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 0°C (32°F) 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 8-31improves 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.
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 12-6.
To get help and keep everyone
in the vehicle safe:
•Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
•Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
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.
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 5 cm
(two inches) on the side of
the vehicle that is away from
the wind to bring in fresh air.
(Continued)
8-10 Driving and Operating
Vehicle Care
General InformationGeneral Information...............9-2
California Proposition 65
Warning.............................9-2
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements........9-3
Accessories and
Modifications.......................9-3
Vehicle ChecksDoing Your Own
Service Work......................9-4
Hood...................................9-5
Engine Compartment
Overview............................9-6
Engine Cover.......................9-9
Engine Oil..........................9-10
Engine Oil Life System.........9-13
Automatic Transmission
Fluid................................9-14
Manual Transmission Fluid. . . .9-15
Hydraulic Clutch..................9-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.......9-16
Cooling System...................9-17
Engine Coolant...................9-19
Engine Overheating.............9-24
Power Steering Fluid............9-25Washer Fluid......................9-26
Brakes...............................9-27
Brake Fluid.........................9-28
Battery...............................9-29
Rear Axle...........................9-30
Starter Switch Check............9-31
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
System Check...................9-32
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check.......................9-32
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check..............9-32
Wiper Blade Replacement......9-33Headlamp AimingHeadlamp Aiming................9-34
Bulb ReplacementBulb Replacement...............9-37
Halogen Bulbs....................9-37
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting....................9-37
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal and Parking Lamps
(Base Vehicle)...................9-37
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal and Parking Lamps
(Up-Level Vehicle)..............9-38
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)....................9-39
Fog Lamps.........................9-40Taillamps, Turn Signal, and
Stoplamps.........................9-40
License Plate Lamp.............9-40
Replacement Bulbs..............9-41
Electrical SystemElectrical System
Overload...........................9-41
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers...........................9-42
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block.......................9-42
Instrument Panel
Fuse Block.......................9-45
Rear Compartment
Fuse Block.......................9-46
Wheels and TiresTires..................................9-48
Winter Tires........................9-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling..........9-49
Tire Designations.................9-51
Tire Terminology and
Definitions.........................9-52
Tire Pressure......................9-54
Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation........9-56
Tire Pressure Monitor
System.............................9-56
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation..........................9-57
Tire Inspection....................9-61
Vehicle Care 9-1
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Your new vehicle comes
with high-quality tires made
by a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about
your tire warranty and where to
obtain service, see your vehicle
Warranty booklet for details.
For additional information refer
to the tire manufacturer.
{WARNING
Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires are dangerous.
•Overloading your tires can
cause overheating as a result
of too much flexing. You could
have an air-out and a serious
accident. SeeVehicle Load
Limits on page 8-12.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
•Underinflated tires pose the
same danger as overloaded
tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when
your tires are cold. SeeTire
Pressure on page 9-54.
•Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured
or broken by a sudden
impact — such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
•Worn, old tires can cause
accidents. If your tread is
badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged,
replace them.
Winter Tires
If you expect to drive on snow or ice
covered roads often, you may want
to get winter tires for your vehicle.
All season tires provide good overall
performance on most surfaces but
they may not offer the traction you
would like or the same level of
performance as winter tires on
snow or ice covered roads.
Winter tires, in general, are
designed for increased traction
on snow and ice covered roads.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After switching to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
See your dealer/retailer for details
regarding winter tire availability
and proper tire selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires on page 9-63.
9-48 Vehicle Care
If you choose to use winter tires:
•Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
•Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as your original equipment
tires may not be available for H, V,
W, Y, and ZR speed rated tires.
If you choose winter tires with a lower
speed rating, never exceed the tire’s
maximum speed capability.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a
tire is molded into its sidewall.
