2007 SATURN VUE HYBRID Owners Manual

Vehicle Data Collection and
Event Data Recorders
Your vehicle, like other modern motor vehicles, has
a number of sophisticated computer systems that
monitor and control several aspects of the vehicle’s
performance. Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle
computers to monitor emission control components
to optimize fuel economy, to monitor conditions for
airbag deployment and, if the vehicle has the
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), to provide anti-lock
braking and to help the driver control the vehicle in
difficult driving situations. Some information may be
stored during regular operations to facilitate repair
of detected malfunctions; other information is
stored only in a crash event by computer systems,
such as those commonly called Event Data
Recorders (EDR).
In a crash event, computer systems, such as the
airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM)
in your vehicle may record information about the
condition of the vehicle and how it was operated,
such as data related to engine speed, brake
application, throttle position, vehicle speed, safetybelt usage, airbag readiness, airbag performance,
and the severity of a collision. This information
has been used to improve vehicle crash
performance and may be used to improve crash
performance of future vehicles and driving
safety. Unlike the data recorders on many
airplanes, these on-board systems do not record
sounds, such as conversation of vehicle
occupants.
To read this information, special equipment is
needed and access to the vehicle or the device
that stores the data is required. GM will not access
information about a crash event or share it with
others other than:
with the consent of the vehicle owner or,
if the vehicle is leased, with the consent of
the lessee,
in response to an official request of police or
similar government office,
as part of GM’s defense of litigation through
the discovery process, or
as required by law.
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In addition, once GM collects or receives data,
GM may:
use the data for GM research needs,
make it available for research where
appropriate condentiality is to be maintained
and need is shown, or
share summary data which is not tied to a
specic vehicle with non-GM organizations
for research purposes.
Others, such as law enforcement, may have
access to the special equipment that can read the
information if they have access to the vehicle
or the device that stores the data.
If your vehicle has OnStar
®, please check the
OnStar®subscription service agreement or owner
manual for information on its operations and
data collection.
Collision Damage Repair
If your vehicle is involved in a collision and it is
damaged, have the damage repaired by a qualied
technician using the proper equipment and
quality replacement parts. Poorly performed
collision repairs will diminish your vehicle’s resale
value, and safety performance can be
compromised in subsequent collisions.
Collision Parts
Genuine GM Collision parts are new parts made
with the same materials and construction methods
as the parts with which your vehicle was
originally built. Genuine GM Collision parts are
your best choice to assure that your vehicle’s
designed appearance, durability and safety are
preserved. The use of Genuine GM parts can help
maintain your GM New Vehicle Warranty.
Recycled original equipment parts may also be
used for repair. These parts are typically removed
from vehicles that were total losses in prior
accidents. In most cases, the parts being recycled
are from undamaged sections of the vehicle.
A recycled original equipment GM part, may be an
acceptable choice to maintain your vehicle’s
originally designed appearance and safety
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performance, however, the history of these parts
is not known. Such parts are not covered by
your GM New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and any
related failures are not covered by that warranty.
Aftermarket collision parts are also available.
These are made by companies other than GM and
may not have been tested for your vehicle. As a
result, these parts may t poorly, exhibit premature
durability/corrosion problems, and may not
perform properly in subsequent collisions.
Aftermarket parts are not covered by your GM
New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and any vehicle
failure related to such parts are not covered by that
warranty.
Repair Facility
GM also recommends that you choose a collision
repair facility that meets your needs before you
ever need collision repairs. Your Saturn retailer
may have a collision repair center with GM-trained
technicians and state of the art equipment, or
be able to recommend a collision repair center that
has GM-trained technicians and comparable
equipment.
Insuring Your Vehicle
Protect your investment in your GM vehicle with
comprehensive and collision insurance coverage.
There are signicant differences in the quality
of coverage afforded by various insurance policy
terms. Many insurance policies provide reduced
protection to your GM vehicle by limiting
compensation for damage repairs by using
aftermarket collision parts. Some insurance
companies will not specify aftermarket collision
parts. When purchasing insurance, we recommend
that you assure your vehicle will be repaired
with GM original equipment collision parts. If such
insurance coverage is not available from your
current insurance carrier, consider switching
to another insurance carrier.
If your vehicle is leased, the leasing company
may require you to have insurance that assures
repairs with Genuine GM Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM) parts or Genuine
Manufacturer replacement parts. Read your
lease carefully, as you may be charged at the
end of your lease for poor quality repairs.
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If an Accident Occurs
Here is what to do if you are involved in an
accident.
Try to relax and then check to make sure you
are all right. If you are uninjured, make sure
that no one else in your vehicle, or the
other vehicle, is injured.
If there has been an injury, call 911 for help.
Do not leave the scene of an accident
until all matters have been taken care of.
Move your vehicle only if its position puts you
in danger or you are instructed to move it
by a police officer.
Give only the necessary and requested
information to police and other parties involved
in the accident. Do not discuss your personal
condition, mental frame of mind, or anything
unrelated to the accident. This will help guard
against post-accident legal action.
If you need roadside assistance, call
GM Roadside Assistance. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 413for more
information.
