wheel PONTIAC TORRENT 2009 Owner's Manual

Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you are
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go into
cruise when you do not want to. You could be
startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise
control switch off until you want to use cruise
control.
The cruise control buttons
are located on the steering
wheel.
I(On/Off):PressIto turn the cruise control
system on and off.RES+ (Resume):Press to resume a set speed and to
accelerate the speed.
SET−(Set):Press to set a speed and to decrease
the speed.
[CANCEL:Press to cancel cruise control.
To set a speed do the following:
1. Press
Ito turn cruise control on. The indicator
light on the button comes on.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press the SET−and release it. This instrument
panel cluster light
Jcomes on after the system
is engaged.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is at a set speed and the
brakes are applied, this disengages the cruise control.
The instrument panel cluster light
Jalso goes out,
indicating cruise is no longer engaged. To return to
the previously set speed, it does not need to be reset.
Once the vehicle is at a speed of about 25 mph
(40 km/h) or more, briey press RES+. The vehicle
goes back to the previous set speed and stays there.
3-11

Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
Your vehicle has a
Traction Control System
(TCS) and StabiliTrak
®
warning light.
When the traction control is activated the light will
ash when the TCS is limiting wheel spin or when the
StabiliTrak
®system is active. You may feel or hear the
system working, but this is normal. This light may also
come on after extended heavy braking indicating the
brakes have become too hot to limit wheel spin.
This light will come on and stay on if the TCS is turned
off using the traction control on/off button, located
next to the gear shift lever.
If the TCS warning light comes on and stays on for an
extended period of time when the system is turned on,
your vehicle needs service. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-7andStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6
for more information.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
The engine coolant
temperature warning light
will come on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens you should pull over and turn off the
engine as soon as possible. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 5-28for more information.
Notice:Driving with the engine coolant temperature
warning light on could cause the vehicle to overheat.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-28. The vehicle’s
engine could be damaged, and it might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Never drive with
the engine coolant temperature warning light on.
3-32

Service All-Wheel Drive Light
This light is located in the
center of your instrument
panel cluster.
This light and the SERVICE ALL WHEEL DRIVE
message in the Driver Information Center (DIC) will
come on and stay on to indicate that there may be a
problem with the drive system and service is required.
SeeAll-Wheel Drive (AWD) System on page 4-8
andDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-49
for more information.
All-Wheel Drive Disabled Light
This light will come on
when the rear drive system
is overheating.
An ALL WHEEL DRIVE OFF message will appear in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) too. This light will turn off
when the rear drive system cools down. If this light stays
on for a while, you need to reset the light. To reset the
light, turn the ignition off and then back on again. If the
light stays on, see your dealer/retailer right away.
SeeAll-Wheel Drive on page 5-41andDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-49for more information.
3-39

DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the driver
that the status of the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the driver to correct
the condition. Multiple messages may appear one
after another.
Some messages may not require immediate action,
but you can press the set/reset button to acknowledge
that you received the messages and to clear them from
the display. Pressing any of the DIC buttons also
acknowledge and clear any messages.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the DIC
display because they are more urgent. These messages
require action before they can be cleared. You should
take any messages that appear on the display seriously
and remember that clearing the messages will only
make the messages disappear, not correct the problem.
The following are the possible messages that can be
displayed and some information about them.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE OFF
If your vehicle has the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system,
this message displays along with the All-Wheel Drive
Disabled light when the rear drive system is overheating.
This message turns off when the rear drive system cools
down. If the warning message stays on for a while, you
need to reset the warning message. To reset the warning
message, turn the ignition off and then back on again.
If the message stays on, see your dealer/retailer right
away. SeeAll-Wheel Drive (AWD) System on page 4-8
andAll-Wheel Drive Disabled Light on page 3-39for
more information.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the charging system
detects that the battery is being drained. You may notice
that the vehicle attempts to reduce the drain for you
by turning off accessories, such as interior fans, rear
defogger, and heated seats. Turn off all accessories.
If the vehicle is not running, start and run the engine
for at least 10 minutes to allow the battery to recharge.
If the engine is running and the condition persists, see
your dealer/retailer. SeeElectric Power Management
on page 3-16for more information.
3-49

