Page 318 of 570

Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out.
For example, be sure to have all necessary
maintenance and service work done. Check to
make sure all underbody shields are properly
attached. Remove any removable side steps.
SeeAssist Steps on page 338. Make sure any
equipment you may need — rst aid kit, cell phone,
ashlight, etc. — is securely stored in the vehicle.
Be sure you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there
enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully in ated? Are the
uid levels up where they should be? What are the
local laws that apply to off-roading where you will be
driving? If you do not know, you should check with
law enforcement people in the area. Will you be on
someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
{CAUTION:
Cargo on the load oor piled higher
than the seatbacks can be thrown
forward during a sudden stop. You or
your passengers could be injured.
Keep cargo below the top of the
seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo on the load oor can
be tossed about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your passengers
can be struck by ying objects.
Secure the cargo properly.
Heavy loads on the roof raise the
vehicle’s center of gravity, making it
more likely to roll over. You can be
seriously or fatally injured if the
vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo area as far
forward and low as possible.
318
Page 345 of 570

{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They may
not work as well in a quick stop and may
cause pulling to one side. You could lose
control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal
lightly until your brakes work normally.
Driving too fast through large water puddles or
even going through some car washes can cause
problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow
down before you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can
build up under your tires that they can actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the road is wet
enough and you are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact
with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can
if your tires do not have much tread or if the
pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a
lot of water is standing on the road. If you can
see re ections from trees, telephone poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s
surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down
when it is raining.
345
Page 535 of 570

Customer Assistance and Information....... 536
Customer Satisfaction Procedure............... 536
Online Owner Center................................. 539
Customer Assistance for Text
Telephone (TTY) Users.......................... 540
Customer Assistance Offices..................... 540
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program........ 541
Roadside Assistance Program................... 542
Courtesy Transportation............................. 544
Vehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders...................................... 546
Collision Damage Repair........................... 547Reporting Safety Defects............................ 552
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government..................... 552
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government............................ 552
Reporting Safety Defects to
General Motors...................................... 552
Service Publications Ordering
Information............................................. 553
Section 7 Customer Assistance Information
535
Page 537 of 570