traction control SATURN VUE HYBRID 2007 User Guide

Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is
subject to the same laws of physics when driving on
curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change
its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the
same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a
vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on
the condition of your tires and the road surface, the
angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to
do their work where the tires meet the road.
Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places. You can lose control.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 240.What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the
vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you
should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted
speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of
the curve, and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
Adding non-Saturn accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 287.
242
ProCarManuals.com

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or
area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your 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.
Remember: Any traction control system helps
avoid only the acceleration skid. If your traction
control system is off, then an acceleration
skid is also 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 will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
246
ProCarManuals.com

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around the front wheels. You should
turn the traction control system off. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 240. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and
press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the
transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels
in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause
a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that
does not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it
may need to be towed out. Or, you can use the
recovery hook if your vehicle has one. If your
vehicle does need to be towed out, seeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 270.
Recovery Hook
{CAUTION:
The recovery hook, when used, is under a
lot of force. Always pull the vehicle
straight out. Never pull on the hook at a
sideways angle. The hook could break off
and you or others could be injured from
the chain or cable snapping back.
Notice:Never use the recovery hook to tow
the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged
and it would not be covered by warranty.
Contact your retailer if you would like to have a
recovery hook installed on your vehicle.
262
ProCarManuals.com

Service
Your Saturn retailer knows your vehicle best and
wants you to be happy with it. We hope you
will go to your retailer for all your service needs.
You will get genuine Saturn parts and
Saturn-trained and supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your Saturn vehicle
all Saturn.
Genuine Saturn parts have one of these marks.
Accessories and Modications
When you add non-Saturn 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.
Saturn accessories are designed to complement
and function with other systems on your
vehicle. Your Saturn retailer can accessorize your
vehicle using genuine Saturn accessories.
When you go to your Saturn retailer and ask for
Saturn accessories, you will know that
Saturn-trained and supported service technicians
will perform the work using genuine Saturn
accessories.
287
ProCarManuals.com

Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for
your vehicle. The original equipment tires
installed on your vehicle, when it was new,
were designed to meet General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria Specication (TPC spec)
system rating. If you need replacement tires,
GM strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to
give the same performance and vehicle safety,
during normal use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over
a dozen critical specications that impact the
overall performance of your vehicle, including
brake system performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec number is molded
onto the tire’s sidewall by the tire manufacturer.
If the tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC spec number will be followed by a MS,
for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on
page 340for additional information.{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose
control while driving. If you mix tires of
different sizes, brands, or types (radial
and bias-belted tires) the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a
crash. Using tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may also cause damage
to your vehicle. Be sure to use the correct
size, brand, and type of tires on your
vehicle’s wheels.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle,
the wheel rim anges could develop
cracks after many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the
wheels on your vehicle.
350
ProCarManuals.com

If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those
that do not have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size, load range, speed
rating, and construction type (radial and
bias-belted tires) as your vehicle’s original tires.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on
the Tire and Loading Information label. This
label is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar
(B-pillar). SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 264,
for more information about the Tire and Loading
Information label.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size
than your original equipment wheels and tires,
this may affect the way your vehicle performs,
including its braking, ride and handling
characteristics, stability, and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has electronic
systems such as, anti-lock brakes, traction control,
and stability control, the performance of these
systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your
vehicle may not provide an acceptable
level of performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are
selected. You may increase the chance
that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use Saturn specic wheel and
tire systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a
Saturn certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 350and
Accessories and Modications on page 287for
additional information.
351
ProCarManuals.com

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform to
federal safety requirements and additional General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire when tested under
controlled conditions on a specied government
test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and a half (1.5) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The
relative performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and may
depart signicantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices, and differences
in road characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA,
A, B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specied government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Warning:The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
352
ProCarManuals.com

Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has P235/65R16, P235/60R17
or 245/50R18 size tires, do not use tire
chains, there is not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension or other
vehicle parts. The area damaged by the tire
chains could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle and you or others may be
injured in a crash.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer recommends it
for use on your vehicle and tire size
combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to your vehicle,
drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it’s contacting your vehicle, and
do not spin your wheels.
If you do nd traction devices that will t,
install them on the front tires.
356
ProCarManuals.com

Instrument Panel Fuse Block
The instrument panel fuse block is located on the
passenger’s side of the lower console.
Fuses Usage
CRUISE Cruise Control Switch, Brake Switch
EPS Electronic Power Steering
Fuses Usage
IGN 1Instrument Cluster, Brake
Transmission Shift Interlock
Solenoid, Traction Switch, Fog
Lamp Switch
LOCK/
MIRRORPower Door Locks, Power Mirror,
Entry Control
BCMBody Control Module, Front Wipers,
Windows, Sunroof
BCM (IGN 1) Body Control Module
AIR BAG Sensing and Diagnostic Module
RADIO (IGN)Radio, Power Mirror, Premium
Radio Amplier
TURN Turn Lamps
HVAC HVAC Control Head
HAZARD Hazard Lamps
HTD SEATS Heated Seats
RADIO Radio, Data Link Connector
PARKPark Lamps, Taillamps, Side Marker
Lamps, License Lamps
381
ProCarManuals.com

Light (cont.)
Low Fuel Warning.................................... 181
Low Traction............................................ 171
Malfunction Indicator................................ 173
Oil Pressure............................................. 176
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator............ 166
Passenger Safety Belt Reminder.............. 164
Reduced Engine Power............................ 178
Safety Belt Reminder............................... 164
Security................................................... 177
TCS Warning Light.................................. 171
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning................................................ 171
Light, Auto Stop Mode................................. 181
Lighting
Entry........................................................ 154
Loading Your Vehicle................................... 264
Lockout Protection....................................... 106
Locks
Delayed Locking...................................... 104
Door........................................................ 103
Lockout Protection................................... 106
Power Door............................................. 104
Programmable Automatic Door Locks....... 104
Rear Door Security Locks........................ 105
Loss of Control........................................... 246
Low Coolant Warning Light.......................... 172Low Fuel Warning Light............................... 181
Low Traction Light....................................... 171
Lumbar
Manual Controls......................................... 11
M
Maintenance Schedule
Additional Required Services.................... 395
At Each Fuel Fill...................................... 398
At Least Once a Month............................ 398
At Least Once a Year.............................. 398
Introduction.............................................. 390
Maintenance Footnotes............................ 396
Maintenance Record................................ 404
Maintenance Requirements...................... 390
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts............................... 402
Owner Checks and Services.................... 397
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants....... 401
Scheduled Maintenance........................... 392
Using....................................................... 390
Your Vehicle and the Environment............ 390
Malfunction Indicator Light........................... 173
Manual Lumbar Controls............................... 11
Manual Reclining Seatbacks.......................... 12
Manual Seats.................................................. 9
432
ProCarManuals.com