2010 SATURN VUE belt

Instruments and Controls 5-13
The front passenger safety belt
warning light and chime may turn on
if an object is put on the seat such
as a briefcase, handbag, grocery
bag, laptop or other electronic
device. To turn off the warning light
and or chime, remove the object
from the seat or buckle the
safety belt.
Airbag Readiness Light
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag symbol. The
system checks the airbag's
electrical system for malfunctions.
The light indicates if there is an
electrical problem. The system
check includes the airbag sensor,
the pretensioners, the airbag
modules, the wiring and the crash
sensing and diagnostic module. For
more information on the airbag
system, seeAirbag System
on
page 3‑25.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light stays
on after the vehicle is started or
comes on while driving, it means
the airbag system might not be
working properly. The airbags in
the vehicle might not inflate in a
crash, or they could even inflate
without a crash. To help avoid
injury, have the vehicle serviced
right away.
The airbag readiness light comes on
when the vehicle is started, and
flashes for a few seconds. The light
goes out when the system is ready. If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on while driving, the airbag system
may not work properly. Have the
vehicle serviced right away.
The airbag readiness light should
flash for a few seconds when the
engine is started. If the light does
not come on then, have it fixed
immediately. If there is a problem
with the airbag system, an airbag
Driver Information Center (DIC)
message may also come on. See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on
page 5‑25for more information.
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9-2 Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior
Whenever we drive, we are taking
on an important responsibility. This
is true for any motor
vehicle—passenger car, van, truck,
sport utility. Driver behavior, the
driving environment, and the
vehicle's design all affect how well a
vehicle performs. But statistics show
that the most important factor, by
far, is how we drive.
Knowing how these three factors
work together can help you
understand how your vehicle
handles and what you can do to
avoid many types of crashes,
including a rollover crash.
The single most important thing is
this: everyone in the vehicle,
including the driver, should buckle
up. See Safety Belts
on page 3‑10.
In fact, most serious injuries and
fatalities to unbelted occupants can
be reduced or prevented by the use of safety belts. In a rollover crash,
an unbelted person is significantly
more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt. In addition,
avoiding excessive speed, sudden
or abrupt turns, and drunken or
aggressive driving can help make
trips safer and avoid the possibility
of a crash, especially a rollover
crash. This section provides many
useful tips to help you drive more
safely.
Driving Environment
You can also help avoid a rollover or
other type of crash by being
prepared for driving in inclement
weather, at night, or during other
times where visibility or traction may
be limited, such as on curves,
slippery roads, or hilly terrain.
Unfamiliar surroundings can also
have hidden hazards.
To help you learn more about
driving in different conditions, this
section contains information about
city, freeway, and off-road driving,
as well as other hints for driving in
various weather conditions.
Vehicle Design
According to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, utility vehicles have
a significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. Utility
vehicles do have higher ground
clearance and a narrower track or
shorter wheelbase than passenger
cars, to make them more capable
for off-road driving. Specific design
characteristics like these give the
driver a better view of the road, but
also give utility vehicles a higher
center of gravity than other types of
vehicles. This means that you
should not expect a utility vehicle to
handle the same way a vehicle with
a lower center of gravity, like a car,
would in similar situations.
But driver behavior factors are far
more often the cause of a utility
vehicle rollover than are
environmental or vehicle factors.
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Driving and Operating 9-3
Safe driver behavior and
understanding the environment in
which you will be driving can help
avoid a rollover crash in any type of
vehicle, including utility vehicles.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
your safety belt, see Safety Belts
on
page 3‑10.
{WARNING
Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other
drivers) are going to be careless
and make mistakes. Anticipate
what they might do and be ready.
In addition:
.Allow enough following
distance between you and
the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Driver distraction can cause
collisions resulting in injury or
possible death. These simple
defensive driving techniques
could save your life.
Drunk Driving
{WARNING
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if
you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink. Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that
anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
judgment, muscular coordination,
vision, and attentiveness.
Police records show that almost
40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve
alcohol. In most cases, these
deaths are the result of someone
who was drinking and driving. In
recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related
deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
For persons under 21, it is against
the law in every U.S. state to drink
alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental
reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the
leading highway safety problem is
for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.
