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208 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance and
service work completed.
.Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels, and
check inflation pressure in all tires,
including the spare, if equipped.
.Read all the information about
all-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
.Make sure all underbody shields,
if equipped, are properly attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to remove
the front fascia lower air dam.
However, driving without the air dam
reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for extended
periods without the front fascia
lower air dam installed can cause
improper airf low to the engine.
Reattach the front fascia air dam
after off-road driving.
Loading the Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
{Warning
.Unsecured cargo on the load
floor can be tossed about when
driving over rough terrain. You or
your passengers can be struck by
flying objects. Secure the cargo
properly.
.Keep cargo in the cargo area as
far forward and as low as
possible. The heaviest things
should be on the floor, forward
of the rear axle.
.Heavy loads on the roof raise the
vehicle's center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll over.
You can be seriously or fatally
injured if the vehicle rolls over.
Put heavy loads inside the cargo
area, not on the roof.
For more information about loading
the vehicle, see Vehicle Load Limits
0 214.
Environmental Concerns
.Always use established trails, roads,
and areas that have been set aside
for public off-road recreational
driving and obey all posted
regulations.
.Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb wildlife.
.Do not park over things that burn.
See Parking over Things That Burn
0 225.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep for
any vehicle. Driving up hills can
cause the vehicle to stall. Driving
down hills can cause loss of control.
Driving across hills can cause a
rollover. You could be injured or
killed. Do not drive on steep hills.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 233
When a compact spare tire is installed
on an AWD vehicle, the system will
automatically detect the compact
spare and reduce AWD performance
to protect the system. To restore AWD
operation and prevent excessive wear
on the system, replace the compact
spare with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. SeeCompact Spare Tire 0350.
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost
Vehicles equipped with electric brake
boost have hydraulic brake circuits
that are electronically controlled when
the brake pedal is applied during
normal operation. The system
performs routine tests and turns off
within a few minutes after the vehicle
is turned off. Noise may be heard
during this time. If the brake pedal is
pressed during the tests or when the
electric brake boost system is off, a
noticeable change in pedal force and
travel may be felt. This is normal.
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent a braking skid and
maintain steering while braking hard.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 109.
ABS does not change the time needed
to get a foot on the brake pedal and
does not always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle ahead, there will not be
enough time to apply the brakes if
that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down firmly. Hearing and
feeling ABS operate is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at the
same time. In many emergencies,
steering can help even more than
braking.
Electric Parking Brake
The Electric Parking Brake (EPB) can
always be applied, even if the vehicle
is off. In case of insufficient electrical
power, the EPB cannot be applied or
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282 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Hitch Cover
To remove hitch cover, if equipped:1. Remove the two fasteners on the lower tabs.
2. Pull the lower edge of the cover to about a 45 degree angle.
3. Pull the cover downward to disengage the upper attachments.
To reinstall the hitch cover: 1. Hold cover at a 45 degree angle to the vehicle and push the upper
tabs into the slots in the bumper.
2. Push the bottom of the cover forward until the lower tabs line up
with the lower slots. 3. Snap the hitch cover into place by
pushing the upper corners forward.
4. Reinstall the two fasteners on the lower tabs.
Consider using mechanical sway
controls with any trailer. Ask a
trailering professional about sway
controls or refer to the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations and
instructions.
Tires
.Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the vehicle.
.Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a trailer.
See Tires 0318 for instructions on
proper tire inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach the
chains to the holes on the trailer hitch
platform. Instructions about safety
chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road if
it becomes separated from the hitch.
Always leave just enough slack so the
combination can turn. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 450 kg (1,000 lb)
must be equipped with brake systems
and with brakes for each axle. Trailer
braking equipment conforming to
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
requirement CAN3-D313, or its
equivalent, is recommended.
State or local regulations may require
trailers to have their own braking
system if the loaded weight of the
trailer exceeds certain minimums that
can vary from state to state. Read and
follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so they are installed, adjusted,
and maintained properly. Never
attempt to tap into your vehicle's
hydraulic brake system. If you do,
both the vehicle anti-lock brakes and
the trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
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VEHICLE CARE 285
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 293
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 294
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 301
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 303
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 304
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 305
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . . . . 305
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 307
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 308
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 314
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 327
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 335
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
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320 VEHICLE CARE
installed on the vehicle if frequent
driving at temperatures below
approximately 5 °C (40 °F) or on ice or
snow covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires0319.
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
0 331.
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 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
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 and the last two digits,
the year. For example, the third
week of the year 2020 would have
a 4-digit DOT date of 0320. Week
01 is the first full week (Sunday
through Saturday) of each year.
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VEHICLE CARE 321
(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: tread wear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
see Uniform Tire Quality Grading
0 335. (7) Maximum Cold Inf lation
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
road tire has lost air and gone flat.
If the vehicle has a compact spare
tire, see
Compact Spare Tire 0350
and
If a Tire Goes Flat 0338.
(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 Inf lation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support
that load.
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322 VEHICLE CARE
(5) Tire Inf lation: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 0325.
(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 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
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire and
Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The 3-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from sidewall
to sidewall. (3) Aspect Ratio
:A 2-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect
ratio is 75, as shown in item (3) of
the 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.
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VEHICLE CARE 325
treadwear. Ratings are determined
by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. SeeUniform
Tire Quality Grading 0335.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lb) plus the rated cargo
load. See Vehicle Load Limits 0214.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a vehicle
showing the vehicle capacity
weight and the original equipment
tire size and recommended
inflation pressure. See “Tire and
Loading Information Label” under
Vehicle Load Limits 0214.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate effectively.
{Warning
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.
.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
0 214.
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 pressure of the tires
once a month or more. Do not
forget the compact spare, if the
vehicle has one. The compact
spare cold tire pressure should be
at 420 kPa (60 psi). See Compact
Spare Tire 0350.