Cassette Tape Messages
CHK TAPE (Check Tape):If this message
appears on the display, the tape does not play
due to one of the following errors:
•The tape is tight and the player cannot turn the
tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with
the open end down and try to turn the right hub
counterclockwise with a pencil. Turn the tape
over and repeat. If the hubs do not turn easily,
the tape may be damaged and should not be
used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure
your player is working properly.
•The tape is broken. Try a new tape.
•The tape is wrapped around the tape head.
Attempt to get the cassette out. Try a new tape.
CLEAN:If this message appears on the display,
the cassette tape player needs to be cleaned.
It still plays tapes, but it should be cleaned as soon
as possible to prevent damage to the tapes and
player. SeeCare of the Cassette Tape Player
on page 224.
If the cassette tape is not playing correctly, for any
other reason, try a known good cassette.If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot
be corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio
displays an error message, write it down and
provide it to your dealer when reporting the
problem.
CD Adapter Kits
It is possible to use a portable CD player with the
cassette tape player after activating the bypass
feature on your tape player.
To activate the bypass feature, perform the
following steps:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press and hold the TAPE DISC button for
five seconds. READY appears on the
display and the tape symbol on the display
flashes, indicating the feature is active.
4. Insert the adapter into the cassette tape slot.
It powers up the radio and begins playing.
The override feature remains active until the eject
button is pressed.
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CD Messages
If the CD comes out, it could be for one of the
following reasons:
•It is very hot. When the temperature returns to
normal, the CD should play.
•You are driving on a very rough road. When the
road becomes smoother, the CD should play.
•The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or
upside down.
•The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour
and try again.
•There may have been a problem while burning
the CD.
•The label may be caught in the CD player.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other
reason, try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot
be corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio
displays an error message, write it down
and provide it to your dealer when reporting the
problem.
Radio with Six-Disc CD
Playing the Radio
PWR (Power):Push this knob to turn the system
on and off.
oVOLUMEp:Turn this knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or to decrease the
volume.
INFO (Information):When the ignition is off,
press this knob to display the time.
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Radio Messages
CAL ERR (Calibration Error):The audio system
has been calibrated for your vehicle from the
factory. If CAL ERR appears on the display, it
means that the radio has not been configured
properly for the vehicle and must be returned to
your dealer for service.
LOCKED:This message is displayed when the
THEFTLOCK
®system has locked up. Take
the vehicle to your dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly, or if an error cannot
be corrected, contact your dealer.
Playing a CD
If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the
player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or
radio is turned on, the CD starts playing where it
stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol appears on
the display. As each new track starts to play,
the track number appears on the display.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm)
single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and
the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner.
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be
reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of
recording, the quality of the music that has been
recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled.
There may be an increase in skipping, difficulty in
finding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and
ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom
surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is
damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched,
the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the
CD is soiled, seeCare of Your CDs on page 226for
more information.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known
good CD.
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CD Messages
CHECK CD:If this message appears on the
display and/or the CD comes out, it could be for
one of the following reasons:
•It is very hot. When the temperature returns to
normal, the CD should play.
•You are driving on a very rough road. When the
road becomes smoother, the CD should play.
•The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or
upside down.
•The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour
and try again.
•There may have been a problem while burning
the CD.
•The label may be caught in the CD player.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other
reason, try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot
be corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio
displays an error message, write it down
and provide it to your dealer when reporting the
problem.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
(Non-RDS Radios)
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft
of your vehicle’s radio. The feature works
automatically by learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to
a different vehicle, it will not operate and LOC will
appear on the display.
With THEFTLOCK
®activated, the radio will not
operate if stolen.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
(RDS Radios)
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft
of your vehicle’s radio. The feature works
automatically by learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to
a different vehicle, it will not operate and LOCKED
will appear on the display.
When the radio and vehicle are turned off, the
blinking red light indicates that THEFTLOCK
®is
armed.
With THEFTLOCK
®activated, the radio will not
operate if stolen.
223
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle.... 228
Defensive Driving...................................... 228
Drunken Driving........................................ 229
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 232
Braking...................................................... 232
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 233
Braking in Emergencies............................. 235
Locking Rear Axle..................................... 235
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 235
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.................. 238
Steering.................................................... 239
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 241
Passing..................................................... 241
Loss of Control.......................................... 243
Driving at Night......................................... 244
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 245City Driving............................................... 248
Freeway Driving........................................ 249
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 250
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 251
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 252
Winter Driving........................................... 254
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow ................................. 258
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 258
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 259
Towing........................................................ 264
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 264
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 264
Towing a Trailer........................................ 266
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
227
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 286.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 the ABS, this
warning light will stay
on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light
on page 176.
233
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 your 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 firmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may 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.
Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking 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
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak®, it combines
anti-lock brake, traction and stability control
systems and helps the driver maintain directional
control of the vehicle in most driving conditions.
When you first start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic
checks to ensure that it is working properly. You
may hear or feel the system working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a problem with your
vehicle. The system should initialize before the
vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h). In some cases,
it may take approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) of driving
before the system initializes.
235
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more
effective than braking. For example, you come
over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or
a child darts out from between parked cars and
stops right in front of you. You can avoid
these problems by braking — if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking on page 232. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and
a quick decision. If you are holding the steering
wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock
positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very
quickly without removing either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly
straighten the wheel once you have avoided the
object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive
driving at all times and wear safety belts properly.
240