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164 CLIMATE CONTROLS
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves
from the air inlets at the base of
the windshield that could block
the flow of air into the vehicle.
. Clear snow off the hood to
improve visibility and help
decrease moisture drawn into the
vehicle.
. When you enter a vehicle in cold
weather, press the fan up button
to the maximum fan level before
driving. This helps clear the intake
ducts of snow and moisture, and
reduces the chance of fogging the
inside of the window.
. Keep the air path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect the
performance of the system. Check
with your dealer before adding
equipment to the outside of the
vehicle.Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter reduces the dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0339. To find
out what type of filter to use, see
Maintenance Replacement Parts 0350.
1. Before opening the glove box,
remove the two lower screws
(out of view).
2. Open the glove box completelyand remove the two upper
screws.
3. Disconnect the electrical plug and remove the entire glove box.
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170 DRIVING AND OPERATING
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel, and is
held in that position for an extended
period of time, power steering assist
may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the system
cools down.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of the
curve before accelerating gently
into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may be
more effective than braking. .
Holding both sides of the steering
wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while driving. Follow these tips: 1. Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way,
steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight 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.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 175
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream and
you and your passengers could
drown. If it is only shallow water, it
can still wash away the ground
from under your tires. Traction
could be lost, and the vehicle could
roll over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the engine
and cause it to stall. Stalling can occur if the exhaust pipe is under
water. Do not turn off the ignition
when driving through water. If the
exhaust pipe is under water, the
engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet and
it may take longer to stop. See
“Driving on Wet Roads
”later in this
section.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has
collected on the underbody or chassis,
or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have
the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing
and uneven braking. Check the body
structure, driveline, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust
system for damage and check the fuel
lines and cooling system for any
leakage.
More frequent maintenance service is
required. See the Maintenance Schedule
0 339.
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
(Continued)
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 207
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Automatic Level Control
The automatic level control rear
suspension comes as a part of the
Magnetic Ride Control system.
This type of level control is fully
automatic and will provide a better
leveled riding position as well as
better handling under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions. An
air compressor connected to the rear
shocks will raise or lower the rear ofthe vehicle to maintain proper vehicle
height. The system is activated when
the ignition is on and will
automatically adjust vehicle height
thereafter. The system may exhaust
(lower vehicle height) for up to
10 minutes after the ignition has been
turned off. You may hear the air
compressor operating when the height
is being adjusted.
If a weight-distributing hitch is being
used, it is recommended to allow the
shocks to inflate, leveling the vehicle
prior to adjusting the hitch.
Cruise Control
{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 cruise control, a
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) or
more can be maintained without
keeping your foot on the accelerator.
Cruise control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
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292 VEHICLE CARE
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an authorized
tire service center should
repair, replace, dismount,
and mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation 0299 for inflation
pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season
tires. These tires are designed to
provide good overall performance on
most road surfaces and weather
conditions. Original equipment tires
designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC
specification code molded onto the
sidewall. Original equipment
all-season tires can be identified by
the last two characters of this TPC
code, which will be “MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected.
All-season tires provide adequate
performance for most winter driving
conditions, but they may not offer the
same level of traction or performance
as winter tires on snow or ice-covered
roads. See Winter Tires 0292.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered roads. Consider installing winter tires
on the vehicle if frequent driving on
ice or snow covered roads is expected.
See your dealer for details regarding
winter tire availability and proper tire
selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires
0 306.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction, increased
road noise, and shorter tread life.
After changing to winter tires, be alert
for changes in vehicle handling and
braking.
If using winter tires:
. Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
. Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and speed
rating as the original equipment
tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
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Low-Profile Tires
The vehicle has low profile tires
that are classified as touring tires
and are designed for on road use.
The low-profile, wide tread design
is not recommended for off-road
driving. SeeOff-Road Driving 0171,
for additional information.
Caution
Low-profile tires are more
susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than
standard profile tires. Tire and/or
wheel assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact with
road hazards like potholes, or sharp
edged objects, or when sliding into
a curb. The warranty does not cover
this type of damage. Keep tires set
to the correct inflation pressure and
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.
All-Terrain Tires
This vehicle may have all-terrain tires.
These tires provide good performance
on most road surfaces, weather
conditions, and for off-road driving.
See Off-Road Driving 0171.
The tread pattern on these tires may
wear more unevenly than other tires.
Consider rotating the tires more
frequently than at 12 000 km
(7,500 mi) intervals if irregular wear is
noted when the tires are inspected.
See Tire Inspection 0304.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into the sidewall. The
example shows a typical passenger
vehicle tire sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric)/Spare Tire
(1) Tire Size:The tire size code 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.
(2) TPC Spec (Tire Performance
Criteria Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
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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 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
0 308.
(7) Maximum Cold Inf lation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support that
load. For information on
recommended tire pressure see
Tire Pressure 0297 and
Vehicle Load Limits 0178. (8) Temporary Use Only
:Only
use a temporary spare tire until
the road tire is repaired and
replaced. This spare tire should
not be driven on over 112 km/h
(70 mph), or 88 km/h (55 mph)
when pulling a trailer, with the
proper inflation pressure. See
Full-Size Spare Tire 0321.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The example shows a typical
passenger vehicle tire size.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
(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
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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.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect
ratio is 75, as shown in item C of
the tire illustration, it would mean
that the tire's sidewall is
75 percent as high as it is wide.
(4) Construction Code
:A letter
code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire. The
letter R means radial ply
construction; the letter D means
diagonal or bias ply construction.
(5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches. (6) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the tire.
The load index represents the load
carrying capacity a tire is certified
to carry. The speed rating is the
maximum speed a tire is certified
to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air
inside the tire pressing outward
on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in kPa
(kilopascal) or psi (pounds per
square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The combined
weight of optional accessories.
Some examples of optional
accessories are automatic
transmission, power windows,
power seats, and air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship of
a tire's height to its width. Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords between the plies and the
tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains steel
wires wrapped by steel cords that
hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire in
which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The amount
of air pressure in a tire, measured
in kPa (kilopascal) or psi (pounds
per square inch) before a tire has
built up heat from driving. See
Tire Pressure 0297.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and
coolant, but without passengers
and cargo.