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9-6 Driving and Operating
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can
be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from
nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. These problems can
be avoided by braking—if you can
stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there is
no room. That is the time for
evasive action —steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well in
emergencies like these. First apply
the brakes. See Braking
on
page 9‑4. It is better to remove as
much speed as possible from a
collision. Then steer around the
problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
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
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9-8 Driving and Operating
Off-Road Driving
Vehicles with all‐wheel drive can be
used for off‐road driving. Vehicles
without all‐wheel drive should not be
driven off-road except on a level,
solid surface.
Many of the vehicle design features
that help make the vehicle more
responsive on paved roads during
poor weather conditions also help
make it better suited for off‐road use
than conventional passenger
vehicles. The vehicle does not have
features usually thought to be
necessary for extended or severe
off‐road use such as special
underbody shielding and transfer
case low gear range.
The airbag system is designed to
work properly under a wide range of
conditions, including off‐road usage.
Always wear your safety belt and
observe safe driving speeds,
especially on rough terrain.
Drinking and driving can be very
dangerous on any road and this is
certainly true for off-road driving. Atthe very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your
reflexes, perceptions, and judgment
can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You could have a
serious
—or even fatal —accident
if you drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking.
Off-roading can be great fun but has
some definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the terrain itself. When
off-road driving, traffic lanes are not
marked, curves are not banked, and
there are no road signs. Surfaces
can be slippery, rough, uphill,
or downhill.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers. Failure to operate the
vehicle correctly off‐road could
result in loss of vehicle control or
vehicle rollover.
Off-roading involves some new
skills. That is why it is very
important that you read these
driving tips and suggestions to help
make off-road driving safer and
more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work done.
.Make sure there is enough fuel,
that fluid levels are where they
should be, and that the spare
tire is fully inflated.
.Be sure to read all the
information about all-wheel-drive
vehicles in this manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if the vehicle has them,
are properly attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to
off-roading where you will be
driving or check with law
enforcement people in the area.
.Be sure to get the necessary
permission if you will be on
private land.
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9-10 Driving and Operating
.Always carry a litter bag and
make sure all refuse is removed
from any campsite before
leaving.
.Take extreme care with open
fires (where permitted), camp
stoves, and lanterns.
.Never park your vehicle over dry
grass or other combustible
materials that could catch fire
from the heat of the vehicle's
exhaust system.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip,
especially when going to a remote
area. Know the terrain and plan
your route. Get accurate maps of
trails and terrain. Check to see if
there are any blocked or closed
roads.
It is also a good idea to travel with
at least one other vehicle in case
something happens to one of them.For vehicles with a winch, be sure to
read the winch instructions. In a
remote area, a winch can be handy
if you get stuck but you will want to
know how to use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road
Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an
area that is safe and close to home
before you go into the wilderness.
Off-roading requires some new and
different skills.
Tune your senses to different kinds
of signals. Your eyes need to
constantly sweep the terrain for
unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or
engine sounds. Use your arms,
hands, feet, and body to respond to
vibrations and vehicle bounce.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed. At higher
speeds:
.You approach things faster and
have less time to react.
.There is less time to scan the
terrain for obstacles.
.The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles.
.More braking distance is
needed, especially on an
unpaved surface.
{WARNING
When you are driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you out
of position. This could cause you
to lose control and crash. So,
whether you are driving on or off
the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety
belts.
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9-56 Driving and Operating
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedalwhile you:
.Start the engine.
.Shift into a gear.
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑20.
Trailer Towing
Three important considerations
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer
.The weight of the trailer tongue
.The total weight on the vehicle's
tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
Speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, special
equipment, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry
must be considered. See “Weight of
the Trailer Tongue” later in this
section for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment. The
weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
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Vehicle Care 10-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained
in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer
accessories to the vehicle 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.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from the installation or use
of non‐GM certified parts, including
control module modifications, is not
covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with
other systems on the vehicle.
Your GM dealer/retailer can
accessorize the vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories.
When you go to your GM dealer/
retailer and ask for GM Accessories,
you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine
GM Accessories.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on
page 3‑40.
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