2008 SATURN VUE tires

Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips
include:
Allow extra following distance.
Pass with caution.
Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape.
Keep the windshield washer uid reservoir lled.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTires
on page 5-51.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having
it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires inated to
recommended pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to travel? Have
up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, nd a
safe place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan the road ahead
and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments
often.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different
than driving on at or rolling terrain. Tips for driving
in these conditions include:
Keep your vehicle serviced and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes, tires, cooling
system, and transmission.
Going down steep or long hills, shift to a
lower gear.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let the engine assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down and they
could get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could crash.
Always have the engine running and your
vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds
that let you stay in your own lane.
Top of hills: Be alert — something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks
area, winding roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You might want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer uid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a ashlight, a red cloth, and
reective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving
under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand,
a piece of old carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these items
in your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 5-51.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery situation.
You have a lot less traction, or grip, and need to be
very careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can
be even more trouble because it can offer the least
traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about
freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
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Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement.
SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you
are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things
to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that you
have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
oor mats — anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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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
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free your
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-35.
If your vehicle has a traction system, it can often help
to free a stuck vehicle. Refer to your vehicle’s traction
system in the Index. If the stuck condition is too
severe for the traction system to free the vehicle, turn
the traction system 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. The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment re or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-74.
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Tire and Loading Information Label
A vehicle specic Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the center pillar (B-pillar).
With the driver’s door open, you will nd the
label attached below the door lock post (striker).
The tire and loading information label shows
the number of occupant seating positions (A),
and the maximum vehicle capacity weight (B)
in kilograms and pounds.The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and the
recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 5-51andInflation - Tire Pressure
on page 5-58.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle.
See “Certication/Tire Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement “The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
Example Label
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3. Reinstall the IGN SW fuse into the Instrument
Panel Fuse Block.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF and remove the
key from the ignition.
Notice:Too much or too little uid can damage the
transmission. Be sure that the transmission uid
is at the proper level before towing with all four
wheels on the ground.
Notice:Don’t tow a vehicle with the front drive
wheels on the ground if one of the front tires is a
compact spare tire. Towing with two different
tire sizes on the front of the vehicle can cause
severe damage to the transmission.
Dolly Towing (All-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
All-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with two
wheels on the ground. To properly tow these vehicles,
they should be placed on a platform trailer with all four
wheels off of the ground or dinghy towed from the front.
Dolly Towing (Front-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles)
Front-wheel-drive VUE Red Line vehicles should not
be towed with two wheels on the ground. To properly
tow these vehicles, they should be placed on a platform
trailer with all four wheels off of the ground or dinghy
towed from the front.To tow your front-wheel-drive vehicle from the front with
two wheels on the ground, do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Move the shift lever to PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly.
6. Release the parking brake.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify the trailering
capacity of your vehicle, you should read the information
in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in handling, acceleration,
braking, durability and fuel economy. Successful, safe
trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be used
properly.
That is the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, rear axle, wheel assemblies and tires are
forced to work harder against the drag of the added
weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively
higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra
heat. What’s more, the trailer adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also
where you will be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Do not tow a trailer at all during the rst 500 miles
(805 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Then, during the rst 500 miles (805 km) that you tow
a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and do
not make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine
and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
You may want to shift to a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often (e.g., under heavy loads
and/or hilly conditions). Using a lower gear will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life of your
transmission.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Do not drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers, or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h), to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
Do not tow a trailer when the outside temperature is
above 100°F (38°C).
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires
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