Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9803785) - 2017 - CRC - 4/13/16
146 Instruments and Controls
Ride Control System
Messages
SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL
This message displays when there
is a problem with the Traction
Control System (TCS). SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0235.
SERVICE STABILITRAK
This message displays if there is a
problem with the StabiliTrak system.
See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0235.
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIRBAG
This message displays if there is a
problem with the airbag system. See
your dealer for service.
Safety Belt Messages
SHIFTER LOCKED. BUCKLE
SEATBELT
This message displays if the vehicle
is equipped with the Safety Belt
Assurance System and the driver
and front outboard passenger,
if present, safety belts are not
buckled. The vehicle will not shift
out of P (Park). Buckle the safety
belt(s) to unlock the shift lever.
This system may not allow the
vehicle to shift out of P (Park) if an
object —such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop,
or other electronic device —is on
the front outboard passenger seat.
If this happens, remove the object
from the seat or buckle the
safety belt.
If the driver or front outboard
passenger unbuckles their safety
belt while driving, the safety belt
reminder chime and light(s) will
come on. See Safety Belt
Reminders 0124.
SHIFTER UNLOCKED. BRAKE
TO SHIFT
This message displays when the
Safety Belt Assurance System times
out and allows the vehicle to be
shifted out of P (Park) after
30 seconds following brake apply.
See “Safety Belts” and“Child
Restraints” in the Index for
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
This system may not function
properly if the airbag readiness light
is on. See Airbag Readiness
Light 0125.
Security Messages
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the vehicle
detects a tamper condition.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Infotainment System 167
The infotainment system has built-in
features intended to help avoid
distraction by disabling some
functions when driving. These
functions may gray out when they
are unavailable. Many infotainment
features are also available through
the instrument cluster and steering
wheel controls.
Before driving:
.Become familiar with the
operation, faceplate buttons, and
screen buttons. .
Set up the audio by presetting
favorite stations, setting the
tone, and adjusting the
speakers.
. Set up phone numbers in
advance so they can be called
easily by pressing a single
button or by using a single voice
command if equipped with
Bluetooth phone capability.
See Defensive Driving 0201.
To play the infotainment system with
the ignition off, see Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0219.Theft-Deterrent Feature
The infotainment system has an
electronic security system installed
to prevent theft.
The infotainment system only works
in the vehicle in which it was first
installed, and cannot be used in
another vehicle.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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180 Infotainment System
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
If equipped with Bluetooth®
capability, the system can interact
with many Bluetooth phones, PDAs,
or other devices to:
.Place and receive hands-free
calls.
. Transmit hands-free data.
. Play audio streaming files.
The device must be paired first. See
“Pairing” later in this section.
To minimize driver distraction,
before driving, and with the vehicle
parked:
. Become familiar with the
features of the cell phone.
Organize the phone book and
contact lists clearly and delete
duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial
or other shortcuts.
. Review the controls and
operation of the infotainment
system. .
Pair cell phone(s) to the vehicle.
The system may not work with
all cell phones. See “Pairing”
later in this section.{Warning
When using a cell phone, it can
be distracting to look too long or
too often at the screen of the
phone or the infotainment system.
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Vehicles with a Bluetooth system
can use a Bluetooth-capable cell
phone with a Hands-Free Profile to
make and receive phone calls. The
infotainment system is used to
control the system. The system can
be used while in ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN. See Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access) 0212 orIgnition
Positions (Key Access) 0210. Not
all phones support all functions and
not all phones work with the
Bluetooth system. See
www.gm.com/bluetooth for more information about compatible
phones in the U.S. and
Canada only.
There may be restrictions on using
Bluetooth wireless technology in
some locations.
Due to the variety of Bluetooth
devices and their firmware versions,
the device may respond differently
when performing over Bluetooth.
Refer to the cell phone
manufacturer
’s user guide for
questions about the phone's
Bluetooth functionality.
Bluetooth Controls
For vehicles equipped with
Bluetooth capability, use the buttons
on the infotainment system and the
steering wheel to operate the
system.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 199
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 203
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 204
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 206
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 210
Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Diesel Particulate Filter
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . 222
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 223
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 228
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 231
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 239
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 240
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 245
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 247
Fuel
Fuel (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
California Fuel Requirements (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Fuels in Foreign Countries (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Fuel Additives (Gasoline) . . . . . 250
Fuel for Diesel Engines . . . . . . . 250
What Fuel to Use in the U.S. (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
What Fuel to Use in Canada (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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200 Driving and Operating
Cold Weather Operation(Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Water in Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . 255
Running Out of Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Fuel Filter Replacement (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
. Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions. .
Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 203
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. 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.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 205
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0235.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0233. .
Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
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 0373. 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)
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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206 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0221.
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. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0235.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0339.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry: the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.