stop start GMC CANYON 2007 Owner's Guide

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-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 316.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 your 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. This is normal.
If there is a problem
with the ABS, this
warning light will stay
on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light
on page 186.
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Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your
pass. A broken center line usually indicates it is
all right to pass, providing the road ahead is
clear. Never cross a solid line on your side of
the lane or a double solid line, even if the road
seems empty of approaching traffic.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces your
area of vision, especially if you are following a
larger vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate
space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or
stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.
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 that
your 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.
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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.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.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.
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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 243.
Driving on Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or
across a hill. Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of what your
vehicle can and cannot do. There are some hills
that simply cannot be driven, no matter how
well built the vehicle.
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Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, and I cannot make it
up the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you
should do, and there are some things you
must not do. First, here is what youshoulddo:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and
keep it from rolling backwards. Also,
apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the
transmission to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill
in REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you will
need to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed
and the parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to PARK (P), or shift to NEUTRAL
if your vehicle has a manual transmission, and
restart the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R),
release the parking brake, and slowly back
down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left
hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock
position. This way, you will be able to tell ifthe wheels are straight and maneuver as
you back down. It is best that you back down
the hill with the wheels straight rather than in
the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too
far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting
into NEUTRAL (N), or pressing the clutch
if your vehicle has a manual transmission,
to rev-up the engine and regain forward
momentum. This will not work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you
could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop
the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake.
Shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking
brake, and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are
about to stall when going up a hill. If the hill
is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it is
steep enough to cause you to roll over if you
turn around. If you cannot make it up the
hill, you must back straight down the hill.
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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), or with the clutch pedal pressed
down with a manual transmission. This is called
“free-wheeling.” The brakes will have to do all
the work and could overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But
if it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular
brakes. Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P), or to NEUTRAL with the
manual transmission, and, while still braking,
restart the engine.3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking
brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and
get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go
across the incline of a hill. If this happens,
you have to decide whether to try to drive across
the incline. Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or
down may be too steep to drive across. When
you go straight up or down a hill, the length
of the wheel base — the distance from
the front wheels to the rear wheels — reduces
the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end. But when you drive across
an incline, the much more narrow track
width — the distance between the left and
right wheels — may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving
across an incline puts more weight on
the downhill wheels. This could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
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Stalling on an Incline
If your vehicle stalls when you are crossing an
incline, be sure you, and any passengers, get out
on the uphill side, even if the door there is
harder to open. If you get out on the downhill side
and the vehicle starts to roll over, you will be
right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the
path the vehicle will take if it does roll over.
{CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of
a vehicle stopped across an incline is
dangerous. If the vehicle rolls over, you
could be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill (high) side of the vehicle
and stay well clear of the rollover path.
267

If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it.
At faster speeds, water splashes on the ignition
system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also
occur if you get the tailpipe under water. And, as
long as the tailpipe is under water, you will never be
able to start the engine. When you go through
water, remember that when the brakes get wet, it
may take you longer to stop.
{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your
vehicle downstream and you and your
passengers could drown. If it is only
shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you
could lose traction and roll the vehicle
over. Do not drive through rushing water.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 271
for more information on driving through water.
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.
269

Keep the windshield and all the glass on your
vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is
made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even
the inside of the glass can build up a lm caused
by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
ash more than clean glass would, making the
pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less
of a roadway when you are in a turn or curve.
Keep your eyes moving; that way, it is easier
to pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as the
headlamps should be checked regularly for
proper aim, so should your eyes be examined
regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness — the inability to see in dim
light — and are not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as
well because your tire-to-road traction is not as
good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have
much tread left, you will get even less traction. It is
always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reexes are tuned for
driving on dry pavement.
271

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 your brake pedal
lightly until your 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.
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