
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that helps prevent
a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while this test is going on,
and it might even be noticed that the brake pedal
moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light
stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
on
page 4‑37.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the brakes at each wheel. ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help the
driver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed to
get a foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, there will not be enough time to apply the
brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let antilock work. A motor or clicking
noise might be heard and the brake pedal might be felt
to move a little during a stop, but this is normal.
5-5

An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, it can be
turned a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that the vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
Turn the steering wheel 8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches),
about one-eighth turn, until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
5-17

If the vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
the vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, slow
down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the
tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until the vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues —such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface —and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid only the
braking skid.Racing or Other Competitive Driving
Racing or competitive driving may affect the vehicle
warranty. See the warranty book before using the
vehicle for racing or other competitive driving.
Notice: If you use the vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving, the engine may use more oil
than it would with normal use. Low oil levels can
damage the engine. For information on how to add
oil, see Engine Oil on page 6‑19.
Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport Only: Be sure to check
the oil level often during racing or other competitive
driving and keep the level at or near the upper mark
that shows the proper operating range on the
engine oil dipstick.
Except Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport: Be sure to check
the oil level often during racing or other competitive
driving and keep the level at or near 1 L (1 quart)
above the upper mark that shows the proper
operating range on the engine oil dipstick. After the
competitive driving, remove excess oil so that the
level on the dipstick is not above the upper mark
that shows the proper operating range.
Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport Only: For racing or
competitive driving, it is recommended that the brake
fluid be replaced with a high performance brake fluid
that has a dry boiling point greater than 279°C (534°F).
5-19

TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)on page 5‑5improves 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 the Roadside Assistance Program
on
page 8‑7. To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasherson
page 4‑3.
.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.
.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)
5-26

WARNING: (Continued)
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3‑37.
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.
Repeat this until help arrives but only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. Moving about to
keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to arrive, now and then
when you run the engine, push the accelerator pedal
slightly so the engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to restart the vehicle
and to signal for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible to save fuel.
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.
See Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 5‑28.
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.
{WARNING:
If the 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 fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and avoid going above
55 km/h (35 mph) as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
see Tire Chains on page 6‑84.
5-27

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-69
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Tire Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-76
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-76
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-77
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-79
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-79
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-81
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-81
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-84
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-84
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-90
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-90
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-91
Coated Moldings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-92
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-92
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-93
Cargo Cover and Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-93
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-93
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-93
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-94 Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-94
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-95
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-96
Removable Roof Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-96
Convertible Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Fiberglass Springs (Composite Springs) . . . . . . . 6-99
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-99
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-99
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-99
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Headlamp Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Windshield Wiper Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-100
Power Windows and Other Power Options . . . 6-100
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-104
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-108
6-2

Service
For service and parts needs, visit your dealer/retailer.
You will receive genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modifications
When non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories are added
to the vehicle, they can affect vehicle performance
and safety, including such things as airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems
like antilock brakes, traction control, and stability
control. Some of these accessories could even
cause malfunction or damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
6-3

The fuel door release
button is located on the
instrument panel to the
left of the steering wheel.
Push the button to release
the fuel door. There is also a manual
fuel door release tab.
It is located against the
upper trim in the rear
compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. Pull
the tab to release the
fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly counterclockwise.
While refueling, let the cap hang by the tether below the
fuel fill opening.
6-10