
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front
or sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your
vehicle’s frame, bumper system, height,
front end or side sheet metal, they may keep
the airbag system from working properly.
Also, the airbag system may not work properly
if you relocate any of the airbag sensors.
If you have any questions about this,
you should contact Customer Assistance
before you modify your vehicle. The phone
numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure
on page 448.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modi ed. How can I nd out
whether this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the
front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, rollover sensor
module, instrument panel, steering wheel,
ceiling headliner, ceiling and pillar garnish trim,
roof-mounted rollover airbag modules, or
airbag wiring can affect the operation of the
airbag system. If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The phone numbers
and addresses for Customer Assistance
are in Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on page 448.
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Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder
light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates,
retractors and anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged safety
belt system parts. If you see anything that might
keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have
it repaired. SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 409
for more information.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in
a crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag
covers, and have them repaired or replaced. The
airbag system does not need regular maintenance.Notice:If you damage the covering for the
driver’s or the right front passenger’s airbag,
or the side impact airbag covering (if equipped)
on the ceiling near the side windows, the airbag
may not work properly. You may have to replace
the airbag module in the steering wheel, both
the airbag module and the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s airbag, or side
impact airbag module and ceiling covering for
roof-mounted side impact airbags (if equipped.)
Do not open or break the airbag coverings.
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Mirrors......................................................... 122
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
with OnStar
®, Compass and
Temperature Display.............................. 122
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
Compass and Temperature Display........ 125
Outside Power Mirrors............................... 128
Outside Convex Mirror............................... 128
OnStar
®System.......................................... 129
Universal Home Remote System................ 132
Universal Home Remote System
(With Three Round LED)....................... 132
Universal Home Remote System
(With One Triangular LED)..................... 133
Universal Home Remote System
Operation (With Three Round LED)....... 134
Universal Home Remote System
Operation (With One Triangular LED)..... 139Storage Areas............................................. 143
Glove Box................................................. 143
Cupholder(s).............................................. 143
Front Seat Storage Net............................. 143
Front Armrest Storage Area....................... 143
Luggage Carrier........................................ 144
Rear Storage Area.................................... 146
Convenience Net....................................... 146
Cargo Cover............................................. 146
Cargo Tie Downs...................................... 146
Sunroof....................................................... 147
Section 2 Features and Controls
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The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ignition while your vehicle is parked.
You may not be able to start your vehicle after it
has been parked for an extended period of time.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle has Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
which allows certain features of your vehicle to
continue working for up to 20 minutes after
the ignition key is turned to LOCK.
The radio, front wipers, power windows, and a
sunroof if your vehicle has one, will work when the
ignition key is in ON or ACC. Once the key is turned
from ON to LOCK, these features continue working
for up to 20 minutes or until a door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N). Your engine will not start in
any other position -- this is a safety feature.
To restart when you are already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to PARK (P)
only when your vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in the NEUTRAL position
and the parking brake engaged. Hold the clutch
pedal to the oor and start the engine. Your
vehicle will not start if the clutch pedal is not all
the way down. That is a safety feature.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key. The idle speed will go
down as the engine gets warm. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting it. Operate
the engine and transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all moving parts.
103

Luggage Carrier
If your vehicle has this feature, you can load cargo
on your vehicle.
The luggage carrier consists of siderails attached
to the roof. The crossrails attach into the
siderails and can be moved back and forth to
accommodate various cargo sizes.
Notice:Loading cargo on the luggage carrier
that weighs more than 250 lbs. (113 kg) or
hangs over the rear or sides of the vehicle may
damage your vehicle. Load cargo only on
top of the crossrails and tie the cargo down to
the crossrail support cargo tie-down loops,
making sure to fasten it securely
Do not exceed the maximum vehicle capacity
when loading your vehicle. For more information
on vehicle capacity and loading, seeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 289.
Adjusting the Crossrails
Adjust the crossrails to t your load by doing the
following:
1. Use the provided crossrail key to unlock the
crossrail end cap by turning it
counterclockwise.
144

