REPLACE BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY
If a remote keyless entry transmitter battery is low,
this message will display. The battery needs to
be replaced in the transmitter. See “Battery
Replacement” underRemote Keyless Entry
System Operation on page 93.
RIGHT REAR DOOR OPEN
If the passenger’s side rear door is not fully closed
and the vehicle is in a drive gear, this message
will display and a chime will sound. Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for obstructions,
and close the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC.
SERVICE AIR BAG
If there is a problem with the airbag system, this
message will display. Have your dealer inspect
the system for problems. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 229andAirbag System on page 67
for more information.
SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING
SYSTEM
On some vehicles, if there is a problem with the
battery charging system, this message will display.
Under certain conditions, the charging system
light may also turn on in the instrument panel
cluster. SeeCharging System Light on page 232.
Driving with this problem could drain the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories. Have
the electrical system checked as soon as possible.
See your dealer.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If there is a problem with the brake system, this
message will display along with the brake system
warning light. SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 232. If this message appears, stop
as soon as possible and turn off the vehicle.
Restart the vehicle and check for the message on
the DIC display. If the message is still displayed
or appears again when you begin driving, the
brake system needs service as soon as possible.
See your dealer.
253
SERVICE BRAKES SOON
If there is a problem with the brake system, this
message will display. If this message appears,
stop as soon as possible and turn off the vehicle.
Restart the vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message is still displayed
or appears again when you begin driving, the
brake system needs service. See your dealer.
SERVICE PARKING ASSIST
This message will display if there is a problem
with the Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)
system. Do not use this system to help you park.
SeeUltrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)
on page 213for more information. See your
dealer for service.
SERVICE STABILITRAK
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak®and this message
displays, it means there may be a problem
with the StabiliTrak
®system. If you see this
message, try to reset the system. Stop; turn off
the engine for at least 15 seconds; then start
the engine again. If this message still comes on, it
means there is a problem. You should see your
dealer for service. The vehicle is safe to drive,
however, you do not have the bene t of
StabiliTrak
®, so reduce your speed and drive
accordingly.
SERVICE SUSPENSION SYSTEM
This message will display when the Road Sensing
Suspension (RSS) system is not operating
properly. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM
This message will display when there is a
problem with the theft-deterrent system. The
vehicle may or may not restart so you may want
to take the vehicle to your dealer before turning off
the engine. SeePASS-Key
®III+ Operation on
page 121for more information.
254
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM
If your vehicle has the Tire Pressure Monitor
(TPM) system, this message will display if a part
on the system is not working properly. If you
drive your vehicle while any of the four sensors
are missing or inoperable, the warning will
come on in about 20 minutes. A sensor would
be missing, for example, if you put different wheels
on your vehicle without transferring the sensors.
If the warning comes on and stays on, there
may be a problem with the TPM. See your dealer.
SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak®, this message will
display when there is a problem with the traction
control system. When this message is displayed,
the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust
your driving accordingly. See your dealer for
service. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 330for
more information.
STABILITRAK OFF
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak®, this message will
display when you turn off StabiliTrak®, or when
the stability control has been automatically
disabled. To limit wheel spin and realize the full
bene ts of the stability enhancement system, you
should normally leave StabiliTrak
®on. However,
you should turn StabiliTrak®off if your vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow and you want
to rock your vehicle to attempt to free it, or if you
are driving in extreme off-road conditions and
require more wheel spin. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 370.
To turn the StabiliTrak
®system on or off, see
StabiliTrak®System on page 330.
There are several conditions that can cause this
message to appear.
One condition is overheating, which could
occur if StabiliTrak®activates continuously
for an extended period of time.
The message will also be displayed if the
brake system warning light is on. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 232.
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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 397.
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 125for more information.Setting the Time
1. Press the tune/select knob (the right knob)
to enter the main menu.
2. Turn the tune/select knob until SET CLOCK
appears on the display.
3. Press the tune/select knob to select
SET CLOCK.
4. Turn the tune/select knob to adjust the time.
5. Press the tune/select knob to update the time.
VEHICLE TIME UPDATED will appear on
the display.
If the CLOCK/RADIO DISP (display) is
programmed into one of the con gurable keys,
pressing the key will switch the display back to the
clock set function. The time and date will always
appear on the radio display. See “Con gurable
Radio Display Keys” underRadio with CD and DVD
on page 270for more information on con guring
the keys.
269
Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 322
Defensive Driving...................................... 322
Drunken Driving........................................ 323
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 326
Braking...................................................... 326
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 327
Braking in Emergencies............................. 329
Locking Differential.................................... 329
Road Sensing Suspension......................... 329
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 330
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.................. 333
Steering.................................................... 333
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 335
Passing..................................................... 336
Loss of Control.......................................... 338
Off-Road Driving........................................ 339
Driving at Night......................................... 355
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 356City Driving............................................... 360
Freeway Driving........................................ 361
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 362
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 363
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 364
Winter Driving........................................... 366
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 370
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 370
Recovery Hooks........................................ 371
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 372
Truck-Camper Loading Information............ 378
Towing........................................................ 378
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 378
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 379
Autoride
®................................................... 379
Towing a Trailer........................................ 380
Trailer Recommendations.......................... 392
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
321
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle
go where you want it to go. They are the
brakes, the steering, and the accelerator. All
three systems have to do their work at the places
where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 330.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modi cations on page 397.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 232.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might
be less with one driver and as long as two or
three seconds or more with another. Age, physical
condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
326
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by
heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with
traffic. This is a mistake. The brakes may not have
time to cool between hard stops. The brakes
will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and
allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modi cations on page 397.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that
will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive
away, ABS 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 ABS, this warning
light will stay on.
SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning
Light on page 234.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP
problem, both the brake and ABS warning lights
will come on accompanied by a 10-second
chime. The lights and chime will come on each
time the ignition is turned on until the problem is
repaired. See your dealer for service.
327
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
front wheel and at both rear wheels.ABS can change the brake pressure faster than
any driver could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the
obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
328