If your vehicle cannot be driven, know where
the towing service will be taking it. Get a
card from the tow truck operator or write down
the driver’s name, the service’s name, and
the phone number.
Remove any valuables from your vehicle before
it is towed away. Make sure this includes your
insurance information and registration if you
keep these items in your vehicle.
Gather the important information you will need
from the other driver. Things like name,
address, phone number, driver’s license
number, vehicle license plate, vehicle make,
model and model year, Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN), insurance company and policy
number, and a general description of the
damage to the other vehicle.
If possible, call your insurance company from
the scene of the accident. They will walk you
through the information they will need. If they
ask for a police report, phone or go to the police
department headquarters the next day and you
can get a copy of the report for a nominal fee.
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In some states/provinces with “no fault”
insurance laws, a report may not be necessary.
This is especially true if there are no injuries
and both vehicles are driveable.
Choose a reputable collision repair facility for
your vehicle. Whether you select a Saturn
retailer or a private collision repair facility to x
the damage, make sure you are comfortable
with them. Remember, you will have to feel
comfortable with their work for a long time.
Once you have an estimate, read it carefully
and make sure you understand what work will
be performed on your vehicle. If you have a
question, ask for an explanation. Reputable
shops welcome this opportunity.
Managing the Vehicle Damage
Repair Process
In the event that your vehicle requires damage
repairs, GM recommends that you take an active
role in its repair. If you have a pre-determined
repair facility of choice, take your vehicle there, or
have it towed there. Specify to the facility that
any required replacement collision parts be originalequipment parts, either new Genuine GM parts or
recycled original GM parts. Remember, recycled
parts will not be covered by your GM vehicle
warranty.
Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but you must
live with the repair. Depending on your policy
limits, your insurance company may initially value
the repair using aftermarket parts. Discuss this
with your repair professional, and insist on
Genuine GM parts. Remember if your vehicle is
leased you may be obligated to have the vehicle
repaired with Genuine GM parts, even if your
insurance coverage does not pay the full cost.
If another party’s insurance company is paying for
the repairs, you are not obligated to accept a
repair valuation based on that insurance
company’s collision policy repair limits, as you
have no contractual limits with that company.
In such cases, you can have control of the repair
and parts choices as long as cost stays within
reasonable limits.
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Reporting Safety Defects
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which
could cause a crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately inform the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
in addition to notifying Saturn Corporation.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it nds that a
safety defect exists in a group of vehicles,
it may order a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved
in individual problems between you, your retailer
or Saturn Corporation.To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA
400 Seventh Street, SW.
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov.
Reporting Safety Defects to
the Canadian Government
If you live in Canada, and you believe that your
vehicle has a safety defect, you should
immediately notify Transport Canada, in addition
to notifying General Motors of Canada Limited.
You may call them at 1-800-333-0510 or write to:
Transport Canada
Road Safety Branch
2780 Sheffield Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1B 3V9
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Reporting Safety Defects to Saturn
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport
Canada) in a situation like this, we certainly hope
you will notify us.
U.S. customers can call the Saturn Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-553-6000, or write:
Saturn Corporation
100 Saturn Parkway
Mail Drop 371-999-S24
Spring Hill, TN 37174-1500
In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-1999.
Or, write to:
Saturn Customer Communication Centre
General Motors of Canada Limited
CA1-163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Service Publications Ordering
Information
Service Manuals
A variety of publications are available to you.
Saturn service manuals are written for trained
technicians, and in some cases, specialized tools
and equipment are necessary to complete
certain repairs. However, the manuals are
available to owners who either have the training,
or wish to gain a greater understanding of the
technical aspect of their Saturn.
For additional publications information or to order
publications in the United States, call toll free
1-800-2-SATURN or visit
www.saturn-publications.com to order on-line.
In Canada, Saturn service manuals are available
by calling toll free 1-800-551-4123.
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Owner Publications
Information on how to obtain product bulletins and
as described below is applicable only in the fty
U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and only
for cars and light trucks with a Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) less than 10,000 pounds
(4 536 kg). Copies of individual bulletins are
also at your participating Saturn retailer. You can
ask to see them.
In Canada, information relating to product service
bulletins can be obtained by contacting your
Saturn retailer.
Service Bulletins
Saturn regularly sends its retailers useful service
bulletins about Saturn products. Saturn monitors
product performance in the eld. We then prepare
bulletins for servicing our products better.
You can get these bulletins, too.Bulletins cover various subjects. Some pertain to
the proper use and care of your vehicle. Some
describe costly repairs. Others describe
inexpensive repairs which, if done on time with the
latest parts, may avoid future costly repairs.
Some bulletins tell a technician how to repair a
new or unexpected condition. Others describe a
quicker way to x your vehicle. They can help
a technician service your vehicle better.
Most bulletins apply to conditions affecting a small
number of vehicles. Your Saturn retailer or a
qualied technician may have to determine if a
specic bulletin applies to your vehicle. To order
Saturn bulletins, call Saturn Publications at
1-800-2-SATURN or visit
www.saturn-publications.com to order online.
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