234 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle. Contact
your dealer or trailering dealer for
assistance with preparing the vehicle
to tow a trailer. Read the entire
section before towing a trailer.
To tow a disabled vehicle, seeTowing
the Vehicle 0319. To tow the vehicle
behind another vehicle such as a
motor home, see Recreational Vehicle
Towing 0320.
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips
{Warning
You can lose control when towing a
trailer if the correct equipment is
not used or the vehicle is not driven
properly. For example, if the trailer
is too heavy or the trailer brakes are
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
inadequate for the load, the vehicle
may not stop as expected. You and
others could be seriously injured.
The vehicle may also be damaged,
and the repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Pull a trailer only if all the steps in
this section have been followed. Ask
your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.
Driving with a Trailer
Trailering is different than just driving
the vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, acceleration,
braking, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used
properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer. When towing a trailer:
.
Become familiar with and follow
all state and local laws that apply
to trailer towing. These
requirements vary from state to
state.
. State laws may require the use of
extended side view mirrors. Even if
not required, you should install
extended side view mirrors if your
visibility is limited or restricted
while towing.
. Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) of vehicle
use to prevent damage to the
engine, axle, or other parts.
. It is recommended to perform the
first oil change before heavy
towing.
. During the first 800 km (500 mi)
of trailer towing, do not drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and do not
make starts at full throttle.
. Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
If the transmission downshifts too
often, a lower gear may be
selected using Manual Mode See
Manual Mode 0188.
236 DRIVING AND OPERATING
the trailer, which mainly occurs
during cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving without a trailer. This can help
to avoid heavy braking and sudden
turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed when
towing a trailer. The combination will
not accelerate as quickly and is much
longer so it is necessary to go much
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane. Pass on
level roadways. Avoid passing on hills
if possible.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. To move the trailer to
the left, move that hand to the left. To
move the trailer to the right, move
that hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making TurnsCaution
Turn more slowly and make wider
arcs when towing a trailer to
prevent damage to your vehicle.
Making very sharp turns could
cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.
Make wider turns than normal when
towing, so trailer will not go over soft
shoulders, over curbs, or strike road
signs, trees, or other objects. Always
signal turns well in advance. Do not
steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes may
overheat and result in reduced braking
efficiency.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions. When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower altitudes.
If the engine is turned off immediately
after towing at high altitude on steep
uphill grades, the vehicle could show
signs similar to engine overheating. To
avoid this, let the engine run,
preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off.
If the overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating
0264.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and trailer
on a level surface when possible.
When parking your vehicle and your
trailer on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the
wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
DRIVING AND OPERATING 237
2. Have someone place chocksunder the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually release the brake
pedal to allow the chocks to
absorb the load of the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal. .Start the engine.
. Shift into a gear.
. Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more often
when used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule 0332. It is
especially important to check the
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system, and brake system
before and during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and
bolts on the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
0 264.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To tow a trailer
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
correctly, follow the directions in
this section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity
for your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, dimensions of
the front of the trailer, and how
frequently the vehicle is used to tow a
trailer.
Trailer Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the combined
weight of the vehicle, vehicle contents,
trailer, and trailer contents must be
below all of the maximum weight
ratings for the vehicle, including:
VEHICLE CARE 247
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 259
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 259
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 268 All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 270
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 271
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 272
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 273
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 274
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 277
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 299
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
VEHICLE CARE 253
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0259.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil
0 255.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0255.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0260.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0267.
6. Battery - North America 0268.
7. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 260.
8. Positive (+) Battery Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting
- North America 0316.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 266.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0274.
11. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0316.
VEHICLE CARE 255
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0259.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil
0 255.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0255.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0260.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0267.
6. Battery - North America 0268.
7. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 260.
8. Positive (+) Battery Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting
- North America 0316.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 266.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0274.
11. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0316.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine performance
and long life, careful attention must
be paid to engine oil. Following these
simple, but important steps will help
protect your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil” in
this section.
. Check the engine oil level regularly
and maintain the proper oil level.
See “Checking Engine Oil” and
“When to Add Engine Oil” in this
section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0257.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially prior
to a long trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0252 for the
location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may
be hot; it could burn you. Use a
towel or glove to touch the dipstick
handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the oil
level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground. Check
the engine oil level after the
engine has been off for at least
two hours. Checking the engine oil
level on steep grades or too soon
after engine shutoff can result in
incorrect readings. Accuracy
improves when checking a cold
engine prior to starting. Remove
the dipstick and check the level.
256 VEHICLE CARE
.If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is warm,
or at least 30 minutes if the
engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper
towel or cloth, then push it back
in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check
the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
2.0L L4 Engine
3.6L V6 Engine
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and the
engine has been off for at least 15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See
“Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil to use.
For engine oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications 0346.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil levels
above or below the acceptable
operating range shown on the
dipstick are harmful to the engine.
If the oil level is above the
operating range (i.e., the engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets
above the cross-hatched area that
shows the proper operating range),
the engine could be damaged. Drain
the excess oil or limit driving of the
vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 252 for the location of the engine oil
fill cap. Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when finished.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil depends
on both the proper oil specification
and viscosity grade. See
Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0342.
Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that
meet the dexos1 specification. Engine
oils that have been approved by GM
as meeting the dexos1 specification
are marked with the dexos1 approved
logo. See www.gmdexos.com.
VEHICLE CARE 257
Caution
Failure to use the recommended
engine oil or equivalent can result
in engine damage not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Viscosity Grade
For the 2.0L L4 engine, use
SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade engine oil.
For the 3.6L V6 engine, use
SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade engine oil.
Cold Temperature Operation: In an
area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below −29 °C
(−20 °F), an SAE 0W-30 oil may be
used. An oil of this viscosity grade will
provide easier cold starting for the
engine at extremely low temperatures.
When selecting an oil of the
appropriate viscosity grade, it is
recommended to select an oil of the
correct specification. See
“Specification ”earlier in this section.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine Oil
Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the dexos
specification are all that is needed for
good performance and engine
protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your own
oil, be sure to drain all the oil from
the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the trash or pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of
water. Recycle it by taking it to a place
that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based on a
combination of factors which include
engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven. Based
on driving conditions, the mileage at
which an oil change is indicated can
vary considerably. For the oil life
system to work properly, the system
must be reset every time the oil is
changed.
When the system has calculated that
oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message comes on. Change the
oil as soon as possible within the next
1 000 km (600 mi). It is possible that,
if driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system might indicate that