2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE transmission

It may also be 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 4-16.
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
reduced automatically 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 3-9.
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 axle. It is fully
automatic, and adjusts itself as
needed for road conditions.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-7

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.
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.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-13

If Your Vehicle is Stuck in
Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out on page 4-16.
If the vehicle has a traction system, it
can often help to free a stuck vehicle.
Refer to the vehicle’s traction system
in the Index. If stuck too severely 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 the vehicle, seeTire
Chains on page 5-55.
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, see
Towing 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.
4-16 Driving Your Vehicle

Dinghy Towing
If the vehicle is front-wheel-drive, it
can be dinghy towed from the front.
These vehicles may also be towed
by putting the front wheels on a dolly.
See “Dolly Towing” later in this
section.If the vehicle is all-wheel-drive, it can
be dinghy towed from the front.
These vehicles can also be towed by
placing them on a platform trailer
with all four wheels off of the ground.
These vehicles cannot be towed
using a dolly.
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 5-88.
7. Release the parking brake.
4-22 Driving Your Vehicle

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.Dolly Towing (All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles)
All-wheel-drive vehicles must 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.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-23

Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too heavy,
the brakes may not work well — or
even at all. The driver and
passengers could be seriously
injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged; the resulting repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer only
if all the steps in this section have
been followed. Ask your dealer/
retailer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
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.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-25

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.
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.
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

Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
ash whenever signaling a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also ash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel ash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may
think other drivers are seeing the
signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to be
sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Because of the added load of the
trailer, the vehicle’s engine may
overheat on hot days, when going up
a long or steep grade with a trailer. If
the engine coolant temperature gage
indicates overheating, turn off the air
conditioning to reduce engine load,
pull off the road and stop in a safe
spot. Let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level ground,
with the transmission in P (Park) for
a few minutes before turning the
engine off.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gearbeforestarting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the transmission
is not shifted down, the brakes
might have to be used so much that
they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce the vehicle speed
to around 55 mph (88 km/h) to
reduce the possibility of the engine
and the transmission overheating.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-31