Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal must
be applied.
A (LOCK/OFF) : This position locks the ignition.
It may also lock the steering wheel and automatic
transmission. The key can be removed in LOCK/OFF.
On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF. The steering may bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs service.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This position lets things like
the radio and the windshield wipers operate while the
engine is off. Use this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN) : This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN position with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
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D (START) :This is the position that starts the engine.
When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for driving.
A warning tone will sound when the driver door is
opened, the ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF and the key is in the ignition.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories can be used for up to
10 minutes after the engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.OnStar®System (if equipped)
.Sunroof (if equipped)
These features work when the key is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY. Once the key is turned from
ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF, the windows and sunroof
continue to work up to 10 minutes until any door is
opened. The radio continues to work for up to
10 minutes or until the driver door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The
engine will not start in any other position. To restart
the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the vehicle
is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park) only when the vehicle
is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will slow down
as the engine warms. 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.
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The 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, 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 flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor 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 briefly but then
stops again, repeat these steps. 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.
Notice: The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer/retailer. If you
do not, the engine might not perform properly.
Any resulting damage would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
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D (Drive) :This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the next gear
and has more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving.
You may want to shift the transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see Skidding under
Loss of Control on page 6‑12.
M (Manual Mode) : This position lets drivers select
the range of gears appropriate for current driving
conditions. See Driver Shift Control (DSC) later in this
section.
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 the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place. The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that
adjusts the transmission shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid upshifts and
downshifts. This shift stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an upshift, if the engine will
be able to maintain vehicle speed by analyzing things
such as vehicle speed, throttle position and vehicle
load. If the shift stabilization feature determines that a
current vehicle speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and instead holds the
current gear. In some cases, this may appear to be a
delayed shift, however the transmission is operating
normally.
The vehicle's transmission uses adaptive shift controls
that compares key shift parameters to pre-programmed
ideal shifts stored in the transmissions computer. The
transmission constantly makes adjustments to improve
vehicle performance according to how the vehicle is
being used, such as with a heavy load or when
temperature changes. During this adaptive shift controls
process, shifting may feel different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold, the Hydra-Matic
®
6L80 automatic transmission's gear shifting may be
delayed providing more stable shifts until the engine
warms up. Shifts may be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in shifting is normal.
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Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down, then push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel the pedal release.
Slowly pull your foot up off the park brake pedal. If the
parking brake is not released when you begin to drive,
the brake system warning light will flash and a chime
will sound warning you that the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 6‑42.Shifting Into Park
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer
on
page 6‑42
.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up
as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your hand,
the vehicle is in P (Park).
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Shifting Out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift lever
is in P (Park) with the shift lever button fully
released, and
.Prevent movement of the shift lever out of P (Park),
unless the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal is
applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in the
case of an uncharged or low voltage (less than 9 volt)
battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery with
low voltage, try charging or jump starting the battery.
See Jump Starting
on page 7‑42for more information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the following: 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If you still are unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever all the way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem shifting, then have the
vehicle serviced soon.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{WARNING:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under the vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.
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.A trailer was attached to the vehicle, or a bicycle
or an object was hanging out of the tailgate during
the last drive cycle. Once the attached object is
removed and the tailgate is raised, URPA will
return to normal operation.
.A tow bar is attached to the vehicle.
.The vehicle's bumper is damaged. Take the vehicle
to your dealer/retailer to repair the system.
.Other conditions may affect system performance,
such as vibrations from a jackhammer or the
compression of air brakes on a very large truck.
If the system is still disabled, after driving forward at
least 40 km/h (25 mph), take the vehicle to your dealer/
retailer.
Rear Vision Camera (RVC)
This vehicle may have a Rear Vision Camera system.
Read this entire section before using it.
The rear vision camera system is designed to help
the driver when backing up by displaying a view of the
area behind the vehicle. When the driver shifts the
vehicle into R (Reverse), the video image automatically
appears on the navigation screen. Once the driver shifts
out of R (Reverse), the navigation screen will go back to
the last screen that had been displayed, after a delay.
Turning the Rear Vision Camera System On
or Off
To turn the rear vision camera system on or off: 1. Shift into P (Park).
2. Press the CONFIG hard key to enter the configure menu options, then press the CONFIG hard key to
select Display or touch the Display screen button.
3. Select the Rear Camera Options screen button. The Rear Camera Options screen will display.
4. Select the Video screen button. When the Videoscreen button is highlighted the RVC system is on.
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The delay that is received after shifting out of
R (Reverse) is approximately 10 seconds. The delay
can be cancelled by performing one of the following:
.Pressing a hard key on the navigation system.
.Shifting in to P (Park).
.Reach a vehicle speed of 7 mph (11 km/h).
There is a message on the rear vision camera screen
that states “Check Surroundings for Safety”.
Adjusting the Brightness and Contrast of
the Screen
To adjust the brightness and contrast of the screen,
press the CONFIG hard key while the rear vision
camera image is on the display. Any adjustments made
will only affect the rear vision camera screen.
](Brightness) : Touch the + (plus) or –(minus)
screen buttons to increase or decrease the brightness
of the screen.
_(Contrast) : Touch the + (plus) or –(minus) screen
buttons to increase or decrease the contrast of the
screen.
Symbols
The navigation system may have a feature that lets the
driver view symbols on the navigation screen while
using the rear vision camera. The Ultrasonic Rear Park
Assist (URPA) system must not be disabled to use the caution symbols. If URPA has been disabled and the
symbols have been turned on, the Rear Parking Assist
Symbols Unavailable error message may display. See
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) on page 3‑48.
The symbols appear when an object has been detected
by the URPA system. The symbol may cover the object
when viewing the navigation screen.
To turn the symbols on or off:
1. Make sure that URPA has not been disabled.
2. Shift into P (Park).
3. Press the CONFIG hard key to enter the configure menu options, then press the CONFIG hard key
repeatedly until Display is selected or touch the
Display screen button.
4. Select the Rear Camera Options screen button. The Rear Camera Options screen will display.
5. Touch the Symbols screen button. The screen button will be highlighted when on.
Rear Vision Camera Error Messages
Service Rear Vision Camera System : This message
can display when the system is not receiving
information it requires from other vehicle systems.
Rear Vision Camera System Unavailable : Displays
when the system is not receiving information it requires
from other vehicle systems.
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