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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. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 329and
StabiliTrak
®System on page 331.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modi cations on page 363.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 192.
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.
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Magnetic Ride Control
Magnetic Ride Control automatically adjusts the
ride of your vehicle. Automatic ride control is
achieved through a computer used to control and
monitor the suspension system. The controller
receives input from various sensors to determine
the proper system response. If the controller
detects a problem within the system, the DIC will
display a SERVICE RIDE CONTROL message.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 206for
more information. See your dealer for service.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Your limited-slip 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
The StabiliTrak®System is a computer controlled
system that helps the driver maintain directional
control of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
This is accomplished by selectively applying
any one of the vehicle’s brakes.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to
drive away (6 mph (10 km/h)), especially during
cold weather, the message STABILITRAK
WARMING may be displayed in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), the instrument panel
cluster light will be on, and a chime will sound.
This is normal. You can acknowledge this
message by pressing the RESET button. The
StabiliTrak
®System performance is affected until
the message, STABILITRAK READY, is
displayed in the DIC. This can take up to
15 minutes.
The WAIT FOR STABILITRAK message may be
displayed in the DIC after exceeding 19 mph
(30 km/h) for 10 seconds if the steering is
not centered. The system is off until the
STABILITRAK ACTIVE message is displayed.
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The STABILITRAK ACTIVE message will come on
when the system is operating. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 206for more information.
You may also feel or hear the system working.
This is normal.
The instrument panel
cluster light will come
on and a chime will
sound to let you know if
there is a problem
with the system.
The SERVICE STABILITRAK message will also
be displayed. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 206for more information.
When this light and the SERVICE STABILITRAK
message are on, the system is not operational.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
The system comes on automatically whenever you
start your vehicle. To help maintain directional
control of the vehicle, you should always leave the
system on. You can turn the system off if youever need to. If you turn the StabiliTrak®system
off, the Traction Control System will also be turned
off. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To turn the system off,
press and hold the front
part of the traction
control button on the
console for ve seconds
with the vehicle
stopped.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button. The DIC will display the
appropriate message when you push the button,
either TRAC/STABILITRAK ON or
TRAC/STABILITRAK OFF.
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Driving On Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires
meet the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery
situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip,
and will need to be very careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on.
But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get
wet ice when it is about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and
freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed,
blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution.
Traction control improves your ability to accelerate
when driving on a slippery road. Even though
your vehicle has the Traction Control System
(TCS), you will want to slow down and adjust your
driving to the road conditions. Under certain
conditions, you may want to turn the TCS off, such
as when driving through deep snow and loose
gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion at
lower speeds. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 329. The StabiliTrak
®System may
also activate. SeeStabiliTrak®System on
page 331.
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