traction control PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 2003 Owners Manual

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ............................... 3.4
Hazard Warning Flashers
................................ 3.5
Other Warning Devises
................................... 3.6
Horn
............................................................. 3.6
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3.6
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.7
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.13
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.16
Head-Up Display (HUD)
................................. 3-21
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.23
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.24
Ciimate Controls ............................................ 3.25
Climate Control System ................................. 3.25
Automatic Climate Control System
................... 3.28
Outlet Adjustment
......................................... 3.32
Climate Controls Personalization
..................... 3.33
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ............. 3.34
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3-35
Speedometer and Odometer
-8-38
Tachometer ................................................. 3.39
Safety Belt Reminder Light
............................. 3.39
. -- ..........................
Air Bag Readiness Light ............................. 3.40
Battery Warning bight
.................................... 3-41
Voltmeter Gage
............................................ 3-41
Brake System Warning Light
.......................... 3-42
Warning Light
........................................... 3-43
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
...... 3-43
Low Traction Active Light ............................... 3-44
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
.................. 3-45
Tire Pressure Light
....................................... 3-46
Anti-Lock
Brake System
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
....... ............... 3-46
Oil Pressure Gage
.................. ............... 3-49
Check Oil Level Light
J-50
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light ..................... 3-51
n ....................................
Security Light ............................................... 3-51
Check Gages Warning Light
........................... 3-51
Door Ajar Light
............................................. 3-52
Trunk Ajar Light
............................................ 3-52
............... 3-53
Fuel Gage
............................. ............... 3-53
Boost Gage
....................... ................... 3-54
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3- 1

The main components of your instrument panel are the
following:
A. Air Outlets
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
C. Audio System Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
D. Windshield Wiper Lever
E. Steering Column Shift Lever
F. Driver Information Center (DIC) Controls
G. Audio System
H. Hazard Warning Flashers Control
I. Twilight Sentinel@ Controls and Fog Lamps Button
J. Ignition Switch
K. Comfort Control System
L. Heated Seat Switches (Option)
M. Traction Control Button (If Equipped)
N. Cigarette Lighter
u. Giove Eox
(If Equipped)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others.
They also let police know you have a probiem. 'Your
front and rear turn signal lamps will flash on and
off.
3-5

Setting Cruise Control
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don’t use your cruise control on
winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause
needless wheel
spinning, and you could
lose control. Don’t use cruise control on
slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the optional
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically disengage. See
Traction
Control System
(TCS) on page 4-9. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
If you leave bWu. auise cont. “. on whe.. joer’re
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when
you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch
off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Move the cruise controi switch
to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET button.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
ReEccmirag 3 Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts
off the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset it.
Once you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you
can move the cruise lever up to RiA (resumeiacceierate)
briefly.
3-1
1

Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
ANTI-
LOCK
United States Canada
With the anti-lock brake system, the light(s) will come
on when your engine
is starled and x2y stay on
for several seconds. That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system.
If the light still stays
on. or comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle
needs service. If the regular brake system warning
light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s a problem with your regular brakes.
See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-42.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briefly when you turn the ignition key to
ON. This is
normal.
If the light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
TRAC
OFF
For vehicles equipped with
the traction control system,
this warning light should
come on briefly when
the engine is started.
If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning
light is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
3-43

The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by pressing the
TRACTION CONTROL button located on the center
console, the warning light will come on and stay
on.
To turn the system back on, press the button
again. The warning light should go
off. See Traction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9 for more
information.
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related
to traction control, the traction control
system will turn
off and the warning light will come
on.
If your brakes begin to overheat, the traction
control system will turn
off and the warning light will
come on until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system
is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Active Light
LOW
TRAC
Your LOW TRAC (Low
Traction Active) light may
come on for one of the
following reasons:
An advanced computer-controlled system called
Stabilitrak@
(if equipped) has come on to help
your vehicle continue
to go in the direction in which
you’re steering. This stability enhancement
system activates when the computer senses that
your vehicle is just starting
to spin, as it might if you
hit a patch of ice or other slippery spot on the
road. When the system is on, you may hear a noise
or feel
a vibration in the brake pedal. This is
normal.
In these situations when the
LOW TRAC light is on
and the system is engaged, you should continue
to steer in the direction you want
to go. The system
is designed to help you in bad weather or other
difficult driving situations by making the most
of whatever road conditions will permit.
3-44

The optional Traction Control System is active and
is limiting wheel spin. You may feel the system
working, but this is normal. Slippery road conditions
may exist,
so adjust your driving accordingly.
If the LOW TRAC light comes on, slippery road
conditions may exist,
so you should consider slowing
down and adjusting your driving accordingly.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
To prevent engine overheating, the air conditioning
compressor will turn
off automatically just prior to the
gage pointer entering the shaded area. As the
engine cools down, the air conditioning compressor will
automatically turn back on. On vehicles equipped
with the DIC, the message ENGINE HOT
... NC
DISABLED will appear in the DiC display and a warning
chime will sound.
If the gage pointer moves into the shaded area, your
engine is too hot.
On vehicles equipped with the
systems monitor, the CHECK GAGES light will come
on
and a warning chime will sound.
On vehicles with a
DIC, a CHECK GAGES
TEMPERATURE message will be displayed and a
warning cnime wili sound.
See DIC bVamiisgs and
Messages on page 3-60 for more information.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-29, for information
on what to do
if your engine overheats.
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
3-45

Driving Your Vehicle
Your Driving. the Road. and Your Vehicle .......... 4-2
Defensive Driving
........................................... 4.2
Control
of a Vehicle ........................................ 4-6
Traction Control System (TCS)
......................... 4-9
Steering
...................................................... 4-11
Off-Road Recovery
....................................... 4-13
Passing
....................................................... 4-13
Loss of Control ............................................. 4-14
Driving at Night
............................................ 4-16
Driving in Rain and
on Wet Roads .................. 4-17
Drunken Driving
............................................. 4.3
Eraking ......................................................... 4-6
City
Driving .................................................. 4.20
Freeway Driving
........................................... 4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
....................... 4.22
Highway Hypnosis
........................................ 4.23
Hi!! and Mountain Roads ............................... -4-24
Winter Driving
.............................................. 4-26
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ........ 4-30
Towing .......................................................... 4-32
Recreational Vehicle Towing
........................... 4-32
Loading Your Vehicle
.................................... 4-34
Towing
a Trailer ........................................... 4-36
Towing
Your Vehicle
..................................... 4-32
4-
1

Control sf a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle
go where you want it to go. They are the brakes,
the steering and the accelerator. All three systems
have to do their work at the places where the tires
meet the road. Sometimes,
as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more
of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose
control of your vehicle.
Also see Traction Control System
(TCS)
on page 4-9.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving
at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping
enough space between your vehicle and others
is
important.
4-6

As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordincjy.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance.
If you get too close to the
vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time to apply
your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel
spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only
if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system works the front brakes and reduces engine
power
to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the crake contro!. See ‘Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Muitifunction Lever on page 3-7.
4-9

TRAC
OFF
This light should come on
briefly when you start the
engine.
If it stays on or
comes on while you
are driving, there’s a
problem with your traction
control system.
See
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light on
page 3-43. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes
on whenever you start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system
off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system
off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See “Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out”
under
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-30.
To turn the system off,
press the TRACTION
CONTROL button located
on the instrument panel
under the comfort controls.
The traction control system warning light in the
instrument cluster will come on and stay on.
If the
system is limiting wheel spin when you press the button,
the warning light will come on
- but the system won’t
turn
off right away. It will wait until there’s no longer
a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The traction control system
warning light should
go off.
The switch indicator light should go back on.
4-1 0