lock GMC ACADIA 2007 Owner's Manual

Page 345 of 554

The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
the wheels are not rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly
enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you want to slow down and adjust your
driving to these conditions. It is important to slow
down on slippery surfaces because stopping
distance is longer and vehicle control more limited.While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including reducing
vehicle speed by shifting to a lower gear.
Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You might not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize
warning clues — such as enough water, ice,
or packed snow on the road to make a mirrored
surface — and slow down when you have any
doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.
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Page 358 of 554

The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS,
you want to begin stopping sooner than you would
on dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) on page 335.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice
ahead of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you are actually on the
ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the snow.
Here are some things to do to summon help
and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket
around you. If you do not have blankets
or extra clothing, make body insulators
from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, oor
mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to
keep warm.
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Page 359 of 554

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see
it or smell it, so you might not know it is
in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially
any that is blocking the exhaust pipe.
And check around again from time to time
to be sure snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.
Run the engine only as long as you must.
This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it
go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and it keeps the battery charged.
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Page 362 of 554

Tire and Loading Information Label
A vehicle specic Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the center pillar (B-pillar)
of your vehicle. With the driver’s door open,
you will nd the label attached below the door lock
post (striker). The tire and loading information
label shows the number of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity
weight (B) in kilograms and pounds.The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 435andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 442.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the
front and rear axle. See “Certication/Tire Label”
later in this section.
Example Label
362

Page 368 of 554

Dinghy Towing
If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, it can be
dinghy towed from the front. These vehicles
may also be towed by putting the front wheels on
a dolly. See “Dolly Towing” later in this section.
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it can
be dinghy towed from the front. You can also tow
these vehicles by placing them on a platform
trailer with all four wheels off of the ground.
These vehicles cannot be towed using a dolly.
For vehicles being dinghy towed, the vehicle
should be run at the beginning of each day and
at each RV fuel stop for about ve minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of transmission
components. Put the IGN (Ignition) fuse in to
start the vehicle.To tow your vehicle from the front with all four
wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. To prevent your battery from draining while
the vehicle is being towed, remove the IGN
(Ignition) fuse from the underhood fuse block.
SeeUnderhood Fuse Block on page 493.
5. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY.
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Page 378 of 554

Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your
vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety
chains under the tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it becomes
separated from the hitch. Instructions about safety
chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety chains and do not attach them to the
bumper. Always leave just enough slack so you
can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If you tow more than 1,000 lbs (450 kg), use trailer
brakes. Because your vehicle has anti-lock brakes,
don’t try to tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic brake
system. If you do, both brake systems won’t
work well, or at all.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the
trailer brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of
experience. Before setting out for the open road,
you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint
yourself with the feel of handling and braking with
the added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is
now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving
and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you
check your electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure
that the load is secure, and that the lamps and any
trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead
as you would when driving your vehicle without
a trailer. This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
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Page 384 of 554

Buying New Tires...................................... 450
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 452
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 453
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 454
Wheel Replacement.................................. 454
Tire Chains............................................... 456
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 457
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 458
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 459
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 463
Secondary Latch System........................... 468
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 472
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 477
Appearance Care........................................ 478
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 478
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 480
Leather...................................................... 481
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 481
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 482
Weatherstrips............................................ 482
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 482
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 483Finish Care............................................... 483
Windshield, Backglass, and
Wiper Blades......................................... 484
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim................................................ 484
Tires......................................................... 485
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 486
Finish Damage.......................................... 486
Underbody Maintenance............................ 486
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 486
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 487
Vehicle Identication.................................. 488
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 488
Service Parts Identication Label............... 488
Electrical System........................................ 489
High Voltage Devices and Wiring.............. 489
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 489
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 490
Power Windows and Other
Power Options....................................... 490
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 490
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..................... 490
Underhood Fuse Block.............................. 493
Capacities and Specications.................... 497
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
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Page 385 of 554

Service
Your dealer/retailer knows your vehicle best and
wants you to be happy with it. We hope you will go
to your dealer/retailer for all your service needs.
You will get genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all
GM. Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications
When you add non-GM accessories to your vehicle
they can affect your vehicle’s performance and
safety, including such things as, airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems
like anti-lock brakes, traction control and
stability control. Some of these accessories may
even cause malfunction or damage not covered
by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle.
Your GM dealer/retailer can accessorize your
vehicle using genuine GM Accessories. When you
go to your GM dealer/retailer and ask for GM
Accessories, you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will perform the work
using genuine GM Accessories.
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Page 391 of 554

The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged
fuel door on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
To open the fuel door, push the rearward center
edge in and release. The door will pop open.To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly
counterclockwise. The fuel cap has a spring
in it; if the cap is released too soon, it will
spring back to the right.
While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap
from the hook on the fuel door.
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Page 392 of 554

{CAUTION:
Fuel can spray out on you if you open the
fuel cap too quickly. If you spill fuel and
then something ignites it, you could be
badly burned. This spray can happen if
your tank is nearly full, and is more likely
in hot weather. Open the fuel cap slowly
and wait for any hiss noise to stop.
Then unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overll
the tank and wait a few seconds after you have
nished pumping before removing the nozzle.
Clean fuel from painted surfaces as soon as
possible. SeeWashing Your Vehicle on page 482.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it clockwise until
it clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed.
This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 226.If your vehicle has a Driver Information Center
(DIC), the TIGHTEN GAS CAP message will be
displayed if the fuel cap is not properly installed.
{CAUTION:
If a re starts while you are refueling, do
not remove the nozzle. Shut off the ow
of fuel by shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant. Leave the
area immediately.
Notice:If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to
get the right type. Your dealer/ retailer can
get one for you. If you get the wrong type,
it may not t properly. This may cause your
malfunction indicator lamp to light and
may damage your fuel tank and emissions
system. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 226.
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