light BUICK RAINIER 2006 Manual Online

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-34.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come
on accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned
on until the problem is repaired. See your dealer
for service.Let us say the road is wet and you are driving
safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam on the brakes and continue braking.
Here is what happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
4-7

StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak®, Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) which combines antilock
brake, traction and stability control systems and helps
the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle
in most driving conditions.
Traction control activates when the controller senses
wheel spin. StabiliTrak
®will selectively apply the brakes
and reduce engine torque to help regain traction.
Stability control activates when the controller senses
a discrepancy between your intended path and the
direction the vehicle is travelling. StabiliTrak
®selectively
applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s
brakes to help guide the vehicle in the direction which
you are steering.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks
to insure there are no problems. You may hear or
feel the system working. This is normal and does not
mean there is a problem with your vehicle. If driving
conditions delay system initialization, the STABILITRAK
NOT READY message may be displayed. If this is
the case, your vehicle does not need servicing.
For more information on the stability messages,
seeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-47.When the StabiliTrak
®
system is both on and
actively controlling the
stability of the vehicle,
the StabiliTrak
®light
will blink for the duration
of the event.
You may also feel or hear the system working.
This is normal.
The StabiliTrak
®disable
button is located on the
transmission shift handle.
The StabiliTrak
®system has three modes of operation:
STABILITRAK ON, TRACTION CONTROL OFF,
and STABILITRAK OFF.
STABILITRAK ON -The vehicle will default to
STABILITRAK ON every time the driver starts the
vehicle. The StabiliTrak
®light will be off and no
DIC messages will be displayed.
4-9

TRACTION CONTROL OFF - The driver can modify
the engine speed management system by momentarily
pressing the StabiliTrak
®button on the transmission
shift handle. The StabiliTrak®light will come on
and TRACTION CONTROL OFF will be displayed.
For vehicles without a DIC, the StabiliTrak
®indicator
light will come on. Momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak®
button again will return the system to the STABILITRAK
ON mode.
STABILITRAK OFF - The driver can turn off StabiliTrak
®
by pressing the StabiliTrak®button for more than
ve seconds. The StabiliTrak®light will come on and
STABILITRAK OFF will be displayed. For vehicles
without a DIC, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light will
come on. Momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak®button
again will return the system to the STABILITRAK
ON mode. See StabiliTrak
®Off below for more
information.
Traction Control Off
In this mode, stability control and brake-traction control
are functional. Engine speed management will be
modied and the driven wheels can spin more freely.
This can cause the brake-traction control to activate
more frequently. If the controller detects excessive wheel
spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light may
blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message may be
displayed to warn the driver that damage may occur
to the transfer case.
StabiliTrak®Off
In this mode, both stability control and part of the
traction control system are disabled. Your vehicle will
still have brake-traction control, but will not be able
to use the engine speed management system. You may
still hear system noises as a result of the brake-traction
control coming on. If the controller detects excessive
wheel spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light
may blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message
may be displayed to warn the driver that damage may
occur to the transfer case.
It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow, and you may want to “rock” your vehicle in
an attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-44for more information.
4-10

The following chart describes the StabiliTrak®system events and the corresponding messages and lights that will
be displayed on the instrument panel cluster.
Vehicles with a DIC Vehicles without a DIC
Event
StabiliTrak
®
Indicator LightDIC MessageStabiliTrak
®
Indicator LightStabiliTrak
®
Service Light
Off None Off OffStabiliTrak
®On mode
(System is fully
enabled, but is not
actively controlling
vehicle stability).
Solid Traction Control Off Solid OffTraction Control
Off Mode
Solid StabiliTrak
®Off Solid OffStabiliTrak
®Off Mode
(StabiliTrak®indicator
light will ash when
system rst enters
this mode).
BlinkingStabiliTrak
®
ActiveBlinking OffStabiliTrak
®system
activates using engine
speed management,
brake traction control,
and/or stability
control.
4-11

Vehicles with a DIC Vehicles without a DIC
Event
StabiliTrak
®
Indicator LightDIC MessageStabiliTrak
®
Indicator LightStabiliTrak
®
Service Light
SolidService
StabiliTrak
®Solid SolidStabiliTrak
®system
is disabled due to
a system fault.
SolidStabiliTrak
®
Not ReadySolid OffStabiliTrak
®system is
disabled due to a
failure to initialize.
Notice:If the StabiliTrak
®light comes on due to
heavy braking and/or because the traction control
system has been continuously active, do not
allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively.
If you do, you may be causing damage to the
transfer case. This could lead to costly repairs
not covered by
your warranty.
Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin
excessively while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS and brake
warning lights and the SERVICE STABILITRAK
message are displayed, you could damage the
transfer case. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Reduce engine power and do not
spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights
and this message are displayed.StabiliTrak
®may activate on dry or rough roads or under
conditions such as heavy acceleration while turning or
abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the transmission. When this
happens, you may notice a reduction in acceleration, or
may hear a noise or vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the StabiliTrak
®light will blink, and the
cruise control will automatically disengage. When
road conditions allow, you may re-engage the cruise
control. SeeCruise Control on page 3-11.
StabiliTrak
®will turn off automatically if a problem is
detected in the system. The StabiliTrak®light will come
on and SERVICE STABILITRAK will be displayed on
the DIC. For vehicles without a DIC, the StabiliTrak
®
light and the StabiliTrak®service light will both come on.
4-12

If the SERVICE STABILITRAK message (or StabiliTrak®
service light) does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3for more information.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
Your vehicle may have this feature. There is no lever
or switch to engage or disengage the front axle. It is fully
automatic and adjusts as needed for road conditions.
Your vehicle has an active transfer case allowing
two-wheel-drive operation on dry roads. The transfer
case will shift automatically into all-wheel drive on
slippery surfaces. You may feel an extra shift when
the all-wheel drive engages.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
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.
4-13

An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel
at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly,
and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You may nd that your right wheels have dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you
are driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn
until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
4-15

Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds
of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain
and its many different features. Here are some things
to consider.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow,
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration, and braking of your vehicle in different
ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on,
you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction, and longer braking
distances.
Surface Obstacles:Unseen or hidden obstacles can be
hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can startle you
if you are not prepared for them. Often these obstacles
are hidden by grass, bushes, snow, or even the rise and
fall of the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
There is more discussion of these subjects later.
Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep
a rm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other
surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands
if you are not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you cannot control the
vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it is
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden turns, or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of
alertness from driving on paved roads and highways.
There are no road signs, posted speed limits, or signal
lights. You have to use your own good judgment
about what is safe and what is not.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving.
At the very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reexes, perceptions, and judgment can
be affected by even a small amount of alcohol.
You could have a serious — or even fatal — accident
if you drink and drive or ride with a driver who has
been drinking. SeeDrunken Driving on page 4-3.
4-21

Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want to
consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is a tthe bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a
low gear. This way, engine drag can help the brakes and
they will not have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly
when descending a hill and use a low gear
to keep vehicle speed under control.
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because, if you ignore
them, you could lose control and have a serious
accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over if you do not drive
straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free wheeling.”
The brakes will have to do all the work and
could overheat and fade.
4-25

After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on
the underbody, chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust
system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due
to off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
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.
4-30