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 the 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 might feel the brakes vibrate or 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.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Control
System (TCS) that limits wheel spin. This is
especially useful in slippery road conditions.
The system operates only if it senses that
one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system reduces engine power and may
also upshift the transmission to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working,
but this is normal.
The TCS button is
located on your
instrument panel.
Press this button
to turn the TCS
off and on.
When the traction control system is turned off,
an indicator light on the button will illuminate.
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Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane change signal
before moving out of the right lane to pass.
When you are far enough ahead of the passed
vehicle to see its front in your vehicle’s inside
mirror, activate the right lane change signal and
move back into the right lane. Remember that
an outside convex mirror makes the vehicle
you just passed seem farther away from you
than it really is.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing
the next vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too
rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not
ashing, it might be slowing down or starting
to turn.
If you are being passed, make it easy for
the following driver to get ahead of you.
Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area
of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
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Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an area that is
safe and close to home before you go into the
wilderness. Off-road driving does require some
new and different skills. Here is what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals.
Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep
the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds.
With your arms, hands, feet, and body, you will
need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce.
Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful
off-road driving. One of the best ways to control
your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are
some things to keep in mind. At higher speeds:
You approach things faster and you have
less time to scan the terrain for obstacles.
You have less time to react.
You have more vehicle bounce when you
drive over obstacles.
You will need more distance for braking,
especially since you are on an unpaved
surface.
{CAUTION:
When you are driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction can easily
throw you out of position. This could cause
you to lose control and crash. So, whether
you are driving on or off the road, you and
your passengers should wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different
kinds of terrain. You need to be familiar with
the terrain and its many different features.
Here are some things to consider.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading can take you
over hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand,
mud, snow, or ice. Each of these surfaces affects
the steering, acceleration, and braking of your
vehicle in different ways. Depending upon the kind
of surface you are on, you may experience slipping,
sliding, wheel spinning, delayed acceleration,
poor traction, and longer braking distances.
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Surface Obstacles:Unseen or hidden obstacles
can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or
bump can startle you if you are not prepared
for them. Often these obstacles are hidden
by grass, bushes, snow, or even the rise and
fall of the terrain itself. Here are some things
to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly
up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or
downhill? There is more discussion of
these subjects later.
Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
When you drive over obstacles or rough
terrain, keep a rm grip on the steering wheel.
Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can
jerk the wheel out of your hands if you are
not prepared.When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other
obstacles, the wheels can leave the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels,
you cannot control the vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface,
it is especially important to avoid sudden
acceleration, sudden turns, or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different
kind of alertness from driving on paved roads
and highways. There are no road signs, posted
speed limits, or signal lights. You have to use
your own good judgment about what is safe and
what is not.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving.
At the very time you need special alertness and
driving skills, your re exes, perceptions, and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You could have a serious — or even
fatal — accident if you drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking. SeeDrunken
Driving on page 247.
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Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in costly
repairs that would not be covered by your
warranty. Always follow the instructions in
this section and check with your dealer/retailer
for more information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle,
you should read the information in “Weight of
the Trailer” that appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle
by itself. Trailering means changes in handling,
acceleration, braking, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety
rules. Many of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers. So please read
this section carefully before you pull a trailer.If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.
Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where
you live but also where you’ll be driving. A
good source for this information can be state
or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask
a hitch dealer/retailer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the rst
500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven.
Your engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
307
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below−20°F (−29°C), it is
recommended that you use either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil. Both provide
easier cold starting and better protection for
the engine at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Do not add anything to the oil. The recommended
oils with the starburst symbol that meet
GM Standard GM6094M are all you need for
good performance and engine protection.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you
know when to change the engine oil and lter.
This is based on engine revolutions and engine
temperature, and not on mileage. Based on driving
conditions, the mileage at which an oil changewill be indicated can vary considerably. For the oil
life system to work properly, you must reset the
system every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has
been diminished, it will indicate that an oil change
is necessary. A CHANGE OIL message will
come on. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 202. Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible
that, if you are driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system might not indicate that an
oil change is necessary for over a year. However,
the engine oil and lter must be changed at
least once a year and at this time the system must
be reset. Your dealer/retailer has trained people
who will perform this work using genuine parts and
reset the system. It is also important to check
the oil regularly and keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change the oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since
your last oil change. Remember to reset the oil
life system whenever the oil is changed.
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