
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 193
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 197
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 198
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 199
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 204
Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 214
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 217
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 225 Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 226
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 231
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 233
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 236
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 197
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. 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.
. Try 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.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0275.
. Turn off cruise control.

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Driving and Operating 199
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.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0346. 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 snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
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 circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0213.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running 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 the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.

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216 Driving and Operating
D :This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If more power is needed
for passing, and the vehicle is:
. Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
. Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Caution
If the vehicle does not shift gears,
the transmission could be
damaged. Have the vehicle
serviced right away.
L : Electronic Range Select (ERS)
or Manual Mode allows for the
selection of the range of gear
positions. See Manual Mode0216.
Operating Modes
The transmission may operate in a
lower gear than normal to improve
vehicle performance. The engine speed may be higher and there may
be an increase in noise during the
following conditions:
.
When climbing a grade.
. When driving downhill.
. When driving in hot
temperatures or at high altitude.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Electronic Range Select (ERS) or
Manual Mode allows the range of
gear positions to be selected. Use
this mode when driving downhill or
to limit the top gear and vehicle
speed. The shift position indicator in
the Driver Information Center (DIC)
will display a number next to the L.
This indicates the highest available
gear under Manual Mode.
To use:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press + (plus) or −(minus) on
the shift lever to increase or
decrease the available gear
range. When shifting to L (Low), the
transmission will shift to a preset
lower gear range. For this preset
range, the highest gear available is
displayed next to the L in the DIC.
See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel Cluster) 0133 orDriver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level Cluster) 0130.
All gears below that number are
available to use.
If vehicle speed is not reduced
within the time allowed, the lower
gear range shift will not be
completed. Slow the vehicle, then
press −(minus) to the desired lower
gear range.
While using ERS, cruise control can
be used.
The transmission will not allow
shifting to the next lower gear if the
vehicle speed or engine rpm is
too high.

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222 Driving and Operating
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeIf the Vehicle Is Stuck 0199
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.
Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated.
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle. 2. Turn the engine off and wait
15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak
is on the center console, behind the
shift lever.
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.

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Driving and Operating 223
To turn off only TCS, press and
release
g. The traction off lighti
displays in the instrument cluster. To
turn TCS on again, press and
release
g. The traction off lighti
displayed in the instrument cluster
will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
g
is pressed, the system will not turn
off until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold
guntil the traction
off light
iand StabiliTrak OFF light
gcome on and stay on in the
instrument cluster. To turn TCS and
StabiliTrak on again, press and
release
g. The traction off lighti
and StabiliTrak OFF lightgin the
instrument cluster turn off.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and
Modifications 0242.
Cruise Control
The cruise control lets the vehicle
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If equipped with a manual
transmission, the cruise control will
remain active when the gears are
shifted. The cruise is deactivated if
the clutch is pressed for several
seconds. With the Traction Control System
(TCS) or Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), the system may begin to
limit wheel spin while you are using
cruise control. If this happens, the
cruise control will automatically
disengage. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0221.
If a collision alert occurs when
cruise control is activated, cruise
control is disengaged. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0229.
When road conditions allow you to
safely use it again, cruise control
can be turned back on.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.

Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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224 Driving and Operating
5:Press to turn the cruise control
system on and off. A white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise is turned on.
*: Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the set
speed from memory.
+RES : If there is a set speed in
memory, press briefly to resume that
speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If cruise control is
already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
−SET : Press briefly to set the
speed and activate cruise control.
If cruise control is already active,
use to decrease vehicle speed.
Setting Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, -SET or
+RES could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
5
off when cruise is not being used.
To set a speed:
1. Press
5to turn the cruise
system on. 2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release -SET. The
desired set speed briefly
appears in the instrument
cluster.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The cruise control indicator on the
instrument cluster turns green after
cruise control has been set to the
desired speed. See Instrument
Cluster (Base Level) 0112 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0114.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or
*is pressed, the
cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
briefly press +RES. The vehicle
returns to the previous set speed. Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.
Press and hold +RES on the
steering wheel until the vehicle
accelerates to the desired
speed, then release it.
. To increase the speed in small
increments, briefly press +RES.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) faster.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster (Base
Level) 0112 orInstrument Cluster
(Uplevel) 0114. The increment
value used depends on the units
displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold -SET until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.

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Driving and Operating 225
.To slow down in small
increments, briefly press -SET.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster (Base
Level) 0112 orInstrument Cluster
(Uplevel) 0114. The increment
value used depends on the units
displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing -SET will result in cruise
control set to the current vehicle
speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle
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 speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep your
speed down. If the brake pedal is
applied, cruise control will
disengage.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press the clutch pedal for
several seconds or shift to
Neutral (manual transmissions).
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. Press
*.
. Press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or if the vehicle is turned off.
Driver Assistance
Systems
This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes
or reduce crash damage while
driving, backing, and parking. Read
this entire section before using
these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These
systems do not replace the need
for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or see
alerts or warnings provided by
these systems. Failure to use
proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. See Defensive
Driving 0194.
(Continued)