wheel SATURN VUE 2009 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint
System............................... 1-1
Head Restraints
.............. 1-2
Front Seats
.................... 1-3
Rear Seats
.................... 1-9
Safety Belts
..................1-10
Child Restraints
.............1-23
Airbag System
..............1-42
Restraint System
Check
......................1-58
Features and Controls...... 2-1
Keys
............................. 2-2
Doors and Locks
............ 2-7
Windows
......................2-10
Theft-Deterrent
Systems
...................2-12
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
.............2-15
Mirrors
.........................2-29
Object Detection
Systems
...................2-31
OnStar
®System
............2-33Universal Home Remote
System
.....................2-37
Storage Areas
...............2-41
Sunroof
........................2-45
Instrument Panel............... 3-1
Instrument Panel
Overview
.................... 3-4
Climate Controls
............3-17
Warning Lights, Gages,
and Indicators
............3-26
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
.............3-42
Audio System(s)
............3-64
Driving Your Vehicle......... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road,
and the Vehicle
........... 4-1
Towing
........................4-32
Service and
Appearance Care............... 5-1
Service
.......................... 5-3
Fuel
.............................. 5-5
Checking Things Under
the Hood
..................5-10All-Wheel Drive
.............5-35
Headlamp Aiming
..........5-36
Bulb Replacement
.........5-39
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
.............5-42
Tires
...........................5-43
Appearance Care
..........5-72
Vehicle Identication
......5-79
Electrical System
...........5-79
Capacities and
Specications
............5-86
Maintenance Schedule...... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
..... 6-1
Customer Assistance
Information........................ 7-1
Customer Assistance and
Information
................. 7-1
Reporting Safety
Defects
.....................7-14
Vehicle Data Recording
and Privacy
................. 16
Index....................................i-1
2009 Saturn VUE Owner ManualM
ProCarManuals.com

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel
Controls or OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv Preface
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A few crashes are mild, and some
crashes can be so serious that even
buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in
between. In many of them, people
who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without
safety belts they could have been
badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety
belts in vehicles, the facts are clear.
In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything,
you go as fast as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose
it is just a seat on wheels.Put someone on it.
Seats and Restraint System 1-11
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Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
A frontal airbag for the driver.
A frontal airbag for the right front
passenger.
A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the right front
passenger.
A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.
A roof-rail airbag for the right
front passenger and the
passenger seated directly behind
the right front passenger.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will
have the word AIRBAG embossed in
the trim or on an attached label near
the deployment opening.For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the middle
part of the steering wheel for
the driver and on the instrument
panel for the right front passenger.
With seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG
will appear on the side of the
seatback closest to the door.
With roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear along the
headliner or trim.
Even if you do not have a right front
passenger seat in the vehicle
there is still an active frontal airbag
in the right side of the instrument
panel. Do not place cargo in front of
this airbag.
{CAUTION
Be sure that cargo is not near an
airbag. In a crash, an inating
airbag might force that object
toward a person. This could
cause severe injury or even
death. Secure objects away from
the area in which an airbag would
inate. For more information,
seeWhere Are the Airbags?
on page 1-45andLoading the
Vehicle on page 4-28.
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today’s airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of
an inating bag, all airbags must
inate very quickly to do their job.
1-42 Seats and Restraint System
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Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
middle of the steering wheel.The right front passenger frontal
airbag is in the instrument panel on
the passenger side.
The seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the driver and right front
passenger are in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.
Driver Side shown, Passenger
Side similar
Seats and Restraint System 1-45
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The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
right front passenger, and second
row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.
{CAUTION
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inate properly or
it might force the object into that
person causing severe injury or
even death. The path of an
inating airbag must be kept
clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Do not use seat accessories that
block the ination path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an
inating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked. Driver Side shown, Passenger
Side similar
1-46 Seats and Restraint System
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What Makes an Airbag
Inate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inator. Gas from the inator lls
the airbag causing the bag to
break out of the cover and deploy.
The inator, the airbag, and
related hardware are all part
of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and
instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags,
there are airbag modules in the side
of the front seatbacks closest to
the door. For vehicles with roof-rail
airbags, there are airbag modules
in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the
side windows that have occupant
seating positions.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel.
In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants
can contact the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the
occupant’s upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over
the occupant’s upper body.Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
rst and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of
full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in
many types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant’s motion
is not toward those airbags.
SeeWhen Should an Airbag Inflate?
on page 1-47for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
Seats and Restraint System 1-49
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Adding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add
to or change about the
vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working
properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that
change the vehicle’s frame,
bumper system, height, front end
or side sheet metal, they may
keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or
moving any parts of the front
seats, safety belts, the airbag
sensing and diagnostic module,
steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules,
ceiling headliner or pillar
garnish trim, front sensors,
side impact sensors, rollover
sensor module, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of
the airbag system.In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position,
which includes sensors that
are part of the passenger seat.
The passenger sensing system
may not operate properly if the
original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery
or trim, or with GM covers,
upholstery or trim designed for a
different vehicle. Any object, such
as an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the
seat fabric, could also interfere
with the operation of the
passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system from
properly turning off the passenger
airbag(s). SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-51.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 7-1.
If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, seeDifferent
Size Tires and Wheels on
page 5-59for additional
important information.
Seats and Restraint System 1-57
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Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply
the regular brake pedal.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct key,
make sure it is all the way in, and
turn it only with your hand. If the
key cannot be turned by hand,
see your dealer/retailer.LOCK/OFF:This position locks the
ignition. It also locks the steering
wheel and the transmission. The key
can only be removed in LOCK/OFF.
The shift lever must be in P (Park)
to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the key
to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this doesn’t
work, the vehicle needs service.
ACC (ACC/ACCESSORY):This is
the position in which you can operate
the electrical accessories or items
plugged into the accessory power
outlets.
Use this position if the vehicle must
be pushed or towed.ON/RUN:This position can be used
to operate the electrical accessories
and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator
lights. The switch stays in this
position when the engine is running.
The transmission is also unlocked in
this position. If you leave the key in
the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
positions with the engine off, the
battery could be drained. You may
not be able to start the vehicle if the
battery is allowed to drain for an
extended period of time.
START:This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
and the key is in the ignition.
2-16 Features and Controls
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{CAUTION
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause
an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re.
You could be seriously injured.
Plug the cord into a properly
grounded three-prong 110-volt AC
outlet. If the cord will not reach,
use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least
15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be
sure to unplug and store the cord
as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you
do not, it could be damaged.
The length of time the heater
should remain plugged in depends
on several factors. Ask a dealer/
retailer in the area where you will
be parking the vehicle for the best
advice on this.
Automatic Transmission
Operation (Uplevel)
The shift lever is located on the
console between the seats.
There are several different positions
for the automatic transmission.
P (Park):This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{CAUTION
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 2-25.If
you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-35.
Make sure the shift lever is
fully in P (Park) before starting
the engine. The vehicle has
an automatic transmission
shift lock control system.
Features and Controls 2-19
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