2007 BUICK RAINIER steering wheel

If U.S. (ENGLISH) is chosen, all information will
be displayed in English units. For example,
distance will be displayed in miles (mi) and fuel
economy in miles per gallon (MPG). If METRIC
(km/L) is chosen, all information will be displayed
in metric units. For example, distance will be
displayed in kilometers (km) and fuel economy in
kilometers per liter (km/L). If METRIC (L/100 km)
is chosen, all information will be displayed in metric
units. For example, distance will be displayed in
kilometers (km) and fuel economy in liters per
100 kilometers (L/100 km).
Choose one of the available options and press the
customization button while it is displayed on the
DIC to select it and exit out of the customizable
options.
Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then
read the pages following to familiarize yourself
with its features.
Driving without distraction is a necessity for a
safer driving experience. SeeDefensive Driving on
page 282. By taking a few moments to read this
manual and get familiar with your vehicle’saudio system, you can use it with less effort, as
well as take advantage of its features. While your
vehicle is parked, 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 stations using the presets and
steering wheel controls if the vehicle has them.
{CAUTION:
This system provides you with a far
greater access to audio stations and
song listings. Giving extended attention
to entertainment tasks while driving can
cause a crash and you or others can be
injured or killed. Always keep your eyes
on the road and your mind on the
drive — avoid engaging in extended
searching while driving.
Keeping your mind on the drive is important for
safe driving. Here are some ways in which you can
help avoid distraction while driving.
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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 356.
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 110for more information.
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Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, some audio
functions can be adjusted at the steering wheel.
They include the following:
g(OnStar®/Mute):If your vehicle has OnStar,
press this button to interact with the OnStar
system. See theOnStar
®System on page 129in
this manual for more information.
If your vehicle does not have OnStar, press this
button to silence the system. Press it again, or any
other radio button, to turn on the sound.PROG (Program):Press this button to play a
station you have programmed on the radio preset
pushbuttons. The radio will only seek preset
stations with a strong signal that are in the
selected band.
When a CD is playing in the CD changer, press
this button to go to the next available CD, if
multiple CDs are loaded.
QSOURCER:Press this button to switch
between FM1, FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2
(if equipped), or a CD. If a CD is loaded the
CD symbol will appear on the display.
QSEEKR:Press the up or the down arrow to
go to the next or to the previous radio station
and stay there. The radio will only seek stations
with a strong signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing, press the up or the
down arrow to fast forward or reverse.
QVOLR(Volume):Press the up or the down
arrow to increase or to decrease the volume.
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Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 282
Defensive Driving...................................... 282
Drunken Driving........................................ 283
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 286
Braking...................................................... 286
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 287
Braking in Emergencies............................. 289
Locking Rear Axle..................................... 289
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 289
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.................. 293
Steering.................................................... 294
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 296
Passing..................................................... 296
Loss of Control.......................................... 298
Off-Road Driving........................................ 299
Driving at Night......................................... 314Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 316
City Driving............................................... 319
Freeway Driving........................................ 320
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 321
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 322
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 323
Winter Driving........................................... 325
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 329
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 330
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 330
Towing........................................................ 337
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 337
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 337
Electronically Controlled Air Suspension
System.................................................. 337
Towing a Trailer........................................ 339
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
281

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
Your vehicle may have this feature. A 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.
289

Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the
engine stops or the system is not functioning,
you can steer but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable
speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents
mentioned on the news happen on curves.
Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is
subject to the same laws of physics when driving on
curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change
its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the
same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a
vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this.The traction you can get in a curve depends on
the condition of your tires and the road surface,
the angle at which the curve is banked, and
your speed. While you are in a curve, speed is
the one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to
do their work where the tires meet the road.
Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places. You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease
up on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle
the way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you
should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted
speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
your front wheels are straight ahead.
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Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of
the curve, and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 356.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more
effective than braking. For example, you come
over a hill and nd a truck stopped in your lane, or
a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a
child darts out from between parked cars and
stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking — if you can stop in time.
But sometimes you cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking on page 286. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention
and a quick decision. If you are holding the
steering wheel at the recommended 9 and
3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing either
hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly,
and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you
have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive
driving at all times and wear safety belts properly.
295

Off-Road Recovery
You may nd that your right wheels have dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you are driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off
the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge
of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel
up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire
contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple
maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a
two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous
move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same
lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief
surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put
the passing driver face to face with the worst of all
traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the
sides, and to crossroads for situations
that might affect your passing patterns. If you
have any doubt whatsoever about making
a successful pass, wait for a better time.
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