The examples below show a
typical passenger vehicle tire
and a compact spare tire
sidewall.(A) Tire Size
:The tire size
is a combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire’s width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Speci cation)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM’s specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC specifications meet
or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department
of Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance with
the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. Passenger (P-Metric)
Tire Example
Vehicle Care 9-49
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow
tires, space-saver, or temporary
use spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified
government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and a half (1.5)
times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices,
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
9-66 Vehicle Care
Bluetooth............6-22, 6-23, 6-26
Brakes...............................9-27
Antilock...........................8-31
Assist.............................8-33
Fluid...............................9-28
Parking...........................8-32
System Messages.............4-31
Braking................................ 8-4
Break-In, New Vehicle..........8-16
Bulb Replacement................9-41
Fog Lamps ......................9-40
Halogen Bulbs..................9-37
Headlamp Aiming..............9-34
Headlamps......................9-37
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal and Parking
Lamps .................9-37, 9-38
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting...............9-37
License Plate Lamps.........9-40
Taillamps, Turn Signal and
Stoplamps....................9-40
Buying New Tires.................9-63C
Calibration............................ 4-8
California
Fuel Requirements............8-45
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements................. 9-3
Warning............................ 9-2
Canadian Vehicle Owners......... iii
Capacities and
Specifications...................11-2
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust................8-25
Trunk................................ 1-8
Winter Driving..................8-10
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings............................. iv
CD Player...........................6-14
Center Console Storage......... 3-1
Chains, Tire........................9-68
Charging System Light..........4-19
Check
Engine Lamp...................4-19
Ignition
Transmission Lock.........9-32Check (cont.)
Child Restraints
Infants and Young
Children.......................2-37
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children..................2-43
Older Children..................2-35
Securing..................2-48, 2-50
Systems..........................2-39
Where to Put the
Restraint......................2-41
Circuit Breakers...................9-42
Cleaning
Exterior Care...................9-88
Interior Care....................9-92
Climate Control Systems......... 7-1
Clock................................... 4-8
Cluster, IP...........................4-10
Clutch, Hydraulic..................9-15
Collision Damage Repair.......12-9
Compact Spare Tire.............9-83
Compass.............................. 4-8
Compass Messages.............
4-31
Competitive Driving................ 8-7
Competitive Driving Mode......8-37
i-2 INDEX
Tires (cont.)
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading.......................9-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance.......................9-67
Wheel Replacement..........9-67
When It Is Time for New
Tires............................9-62
Winter.............................9-48
Towing
Driving Characteristics.......8-49
Equipment.......................8-55
General Information...........8-48
Recreational Vehicle..........9-87
Trailer.............................8-53
Vehicle............................9-87
Traction..............................4-24
Control OFF/StabiliTrak
OFF Light....................4-24
Control System (TCS).......8-34
Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Light...........4-24
Limited-Slip Rear Axle.......8-38
Off Light..........................4-23Trailer Towing......................8-53
Transmission
Automatic........................8-26
Fluid, Automatic................9-14
Fluid, Manual...................9-15
Messages........................4-36
Temperature Gage............4-14
Transportation Program,
Courtesy.........................12-8
Trip Odometer.....................4-11
Trunk................................... 1-8
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals............................. 5-4
U
Ultrasonic Parking Assist.......8-41
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading...........................9-65
Universal Remote System.....4-45
Operation........................4-48
Programming...................4-45
Using this Manual.................... iv
V
Vehicle
Canadian Owners................. iii
Control............................. 8-3
Load Limits......................8-12
Messages........................4-37
Personalization.................4-38
Remote Start..................... 1-5
Security...........................1-10
Speed Messages..............4-37
Towing ............................9-87
Vehicle Care
Storing the Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit.......9-77
Tire Pressure...................9-54
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN)...................11-1
Service Parts Identification
Label...........................11-1
Vehicle Reminder
Messages........................4-37
Ventilation, Air....................... 7-3
Visors.................................1-16
Voltmeter Gage....................4-15
INDEX i-11
W
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators.......................... 4-9
Warnings................................ iv
Cautions and Danger............ iv
Hazard Flashers................. 5-4
Washer Fluid.......................9-26
Wheels
Alignment and Tire
Balance.......................9-67
Different Size...................9-65
Replacement....................9-67When It Is Time for New
Tires...............................9-62
Where to Put the Child
Restraint.........................2-41
Windows.............................1-14
Messages........................4-37
Power .............................1-14
Windshield
Wiper/Washer.................... 4-7
Winter Driving......................8-10
Winter Tires........................9-48
Wiper Blade Replacement.....9-33
i-12 INDEX