2007 PONTIAC G6 traction control

Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then
read the pages following to familiarize yourself
with its features.
Driving without distraction is a necessity for a
safer driving experience. SeeDefensive Driving on
page 254. By taking a few moments to read this
manual and get familiar with your vehicle’s
audio system, you can use it with less effort, as
well as take advantage of its features. While your
vehicle is parked, set up your audio system by
presetting your favorite radio stations, setting the
tone and adjusting the speakers. Then, when
driving conditions permit, you can tune to
your favorite stations using the presets and
steering wheel controls if the vehicle has them.{CAUTION:
This system provides you with a far greater
access to audio stations and song listings.
Giving extended attention to entertainment
tasks while driving can cause a crash and
you or others can be injured or killed.
Always keep your eyes on the road and
your mind on the drive — avoid engaging
in extended searching while driving.
Keeping your mind on the drive is important for
safe driving. For more information, seeDefensive
Driving on page 254.
Here are some ways in which you can help avoid
distraction while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
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Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 254
Defensive Driving...................................... 254
Drunken Driving........................................ 255
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 258
Braking...................................................... 258
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 259
Braking in Emergencies............................. 261
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 262
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).............. 263
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 265
Steering.................................................... 266
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 269
Passing..................................................... 269
Loss of Control.......................................... 271
Driving at Night......................................... 272Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 274
City Driving............................................... 277
Freeway Driving........................................ 278
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 279
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 280
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 280
Winter Driving........................................... 282
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 287
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 288
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 288
Towing........................................................ 293
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 293
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 294
Towing a Trailer........................................ 296
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
253

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the
steering, and the accelerator. All three systems
have to do their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 262,Enhanced
Traction System (ETS) on page 263and
StabiliTrak
®System on page 265.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 308.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 199.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might
be less with one driver and as long as two or
three seconds or more with another. Age, physical
condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
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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
front wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the system reduces
engine power and may also upshift the transaxle
to limit wheel spin. Also, the traction control system
activates the appropriate corner brakes to gain
even quicker control to limit wheel spin.
This light, located on the
instrument panel, will
come on when your
Traction Control System
is limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin,
the cruise control will automatically disengage.When road conditions allow you to safely use it
again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See
Cruise Control on page 171.
The Traction Control System operates in all
transaxle shift lever positions except park or
neutral. But the system can upshift the transaxle
only as high as the shift lever position you’ve
chosen, so you should use the lower gears only
when necessary. SeeAutomatic Transaxle
Operation on page 129.
This light is located on
the instrument panel
cluster.
When the system is on, this light will come on to let
you know if there’s a problem, or if the system has
been turned off.
When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
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To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Traction
Control System on. But you can turn the system off
if you prefer.
To turn the system on or off, press the traction
control button (TC) located under the climate
controls. In order to effectively “rock” the vehicle,
you will need to turn off TCS.
If you press the TC button once, the traction control
system will turn off and the traction control system
warning light will come on. The StabiliTrak
®system
will stay on. Press the TC button again to turn the
system back on. The traction control system
warning light will go off. If you press and hold the
TC button, the StabiliTrak
®system and the traction
control system will turn off. Press the TC button
again to turn StabiliTrak
®and the traction control
system back on. For more information, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 265.
When you turn the system off, the Traction Control
System warning light will come on and stay on.
If the Traction Control System is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button to turn the system
off, the warning light will come on – but the system
won’t turn off right away. It will wait until there’s
no longer a current need to limit wheel spin.Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 308for more information.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction
System (ETS) 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 front wheels are spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When this happens, the system
reduces engine power and may also upshift
the transaxle to limit wheel spin.
This light, located on
the instrument panel,
will come on when your
Enhanced Traction
System is limiting
wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
263

If your vehicle is in cruise control when the
enhanced traction system begins to limit wheel
spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to
safely use it again, you may re-engage the cruise
control. SeeCruise Control on page 171.
The Enhanced Traction System operates in all
transaxle shift lever positions except park, neutral
or reverse. But the system can upshift the
transaxle only as high as the shift lever position
you’ve chosen, so you should use the lower gears
only when necessary. SeeAutomatic Transaxle
Operation on page 129.
This light is located on
the instrument panel
cluster.
When the system is on, this light will come on to
let you know if there’s a problem, or if the
system has been turned off.When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Enhanced
Traction System on. But you can turn the system
off if you prefer.
To turn the system on or off, press the traction
control button located on the instrument panel. In
order to effectively “rock” the vehicle, you will
need to turn off the traction control system.
When you turn the system off, the Enhanced
Traction System warning light will come on and
stay on. If the Enhanced Traction System is
limiting wheel spin when you press the button to
turn the system off, the warning light will come
on – but the system won’t turn off right away. It will
wait until there’s no longer a current need to
limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The Enhanced Traction
System warning light should go off.
264

StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle may be equipped with a vehicle
stability enhancement system called StabiliTrak®.
It is an advanced computer controlled system
that assists you with directional control of
the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak
®activates when the computer senses
a discrepancy between your intended path
and the direction the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak
®selectively applies braking pressure
at any one of the vehicle’s brakes to help steer the
vehicle in the direction which you are steering.
This symbol will appear
when the StabiliTrak
®
system is activated.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to
drive away, the system performs several diagnostic
checks to insure there are no problems. You
may hear or feel the system working. This
is normal and does not mean there is a problem
with your vehicle.This light is located on
the instrument panel
cluster.
When the system is on, this light will come on to let
you know if there’s a problem, or if the system has
been turned off.
StabiliTrak
®comes on automatically whenever
you start your vehicle. To help assist you
with directional control of the vehicle, you should
always leave the system on. You can turn the
traction control system and StabiliTrak
®off if you
ever need to by pressing and holding the TC
(traction control) on/off button. press the TC button
again to turn StabiliTrak
®and the traction control
system back on. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 262for more information.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the
StabiliTrak
®activates, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may reengage
the cruise control. SeeCruise Control on
page 171for more information.
265

Steering
Electric Power Steering
If your vehicle has the electric power steering
system and the engine stalls while you are driving,
the power steering assist system will continue to
operate until you are able to stop your vehicle. If
you lose power steering assist because the electric
power steering system is not functioning, you can
steer, but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in either direction
several times until it stops, or hold the steering
wheel in the stopped position for an extended
amount of time, you may notice a reduced amount
of power steering assist. The normal amount of
power steering assist should return shortly after a
few normal steering movements.
The electric power steering system does not
require regular maintenance. If you suspect
steering system problems, contact your dealer for
service repairs. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 212.
Hydraulic Power Steering
If your vehicle has the hydraulic power steering
system and you lose power steering assist
because the engine stops or the power steering
system is not functioning, you can steer, but it will
take much more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable
speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents
mentioned on the news happen on curves.
Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is
subject to the same laws of physics when driving on
curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change
its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the
same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a
vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this.
266