Page 125 of 580

Key In the Ignition
Never leave your vehicle with the keys inside, as it
is an easy target for joy riders or thieves. If you
leave the key in the ignition and park your vehicle,
a chime will sound, when you open the driver’s
door. Always remember to remove your key from
the ignition and take it with you. This will lock
your ignition and transaxle. Also, always remember
to lock the doors.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ignition while your vehicle is parked.
You may not be able to start your vehicle after it
has been parked for an extended period of time.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle has a Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) feature which will allow certain features on
your vehicle to continue to work up to 10 minutes
after the ignition key is turned to LOCK.
The radio, power windows, if the vehicle has a
sunroof and the OnStar
®System, will work when
the ignition key is in RUN or ACCESSORY.
Once the key is turned from RUN to LOCK, these
features will continue to work for up to 10 minutes
or until a door is opened.
125
Page 126 of 580

Starting the Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N). Your engine will not start in
any other position — that is a safety feature.
To restart when you are already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to PARK (P)
only when your vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key. The idle speed will go
down as your engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission
gently until the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.Your vehicle has a Computer-Controlled
Cranking System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects the electrical
system. If the ignition key is turned to the
START, and then released when the engine
begins cranking, the engine will continue
cranking until the vehicle starts or until
it exceeds the maximum cranking time allowed,
approximately 15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear damage,
this system also prevents cranking if the
engine is already running. The engine cranking
can be stopped by turning the ignition switch
to the ACCESSORY or LOCK.
126
Page 127 of 580

Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods
of time, by returning the key to the START
position immediately after cranking has ended,
can overheat and damage the cranking
motor and drain the battery. Waiting about
15 seconds between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool down, will prevent
damage due to overheating.
2. If the engine does not start within 10 seconds,
push the accelerator pedal all the way to the
oor, while you hold the ignition key in
START. When the engine starts, let go of the
key and let up on the accelerator pedal.
Wait about 15 seconds between each try.
When starting your engine in very cold weather
(below 0°F or−18°C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START and hold it there up
to 15 seconds. When the engine starts, let
go of the key.2. If your engine still will not start, or starts but
then stops, it could be ooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing your accelerator
pedal all the way to the oor and holding it
there as you hold the key in START for about
three seconds. When the engine starts, let
go of the key and accelerator. If the vehicle
starts brie y but then stops again, do the
same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for ve or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you add
electrical parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check with
your dealer. If you do not, your engine might
not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranty.
127
Page 133 of 580
Your vehicle’s transmission uses adaptive shift
controls that compares key shift parameters
to pre-programmed ideal shifts stored in the
transmissions computer. The transmission
constantly makes adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the vehicle is
being used, such as with a heavy load or when
temperature changes. During this adaptive
shift controls process, shifting may feel different as
the transmission determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold, the
Hydra-Matic
®6L80 automatic transmission’s gear
shifting may be delayed providing more stable
shifts until the engine warms up. Shifts may
be more noticeable with a cold transmission. This
difference in shifting is normal.
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Shift Control (DSC). The
DSC controls the vehicle’s transmission and
vehicle speed while driving down hill or towing a
trailer by allowing you to select a desired range of
gears.
133
Page 138 of 580