2010 SATURN VUE tow

Driving and Operating 9-35
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll. Do
not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. 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,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑31.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑53.
Automatic
Transmission
The shift lever is located on the
console between the seats.
There are several different positions
for the automatic transmission.
P (Park): This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is 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.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. 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,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park
on
page 9‑31
. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑53.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You have to fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press
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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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Driving and Operating 9-43
The cruise control buttons are on
the left side of the steering wheel.
E(On/Off):Press to turn the
cruise control system on and off. An
indicator light comes on.
RES+ (Resume/Accel): Move the
thumbwheel up to resume a set
speed or to accelerate to a higher
speed.
−SET(Set/Coast): Press the
thumbwheel to set a speed or move
the thumbwheel down to decrease
the speed. To set a speed:
1. Press
Eto turn cruise control
on. The indicator light on the
button comes on.
2. Get to the speed desired.
3. Press the thumbwheel and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
When the brakes are applied, the
cruise control shuts off.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged. The indicator light on
the instrument panel cluster goes
out when the cruise is no longer
engaged. To return to the previously
set speed, press the thumbwheel up
toward RES+ briefly when the
vehicle has reached a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more.
This accelerates the vehicle to the
previously selected speed. Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
To increase the cruise speed while
using cruise control:
.Move the thumbwheel up toward
RES+ and hold it until the
vehicle accelerates to the
desired speed, and then release
the switch.
.To increase the speed in small
amounts, move the thumbwheel
up toward RES+ briefly and then
release it. Each time this is
done, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster.
.Use the accelerator pedal to
reach the desired speed and
move the thumbwheel towards
−SET. The new desired speed
must be greater than the
previous set speed by at least
8 km/h (5 mph).
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9-44 Driving and Operating
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already engaged,
.Move the thumbwheel toward
−SET and hold until the desired
lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To slow down in very small
amounts, move the thumbwheel
toward−SET briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle's speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previously set cruise control speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle's
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills, you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle's speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to maintain the
vehicle's speed. For some vehicles
the transmission may automatically
downshift when going down hills to
help maintain the vehicle's speed.
When the brakes are applied the
cruise control shuts off.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to disengage
the cruise control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal;
when cruise control disengages,
the indicator light on the
instrument panel cluster
goes out.
.PressEto turn off the cruise
control system.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed
memory is erased when the cruise
control or the ignition is turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
The vehicle may have a Rear Vision
Camera system. Read this entire
section before using it.
{WARNING
The Rear Vision Camera (RVC)
system does not replace driver
vision. RVC does not:
.Detect objects that are
outside the camera's field of
view, below the bumper,
or underneath the vehicle.
.Detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or pets. (Continued)
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9-48 Driving and Operating
VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identification Number (VIN)
on
page 12‑1.
Recommended Fuel
If the vehicle has the 3.6L V6 engine
(VIN Code 7), use regular unleaded
gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. For best
performance or trailer towing, you
could choose to use middle grade
89 octane unleaded gasoline. If the
octane rating is less than 87, an
audible knocking noise, commonly
referred to as spark knock, might be
heard when driving. If this occurs,
use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher as soon as possible. If heavy
knocking is heard when using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, the engine needs service.
If the vehicle has the 2.4L L4 engine
(VIN Code P) or the 3.5L V6 engine
(VIN Code N), use regular unleaded
gasoline with a posted octane rating
of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87, an audible knocking
noise, commonly referred to as
spark knock, might be heard when
driving. If this occurs, use a
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher as soon as possible. If heavy
knocking is heard when using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, the engine needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline should
meet ASTM specification D 4814
in the United States or
CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in
Canada. Some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
We recommend against the use of
gasolines containing MMT. See
Fuel
Additives
on page 9‑49for
additional information.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions
standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on
page 5‑15. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer/retailer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of
fuel used, repairs might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
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9-52 Driving and Operating
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{WARNING
Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel
vapor. You can be badly burned
and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you
and others:
.Dispense fuel only into
approved containers.
.Do not fill a container while it
is inside a vehicle, in a
vehicle's trunk, pickup bed,
or on any surface other than
the ground.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Bring the fill nozzle in contact
with the inside of the fill
opening before operating the
nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the filling is
complete.
.Do not smoke while
pumping fuel.
.Do not use a cellular phone
while pumping fuel.
Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer/retailer or
towing retailer for assistance with
preparing the vehicle for towing a
trailer.
See the following trailer towing
information in this section:
.For information on driving while
towing a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips.
.For maximum vehicle and trailer
weights, see Trailer Towing.
.For information on equipment to
tow a trailer, see Towing
Equipment.
For information on towing a disabled
vehicle, see Towing the Vehicle
on
page 10‑78. For information on
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Driving and Operating 9-53
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle—such as a motorhome,
see Recreational Vehicle Towing
on
page 10‑78.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
{WARNING
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well —or even at all. The driver
and passengers could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may
also be damaged; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
dealer/retailer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle. The vehicle can tow a trailer when
equipped with the proper trailer
towing equipment. For trailering
capacity, see
Trailer Towing
on
page 9‑56. Trailering changes
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability and fuel economy. With
the added weight, the engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies and
tires are forced to work harder and
under greater loads. The trailer also
adds wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements. For safe
trailering, correctly use the proper
trailering equipment.
The following information has
important trailering tips and rules for
your safety and that of your
passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many laws, including
speed limit restrictions that apply
to trailering. Check for legal
requirements with state or
provincial police.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during
the first 800 km (500 miles) the
new vehicle is driven. The
engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
.During the first 800 km
(500 miles) that a trailer is
towed, do not drive over 80 km/h
(50 mph) and do not make starts
at full throttle. This reduces wear
on the vehicle.
.The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often.
.Obey speed limit restrictions.
Do not drive faster than the
maximum posted speed for
trailers, or no more than 90 km/h
(55 mph), to reduce wear on the
vehicle.
.Do not tow a trailer when the
outside temperature is above
38°C (100°F).
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9-54 Driving and Operating
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
Get familiar with handling and
braking with the added trailer
weight. The vehicle is now longer
and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.
Check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires
and mirror adjustments. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working.
During the trip, check regularly to be
sure that the load is secure, and the
lamps and trailer brakes are working
properly.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the
trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal so the
trailer won't strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Use the turn signal well in
advance and avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers.
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