Once you are moving on the freeway, make
certain you allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your
exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite
sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce
your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any
distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think
you are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested.
If you must start when you are not fresh — such as
after a day’s work — do not plan to make too
many miles that rst part of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily
drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it
needs service, have it done before starting out.Of course, you will nd experienced and able
service experts at Saturn retailers all across the
United States and Canada. They will be ready and
willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all in ated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO
(carbon monoxide) gas to get inside. CO
could overcome you and kill you. You
cannot see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away
snow from around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is blocking the
exhaust pipe. And check around again
from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This
saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a
little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the
heat that you get and it keeps the battery charged.
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You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as
little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as
you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
If your vehicle has the Enhanced Traction System
(ETS), the ETS can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. SeeEnhanced Traction System (ETS) on
page 226. If the stuck condition is too severe
for the ETS to free the vehicle, turn the ETS off
and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. And, the
transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment re or other damage. When
you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting
the transaxle back and forth, you can destroy
the transaxle. SeeRocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out on page 250.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 348.
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Electrical System........................................ 375
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 375
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 375
Power Windows and Other Power
Options.................................................. 375Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 375
Floor Console Fuse Block......................... 376
Engine Compartment Fuse Block............... 378
Capacities and Speci cations.................... 384
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning with no
warning messages, but see or hear no steam, the
problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner and it is on, turn
it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest
fan speed and open the windows as
necessary.
3. Try to minimize engine load. If you are in a
traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N); otherwise,
shift to the highest gear possible while driving.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for
about 10 minutes. If the warning does not come
back on, you can drive normally.
If the warning continues and you have not
stopped, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle
right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can idle the
engine for three minutes while you are parked.
If you still have the warning, turn off the engine
and get everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get
service help right away.
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