving the
control located on the
driver’s door.
The outside rearview mirrors should be adjusted so you
can see a little of the side of your vehicle while you
are sitting in a comfortable driving position.
To adjust the passenger’s outside mirror, sit in the driver’s
seat and have a passenger adjust the mirror for you.
Outside Power Mirrors
The controls are located
on the driver’s door
armrest.
Move the selector switch to the left or right to choose
the mirror you want to adjust; then press the dots
located on the four-way control pad to adjust the mirror.
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Outside Convex Mirror
{CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
The passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be seen from
the driver’s seat. It also makes things appear farther
away than they really are.
OnStar®System
OnStar®uses global positioning system (GPS) satellite
technology, wireless communications, and call centers
to provide you with a wide range of safety, security,
information, and convenience services.
A complete OnStar
®user’s guide and the terms and
conditions of the OnStar®Subscription Service
Agreement are included in the vehicle’s glove box
literature. For more information, visit www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca. Contact OnStar
®at 1-888-4-ONSTAR
(1-888-466-7827), or press the OnStar®button to speak
to an OnStar®advisor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Terms and conditions of the Subscription Service
Agreement can be found at www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca.
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Dome Lamp
The dome lamp switch has three positions.
ON:The lamp will stay on as long as the switch is in
this position.
DOOR:The lamp will come on when a door is opened.
See “Entry Lighting” for more information.
OFF:The lamp will not come on as long as the switch
is in this position.
Entry Lighting
If the dome lamp is to DOOR, the lamps inside your
vehicle will come on when any door is opened. In
addition, the light will come on when the remote keyless
entry unlock button is pressed. It will stay on for
20 seconds or until a door is opened. After the door
is opened the light will remain on and stay on for
20 seconds after the doors are closed, or until you put
the key in the ignition and turn the key to RUN. The light
will then gradually dim until it is no longer lit.
Map Lamps
These lamps are located on the headliner above the
rearview mirror. To turn the lamps on, press the lens.
Press the lens again to turn them off.
Battery Run-Down Protection
Your vehicle is equipped with a battery saver feature
designed to protect your vehicle’s battery.
When any interior lamp is left on and the ignition is
turned off, the battery rundown protection system will
automatically turn the lamp off after 20 minutes. This
will avoid draining the battery.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlets can be used to connect
electrical equipment such as a cellular phone or CB radio.
The accessory power outlets are located in the middle
and rear of the center console.
The front accessory power outlet has electrical power
available to it all the time. The rear accessory power
outlet only has electrical power when the ignition key
is turned on or the vehicle is operating on Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). SeeRetained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 2-20.
To use the outlet, remove the cover. When not in use,
always cover the outlet 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.
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Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder,
and start your left lane change signal before moving
out of the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front
in your inside mirror, activate your right lane
change signal and move back into the right lane.
Remember that your passenger side outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you just passed may
seem to be farther away from you than it really is.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not ashing, it
may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps
you can ease a little to the right.
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.
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If you have the Enhanced Traction System (ETS),
remember: It helps to avoid only the acceleration skid.
SeeEnhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9.Ifyou
do not have the Enhanced Traction System, or if the
system is off, then an acceleration skid is also best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
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 reducing vehicle speed 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.If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do
not have ABS, then in a braking skid, where the
wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This
restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the
wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.
Racing or Other Competitive Driving
See your warranty book before using your vehicle for
racing or other competitive driving. After reviewing your
warranty book, please see the GM Performance
Parts website or catalog and contact the race
sanctioning bodies, for example Sports Car Club of
America (SCCA) or Grand American, for parts and
equipment required for racing or other competitive
driving.
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Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you
are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle
with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made
much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the
glass can build up a lm caused by dust. Dirty glass
makes lights dazzle and ash more than clean
glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract
repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly lighted
objects. Just as the headlamps should be checked
regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes be
examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and are
not even aware of it.
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At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check
traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with
the ow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the
prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your
mirrors, and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic ow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it is slower.
Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle in
your blind spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain
you allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit,
do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up.
Drive on to the next exit.The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance at higher
speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower
than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
rst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you will nd experienced and able service experts
at Saturn retailers all across North America. They will
be ready and willing to help if you need it.
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