lock GMC ENVOY XUV 2005 Manual Online

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can
avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering around
the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.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.
4-12

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 you have the Traction Assist System, remember:
It helps avoid only the acceleration skid. 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 engine braking 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.
4-15

Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going
to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your
route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises.
Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of
any blocked or closed roads.
It is also a good idea to travel with at least one other
vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other
can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read
the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch
can be handy if you get stuck. But you will want to know
how to use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an area that is safe
and close to home before you go into the wilderness.
Off-road driving does require some new and different
skills. Here is what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals.
Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep the
terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to
listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms,
hands, feet and body, you will need to respond to
vibrations and vehicle bounce.Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road
driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle
is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep
in mind. At higher speeds:
you approach things faster and you have less time
to scan the terrain for obstacles.
you have less time to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over
obstacles.
you will need more distance for braking, especially
since you are on an unpaved surface.
{CAUTION:
When you are driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw
you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. So, whether you’re
driving on or off the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety belts.
4-18

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.
{CAUTION:
Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you cannot control your speed.
If you drive across them, you will roll over.
You could be seriously injured or killed. If you
have any doubt about the steepness, do not
drive the hill.
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it is
one of those hills that is just too steep to climb,
descend or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge.On a very small hill, for example, there may be a
smooth, constant incline with only a small change in
elevation where you can easily see all the way to
the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as
you near the top, but you may not see this because the
crest of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you
approach a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get
sharply steeper in places?
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
will not have to make turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path, such as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts?
What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk
the hill if you do not know. It is the smart way to
nd out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because
they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.
4-20

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) 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 if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It is best that you
back down the hill with your 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) 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.
4-22

Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have an anti-lock braking system, you
will want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-7.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne until
you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of
you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while
you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
4-40

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.
4-41

Tire and Loading Information Label
A vehicle specic Tire and Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar (B-pillar). With the driver’s
door open, you will nd the label attached below
the door lock post (striker). The tire and loading
information label shows the number of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity
weight (B) in kilograms and pounds.The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and the
recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 5-55andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-61.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle.
See “Certication/Tire Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX pounds” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kilograms or XXX pounds. Label Example
4-44

Electronically Controlled Air
Suspension System
Your vehicle may be equipped with an electronically
controlled air suspension system that automatically
keeps your vehicle level as you load and unload.
The system includes a compressor, two height sensors
and two air springs supporting the rear axle.
The system also has an internal clock to prevent
overheating. If the system overheats, all leveling function
stops until the system cools down. During this time,
the indicator light on the air inator system will
be ashing.
The ignition has to be on for the system to inate, in
order to raise the vehicle to the standard ride height after
loading. The system can lower the vehicle to the
standard ride height after unloading with the ignition on
and also for up to 30 minutes after the ignition has
been turned off.
You may hear the compressor operating when you load
your vehicle, and periodically as the system adjusts
the vehicle to the standard ride height.Load leveling will not function normally with the inator
hose attached to the inator outlet. Remove the
inator hose from the outlet during loading and
unloading.
If the vehicle is parked for an extended period of time,
some bleed down of the suspension is normal. Upon
starting the vehicle, proper height will be achieved.
Overload Protection
The air suspension system is equipped with overload
protection. Overload protection is designed to protect the
air suspension system, and it is an indicator to the
driver that the vehicle is overloaded. When the overload
protection mode is on, it will not allow damage to the
air compressor. However, do not overload the vehicle.
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-43.
If the suspension remains at a low height, the rear axle
load has exceeded GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating).
When the overload protection mode is activated, the
compressor operates for about 30 seconds to one
minute without raising the vehicle depending on the
amount of overload. This will continue each time
the ignition is turned on until the rear axle load is
reduced below GAWR.
4-49

Rear Towing
(Rear Wheels Off the Ground)
(Two-Wheel and Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle from
the rear:
1. Drive the vehicle onto the dolly.
2. Firmly set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-36for more information.3. Shift the transmission in PARK (P).
4. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to attach
and secure the vehicle being towed to the dolly and
then the loaded dolly to the tow vehicle. Use an
adequate clamping device to ensure that the front
wheels are locked into the straight position.
5. Release the parking brake only after the
vehicle being towed is rmly attached to the
towing vehicle.
6. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
If the tow vehicle will not be started or driven for
six weeks or more, remove the battery cable
from the negative terminal (post) of the battery.
4-54