brake light SATURN VUE HYBRID 2007 User Guide

Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) warning light
will come on briey, as a check, when you
start your vehicle. If it does not, have your vehicle
serviced so that the light works properly when
it needs to.
If the light stays on after
you start your engine, or
comes on and stays
on while you are driving,
try resetting the system.
To reset the system, do the following:
1. If you are driving, pull over when it is safe
to do so.
2. Be sure the vehicle is in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the ignition.
4. Then restart the engine.If the light remains on after resetting the system or
comes on again while driving, your vehicle
needs service. If the ABS light is on, but the
regular brake system warning light is not on, the
anti-lock brakes are not working properly, but
the regular brakes are still functioning. Have your
vehicle serviced right away. If both brake lights
are on, you do not have anti-lock brakes, and there
is a problem with your regular brakes as well.
Have your vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 270.
The ABS warning light should come on briey
when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light
does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
170
ProCarManuals.com

Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
The Traction Control
System (TCS) warning
light may come on
for the following
reasons:
Turning the system off by pressing the traction
control button located on the instrument panel
above the audio system. The warning light
will come on and stay on. To turn the system
back on, press the button again. The warning
light should go off. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 240for more
information.
If there is an engine-related and brake system
problem that is specically related to traction
control, the TCS will turn off and the
warning light will come on.
If the TCS warning light comes on and stays on
for an extended period of time when the system is
turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Light
This light will come on
when the system is
limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal. The roads may be slippery if this
light comes on. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after
the system stops limiting wheel spin. This light
should also come on for a few seconds when
you start your vehicle. If it does not, have
your vehicle serviced.
171
ProCarManuals.com

Low Fuel Warning Light
The light next to the fuel
gage will come on
briey when you are
starting the engine.
This light also comes on when the fuel tank is low
on fuel. When you add fuel the light should go
off. If it doesn’t, have your vehicle serviced.
Auto Stop Mode
This mark on the tachometer signies that the
engine is in Auto Stop mode which is a fuel saving
operation.
When the vehicle is keyed off when parking the
vehicle, the tachometer needle will drop to
OFF (United States) or 0 (Canada). If the driver’s
door is opened while in Auto Stop, a chime will
sound to indicate the engine will restart if you
remove your foot from the brake pedal.
United StatesCanada
181
ProCarManuals.com

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the
steering, and the accelerator. All three systems
have to do their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 240.
Adding non-Saturn accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 287.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 169.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of
a second. But that is only an average. It might be
less with one driver and as long as two or
three seconds or more with another. Age, physical
condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
237
ProCarManuals.com

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-Saturn accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 287.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You may hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on, and you may even notice that the
brake pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem
with ABS, this warning
light will stay on.
SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning
Light on page 170.
238
ProCarManuals.com

Remember: ABS does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or
always decrease stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have
time to apply the brakes if that vehicle suddenly
slows or stops. Always leave enough room up
ahead to stop, even though you have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may
hear the anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle has a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only
if it senses that one or both of the front wheels
are spinning or beginning to lose traction.
When this happens, the system reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
This light will come on
when your traction
control system is limiting
wheel spin.
SeeLow Traction Light on page 171. You may
feel or hear the system working, but this is normal.
The traction control system automatically comes
on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel
spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you
should always leave the system on. But you
can turn the traction control system off if you ever
need to. You should turn the system off if your
vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow
240
ProCarManuals.com

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 may 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.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the
day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble
adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not
wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlamps, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
247
ProCarManuals.com

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even
if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good
shape and keep your windshield washer uid
reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of
streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips of rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may not work as well in a quick stop and
may cause pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply the brake pedal
lightly until the brakes work normally.Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause
problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow
down before you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can
build up under your tires that they can actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the road is wet
enough and you are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact
with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if
your tires do not have much tread or if the
pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a
lot of water is standing on the road. If you can
see reections from trees, telephone poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s
surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down
when it is raining.
249
ProCarManuals.com

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master
cylinder reservoir is
lled with DOT-3 brake
uid. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 296for the
location of the reservoir.
The brake master cylinder reservoir is located
under the engine cover. To access the reservoir,
pull up on the engine cover and lift it off the engine.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid
level in the reservoir might go down. The rst is that
the brake uid goes down to an acceptable level
during normal brake lining wear. When new linings
are put in, the uid level goes back up. The other
reason is that uid is leaking out of the brake
system. If it is, you should have your brake system
xed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes will not work well, or will not work at all.So, it is not a good idea to top off your brake uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If you
add uid when your linings are worn, then you will
have too much uid when you get new brake
linings. You should add or remove brake uid,
as necessary, only when work is done on
the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has too much brake uid, it
can spill on the engine. The uid will burn
if the engine is hot enough. You or others
could be burned, and your vehicle could
be damaged. Add brake uid only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When your brake uid falls to a low level, your
brake warning light will come on. SeeBrake
System Warning Light on page 169.
318
ProCarManuals.com

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum
brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the
brake pads are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and go or be heard all
the time your vehicle is moving, except when you
are pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon the brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when the brakes are rst applied
or lightly applied. This does not mean something
is wrong with your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and evenly tighten
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to Saturn
torque specications.
Your rear drum brakes do not have wear
indicators, but if you ever hear a rear brake
rubbing noise, have the rear brake linings
inspected immediately. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time
the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brake pads replaced,
have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as
complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your retailer if the brake pedal does not return
to normal height or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
320
ProCarManuals.com