traction control SATURN OUTLOOK 2009 User Guide

Driving in Rain and 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 owing water.
{CAUTION
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)
CAUTION (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
owing water could cause your
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 owing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your 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 your 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.
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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 32°F
(0°C) 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.Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
TheStabiliTrak®System on
page 4-5improves the ability to
accelerate on slippery roads,
but slow down and adjust your
driving to the road conditions. When
driving through deep snow, turn
off the traction control part of
the StabiliTrak
®System to help
maintain vehicle motion at lower
speeds.
TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-4improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on a
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can occur
on otherwise clear roads in shaded
areas. The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid
sudden steering maneuvers and
braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.
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Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around
the front wheels. Turn off any
traction or stability system. Shift
back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a 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, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-22.
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how
much weight your 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 your vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certication/Tire label.{CAUTION
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR), or
either the maximum front or
rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). If you do, parts on
the vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your
vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of the vehicle.
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Service
For service and parts needs,
visit your dealer/retailer. You will
receive genuine Saturn parts
and Saturn-trained and supported
service people.
Genuine Saturn parts have one of
these marks.
Accessories and
Modications
When non-dealer/non-retailer
accessories are added to the vehicle,
they can affect vehicle performance
and safety, including such things
as airbags, braking, stability, ride
and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. Some of these accessories
could even cause malfunction or
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from the installation or use
of non-GM certied parts, including
control module modications, are not
covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with
other systems on the vehicle.Your GM dealer/retailer can
accessorize the vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories. When you
go to your GM dealer/retailer and ask
for GM Accessories, you will know
that GM-trained and supported
service technicians will perform the
work using genuine GM Accessories.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-60.
California Proposition 65
Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems
(including some inside the vehicle),
many uids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
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GM’s exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specications that
impact the overall performance
of your vehicle, including
brake system performance, ride
and handling, traction control,
and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec
number is molded onto the
tire’s sidewall near the tire size.
If the tires have an all-season
tread design, the TPC Spec
number will be followed by an
MS for mud and snow. SeeTire
Sidewall Labeling on page 5-40
for additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires
in sets of four. This is because
uniform tread depth on all tires
will help keep your vehicle
performing most like it did when
the tires were new. Replacing
less than a full set of tires can
affect the braking and handling
performance of your vehicle.SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-52for information on
proper tire rotation.
{CAUTION
Mixing tires could cause you
to lose control while driving.
If you mix tires of different
sizes, brands, or types (radial
and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle
properly, and you could have a
crash. Using tires of different
sizes, brands, or types may
also cause damage to your
vehicle. Be sure to use the
correct size, brand, and type of
tires on all wheels. It is all right
to drive with your compact
spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your
vehicle. SeeCompact Spare
Tire on page 5-83.
{CAUTION
If you use bias-ply tires on the
vehicle, the wheel rim anges
could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle’s
tires with those that do not have
a TPC Spec number, make sure
they are the same size, load
range, speed rating, and
construction type (radial and
bias-belted tires) as your
vehicle’s original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure
monitoring system could give an
inaccurate low-pressure warning
if non-TPC Spec rated tires are
installed on your vehicle.
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Non-TPC Spec rated tires may
give a low-pressure warning that
is higher or lower than the proper
warning level you would get with
TPC Spec rated tires. SeeTire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 5-46.
Your vehicle’s original equipment
tires are listed on the Tire and
Loading Information Label.
SeeLoading the Vehicle on
page 4-18, for more information
about the Tire and Loading
Information Label and its location
on your vehicle.Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that
are a different size than your original
equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs,
including its braking, ride and
handling characteristics, stability,
and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as, anti-lock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and stability control, the
performance of these systems can
be affected.
{CAUTION
If you add different sized
wheels, your vehicle may not
provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels
are selected. You may increase
the chance that you will crash and
suffer serious injury. Only use
Saturn specic wheel and tire
systems developed for your
vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a Saturn certied
technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-54
andAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3for additional
information.
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Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance.
This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.The grades are molded on the
sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) system does
not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on
a specied government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one
and a half (1.5) times as well
on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart signicantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences
in road characteristics and
climate.
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Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the
tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specied
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are
A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specied indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause thematerial of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
It should be noted that the
temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that
is properly inated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underination, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance
The tires and wheels on your vehicle
were aligned and balanced carefully
at the factory to give you the longest
tire life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and
tire balancing will not be necessary
on a regular basis. However, if you
notice unusual tire wear or your
vehicle pulling to one side or the
other, the alignment might need to be
checked. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth
road, the tires and wheels might
need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer/retailer for proper diagnosis.
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Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION
Putting a used wheel on your
vehicle is dangerous. You cannot
know how it has been used or
how far it has been driven. It
could fail suddenly and cause a
crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new Saturn original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension or other vehicle parts.
The area damaged by the tire
chains could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and you or
others may be injured in a crash.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for use on the
vehicle and tire size combination
and road conditions. Follow
that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to the
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or
remove the device if it is contacting
the vehicle, and do not spin the
vehicle’s wheels. If you do nd
traction devices that will t, install
them on the front tires.
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