Stop Tabs
If your vehicle has a sunroof, it will have a
crossrail stop tab placed in the siderail. This tab
prevents you from moving the crossrails past
the opening of the sunroof and loading cargo too
far forward.
Your vehicle may have cargo tie downs. Once you
load the cargo onto the crossrails, secure it by
tying it down to the cargo tie downs. Do not load
cargo directly on the roof of your vehicle. See
Cargo Tie Downs on page 146for more
information.
Rear Storage Area
Your vehicle has a rear storage area located on
the passenger’s side of the cargo area. To
open, pull the two tabs out and open lid.
Convenience Net
Your vehicle may have a convenience net in the
rear of the vehicle. Put small loads behind the net.
The net is not for heavier loads. Store them as
far forward as you can.
Cargo Cover
Notice:If you put items onto the cargo cover,
the weight of the items could cause the
attachment clips to break. You would no longer
be able to attach and use the cargo cover.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Never put anything on top of
the cargo cover.
If your vehicle has a cargo cover, you can use it
to cover items in the rear of the vehicle. Remove
the cover from its pouch and place the loops
found on each corner of the cover, over the
two pegs in each corner of the rear if the vehicle.
When it is not in use, fold up the cover and
return it to the pouch.
Cargo Tie Downs
Your vehicle may have four cargo tie-downs.
These tie-downs are located in tracks on the roof
of the vehicle. Each tie-down can be moved to
anywhere on the track. To loosen, turn the
tie-down counterclockwise until it moves freely in
the track. To tighten, turn the tie-down clockwise.
146

Sunroof
Your vehicle may have a power sliding sunroof.
The ignition must be on or in ACC, or Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) must be active. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) on page 103.
The switch used to
operate the sunroof is
located in the headliner.
Open/Close:Press and release the back of the
switch to open the sunroof. If the sunshade is in the
closed position, it will automatically open with the
sunroof. To stop the sunroof before it has reached
the full open position press and release the front or
back of the switch. An air de ector will raise when
the sunroof is fully opened.
Press the front of the switch to close the sunroof.To stop the sunroof before it is fully closed, press
and release the front or back of the switch.
Vent:Press and hold the back of the switch to
vent the sunroof. To stop the sunroof before
it reaches its full vent position, release the switch.
Do not keep the sunroof open for long periods
of time as debris may collect in the tracks.
Sunshade Operation
The sunshade will open automatically open with
the sunroof.
However, it can manually be pulled shut after the
sunroof is closed. To adjust the sunshade,
push it backward or pull it forward to the desired
position. The sunshade cannot be adjusted further
than the current closed position of the sunroof.
Anti-Pinch Feature
If an object is in the path of the sunroof when it is
closing, the anti-pinch feature will detect the
object and stop the sunroof from closing at the
point of the obstruction. The sunroof will then
return to the full-open or vent position, and the air
de ector will raise.
147

The DRL system will come on when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
The transmission is not in PARK (P) if
you have an automatic transmission.
The light sensor determines it is daytime.
When the DRL are on, no other lamps are on.
The instrument panel will not be lit up either.
For vehicles rst sold in Canada, if parking
lamps are manually turned on, DRL will stay on.
When it begins to get dark, the automatic
headlamp system will switch from DRL to the
headlamps.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the
regular headlamp system when you need it.
To turn off the DRL, seeExterior Lamps
on page 162.
Vehicles rst sold in Canada cannot turn
off DRL unless certain conditions are met.
SeeExterior Lamps on page 162.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, the automatic
headlamp system will turn on after the transmission
has been shifted from PARK (P) to DRIVE (D).
The headlamps, taillamps, sidemarker, parking
lamps, roof marker lamps, and the instrument panel
lights will turn on at normal brightness. The radio
lights will become more dim when the headlights
are off compared to when the headlights are on.
Your vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of
the instrument panel. Be sure it is not covered, or
the system will be on whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the headlamps when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather, or a tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the
daytime and nighttime operation of the Daytime
Running Lamps (DRL) and the automatic headlamp
system so that driving under bridges or bright
overhead street lights does not affect the system.
The DRL and automatic headlamp system will only
be affected when the light sensor detects a change
in lighting lasting longer than the delay.
165