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242 DRIVING AND OPERATING
may be turned back on when road
conditions allow. TCS and StabiliTrak/
ESC will automatically turn on when
cruise control is set.
Both systems come on automatically
when the vehicle is started and begins
to move. The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This is
normal and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to
turn TCS off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice, or snow. SeeIf the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0220 and “Turning
the Systems Off and On ”later in this
section.
The indicator light for both systems is
in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is
activated
.Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message may display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to indicate
that the system is inactive and is not
assisting the driver in maintaining
control. The vehicle is safe to drive,
but driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on and
stays on, the vehicle may need more
time to diagnose the problem. If the
condition persists, see your dealer.
Turning the Systems Off and On
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is off.
The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release
g. The Traction Off lighti
displays in the instrument cluster and
a DIC message may display. To turn
TCS on again, press and release
g.
The Traction Off light
idisplayed in
the instrument cluster will turn off
and a DIC message may display.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 285
trailer brake controller to check the
trailer brakes work. During the trip,
occasionally check that the cargo and
trailer are secure and that the lamps
and any trailer brakes are working.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the stability control
system might be heard. The system
reacts to vehicle movement caused by
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 vehiclebefore 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 Turns
Caution
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 0312.
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286 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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.
2. Have someone place chocks under 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 0380. 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
0 312.
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
correctly, follow the directions in
this section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 293
Electric Trailer
BrakesBlue
Battery Feed Red/Green or
Red/Blue
Brake Apply
Signal White/Blue
Ground Black or White
Refer to the aftermarket electric trailer
brake controller owner's manual to
determine wire color coding of the
electric trailer brake controller. The
wire colors on the brake controller
may be different from the vehicle. The
electric trailer brake controller should
be installed by your dealer or a
qualified service center.
If equipped, there are four blunt cut
wires inside the front driver side
instrument panel. It will be necessary
to have a technician connect the
12-volt power to the engine
compartment fuse block.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each trip,
and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals will illuminate to indicate
the vehicle is turning, changing lanes,
or stopping. When towing a trailer,
the arrows on the instrument cluster
will illuminate even if the trailer is not
properly connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each trip,
and periodically on longer trips.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) feature. Trailer
sway is unintended side-to-side
motion of a trailer while towing. If the
vehicle is towing a trailer and the TSC
detects that sway is increasing, the
vehicle brakes are selectively applied
at each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped with
the Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, and the trailer has an
electric brake system, StabiliTrak/ESC
may also apply the trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/ESC warning
light will flash on the instrument
cluster. Reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot from the
accelerator. If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak/ESC can reduce engine
torque to help slow the vehicle. TSC
will not function if StabiliTrak/ESC is
turned off. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0241.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death, even
if the vehicle is equipped with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway, reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing
your foot from the accelerator. Then
pull over to check the trailer and
vehicle to help correct possible
(Continued)
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294 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
causes, including an improperly or
overloaded trailer, unrestrained
cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. SeeTowing Equipment
0 290 for trailer ratings and hitch
setup recommendations.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are designed
with stiff sidewalls to help prevent
sway and to support heavy loads.
These features can make it difficult to
determine if the trailer tire pressures
are low only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire pressures
before each trip when the tires are
cool. Low trailer tire pressure is a
leading cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Trailer tires deteriorate over time. The
trailer tire sidewall will show the week
and year the tire was manufactured.
Many trailer tire manufacturers
recommend replacing tires more than
six years old.
Overloading is another leading cause
of trailer tire blow-outs. Never load
your trailer with more weight than the
tires are designed to support. The load
rating is located on the trailer tire
sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default trailer
tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0110.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle systems.
This could affect vehicle operation
and cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information stored
in the vehicle’s systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and would (Continued)
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296 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 306
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 307
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 316
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316 Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 317
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 318
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 319
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 319
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 321
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 325
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 339
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 347
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 368
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298 VEHICLE CARE
under the terms of the vehicle
warranty and may affect remaining
warranty coverage for affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories installed by a
dealer technician.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 068.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have the
proper knowledge, service manual,
tools, or parts. Always follow
owner’s manual procedures and
consult the service manual for your
vehicle before doing any
service work. If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service manual.
It tells you much more about how to
service the vehicle than this manual
can. To order the proper service
manual, see
Publication Ordering
Information 0406.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 067.
If equipped with remote vehicle start,
open the hood before performing any
service work to prevent remote
starting the vehicle accidentally. See
Remote Vehicle Start 015.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0392.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage to
vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
{Warning
For vehicles with auto engine stop/
start, turn the vehicle off before
opening the hood. If the vehicle is
on, the engine will start when the
hood is opened. You or others could
be injured.
{Warning
Components under the hood can
get hot from running the engine. To
help avoid the risk of burning
unprotected skin, never touch these
components until they have cooled,
and always use a glove or towel to
avoid direct skin contact.
Clear any snow from the hood before
opening.
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VEHICLE CARE 303
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir.See Washer Fluid 0313.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0322.
11. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting - North
America 0364.
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 0305.
.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 0300 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.
.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