2008 GMC ENVOY ESP

Low Fuel Warning Light
The light next to the fuel gage will come on briey when
you are starting the engine.
This light comes on when the fuel tank is low on fuel.
To turn it off, add fuel to the fuel tank. SeeFuel on
page 5-5.
Check Gas Cap Light
If your vehicle has this
light, it will come on if your
gas cap is not securely
fastened.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-41for more
information.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle may have this feature. The Driver
Information Center (DIC) display is located on the
instrument panel cluster, below the speedometer.
If your vehicle has DIC buttons, they are located on
the steering wheel. The DIC can display information
such as the trip odometer, fuel economy, customization
features, and warning/status messages.
If your vehicle does not have DIC steering wheel
buttons, you will not have all of the features listed.
Scroll through the odometer and trip odometer by
pressing the trip odometer reset stem located on the
instrument panel cluster. Turn off, or acknowledge, DIC
messages by pressing the trip odometer reset stem.
SeeSpeedometer and Odometer on page 3-32for
information on features for vehicles without DIC buttons.
3-49

Language
Press the customization button until LANGUAGE:
ENGLISH appears in the display. To select your
preference for display language, press the select button
while LANGUAGE: ENGLISH is displayed on the DIC.
Pressing the select button will scroll through the following
settings:
ENGLISH (default):All messages will appear in
English.
FRANCAIS:All messages will appear in French.
ESPANOL:All messages will appear in Spanish.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the customization button while the desired setting
is displayed on the DIC.
If you accidentally choose a language that you do not
want or understand, press and hold the customization
button and the trip information button at the same time.
The DIC will begin scrolling through the languages in their
particular language. English will be in English, Francais
will be in French, and Espanol will be in Spanish. When
you see the language that you would like, release both
buttons. The DIC will then display the information in the
language you chose.
You can also scroll through the different languages
by pressing and holding the trip reset stem for
four seconds, as long as you are in the odometer mode.
Units
Press the customization button until UNITS: U.S.
(ENGLISH) appears in the display. To select the units
of measurement in which the DIC will display vehicle
information, press the select button while UNITS: U.S.
(ENGLISH) is displayed on the DIC. Pressing the select
button will scroll through the following settings:
UNITS: U.S. (ENGLISH) (default):All information will
be displayed in English units.
UNITS: METRIC (km/L):All information will be
displayed in metric units.
UNITS: METRIC (L/100 km):All information will be
displayed in metric units.
To select a setting and exit out of the customizable
options, press the customization button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
3-64

For vehicles that have a radio with a Six-Disc CD
player, see the following:
LOAD:Press to load CDs into the CD player. This CD
player holds up to six CDs.
To insert one CD, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Press and release the LOAD button.
3. Wait for the indicator light, located to the right of the
slot, to turn green.
4. Load a CD. Insert the CD part way into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls the CD in.
To insert multiple CDs, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Press and hold the LOAD button for two seconds.
A beep sounds and the indicator light, located to
the right of the slot, begins to ash and MULTI
LOAD # displays.
3. Once the light stops ashing and turns green,
INSERT CD # displays, load a CD. Insert the CD part
way into the slot, label side up. The player pulls the
CD in.
Once the CD is loaded, the indicator light begins
ashing again. Once the light stops ashing and
turns green, you can load another CD. The CD player
takes up to six CDs. Do not try to load more than six.To load more than one CD but less than six, complete
Steps 1 through 3. When nished loading CDs,
press the LOAD button to cancel the loading function.
The radio begins to play the last CD loaded.
If more than one CD has been loaded, a number for
each CD displays.
Playing a Specic Loaded CD
For every CD loaded, a number displays. To play a
specic CD, rst press the CD AUX button (if not already
in CD mode), then press the numbered pushbutton
that corresponds to the CD. A small bar displays under
the CD number that is playing and the track number
displays.
Z(Eject) (Base or MP3 Radio):Press to eject a
CD. Eject can be activated with either the ignition
or radio off. CDs can be loaded with the radio and
ignition off if this button is pressed rst.
CD
Z(Eject):Press to eject CD(s).
To eject the CD that is currently playing, press and
release this button.
3-76

PROG (Program):Press this button to play a station
that has been programmed on the radio preset
pushbuttons. The radio seeks preset stations only
with a strong signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing in the CD changer, press this
button to go to the next available CD, if multiple CDs are
loaded.
QSOURCER:Press the SOURCE arrows to switch
between FM1, FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2 (if equipped),
or a CD. If a CD is loaded the CD symbol displays.
QSEEKR:Press the SEEK arrows to go to
the previous or the next radio station and stay there.
The radio seeks stations only with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing, press the SEEK arrows to fast
forward or reverse.
QVOLR(Volume):Press the VOL arrows to
increase or to decrease the volume.
Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static during normal radio
reception can occur if items such as cellphone chargers,
vehicle convenience accessories, and external electronic
devices are plugged into the accessory power outlet. If
there is interference or static, unplug the item from the
accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause station
frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio
reception, most AM radio stations boost the power levels
during the day, and then reduce these levels during the
night. Static can also occur when things like storms and
power lines interfere with radio reception. When this
happens, try reducing the treble on your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals reach
only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or
hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound
to fade in and out.
3-102

For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance
of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than
if the person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road can
provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-38.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring
up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or
gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of
the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
4-3

The following chart describes the StabiliTrak®system events and the corresponding messages and lights that will be
displayed on the instrument panel cluster.
Vehicles with a DIC Vehicles without a DIC Event
StabiliTrak®
Indicator LightDIC MessageStabiliTrak
®
Indicator LightStabiliTrak
®Service
Light—
Off None Off OffStabiliTrak
®On
mode (System is fully
enabled, but is not
actively controlling
vehicle stability).
Solid Traction Control Off Solid OffTraction Control
Off Mode
Solid StabiliTrak
®Off Solid OffStabiliTrak
®Off Mode
(StabiliTrak®indicator
light will ash when
system rst enters
this mode).
Blinking StabiliTrak
®Active Blinking OffStabiliTrak
®system
activates using
engine speed
management, brake
traction control,
and/or stability
control.
Solid Service StabiliTrak
®Solid SolidStabiliTrak
®system is
disabled due to a
system fault.
SolidStabiliTrak
®Not
ReadySolid OffStabiliTrak®system is
disabled due to a
failure to initialize.
4-8

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, the 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 is 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 want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance is 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 might 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.
Remember: Any Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also, seeBraking on page 4-3. If your vehicle does
not have four-wheel drive, you should not drive off-road
unless you are on a level, solid surface.
The airbag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
4-13

There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load oor and
forward of the rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain does not toss things around.
You will nd other important information in this manual.
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-34,Luggage
Carrier on page 2-58, andTires on page 5-57.
Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it also raises environmental
concerns. We recognize these concerns and urge every
off-roader to follow these basic rules for protecting the
environment:
Always use established trails, roads, and areas that
have been specially set aside for public off-road
recreational driving; obey all posted regulations.
Avoid any driving practice that could damage the
environment — shrubs, owers, trees, grasses — or
disturb wildlife. This includes wheel-spinning,
breaking down trees, or unnecessary driving
through streams or over soft ground.
Always carry a litter bag — make sure all refuse is
removed from any campsite before leaving.
Take extreme care with open res where permitted,
camp stoves, and lanterns.
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
combustible materials that could catch re from
the heat of the vehicle’s exhaust system.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when
going to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your
route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises.
Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of
any blocked or closed roads.
It is also a good idea to travel with at least one other
vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other
can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read
the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be
handy if you get stuck. But you will want to know how to
use it properly.
4-15