
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are 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.
233

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.
234

Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways,
parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or
superhighways — are the safest of all roads. But
they have their own special rules.The most important advice on freeway driving is:
Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at
the same speed most of the other drivers are
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a
smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane on a freeway
as a passing lane.
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 flow. 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 flow.
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.
239

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway
hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness,
or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum of the
tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make
you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does,
your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
•Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
•Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors
and your instruments frequently.
•If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get
some exercise, or both. For safety, treat
drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different
from driving in flat or rolling terrain.
241

Fuses Usage
EMS1Engine Room Fuse Block, Rear
HO2S, Transaxle Control Module,
VSS, Fuel Pump
STOP LAMP Brake Switch
CIGARCigarette Lighter, Auxiliary
Power Outlet
AUDIO/CLOCK Radio, Clock
OBD On-Board Diagnostics, Immobilizer
ROOM LAMPTrunk Lamp, Trunk Open Switch,
Cluster, Dome Lamp
DEFOGGER Rear Defogger
SUNROOF Sunroof Module (Option)
DRL Daytime Running LampsFuses Usage
DOOR LOCK Door Lock/Unlock
B/UP LAMP Back-up Lamps
HORN Horn
ELEC MIRRORMirror Control Switch, Dome Lamp,
Air Conditioning Switch
AUDIO/RKERadio, Remote Keyless Entry,
Clock, Power Mirror Unit,
Anti-Theft Module
DEFOG
MIRRORPower Mirror Unit, Air
Conditioning Switch
BLANK Not Used
BLANK Not Used
BLANK Not Used
360

Maintenance Schedule (cont.)
Steering, Suspension and Front Drive
Axle Boot and Seal Inspection.............. 394
Using....................................................... 374
Your Vehicle and the Environment............ 372
Malfunction Indicator Light..................166, 180
Manual Lumbar Controls................................. 9
Manual Seats.................................................. 8
Manual Transaxle
Fluid........................................................ 285
Operation................................................. 116
Manual Windows......................................... 101
Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror........................... 124
Outside Convex Mirror............................. 126
Outside Heated Mirrors............................ 126
Outside Manual Mirrors............................ 124
Outside Power Mirror............................... 125
MP3 ...................................................207, 211
MyGMLink.com............................................ 405
N
New Vehicle Break-In.................................. 107
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..... 369
O
Odometer.................................................... 159
Odometer, Trip............................................ 159
Off-Road Recovery...................................... 230
Oil
Engine..................................................... 277
Pressure Light.................................169, 184
Older Children, Restraints............................. 41
Online Owner Center................................... 405
Other Warning Devices................................ 136
Outlet Adjustment........................................ 154
Outlets
Accessory Power..................................... 147
Outside
Convex Mirror.......................................... 126
Heated Mirrors......................................... 126
Manual Mirrors......................................... 124
Power Mirror............................................ 125
Owners, Canadian.......................................... 3
431

P
Paint, Damage............................................ 352
Park (P)
Shifting Into............................................. 118
Shifting Out of......................................... 120
Parking
Brake....................................................... 117
Over Things That Burn............................ 121
Parking Your Vehicle................................... 121
Part A - Scheduled Maintenance Services.... 374
Part B - Owner Checks and Services.......... 389
Part C - Periodic Maintenance Inspections ... 394
Part D - Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants................................................ 396
Part E - Maintenance Record...................... 398
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator......161, 177
Passenger Compartment Air Filter............... 154
Passenger Sensing System........................... 77
Passing....................................................... 230
Power
Electrical System..................................... 356
Inadvertent Battery Saver......................... 147
Steering Fluid.......................................... 297
Windows.................................................. 102
Pretensioners, Safety Belt............................. 40
Privacy........................................................ 413
Q
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts.... 24
R
Radios........................................................ 186
AM-FM Radio..................................187, 189
Care of Your CD Player........................... 216
Care of Your CDs.................................... 216
Radio with CD......................................... 193
Radio with Six-Disc CD............................ 200
Understanding Reception ......................... 216
Rear Door Security Locks............................. 96
Rear Seat Operation.............................. 13, 15
Rear Seat Passengers, Safety Belts.............. 35
Rear Windshield Washer/Wiper.................... 141
Rearview Mirrors......................................... 124
Reclining Seatbacks...................................... 10
Recreational Vehicle Towing........................ 258
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System............ 90
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System,
Operation................................................... 91
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................ 339
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools............ 337
Replacement Bulbs..................................... 317
432