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Driving and Operating 179
DSC allows you to shift an
automatic transmission similar to a
manual transmission. To use the
DSC feature:1. Move the shift lever to the left from D (Drive) into the side
gate marked with (+) and (−).
2. Press the shift lever forward to upshift or rearward to
downshift.
While using the DSC feature, the
vehicle will have firmer, quicker
shifting. You can use this for sport
driving or when climbing or
descending hills, to stay in gear
longer, or to downshift for more
power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow you
to shift into gears appropriate for the
vehicle speed and engine
revolutions per minute (rpm). The
transmission will not automatically
shift to the next lower gear if the
engine rpm is too high, nor to the
next higher gear when the maximum
engine rpm is reached. While in the DSC mode, the
transmission will automatically
downshift when the vehicle comes
to a stop. This will allow for more
power during take-off.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into second
gear. A higher gear allows the
vehicle to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces. Vehicles with a
turbocharged engine may also start
in third gear.Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
If equipped, this feature transfers
torque to the rear wheels as
required. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) performance
is automatically reduced when you
use the compact spare. To restore
full AWD performance, and prevent
excessive wear to the clutch in the
AWD system, replace the compact
spare tire with a full-size tire as
soon as possible. See
Compact
Spare Tire 0277.
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212 Vehicle Care
Wheel Alignment and TireBalance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 277
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
WARNING: Most motor vehicles,
including this one, as well as many
of its service parts and fluids,
contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
See
Battery - North America 0231
and Jump Starting - North America
0 278.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
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Vehicle Care 245
Caution (Continued)
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.
Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with 255/
35R20 high performance summer
tires. These tires have a special
tread and compound that are
optimized for maximum dry and wet
road performance. This special
tread and compound will have
decreased performance in cold
climates, and on ice and snow. It is
recommended that winter tires be
installed on the vehicle if frequent
driving at temperatures below
approximately 5 °C (40 °F) or on ice
or snow covered roads is expected.
SeeWinter Tires 0244.
Caution
High performance summer tires
have rubber compounds that lose
flexibility and may develop
surface cracks in the tread area
at temperatures below −7 °C (20 °
F). Always store high
performance summer tires
indoors and at temperatures
above −7 °C (20 °F) when not in
use. If the tires have been
subjected to −7 °C (20 °F) or less,
let them warm up in a heated
space to at least 5 °C (40 °F) for
24 hours or more before being
installed or driving a vehicle on
which they are installed. Do not
apply heat or blow heated air
directly on the tires. Always
inspect tires before use. See Tire
Inspection 0257.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a
compact spare tire sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
(1) Tire Size:The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section.
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(2) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(3) DOT (Department of
Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the
tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
DOT Tire Date of
Manufacture
:The last four
digits of the TIN indicate the tire
manufactured date. The first two
digits represent the week
(01–52) and the last two digits,
the year. For example, the third week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(5) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
see Uniform Tire Quality
Grading 0261. (7) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
Compact Spare Tire Example
(1) Tire Ply Material:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(2) Temporary Use Only
:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire should not be driven at
speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph).
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use when a regular
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road tire has lost air and gone
flat. If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, seeCompact Spare
Tire 0277 andIf a Tire Goes
Flat 0263.
(3) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(4) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
(5) Tire Inflation
:The
temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to
420 kPa (60 psi). For more information on tire pressure and
inflation see
Tire Pressure
0 251.
(6) Tire Size
:A combination of
letters and numbers define a
tire's width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
description. The letter T as the
first character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary
use only.
(7) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following is an example of a
typical passenger vehicle
tire size.
(1) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in
the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
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Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate
effectively.Caution
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the vehicle
indicates the original equipment
tires and the correct cold tire
inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0163.
How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry. When to Check
Check the tires once a month or
more. Do not forget the compact
spare, if the vehicle has one.
The cold compact spare tire
pressure should be at 420 kPa
(60 psi). See
Compact Spare
Tire 0277.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no
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252 Vehicle Care
further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low,
add air until the recommended
pressure is reached. If the
inflation pressure is high, press
on the metal stem in the center
of the tire valve to release air.
Recheck the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
Put the valve caps back on the
valve stems to keep out dirt and
moisture and prevent leaks. Use
only valve caps designed for the
vehicle by GM. TPMS sensors
could be damaged and would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation
{Warning
Driving at high speeds, 160 km/h
(100 mph) or higher, puts
additional strain on tires.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Sustained high-speed driving
causes excessive heat buildup
and can cause sudden tire failure.
This could cause a crash, and
you or others could be killed.
Some high-speed rated tires
require inflation pressure
adjustment for high-speed
operation. When speed limits and
road conditions allow the vehicle
to be driven at high speeds, make
sure the tires are rated for
high-speed operation, are in
excellent condition, and are set to
the correct cold tire inflation
pressure for the vehicle load.
Vehicles with P235/50R18 size tires
require inflation pressure adjustment
when driving the vehicle at speeds
of 160 km/h (100 mph) or higher.
Set the cold inflation pressure to
248 kPa (36 psi).
Vehicles with P245/40R19 size tires
require inflation pressure adjustment
when driving the vehicle at speeds of 160 km/h (100 mph) or higher.
Set the cold inflation pressure to
283 kPa (41 psi).
Return the tires to the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressure when high-speed driving
has ended.
See
Vehicle Load Limits 0163 and
Tire Pressure 0251.
Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your tires and
transmit tire pressure readings to a
receiver located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
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tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly
under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation hasnot reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement oralternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function
properly.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0253.
See Radio Frequency Statement
0 319.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in
the tires and transmits the tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.