REMOTE KEY LEARNING ACTIVE
This message displays while you are matching a
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to your vehicle.
See “LEARN REMOTE KEY” underDIC Operation
and Displays on page 3-42for more information.
SERVICE A/C (Air Conditioning)
SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem
detected in the air conditioning system. Have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer.
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays when there is a problem with
the airbag system. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer immediately. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 3-28for more information.
SERVICE ALL WHEEL DRIVE
If your vehicle has the All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
system, this message displays along with the service
all-wheel drive light if a problem occurs with this system.
SeeService All-Wheel Drive Light on page 3-39. If this
message appears, stop as soon as possible and turn
off the vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for themessage on the DIC display. If the message is still
displayed or appears again when you begin driving, the
AWD system needs service. See your dealer/retailer.
SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING
SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem with the
generator and battery charging systems. Driving with
this problem could drain the vehicle’s battery. Turn off all
unnecessary accessories. Stop and turn off the vehicle
as soon as it is safe to do so. Have the electrical
system checked by your dealer/retailer immediately.
Connecting a battery charger to your vehicle while the
ignition is in any position other than LOCK/OFF may
cause this message to appear. If you need to charge
your vehicle, make sure that the key is in LOCK/OFF
or out of the ignition during charging.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays and a chime sounds when the
brake uid level is low. The brake system warning
light also appears on the instrument panel cluster when
this message appears on the DIC. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-30. Have the brake system
serviced by your dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
3-53

Storing a Radio Station as a Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up their radio station
favorites while the vehicle is parked. Tune to favorite
stations using the presets, favorites button, and steering
wheel controls, if the vehicle has them. SeeDefensive
Driving on page 4-2.
If the radio has XM, a maximum of 36 stations can be
programmed as favorites using the six pushbuttons
positioned below the radio station frequency tabs and
by using the radio favorites page button (FAV button).
FAV (Favorites):Press the FAV button to go through
up to six pages of favorites, each having six favorite
stations available per page. Each page of favorites can
contain any combination of AM, FM, or XM (if equipped)
stations. To store a station as a favorite, perform the
following steps:
1. Tune to the desired radio station.
2. Press the FAV button to display the page where the
station is to be stored.
3. Press and hold one of the six pushbuttons until a
beep sounds. When that pushbutton is pressed
and released, the station that was set, returns.
4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton radio station
to be stored as a favorite.The number of favorites pages can be setup using
the MENU button. To setup the number of favorites
pages, perform the following steps:
1. Press the MENU button to display the radio
setup menu.
2. Press the pushbutton located below the
FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the desired number of favorites pages
by pressing the pushbutton located below the
displayed page numbers.
4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out,
to return to the original main radio screen showing
the radio station frequency tabs and to begin
the process of programming favorites for the chosen
amount of numbered pages.
Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
(Base Radio with CD)
EQ (Equalization):To adjust the bass or treble,
press the
fknob or EQ button until the desired tone
control tab displays. Turn the
fknob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the setting.
The display shows the current bass or treble level.
If a station’s frequency is weak, or if there is static,
decrease the treble.
3-70

Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the steering wheel to
operate the in-vehicle Bluetooth system. SeeAudio
Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-118for more
information.
bg(Push To Talk):Press to answer incoming calls,
to conrm system information, and to start speech
recognition.
cx(Phone On Hook):Press to end a call, reject a
call, or to cancel an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone must be paired to the
in-vehicle Bluetooth system rst and then connected to
the vehicle before it can be used. See the cell phone
manufacturers user guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone is not
connected, calls will be made using OnStar
®Hands-Free
Calling, if available. Refer to the OnStar owner’s guide for
more information.Pairing Information:
Up to ve cell phones can be paired to the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system.
The pairing process is disabled when the vehicle is
moving.
The in-vehicle Bluetooth system automatically links
with the rst available paired cell phone in the
order the phone was paired.
Only one paired cell phone can be connected to the
in-vehicle Bluetooth system at a time.
Pairing should only need to be completed once,
unless changes to the pairing information have
been made or the phone is deleted.
To link to a different paired phone, see Linking to a
Different Phone later in this section.
3-99

Cleaning the RSE Overhead Console
When cleaning the RSE overhead console surface,
use only a clean cloth dampened with clean water.
Cleaning the Video Screen
When cleaning the video screen, use only a clean cloth
dampened with clean water. Use care when directly
touching or cleaning the screen, as damage can result.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft of
the vehicle’s radio by learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identication Number (VIN). The radio does not operate
if it is stolen or moved to a different vehicle.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Vehicles with audio
steering wheel controls
could differ depending
on the vehicle’s options.
Some audio controls can
be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
e+e−(Volume):Press to increase or to decrease
the radio volume.
w(Next):Press to go to the next radio station stored
as a favorite, or the next track if a CD/DVD is playing.
3-118

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-7
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.........................4-8
Steering........................................................4-9
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-11
Passing.......................................................4-12
Loss of Control.............................................4-12Driving at Night............................................4-13
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-14
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-15
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-15
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-16
Winter Driving..............................................4-17
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-19
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-20
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-20
Towing..........................................................4-26
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-26
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-26
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-33
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that helps prevent a
braking skid.
When the engine is started and the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor
or clicking noise might be heard while this test is going
on, and it might even be noticed that the brake pedal
moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light
stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on
page 3-31.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed to get
a foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to apply the brakes if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let antilock work. The antilock pump or
motor might be heard operating and the brake pedal
might be felt to pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help more than
even the very best braking.
4-5