Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so youcanunbuckle
and get out, ismuchgreater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you
are upside down.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have
to wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they
workwithsafety belts — not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants
still have to buckle up to get the most protection.
That is true not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other collisions.
Q:If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in
a crash — even one that is not your fault — you
and your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a
good driver does not protect you from things
beyond your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less
than 40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
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Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers, especially children, can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked,
the handle will not open it. You increase
the chance of being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash if the doors are not
locked. So, wear safety belts properly
and lock the doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out.
A child can be overcome by extreme
heat and can suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke. Always
lock your vehicle whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors
can help prevent this from happening.
To lock or unlock the driver’s door, use the key from
the outside or the door lock from the inside.
Power Door Locks
T:The power door lock switches are located on the
driver’s door.
To unlock the doors, press the right side of the
switch.
Remove the ignition key and press the left side
of the switch to lock all of the doors.
Delayed Locking
A chime will sound to indicate a door or liftgate is
open when you try to lock the doors with the power
door lock switch. The doors will not lock, and the
theft-deterrent system will not arm until all the doors
are closed and ve seconds have passed.
Automatic Door Lock
The vehicle’s doors are programmed to lock when
the shift lever is moved into a forward gear.
If someone needs to get in or out of the vehicle after
the doors have been locked, place the shift lever
into PARK (P). You may also unlock all doors using
the power door lock switch or unlock one door using
the inside manual door lock.
The automatic door lock feature cannot be disabled.
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Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets
in a vehicle with the windows closed is
dangerous. They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke. Never leave
a child, a helpless adult, or a pet alone
in a vehicle, especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.
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Express-Down Window
The driver’s window switch has an express-down
feature that allows the window to be lowered without
holding the switch. Press the switch part way, and
the driver’s window will open a small amount. Press the
switch down all the way and release it and the window
will go down automatically.
To stop the window while it is lowering, press and
release the switch.
Window Lockout
o
(Window Lockout):Your vehicle has a lockout
feature to prevent rear seat passengers from operating
the windows. Press the lockout button, located with the
power window switches, to turn the feature on and off.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, swing the sun visor down. You can
also detach the driver’s sun visor from the center mount
and slide it along the rod from side-to-side for greater
coverage.
Visor Vanity Mirrors
On vehicles with covered visor vanity mirrors,
pull down the sun visor to access the vanity mirror.
Lighted Visor Vanity Mirrors
On vehicles with lighted visor vanity mirrors, pull down
the sun visor to access the vanity mirror. The lights
will come on when you lift the cover.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
This vehicle has theft-deterrent features, however,
they do not make it impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle may have a content theft-deterrent
alarm system.
The security light is
located near the center
of the instrument panel.
United States shown,
Canada similar
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Starting the Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine will not start in any other position – this
is a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage
the transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when
your vehicle is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently to allow the oil to warm up
and lubricate all moving parts.
Your vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the engine
and protects components. If the ignition key is turned
to the START position, and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the engine will continue
cranking for a few seconds or until the vehicle starts.
If the engine does not start and the key is held in
START for many seconds, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent cranking motor damage.To prevent gear damage, this system also prevents
cranking if the engine is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by turning the ignition
switch to the ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
position.
Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds between each try,
to let the cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F or−18°C),
it could be ooded with too much gasoline Try
pushing the accelerator pedal all the way to the oor
and holding it there as you hold the key in START
for up to a maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool down. When the engine starts, let go of
the key and accelerator. If the vehicle starts brie y
but then stops again, do the same thing. This clears
the extra gasoline from the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently until the oil warms up
and lubricates all moving parts.
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MANUAL (M):This position allows you to change
gears similar to a manual transmission. If your vehicle
has this feature, see Manual Shift Mode.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by your warranty. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Manual Shift Mode (MSM)
(Automatic Transmission)
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from DRIVE (D) rearward to
the MANUAL MODE (M).
The six-speed transmission will downshift to a
lower gear and the instrument panel will display
the gear range selected. If equipped with a
4-speed transmission it will display a three (3) for
third gear range.
When coming to a stop in the manual position, the
vehicle will automatically shift to FIRST (1) gear.
2. Press the plus (+) button to upshift or the minus (−)
button to downshift.While using the MSM feature the vehicle will have
sportier performance. You can use this when driving
hilly roads to stay in gear longer or to downshift for
more power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow you to shift into a gear
range appropriate for the vehicle speed.
The transmission will not automatically shift to
the next higher gear range without pressing
the button on the shifter handle.
The transmission will not allow shifting to the next
lower gear if the vehicle speed is too high.
If the vehicle does not respond to a gear change,
or detects a problem with the transmission, the range
of gears may be reduced and the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp will come on. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 3-41.
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Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see “Skidding” underLoss of
Control on page 4-13.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. The repair
will not be covered by your warranty. If you
are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Manual Shift Mode (MSM)
(Automatic Transmission)
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from DRIVE (D) to the left into
the manual gate.
While driving in manual shift mode, the transmission
will remain in the driver gear selected. When coming
to a stop in the manual position, the vehicle will
automatically shift to FIRST (1) gear.
2. Push the shift lever forward toward the plus (+) to
upshift or rearward toward the minus (−) to downshift.
The instrument panel will display the actual gear
selected.In manual shift mode all six forward gears can be
selected.
While using the MSM feature the vehicle will have
operation similar to a manual transmission. You can use
this for sport driving or when driving hilly roads to stay in
gear longer or to downshift for more power or engine
braking.
The transmission will only allow you to shift into gears
appropriate for the vehicle speed:
The transmission will not automatically shift to the
next higher gear without moving the shift lever.
The transmission will not allow shifting to the next
lower gear if the vehicle speed is too high.
If the vehicle does not respond to a gear change, or
detects a problem with the transmission, the range
of gears may be reduced and the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp will come on. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 3-41.
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Location information about your vehicle is only
available if the GPS satellite signals are unobstructed
and available.
Your vehicle must have a working electrical system
(including adequate battery power) for the OnStar
equipment to operate. There are other problems OnStar
cannot control that may prevent OnStar from providing
OnStar service to you at any particular time or place.
Some examples are damage to important parts of your
vehicle in an accident, hills, tall buildings, tunnels,
weather or wireless phone network congestion.
Your Responsibility
Increase the radio volume if you cannot hear the
OnStar advisor. If the light next to the OnStar buttons
is red, this means that your system is not functioning
properly and should be checked by your dealer/retailer.
If the light appears clear (no light is appearing),
your OnStar subscription has expired. You can
always press the OnStar button to con rm that your
OnStar equipment is active.
Universal Home Remote
System
The Universal Home Remote System provides a way
to replace up to three hand-held Radio-Frequency (RF)
transmitters used to activate devices such as garage
door openers, security systems, and home lighting.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modi cations to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
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