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Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 218Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 219Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 222Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 223Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 225Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 229Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 231Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Shifting Into Park (AutomaticTransmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Parking over ThingsThat Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 236Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 240
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 242Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 244
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 247Track Driver Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . 251
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 253Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 254Assistance Systems forDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259Side Blind ZoneAlert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261Lane DepartureWarning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 266Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Trailer Towing
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
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Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many formsand can take your focus from thetask of driving. Exercise goodjudgment and do not let otheractivities divert your attention awayfrom the road. Many localgovernments have enacted lawsregarding driver distraction. Becomefamiliar with the local laws inyour area.
To a v o i d d i s t r a c t e d d r i v i n g , k e e pyour eyes on the road, keep yourhands on the steering wheel, andfocus your attention on driving.
.Do not use a phone indemanding driving situations.Use a hands-free method toplace or receive necessaryphone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,take notes, or look upinformation on phones or otherelectronic devices.
.Designate a front seatpassenger to handle potentialdistractions.
.Become familiar with vehiclefeatures before driving, such asprogramming favorite radiostations and adjusting climatecontrol and seat settings.Program all trip information intoany navigation device prior todriving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parkedto retrieve items that have fallento the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tendto children.
.Keep pets in an appropriatecarrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversationswhile driving, whether with apassenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Ta k i n g y o u r e y e s o f f t h e r o a d t o o
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section formore information on using thatsystem and the navigation system,if equipped, including pairing andusing a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“alwaysexpect the unexpected.”The firststep in driving defensively is to wearthe safety belt. SeeSafety Belts051.
.Assume that other road users(pedestrians, bicyclists, andother drivers) are going to becareless and make mistakes.Anticipate what they might doand be ready.
.Allow enough following distancebetween you and the driver infront of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
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218 Driving and Operating
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated withdrinking and driving is a globaltragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
asmallamountofalcohol.You
can have a serious—or even
fatal—collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
adriverwhohasbeendrinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and acceleratingare important factors in helping tocontrol a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perceptiontime and reaction time. Deciding topush the brake pedal is perceptiontime. Actually doing it isreaction time.
Average driver reaction time isabout three-quarters of a second. Inthat time, a vehicle moving at100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m(66 ft), which could be a lot ofdistance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mindinclude:
.Keep enough distance betweenyou and the vehicle in frontof you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while thevehicle is being driven, brakenormally but do not pump thebrakes. Doing so could make thepedal harder to push down. If theengine stops, there will be somepower brake assist but it will beused when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, itcan take longer to stop and thebrake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric powersteering. It does not have powersteering fluid. Regular maintenanceis not required.
If power steering assist is lost dueto a system malfunction, the vehiclecan be steered, but may requireincreased effort.
See your dealer if there is aproblem.
If the steering wheel is turned until itreaches the end of its travel and isheld against that position for anextended period of time, powersteering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for anextended period of time, powerassist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steeringassist should return when thesystem cools down.
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See specific vehicle steeringmessages underService VehicleMessages011 8.Seeyourdealerifthere is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Ta k e c u r v e s a t a r e a s o n a b l espeed.
.Reduce speed before entering acurve.
.Maintain a reasonable steadyspeed through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out ofthe curve before acceleratinggently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations whensteering around a problem maybe more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of thesteering wheel allows you to turn180 degrees without removingahand.
.The Antilock Brake System(ABS) allows steering whilebraking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can dropoff the edge of a road onto theshoulder while driving. Followthese tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in theway, steer the vehicle so that itstraddles the edge of thepavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until theright front tire contacts thepavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids thatcorrespond to the vehicle's threecontrol systems:
.Braking Skid—wheels are notrolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid—too much speed or steering in acurve causes tires to slip andlose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid—too muchthrottle causes the drivingwheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skidsby taking reasonable care suited toexisting conditions, and by notoverdriving those conditions. Butskids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, followthese suggestions:
.Ease your foot off theaccelerator pedal and steer theway you want the vehicle to go.
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The vehicle may straighten out.Be ready for a second skid if itoccurs.
.Slow down and adjust yourdriving according to weatherconditions. Stopping distancecan be longer and vehiclecontrol can be affected whentraction is reduced by water,snow, ice, gravel, or othermaterial on the road. Learn torecognize warning clues—suchas enough water, ice, or packedsnow on the road to make amirrored surface—and slowdown when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,acceleration, or braking,including reducing vehicle speedby shifting to a lower gear. Anysudden changes could causethe tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes helpavoid only the braking skid.
Track Events and
Competitive Driving
{Danger
High-performance features are
intended for use only on closed
tracks by experienced and
qualified drivers and should not
be used on public roads.
High-speed driving, aggressive
cornering, hard braking, and other
high-performance driving can be
dangerous. Improper driver inputs
for the conditions may result in
loss of control of the vehicle,
which could injure or kill you or
others. Always drive safely.
Track events or competitive drivingmay affect the vehicle warranty. Seethe warranty manual before usingthe vehicle for track testing or othercompetitive driving.
