2007 SATURN SKY stop start

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or
area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are
best handled by easing your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off
the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
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When you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams, or
a vehicle with misaimed headlamps, slow down a
little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching
headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on your
vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is
made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even
the inside of the glass can build up a lm caused
by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
ash more than clean glass would, making the
pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your
eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer
from night blindness — the inability to see in dim
light — and are not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as
well because your tire-to-road traction is not as
good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have
much tread left, you will get even less traction. It is
always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reexes are tuned for
driving on dry pavement.
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The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield washer
uid reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or when strips of rubber start to separate from
the inserts.
{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 reections 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.
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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 inated
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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Service........................................................ 233
Accessories and Modications................... 233
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 234
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 234
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...................................... 235
Fuel............................................................. 235
Gasoline Octane........................................ 235
Gasoline Specications.............................. 236
California Fuel........................................... 236
Additives................................................... 236
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 237
Filling the Tank......................................... 238
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 240
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 240
Hood Release........................................... 241
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 242
Engine Oil................................................. 245
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 250
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 252
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 254
Manual Transmission Fluid........................ 254
Hydraulic Clutch........................................ 254Engine Coolant.......................................... 255
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap............ 258
Engine Overheating................................... 258
Cooling System......................................... 260
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 266
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 267
Brakes...................................................... 268
Battery...................................................... 271
Jump Starting............................................ 272
Rear Axle.................................................... 278
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 278
Bulb Replacement....................................... 279
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 279
Headlamps and Parking Lamps................. 279
Front Turn Signal, Parking and
Fog Lamps............................................ 280
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Sidemarker Lamps.......................... 281
Back-Up Lamps......................................... 282
License Plate Lamp................................... 282
Replacement Bulbs................................... 283
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 283
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
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{CAUTION:
If you spill fuel and then something ignites
it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap
too quickly. This spray can happen if your
tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel cap slowly
and wait for any hiss noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overll
the tank and wait a few seconds after you have
nished pumping before removing the nozzle.
Clean fuel from painted surfaces as soon as
possible. SeeWashing Your Vehicle on page 318.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it clockwise until it
clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 138.Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC).
The CHECK GAS CAP message displays if the fuel
cap is not properly installed. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 147for more information.
{CAUTION:
If a re starts while you are refueling,
do not remove the nozzle. Shut off the
ow of fuel by shutting off the pump or
by notifying the station attendant. Leave
the area immediately.
Notice:If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to
get the right type. Your retailer can get one
for you. If you get the wrong type, it may not t
properly. This may cause your malfunction
indicator lamp to light and may damage
your fuel tank and emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 138.
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Specications, Capacities............................ 331
Speedometer............................................... 129
Starting Your Engine..................................... 80
Steering...................................................... 203
Steering Wheel Controls, Audio................... 188
Steering Wheel, Tilt Wheel.......................... 110
Storage Areas
Center Console Storage Area................... 100
Cupholder(s).............................................. 99
Glove Box................................................. 99
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow............... 224
Sun Visors.................................................... 72
T
Tachometer................................................. 129
Taillamps
Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Sidemarker
Lamps.................................................. 281
Theft-Deterrent, Radio................................. 188
Theft-Deterrent Systems................................ 73
Content Theft-Deterrent.............................. 73
PASS-Key
®III+.......................................... 75
PASS-Key®III+ Operation.......................... 75Tilt Wheel.................................................... 110
Tires........................................................... 284
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels,
Cleaning............................................... 320
Buying New Tires..................................... 296
Chains..................................................... 303
Cleaning.................................................. 321
Different Size........................................... 298
If a Tire Goes Flat................................... 303
Ination - Tire Pressure............................ 292
Inspection and Rotation............................ 294
Tire Inator Kit......................................... 304
Tire Sidewall Labeling.............................. 287
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 289
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................... 299
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance........... 300
Wheel Replacement................................. 300
When It Is Time for New Tires................. 296
Winter Tires............................................. 286
Towing
Recreational Vehicle................................. 230
Towing a Trailer....................................... 230
Your Vehicle............................................. 230
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