traction control CHEVROLET SS 2015 User Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: CHEVROLET, Model Year: 2015, Model line: SS, Model: CHEVROLET SS 2015Pages: 435, PDF Size: 6.27 MB
Page 238 of 435
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
crc - 9/11/14
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-9
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-11
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19 Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Shifting out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-23
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-27
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . 9-29
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-31
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Track Driver Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-38
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-53
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Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
crc - 9/11/14
9-2 Driving and Operating
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Trailer Towing
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
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Page 242 of 435
Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
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Driving and Operating 9-5
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material on the road. 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.
.Try 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.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Track Events and
Competitive Driving
Track events or competitive driving
may affect the vehicle warranty. See
the warranty manual before using
the vehicle for track testing or other
competitive driving.
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Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
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9-8 Driving and Operating
.Total or Sum Toe: 0.17 +/-
0.17 degrees
Rear Alignment Specification
.Camber: -0.4 +/- 0.10 degrees
.Total or Sum Toe: 0.2 +/-
0.20 degrees
Thrust Angle: 0 +/- 0.20 degrees
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road. There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See
Tires on
page 10-35.
.Turn off cruise control.
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Page 246 of 435
Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
crc - 9/11/14
Driving and Operating 9-9
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.
Traction Control should be turned
on. SeeTraction Control/Electronic
Stability Control on page 9-32.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, but
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Page 248 of 435
Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
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Driving and Operating 9-11
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
on page 9-32.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle on
page 10-73.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.
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Page 269 of 435
Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
crc - 9/11/14
9-32 Driving and Operating
HSA will not activate if the vehicle is
in a forward gear position and facing
downhill, or if the vehicle is facing
uphill and the gear position is in
R (Reverse). When backing down a
hill, select R (Reverse) to
disable HSA.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak®, an
electronic stability control system.
These systems help limit wheel slip
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck on
page 9-11 and“Turning the Systems
Off and On” later in this section.
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Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
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Driving and Operating 9-33
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated.
.Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC),
and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly. If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
To turn the system off, press the
TCS/StabiliTrak button on the center
console.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release the TCS/StabiliTrak button.
The traction off light
idisplays in
the instrument cluster.
To turn TCS on again, press and
release the TCS/StabiliTrak button.
The traction off light
idisplayed in
the instrument cluster will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
the TCS/StabiliTrak button is
pressed, the system will not turn off
until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold the TCS/StabiliTrak
button until the traction off light
i
and StabiliTrak OFF lightgcome
on and stay on in the instrument
cluster.
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Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
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9-34 Driving and Operating
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak on
again, press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button. The traction off
light
iand StabiliTrak OFF lightg
in the instrument cluster turn off.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10-2.
Driver Mode Control
This feature allows for selecting
different modes and settings.
The control is on the center console.
Driver Mode can only be changed
when the ignition is in ON/RUN.
Driver Mode will return to the same
setting when the vehicle is
restarted.Turn the control clockwise to select
the mode in order: Touring
–Sport –
Performance. It will return to the
center position when released. Turn
the control counterclockwise to
select the previous mode in order.
The mode displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
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Page 272 of 435
Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet SS Sedan Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-7707491) - 2015 -
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Driving and Operating 9-35
The modes and available settings are:Driver Mode TCS StabiliTrak Launch Control *Torque
Vectoring MRC
EPS Pedal
Mode
Touring Normal Normal Off Off Touring Sport Standard Sport Normal Normal Off Off Sport Sport Standard
Performance Normal Normal On On Performance/
Track Competitive Standard
* Launch Control is available with
manual transmission only.
Driver Mode Settings
TCS/StabiliTrak
Normal: See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-32.
Competitive: See Track Driver Mode
on page 9-36.
Launch Control
See “Launch Control” underTrack
Driver Mode on page 9-36. Torque Vectoring
This feature uses StabiliTrak to
detect when the vehicle is starting to
understeer and helps to correct it.
Torque is transferred across the rear
axle from the inside wheel to the
outside wheel. If StabiliTrak is
turned off Torque Vectoring will be
unavailable.
Magnetic Ride Control (MRC)
Touring: Use for normal city and
highway driving.
Sport: Use where road conditions or
personal preference demand more
control. This setting selects a
suspension calibration that provides
a firmer reaction to road conditions.
Performance/Track: This is the
firmest setting. This setting is for
smoother road surfaces and when a
more performance-oriented
suspension style is preferred.
It provides better high speed
stability, handling response, and
body control.
Based on road conditions, steering
wheel angle, and vehicle speed, the
system automatically adjusts to
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