Caution
If the vehicle is used for track
events and competitive driving,
the engine may use more oil than
it would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine.
Check the oil level often and
maintain the proper level. See
Engine Oil0275.
Engine Oil
Be sure to check the oil level oftenduring racing or other competitivedriving and keep the level at or nearthe upper mark that shows theproper operating range on theengine oil dipstick.
For track events or competitivedriving, it is recommended that thebrake fluid be replaced with a highperformance brake fluid that has adry boiling point greater than 279 °C(534 °F). After conversion to thehigh performance brake fluid, followthe brake fluid service
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recommendations outlined by thefluid manufacturer. Do not usesilicone or DOT-5 brake fluids.
To p r e p a r e t h e b r a k e s y s t e m s f o rtrack events and racing, completethe appropriate high performancebrake burnishing proceduredescribed below.
Brake Burnishing
New brake pads must be burnishedbefore racing or other competitivedriving.
Caution
The new vehicle break-in period
should be completed before
performing the brake burnish
procedure, otherwise damage
may occur to the powertrain/
engine. SeeNew Vehicle
Break-In0229.
When performed as instructed,these procedures will not damagethe brakes. During the burnishingprocedure, the brake pads willsmoke and produce an odor. The
braking force and pedal travel mayincrease. After the procedure, thebrake pads may appear white at therotor contact.
Perform this procedure on drypavement, in a safe manner, and incompliance with all local and stateordinances/laws regarding motorvehicle operation.
Racing/Track Brake BurnishingProcedure
Caution
Brake pedal fade will occur during
this track burnish procedure and
can cause brake pedal travel and
force to increase. This could
extend stopping distance until the
brakes are fully burnished.
1. Apply the brakes 25 timesstarting at 100 km/h (60 mph)to 50 km/h (30 mph) whiledecelerating at 0.4 g. This is amedium brake application.Drive for at least 1 km (0.6 mi)between applying the brakes.
This first step may be skippedif there are more than 320 km(200 mi) on the brake pads.
2. Repeatedly apply the brakesfrom 100 km/h (60 mph) to25 km/h (15 mph) whiledecelerating at 0.8 g. This is ahard brake application, withoutactivating the Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS). Drive for atleast 1 km (0.6 mi) betweenstops. Repeat until the brakepedal travel starts to increase.Depending on conditions, thisshould take no longer than 25brake applications.
3. Cool down: Drive at 100 km/h(60 mph) for approximately15 km (10 mi) without using thebrakes.
4. Apply the brakes 25 times from100 km/h (60 mph) to 50 km/h(30 mph) while decelerating at0.4 g. This is a medium brakeapplication. Drive for at least1km(0.6mi)betweenapplications.
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222 Driving and Operating
Rear Axle
Axles must have 885 km (500 mi)before being used in track driving
The rear axle fluid temperaturesmay be higher when driving insevere conditions. Drain and refillwith new fluid after the first racing orcompetitive driving event, and thenafter every 24 hours of racing orcompetitive driving. SeeRecommended Fluids andLubricants0358.
Caution
During a first time track or racing
event, high rear axle
temperatures can occur. Damage
could be caused to the rear axle
and would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not drive as
long or as fast the first time the
vehicle is driven on the track or
raced.
For extended track use, GMrecommends installing a reardifferential cooler to protect therear axle.
Wheel Alignment
For racing and competitive driving,the vehicle load should be limited tothe driver only and no cargo. Thetires should be inflated cold to atleast 250 kPa (36 psi).
Caution
Using these wheel alignment
settings may cause excessive tire
wear. Only use these wheel
alignment settings for racing or
competitive driving. Excessive tire
wear is not covered under the
vehicle warranty.
Front Alignment Specification
.Caster: 6.0 +/- 1.25 degrees
.Camber: -0.9 +/- 0.1 degrees
.To t a l o r S u m To e : 0 . 1 7 + / -0.17 degrees
Rear Alignment Specification
.Camber: -0.4 +/- 0.10 degrees
.To t a l o r S u m To e : 0 . 2 + / -0.20 degrees
Thrust Angle: 0 +/- 0.20 degrees
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reducevehicle traction and affect yourability to stop and accelerate.Always drive slower in these typesof driving conditions and avoiddriving through large puddles anddeep-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
(Continued)
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Warning (Continued)
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. Watercan build up under the vehicle'stires so they actually ride on thewater. This can happen if the road iswet enough and you are going fastenough. When the vehicle ishydroplaning, it has little or nocontact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule abouthydroplaning. The best advice is toslow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wetweather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wipingequipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluidreservoir filled.
.Have good tires with propertread depth. SeeTires0303.
.Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or throughmountains is different than drivingon flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and ingood shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,tires, cooling system, andtransmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when goingdown steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep thevehicle in its own lane. Do notswing wide or cross thecenter line.
.Be alert on top of hills;something could be in your lane(e.g., stalled car, accident).