{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something may
be wrong with the airbag system. If this
ever happens, have the vehicle serviced
promptly, because an adult-size person
sitting in the right front passenger’s seat
may not have the protection of the frontal
airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 165for more on this, including
important safety information.
A thick layer of additional material such as a
blanket, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers,
can affect how well the passenger sensing system
operates. Remove any additional material from
the seat cushion before reinstalling or securing the
child restraint and before a small occupant,
including a small adult, sits in the passenger
position.You may want to consider not using seat covers
or other aftermarket equipment if your vehicle
has the passenger sensing system. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 93.
The passenger sensing system may suppress the
airbag deployment when liquid is soaked into
the seat. If this happens, the off indicator in the
passenger airbag status indicator and the airbag
readiness light on the instrument panel will be
lit. The system should resume normal operation
after the seat is allowed to dry. If the system
operates incorrectly after the seat has dried,
have your retailer check the system.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
91
ProCarManuals.com
Keys.............................................................. 98
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System............ 99
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation............................................... 100
Doors and Locks........................................ 103
Door Locks................................................ 103
Power Door Locks..................................... 104
Delayed Locking........................................ 104
Programmable Automatic Door Locks........ 104
Rear Door Security Locks......................... 105
Lockout Protection..................................... 106
Liftgate...................................................... 106
Windows...................................................... 107
Power Windows........................................ 108
Sun Visors................................................ 108
Theft-Deterrent Systems............................. 109
Content Theft-Deterrent............................. 109
Passlock
®.................................................. 110
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle......... 111
New Vehicle Break-In................................ 111
Ignition Positions....................................... 111
Starting the Engine
(Automatic Engine Start/Stop)................. 113
Engine Coolant Heater.............................. 116Automatic Transaxle Operation.................. 118
Parking Brake........................................... 121
Regenerative Braking................................ 121
Shifting Into Park (P) ................................. 122
Shifting Out of Park (P)............................. 123
Parking Over Things That Burn................. 124
Engine Exhaust......................................... 125
Running the Engine While Parked............. 126
Mirrors......................................................... 127
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
with OnStar
®, Compass and
Temperature Display.............................. 127
Outside Power Mirrors............................... 130
Outside Convex Mirror............................... 130
OnStar
®System.......................................... 131
Storage Areas............................................. 134
Glove Box................................................. 134
Cupholder(s).............................................. 134
Floor Console Storage Area...................... 135
Center Console Storage Area.................... 135
Garment Hooks......................................... 135
Cargo Area............................................... 135
Cargo Tie Downs...................................... 137
Sunroof....................................................... 137
Section 2 Features and Controls
97
ProCarManuals.com
The Engine Will Restart When:
The brake pedal is released.
The accelerator pedal is applied.
When shifting from DRIVE (D) to PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N), the engine will restart after
3.5 seconds.
When shifting from DRIVE (D) to
INTERMEDIATE (I), LOW (L) or
REVERSE (R) the engine will restart
immediately.
If the A/C button (green light illuminated
on A/C) button is selected, the duration of the
AUTO STOP will depend on the outside
temperature. This economy mode improves
fuel economy by limiting the effects of the
air conditioning. The warmer it is outside,
the shorter the time before the engine
is restarted to provide cabin cooling.
The climate control system is turned from
Off to On (econ or normal A/C, or
oor/defog/defrost). SeeClimate Control
System on page 156for more information.
The engine is required to run for either
heater or climate control performance.
See “Air Conditioning and Engine Start/Stop”
underClimate Control System on page 156
for more information.
The hybrid battery pack charge is low and
requires recharging.
Auto Stop time is greater than two minutes.
Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has this feature, in very cold
weather 0°F (−18°C) or colder, the engine coolant
heater can help. You will get easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged
in a minimum of four hours prior to starting your
vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of
the coolant heater is not required.
116
ProCarManuals.com
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. The cord is located near the air
cleaner assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt
AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and
some other things. Instead of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact your
retailer in the area where you will be parking your
vehicle. The retailer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.
117
ProCarManuals.com
Air Conditioning and Engine Start/Stop
The climate control system might cause the
engine to keep running while the vehicle is at
a complete stop or it might restart the engine
during an auto stop. In cold weather, the
climate control system uses the automatic engine
start/stop feature to maintain heater and
defogging performance in all air ow modes.Economy Mode:Press the
#button once to
select the economy mode. A green light will
appear. When this mode is selected, the climate
control system allows almost all automatic
engine start/stop operations, except in defrost
mode. If the economy mode is selected while
the engine is off, the engine will start while
the vehicle determines the climate control needs.
If the system determines that it is necessary to
turn on the air conditioning compressor to cool the
inside of the vehicle or dehumidify the air, the
automatic engine start/stop feature might still be
enabled.
Normal Mode:Press the
#button, when a
yellow indicator light appears, the normal mode
is selected. In this mode or the defrost mode,
the climate control system prevents all automatic
engine start/stop operations. This is for the
best comfort and defrost performance. For
maximum engine off time, select the vent or
bi-level modes with the air conditioner turned off.
This will prevent the system from overriding
the automatic engine start/stop feature. Setting
the fan to the off position will also prevent
automatic engine start/stop.
160
ProCarManuals.com
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.
{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 262.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 356.
261
ProCarManuals.com