light SATURN ION 2007 User Guide

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something
may be wrong with the airbag system. If
this ever happens, have the vehicle
serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the
protection of the frontal airbag. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 167for
more on this, including important safety
information.
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A thick layer of additional material such as a
blanket, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers,
can affect how well the passenger sensing system
operates. Remove any additional material from
the seat cushion before reinstalling or securing the
child restraint and before a small occupant,
including a small adult, sits in the right front
passenger position. You may want to consider not
using seat covers or other aftermarket equipment
if your vehicle has the passenger sensing
system. SeeAdding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 83for more
information about modications that can affect how
the system operates.
The passenger sensing system may suppress the
airbag deployment when liquid is soaked into
the seat. If this happens, the off indicator in the
passenger airbag status indicator and the
airbag readiness light on the instrument panel will
be lit. The system should resume normal
operation after the seat is allowed to dry. If the
system operates incorrectly after the seat
has dried, have your retailer check the system.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be
serviced. There are parts of the airbag system in
several places around your vehicle. You do
not want the system to inate while someone is
working on your vehicle. Your retailer and the
service manual have information about servicing
your vehicle and the airbag system. To purchase a
service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 425.
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Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modied. How can I nd out
whether this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the
front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, ceiling headliner, ceiling and
pillar garnish trim, roof-mounted airbag
modules, or airbag wiring can affect the
operation of the airbag system. If you have
questions, call Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on
page 410.
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder
light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates,
retractors and anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged safety
belt system parts. If you see anything that might
keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have
it repaired. SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 369
for more information.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in
a crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag
covers, and have them repaired or replaced. The
airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
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If the LATCH system was being used during a
more severe crash, you may need new LATCH
system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them.
Collision damage also may mean you will need to
have LATCH system, safety belt or seat parts
repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs may
be necessary even if the belt or LATCH system
was not being used at the time of the collision.
If your seat adjuster will not work after a crash, the
special part of the safety belt that goes through
the seat to the adjuster may need to be replaced.
If an airbag inates, you will need to replace
airbag system parts. See the part about the airbag
system earlier in this manual.If the frontal airbags inate you will need to
replace the driver’s and right front passengers
safety belt retractor assembly. Be sure to do so.
Then the new retractor assembly will be there
to help protect you in a collision.
After a crash you may need to replace the driver
and front passenger’s safety belt retractor
assemblies, even if the frontal airbags have not
deployed. The driver and front passenger’s safety
belt retractor assemblies contain the safety belt
pretensioners. Have your safety belt pretensioners
checked if your vehicle has been in a collision,
or if your airbag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle or while you are driving. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 167.
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Remote Trunk Release
Press the remote trunk
release button, located
on the lower left
side of the instrument
panel, to release
the trunk lid.
The remote trunk release will work when the
ignition is either in LOCK or ACC, the parking
brake is engaged, or the vehicle speed is less than
2 mph (3 km/h).
Emergency Trunk Release Handle
Notice:Do not use the emergency trunk
release handle as a tie-down or anchor point
when securing items in the trunk as it
could damage the handle. The emergency
trunk release handle is only intended to aid a
person trapped in a latched trunk, enabling
them to open the trunk from the inside.
There is a glow-in-the-dark emergency trunk
release handle located on the inside of the trunk
lid. This handle will glow following exposure
to light. Pull the release handle and push the trunk
lid open from the inside to open the trunk.
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During normal
operation, the security
light will go off
approximately
three seconds after the
key is turned to the
RUN ignition position.
If the engine stalls and the security light ashes,
wait until the light stops ashing before trying
to restart the engine. Remember to release
the key from START as soon as the engine
starts.
If the engine is running and the security light
comes on, you will be able to restart the engine
if you turn the engine off. However, your Passlock
®
system is not working properly and must be
serviced by your retailer. Your vehicle is not
protected by Passlock
®at this time. You may
also want to check the fuses, seeFuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 375. See your
retailer for service.
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Do not exceed 5,000 engine rpm. Avoid
downshifting to brake, or slow, the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during the rst
1,000 miles (1 600 km). SeeTowing a Trailer
on page 259for the trailer towing capabilities
of your vehicle and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
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R(RUN):This is the position the switch returns to
after you start your engine and release the
switch. The switch stays in the RUN position when
the engine is running. But even when the ignition
is not running, you can use RUN to operate
your electrical accessories and to display some
warning and indicator lights.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ACC or RUN position with the engine
off. You may not be able to start your vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
/(START):This position starts the engine. When
the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch will return to RUN for normal driving.
A warning tone will sound if you open the driver’s
door while in LOCK or ACC, when the key has not
been removed from the ignition.
Key In the Ignition
Never leave your vehicle with the keys inside, as it
is an easy target for joy riders or thieves. If you
leave the key in the ignition and park your vehicle,
a chime will sound, when you open the driver’s
door. Always remember to remove your key from
the ignition and take it with you. This will lock
your ignition and transaxle. Also, always remember
to lock the doors.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key
in the ignition while your vehicle is parked.
You may not be able to start your vehicle after it
has been parked for an extended period of time.
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DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving with
the automatic transaxle. It provides the best fuel
economy for your vehicle. If you need more power
for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator all the way down.
Downshifting the transaxle in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 233.
INTERMEDIATE (I):This position is also used for
normal driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed
without using your brakes for slight downgrades
where the vehicle would otherwise accelerate due
to steepness of grade. If constant upshifting or
downshifting occurs while driving up steep hills, this
position can be used to prevent repetitive types of
shifts. You might choose INTERMEDIATE (I)
instead of DRIVE (D) when driving on hilly, winding
roads and when towing a trailer, so that there is less
shifting between gears.LOW (L):This position reduces vehicle speed
more than INTERMEDIATE (I) without actually
using your brakes. You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever
is put in LOW (L), the transaxle will not shift into
LOW (L) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle.
If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking
brake to hold the vehicle in place.
Manual Transaxle Operation
This is your shift
pattern.
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Shift Speeds
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift,
you could lose control of your vehicle.
You could injure yourself or others.
Do not shift down more than one gear
at a time when you downshift.
Up-Shift Light
If you have a manual
transaxle, you may
have an up-shift light.
This light, located on the
instrument panel
cluster, will show you
when to shift to the next
higher gear for the
best fuel economy.When this light comes on, you can shift to the next
higher gear if weather, road, and traffic conditions
let you. For the best fuel economy, accelerate
slowly and shift when the light comes on.
If you accelerate and decelerate quickly, it is
normal for the light to come on briey. Ignore the
light when you downshift.
Notice:If you skip more than one gear when
you downshift, or if you race the engine
when you release the clutch pedal while
downshifting, you could damage the engine,
clutch, driveshaft, or the transaxle. Do not skip
gears or race the engine when downshifting.
For information on operating the illuminated ladder
tachometer, seeTachometer on page 165.
United States Only
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Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located between the
front seats.To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the
ignition is on, the brake system warning light on
the instrument panel cluster will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 170.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the release button in
as you move the brake lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is off
before driving.
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