2009 BUICK ENCLAVE transmission

SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays if a part on the
TPMS is not working properly.
The tire pressure light also ashes
and then remains on during the
same ignition cycle. SeeTire
Pressure Light on page 3-36.
Several conditions may cause this
message to appear. SeeTire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 5-45for more information. If
the warning comes on and stays on,
there may be a problem with the
TPMS. See your dealer/retailer.
SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL
This message displays when there
is a problem with the Traction
Control System (TCS). When this
message is displayed, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly. See yourdealer/retailer for service. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 4-5for
more information.
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there
is a problem with the transmission.
See your dealer/retailer for
service.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays when
a non-emissions related malfunction
occurs. Have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer/retailer as soon
as possible.
SPEED LIMITED TO
XXX MPH (KM/H)
This message displays when your
vehicle speed is limited to 80 mph
(128 km/h) because the vehicle
detects a problem in the speed
variable assist steering system.
Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer.
STARTING DISABLED
SERVICE THROTTLE
This message displays when your
vehicle’s throttle system is not
functioning properly. Have your
vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer.
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the content
theft-deterrent system has detected
a break-in attempt while you
were away from your vehicle. See
Content Theft-Deterrent on
page 2-16for more information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display along
with the check engine light on the
instrument panel cluster if the
vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened
properly. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-36. Reinstall the
fuel cap fully. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 5-7. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed.
Instrument Panel 3-55

A loose or missing fuel cap allows
fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the cap properly installed should turn
this light and message off.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
This message displays when the
Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) is re-learning the tire
positions on your vehicle. The tire
positions must be re-learned
after rotating the tires or after
replacing a tire or sensor. SeeTire
Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-48,Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 5-44, and
Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-42for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
This message displays when
the Traction Control System (TCS)
is turned off. Adjust your driving
accordingly. SeeStabiliTrak
®
System on page 4-5for more
information. This message clears
itself after 10 seconds.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle
while the transmission uid is
overheating and the transmission
temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster
and/or DIC, you can damage
the transmission. This could lead
to costly repairs that would
not be covered by your warranty.
Do not drive your vehicle with
overheated transmission uid or
while the transmission
temperature warning is displayed.
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the transmission uid in the
vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission uid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle and let it idle to
allow the transmission to cool. This
message clears when the uid
temperature reaches a safe level.
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays and a chime
sounds if a turn signal is left on
for 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km). Move the
turn signal/multifunction lever to
the off position.
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID
This message displays when the
windshield washer uid is low.
Fill the windshield washer uid
reservoir as soon as possible. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 5-10for the location of the
windshield washer uid reservoir.
Also, seeWindshield Washer
Fluid on page 5-23for more
information.
3-56 Instrument Panel

necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 4-15.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of
the StabiliTrak system. Traction
control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels
(engine speed management) and by
applying brakes to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control)
as necessary.
The traction control system is
enabled automatically when the
vehicle is started. It will activate and
the StabiliTrak light will ash if it
senses that any of the wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose traction
while driving. If traction control is
turned off, only the brake-traction
control portion of traction control
will work. The engine speed
management will be disabled. In this
mode, engine power is not reducedautomatically and the driven wheels
can spin more freely. This can
cause the brake-traction control to
activate constantly.
Notice:If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak, ABS and
brake warning lights and any
relevant DIC messages are
displayed, the transfer case could
be damaged. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Reduce engine power
and do not spin the wheel(s)
excessively while these lights and
messages are displayed.
The traction control system may
activate on dry or rough roads
or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or
abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this happens, a
reduction in acceleration may be
noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will ash and cruise control
will automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. SeeCruise
Control on page 3-10.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that a
problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer/retailer for service.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
System
If the vehicle has this feature,
engine power is sent to all four
wheels when extra traction is
needed. This is like four-wheel drive,
but there is no separate lever or
switch to engage or disengage the
front axle. It is fully automatic,
and adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-7

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 the 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 N (Neutral)
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 the vehicle in
gear when going 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.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow or
ice between the tires and the road,
creating less traction or grip. Wet ice
can occur at about 32°F (0°C) when
freezing rain begins to fall, resulting
in even less traction. Avoid driving on
wet ice or in freezing rain until roads
can be treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently
so traction is not lost. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels
to spin and makes the surface under
the tires slick, so there is even
less traction.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-13

Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around
the front wheels. Turn off any
traction or stability system. Shift
back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels as little as possible. To
prevent transmission wear, wait until
the wheels stop spinning before
shifting gears. Release the
accelerator pedal while shifting, and
press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that
could free the vehicle. If that does
not get the vehicle out after a
few tries, it might need to be towed
out. If the vehicle does need to
be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-21.
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how
much weight your vehicle can
carry. This weight is called
the vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on your vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certication/Tire label.{CAUTION
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR), or
either the maximum front or
rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). If you do, parts on
the vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your
vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of the vehicle.
4-16 Driving Your Vehicle

For vehicles being dinghy towed,
the vehicle should be run at
the beginning of each day and at
each RV fuel stop for about
ve minutes. This will ensure proper
lubrication of transmission
components. Re-install the fuse to
start the vehicle.
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle to tow and
then secure it to the towing
vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission to P (Park)
and turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Turn the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
5. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).6. To prevent the battery from
draining while the vehicle is being
towed, remove the 50 amp
BATT1 fuse from the underhood
fuse block and store in a safe
location. SeeUnderhood
Fuse Block on page 5-94.
7. Release the parking brake.
Notice:If the vehicle is towed
without performing each of
the steps listed under “Dinghy
Towing,” the automatic
transmission could be damaged.
Be sure to follow all steps of
the dinghy towing procedure prior
to and after towing the vehicle.
Notice:If 65 mph (105 km/h)
is exceeded while towing
the vehicle, it could be damaged.
Never exceed 65 mph (105 km/h)
while towing the vehicle.Once the destination is reached:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Reinstall the 50 amp BATT1 fuse
to the underhood fuse block.
3. Shift the transmission to P (Park),
turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF
and remove the key from
the ignition.
4. Disconnect the vehicle from the
towing vehicle.
Notice:Do not 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.
4-22 Driving Your Vehicle

To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information
in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving
the 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.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering
tips and safety rules. Many of these
are important for the safety of the
driver and the passengers. So
please read this section carefully
before pulling 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.Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
There are many different
laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with
trailering. Make sure the 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.
Consider using a sway control.
See “Hitches” later in this
section.
Do not tow a trailer at all during
the rst 500 miles (800 km) the
new vehicle is driven. The engine,
axle or other parts could be
damaged.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-25

Then, during the rst 500 miles
(800 km) that a trailer is towed, do
not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in
at the heavier loads.
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 the vehicle’s parts.
The vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or
hilly conditions. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” later in this section.
The vehicle is designed primarily
as a passenger and load carrying
vehicle. If a trailer is towed,
the vehicle will require more
frequent maintenance due to the
additional load.Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
The weight of the trailer.
The weight of the trailer tongue.
And the weight on the vehicle’s
tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is
used. For example, speed, altitude,
road grades, outside temperature
and how much the vehicle is used to
pull a trailer are all important. It
can depend on any special
equipment on the vehicle, and the
amount of tongue weight the vehicle
can carry. See “Weight of the
Trailer Tongue” later in this section
for more information.Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment. The
weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
Use the following chart to determine
how much the vehicle can weigh,
based upon the vehicle model
and options.
4-26 Driving Your Vehicle