2009 SATURN VUE lock

Always carry a litter bag and
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. Get accurate maps of trails
and terrain. Check to see if there are
any blocked or closed roads.
It is also a good idea to travel with at
least one other vehicle in case
something happens to one of them.For vehicles with a winch, 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.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road
Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an
area that is safe and close to home
before you go into the wilderness.
Off-roading requires some new
and different skills.
Tune your senses to different kinds
of signals. Your eyes need to
constantly sweep the terrain for
unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or
engine sounds. Use your arms,
hands, feet, and body to respond
to vibrations and vehicle bounce.Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle is
to control the speed. At higher
speeds:
You approach things faster and
have less time to react.
There is less time to scan the
terrain for obstacles.
The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles.
More braking distance is needed,
especially on an unpaved surface.
{CAUTION
When you are driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could cause
you to lose control and crash. So,
whether you are driving on or off
the road, you and your passengers
should wear safety belts.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-15
ProCarManuals.com

Driving on Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up,
down, or across a hill. Driving safely
on hills requires good judgment and
an understanding of what the vehicle
can and cannot do. There are some
hills that simply cannot be driven, no
matter how well built the vehicle.
{CAUTION
Many hills are simply too steep for
any vehicle. If you drive up them,
you will stall. If you drive down
them, you cannot control your
speed. If you drive across them,
you will roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you
have any doubt about the
steepness, do not drive the hill.
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, decide if it
is too steep to climb, descend, or
cross. Steepness can be hard to
judge. On a very small hill, for
example, there may be a smooth,
constant incline with only a small
change in elevation where you can
easily see all the way to the top. On a
large hill, the incline may get steeper
as you near the top, but you might
not see this because the crest of the
hill is hidden by bushes, grass, or
shrubs.
Consider this as you approach
a hill:
Is there a constant incline, or
does the hill get sharply
steeper in places?
Is there good traction on the
hillside, or will the surface
cause tire slipping?
Is there a straight path up or
down the hill so you will not have
to make turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill
that can block your path, such
as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts?
What is beyond the hill? Is there
a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off,
a fence? Get out and walk the hill
if you do not know. It is the smart
way to nd out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep
hills often have ruts, gullies,
troughs, and exposed rocks
because they are more
susceptible to the effects of
erosion.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-17
ProCarManuals.com

While backing down the hill, put
your left hand on the steering
wheel at the 12 o’clock position
so you can tell if the wheels are
straight and can maneuver as you
back down. It is best to back down
the hill with the wheels straight
rather than in the left or right
direction. Turning the wheel too
far to the left or right will increase
the possibility of a rollover.
Things not to do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, when going
up a hill:
Never attempt to prevent a stall
by shifting into N (Neutral) to
rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will
not work. The vehicle can
roll backward very quickly and
could go out of control.
Never try to turn around if about to
stall when going up a hill. If the hill
is steep enough to stall the
vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause it to roll over. If you cannot
make it up the hill, back straight
down the hill.If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake,
put your transmission in P (Park),
and turn off the engine. Leave
the vehicle and go get some help.
Exit on the uphill side and stay clear
of the path the vehicle would take
if it rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
How steep is the downhill? Will I
be able to maintain vehicle
control?
What is the surface like? Smooth?
Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed
dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface
obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden creek bank or
even a river bottom with large
rocks?If you decide you can go down a hill
safely, try to keep the vehicle headed
straight down. Use a low gear so
engine drag can help the brakes so
they do not have to do all the work.
Descend slowly, keeping the vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes
lightly when descending a hill and
use a low gear to keep vehicle
speed under control.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-19
ProCarManuals.com

{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.
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.TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-6improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on a
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance
on any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of
a curve or an overpass can remain
icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-25
ProCarManuals.com

Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Assistance Program on page 7-6.
To get help and keep everyone
in the vehicle safe:
Turn on theHazard Warning
Flashers on page 3-5.
Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{CAUTION
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside.
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
Clear away snow from
around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is
blocking the exhaust pipe.
Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window about
two inches (5 cm) on the side
of the vehicle that is away
from the wind to bring in
fresh air.
Fully open the air outlets on or
under the instrument panel.
Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the
Index.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 2-28.
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO
could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so
you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking the
exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm,
but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for
only short periods as needed
to warm the vehicle and then shut
the engine off and close the window
most of the way to save heat.
4-26 Driving Your Vehicle
ProCarManuals.com

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
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
Label
A vehicle specic Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar
(B-pillar) of your vehicle.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
seeTires on page 5-43and
Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-49.
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.
Example Label
4-28 Driving Your Vehicle
ProCarManuals.com

To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle that will
be towed and secure it to
the towing vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition key to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
3. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
4. Turn fog lamps and all
accessories off.5. To prevent the battery from
draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove the 2 amp
IGN SW fuse from the instrument
panel fuse block and store it in a
safe location. SeeInstrument
Panel Fuse Block on page 5-80
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 the vehicle has
a four-speed automatic
transmission, it can be dinghy
towed from the front for unlimited
miles at 65 mph (105 km/h).
The vehicle could be damaged If
65 mph (105 km/h) is exceeded
while towing the vehicle. The
repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Never
exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while
towing the vehicle.Once the destination has been
reached:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
3. Reinstall the 2 amp IGN SW fuse
to 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: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.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-33
ProCarManuals.com

Tire Inspection and
Rotation............................5-56
When It Is Time for
New Tires.........................5-57
Buying New Tires................5-58
Different Size Tires and
Wheels.............................5-59
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading............................5-60
Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance.....................5-61
Wheel Replacement.............5-62
Tire Chains.........................5-62
If a Tire Goes Flat...............5-63
Changing a Flat Tire............5-64
Removing the Spare
Tire and Tools...................5-65
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire.......5-66
Storing a Flat or Spare
Tire and Tools...................5-70
Compact Spare Tire.............5-71Appearance CareInterior Cleaning..................5-72
Fabric/Carpet......................5-73
Leather..............................5-74
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and
Other Plastic Surfaces.........5-74
Care of Safety Belts............5-74
Weatherstrips......................5-75
Washing Your Vehicle..........5-75
Cleaning Exterior
Lamps/Lenses...................5-75
Finish Care.........................5-76
Windshield and Wiper
Blades..............................5-76
Aluminum Wheels................5-77
Tires..................................5-77
Sheet Metal Damage...........5-78
Finish Damage....................5-78
Underbody Maintenance.......5-78
Chemical Paint Spotting........5-78Vehicle IdenticationVehicle Identication
Number (VIN)....................5-79
Service Parts Identication
Label...............................5-79
Electrical SystemAdd-On Electrical
Equipment........................5-79
Windshield Wiper Fuses.......5-80
Power Windows and
Other Power Options..........5-80
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers...........................5-80
Instrument Panel
Fuse Block.......................5-80
Underhood Fuse Block.........5-82
Capacities and
Specications
Capacities and
Specications....................5-86
5-2 Service and Appearance Care
ProCarManuals.com