mirror BUICK RANDEZVOUS 2007 User Guide

Outside Curb View Assist Mirror
If the vehicle has this feature, it can be helpful
when parallel parking. The passenger’s outside
rearview mirror will tilt towards the curb when the
vehicle is shifted into REVERSE (R) and return
to its previous position when the vehicle is shifted
out of REVERSE (R). If further adjustment is
needed, the power mirror controls can be used.
SeeOutside Power Mirror on page 142. Also see
DIC Vehicle Personalization on page 240for
information on how to turn this feature on and off.
Outside Convex Mirror
{CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like
other vehicles) look farther away than
they really are. If you cut too sharply into
the right lane, you could hit a vehicle on
your right. Check your inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.The passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be
seen from the driver’s seat. It also makes things
appear farther away than they really are.
Outside Heated Mirrors
If the vehicle has this feature, the outside rearview
mirrors are heated when the rear window
defogger is turned on. See “Rear Window
Defogger” underClimate Control System on
page 200,Dual Climate Control System on
page 203,orDual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 206.
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Perimeter Lighting
If your vehicle has perimeter lighting, it will turn on
the headlamps and parking lamps for 25 seconds
when the following conditions are met:
The ignition is turned to OFF.
The exterior lamp control is in the AUTO
position.
UNLOCK is pressed on the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
It is dark enough outside.
After 25 seconds, the headlamps and parking
lamps will turn off.
The lamps will turn off before the 25 seconds if
you do one of the following:
Turn the ignition to ON.
Turn the exterior lamp control out of the
AUTO position.
If your vehicle has the Driver Information Center
(DIC), you can program this feature on or off. See
“Lock Feedback” underDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 240.
Front Reading Lamps
There are two reading lamps located on the
rearview mirror.
To turn either reading lamp on or off, press the
button located next to each lamp. These lamps will
come on each time you open the doors, if the
interior lamp control is in the ON or DOOR
position.
Rear Reading Lamps
There are two reading lamps with coat hooks
above the rear doors.
To turn on or off either reading lamp, press the
lens of the lamp.
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Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
window defogger on or off. An indicator light in the
button will come on to let you know that the
rear window defogger is activated.
The rear window defogger will turn off
approximately 10 minutes after the button is
pressed. If turned on again, the defogger will only
run for approximately ve minutes before
turning off. The defogger can also be turned off by
pressing the button again or by turning off the
engine.
If your vehicle has heated outside rearview
mirrors, the mirrors will heat to help clear fog or
frost from the surface of the mirror when the
rear window defog button is pressed.
Notice:Do not use anything sharp on the
inside of the rear window. If you do, you could
cut or damage the warming grid, and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle license, tape, a decal
or anything similar to the defogger grid.
Outlet Adjustment
Use the louvers located on the air outlets to
change the direction of the airow.
Operation Tips

Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves from the
air inlets at the base of the vehicle that may
block the ow of air into your vehicle.
Do not use any non-GM approved hood
deectors that could adversely affect the
performance of the system.
Keep the path under the front seats clear of
objects to help circulate the air inside of
your vehicle more effectively.
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Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
Your vehicle has the passenger sensing system.
Your rearview mirror has a passenger airbag
status indicator.
When the ignition key is turned to ON or START,
the passenger airbag status indicator will light
ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
for several seconds as a system check. Then,
after several more seconds, the status indicatorwill light either ON or OFF, or either the on or off
symbol to let you know the status of the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the
passenger airbag status indicator, it means that
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag is enabled
(may inate).
{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you have
a rear-facing child restraint installed in the
right front passenger’s seat, it means that
the passenger sensing system has not
turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag inates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
inating airbag. Do not use a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger’s
seat if the airbag is turned on.United States
Canada
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EXIT:The position recalled will be the previously
programmed exit position.
To determine the mode to which your vehicle is
programmed or to program your vehicle to a
different mode, do the following:
1. Follow the instructions for “Entering
Programming Mode” listed previously.
2. Follow the instructions for programming SEAT
RECALL to ON listed previously.
3. Press the MODE button until RECALL
POSITION appears on the DIC.
4. Press the SET button until the arrow is before
MEMORY or EXIT.
The mode you selected is now set. You can either
exit programming mode by following the
instructions later in this section or program the
next feature available on your vehicle.Tilt Mirror
The tilt mirror feature can be programmed to one
of the following modes:
ON:The passenger’s side outside rearview mirror
will tilt down towards the curb when the vehicle
is shifted to REVERSE (R) and returns to its
previous position when the vehicle is shifted out of
REVERSE (R).
OFF:The mirror will not tilt.
To determine the mode to which your vehicle is
programmed or to program your vehicle to a
different mode, do the following:
1. Follow the instructions for “Entering
Programming Mode” listed previously.
2. Press the MODE button until TILT MIRROR
appears on the DIC.
3. Press the SET button until the arrow is before
ON or OFF.
The mode you selected is now set. You can exit
programming mode by following the instructions
next in this section.
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When it looks like a chance to pass is coming
up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane
and do not get too close. Time your move so
you will be increasing speed as the time comes
to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to
pass, you will have a running start that more
than makes up for the distance you would lose
by dropping back. And if something happens to
cause you to cancel your pass, you need only
slow down and drop back again and wait for
another opportunity.
If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow
vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that
someone is not trying to pass you as you pull
out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to
glance over your shoulder and check the
blind spot.
Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane change signal
before moving out of the right lane to pass.
When you are far enough ahead of the passed
vehicle to see its front in your vehicle’s inside
mirror, activate the right lane change signal and
move back into the right lane. Remember thatyour vehicle’s passenger side outside mirror is
convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem
to be farther away from you than it really is.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing
the next vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too
rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not
ashing, it may be slowing down or starting
to turn.
If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps
you can ease a little to the right.
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.
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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.
If you have the Traction Control System (TCS),
remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration
skid. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 310. If you do not have this system, or if the
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.
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.
316

If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If
you do not have ABS, then in a braking skid,
where the wheels are no longer rolling, release
enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels
rolling again. This restores steering control.
Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are
rolling, you will have steering control.
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.
317

Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways,
parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or
superhighways — are the safest of all roads. But
they have their own special rules.The most important advice on freeway driving is:
Keep up with traffic and keep to the right.
Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers
are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks
a smooth traffic ow. Treat the left lane on
a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads
to the freeway. If you have a clear view of the
freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic. Try to determine
where you expect to blend with the ow. Try to
merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed.
Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors, and
glance over your shoulder as often as necessary.
Try to blend smoothly with the traffic ow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed
to the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it
is slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want
to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then
use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly
over your shoulder to make sure there is not
another vehicle in your blind spot.
322

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway
hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of
awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum of the
tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make
you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does,
your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.What can you do about highway hypnosis? First,
be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with
a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get
some exercise, or both. For safety, treat
drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
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