2010 SATURN VUE stop start

Driving and Operating 9-17
Driving in Water
{WARNING
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and
you could lose traction and roll
the vehicle over. Do not drive
through rushing water.Heavy rain can mean flash flooding,
and flood waters demand extreme
caution.
Find out how deep the water is
before driving through it. Do not try
it if it is deep enough to cover the
wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe
—you probably will not get
through. Deep water can damage
the axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive
slowly through it. At faster speeds,
water splashes on the ignition
system and the vehicle can stall.
Stalling can also occur if you get the
tailpipe under water. If the tailpipe is
under water, you will never be able
to start the engine. When going
through water, remember that when
the brakes get wet, it might take
longer to stop. See Driving on Wet
Roads on page 9‑18.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody,
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, axles,
and exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use. Refer to
the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
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Driving and Operating 9-27
WARNING (Continued)
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
.Do not leave a seat folded
down unless you need to.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice: The vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 200 miles (322 km) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
on page 9‑56for the trailer
towing capabilities of the
vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
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Driving and Operating 9-29
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories may be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
ignition key is turned to the LOCK
position:
.Outside Mirror
.Power Windows
.Sunroof (if equipped)
.Radio
The outside mirror, power windows
and sunroof will function until a door
is opened.
The radio will function 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.
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.
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9-30 Driving and Operating
2. If the engine does not start after5‐10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below −18°C or
0°F), 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.
Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below −18°C ( 0°F). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least
four hours before starting. Some
models may have an internal
thermostat in the cord which will
prevent engine coolant heater
operation at temperatures above
−18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The engine
coolant heater cord is located
near the air cleaner box on the
passenger side of the engine
compartment. See Engine
Compartment Overview
on
page 10‑6for more information
on location.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
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9-36 Driving and Operating
the shift lever button before you can
shift from P (Park) when the ignition
key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure
on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into P (Park) as
you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into
another gear. SeeShifting Out of
Park on page 9‑33.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle is Stuck on page 9‑22. N (Neutral):
In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed. Notice:
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving with the automatic
transmission. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph),
push the accelerator all the
way down.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding, see “Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑7.
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9-38 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
With this feature, engine power is
always sent to all four wheels. It is
fully automatic, and adjusts itself as
needed for road conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and disables AWD. To restore
AWD operation and prevent
excessive wear on system, replace
the compact spare with a full-size
tire as soon as possible. See
Compact Spare Tire
on page 10‑73for more information.
Brakes
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. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑19. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, 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.
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Driving and Operating 9-51
The tethered fuel cap is located
behind a hinged fuel door on the
driver side of the vehicle.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it
slowly counterclockwise. The fuel
cap has a spring in it; if the cap is
released too soon, it will spring back
to the right. To avoid fuel contact on
the painted surface of the vehicle
when filling the fuel tank, place the
tethered cap on the fuel filler door.
{WARNING
Fuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then
something ignites it, you could be
badly burned. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait
for any hiss noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care on page 10‑82.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it
clockwise until it clicks. Make sure
the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑15.
{WARNING
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If a new fuel cap is
needed, be sure to get the right
type of cap from your dealer/
retailer. The wrong type fuel cap
might not fit properly, might
cause the malfunction indicator
lamp to light, and could damage
the fuel tank and emissions
system. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 5‑15.
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Driving and Operating 9-55
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The turn signal indicators on the
instrument panel flash whenever
signaling a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps also flash, telling other
drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a
lower gear before starting 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.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the transmission
shifts too often.When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, engine coolant
will boil at a lower temperature than
at normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing
at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To
avoid this, 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. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑20.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface. If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do
not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
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