To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the release button in
as you move the brake lever all the way down.
If you forget to release your parking brake, a chime
will sound and a warning message will be
displayed in the Driver Information Center (DIC)
when the vehicle is moving faster than 5 mph
(8 kph). SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 148.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding
the button on the shift lever and pushing the
lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
87
Outside Power Mirrors
The controls for the
outside power mirrors
are located on the
driver’s door.
Move the selector switch located next to the
four-way control pad to the left or right to choose
either the driver’s side or passenger’s side mirror.
To adjust a mirror, use the arrows located on the
four-way control pad to move the mirror in the
desired direction. Adjust each outside mirror so that
a little of the vehicle and the area behind it can be
seen while sitting in a comfortable driving position.
Both mirrors can be manually folded by pulling
them toward the vehicle. This feature may
be useful when going through a car wash or a
con ned space. Push the mirrors away from the
vehicle to the normal position before driving.
OnStar®System
OnStar®uses several innovative technologies and
live advisors to provide you with a wide range
of safety, security, information, and convenience
services. If your airbags deploy, the system is
designed to make an automatic call to OnStar
®
Emergency advisors who can request emergency
services be sent to your location. If you lock
your keys in the vehicle, call OnStar
®at
1-888-4-ONSTAR and they can send a signal to
unlock your doors. If you need roadside
assistance, press the OnStar
®button and they
can contact Roadside Service for you.
94
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and
two downward (for left) positions. These positions
allow you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is nished, the lever will
return automatically.
An arrow on the
instrument panel cluster
will ash in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return
by itself when you release it.As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the
arrows ash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers will not see your turn
signal. If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help
avoid an accident.
If the arrows do not go on at all when you signal a
turn, check the fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 326.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high
beam, push the turn signal lever away from you.
When the high beams
are on, this light on the
instrument panel
cluster will also be on.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low
beam, pull the turn signal lever toward you.
112
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam
headlamps to signal a driver in front of you that
you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever
toward you until the high-beam headlamps
come on, then release the lever to turn them off.
Windshield Wipers
Use this lever, located on the right side of the
steering wheel, to operate the windshield wipers.
9(Off):Move the lever to this position to turn off
the windshield wipers.
&(Intermittent; Speed Sensitive
Wipers):Move the lever to this position for
intermittent or speed sensitive operation. When
you select this position, the delay will vary
depending on the vehicles speed, as well as the
manually selected delay.
x(Delay):When the lever is in the intermittent
position, turn the intermittent adjust band with
this symbol on it up or down to set for a shorter or
longer delay between wipes. To the left of the
adjust band are bars, increasing in size from
bottom to top, that indicate the frequency of the
wipes. Smaller bars mean the wipers movement is
less frequent. Larger bars mean the movement
is more frequent.
6(Low Speed):Move the lever up to the
rst setting past intermittent, for steady wiping at
low speed.
1(High Speed):Move the lever up to the
second setting past intermittent, for wiping at
high speed.
113
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will also come on when you set your parking
brake. The light will stay on if your parking brake
does not release fully. If it stays on after your
parking brake is fully released, it means you have
a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. Make sure the parking
brake is fully released. You may notice that the
pedal is harder to push or, the pedal may go closer
to the oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for service.
SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 231.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
Your vehicle may have
the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS).
This light will come on when your engine is
started and may stay on for several seconds.
That is normal.
135
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle.... 190
Defensive Driving...................................... 190
Drunken Driving........................................ 191
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 194
Braking...................................................... 194
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 195
Braking in Emergencies............................. 197
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 198
Limited-Slip Rear Axle............................... 200
Electronic Stability Control......................... 200
Steering.................................................... 203
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 206
Passing..................................................... 206
Loss of Control.......................................... 208
Driving at Night......................................... 209Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 211
City Driving............................................... 214
Freeway Driving........................................ 215
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 216
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 217
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 218
Winter Driving........................................... 220
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 224
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 225
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 226
Towing........................................................ 231
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 231
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 231
Towing a Trailer........................................ 231
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
189
By slowly spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does
not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it
may need to be towed out. If your vehicle does
need to be towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle
on page 231.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight
your vehicle can carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and includes the weight of
all occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it may properly carry, the Tire
and Loading Information label and the
Certi cation label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
226