SATURN OUTLOOK 2009 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: SATURN, Model Year: 2009, Model line: OUTLOOK, Model: SATURN OUTLOOK 2009Pages: 432, PDF Size: 2.48 MB
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Will any holes be made in the
body of the vehicle when the
trailer hitch is installed? If there
are, then be sure to seal the holes
later when the hitch is removed.
If the holes are not sealed, dirt,
water, and deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from the exhaust
can get into the vehicle. See
Engine Exhaust on page 2-30.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of the
trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains
may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains and do not
attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack so the rig
can turn. Never allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 1,000 lbs (450 kg) needs
to have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the
trailer. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted
and maintained properly.
Because the vehicle has antilock
brakes, do not try to tap into
the vehicle’s hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both brake systems will
not work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Get to
know the rig before setting out for
the open road. Get acquainted
with the feel of handling and braking
with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that
the vehicle you are driving is now
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustments.
If the trailer has electric brakes,
start the vehicle and trailer moving
and then apply the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This checks
the electrical connection at the
same time.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lamps and any
trailer brakes are still working.Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind
the vehicle ahead as you would
when driving the vehicle without a
trailer. This can help to avoid
situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
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Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because
the rig is longer, it is necessary to
go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before returning to
the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that
hand to the left. To move the trailer
to the right, move your hand to
the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause
the trailer to come in contact with
the vehicle. The vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
ash whenever signaling a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also ash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel ash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may
think other drivers are seeing the
signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to be
sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Because of the added load of the
trailer, the vehicle’s engine may
overheat on hot days, when going
up a long or steep grade with a
trailer. If the engine coolant
temperature gage indicates
overheating, turn off the air
conditioning to reduce engine load,
pull off the road and stop in a
safe spot. Let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level
ground, with the transmission in
P (Park) for a few minutes before
turning the engine off.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gearbeforestarting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the transmission
is not shifted down, the brakes might
have to be used so much that
they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce the vehicle speed
to around 55 mph (88 km/h) to
reduce the possibility of the engine
and the transmission overheating.
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Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or
a large or heavy load. The purpose
of the Tow/Haul mode is to:
Reduce the frequency and
improve the predictability of
transmission shifts when pulling
a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load.
Provide the same solid shift feel
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load as when
the vehicle is unloaded.
Improve control of vehicle speed
while requiring less throttle pedal
activity when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load.
Increase the charging system
voltage to assist in recharging
a battery installed in a trailer.Press this button located on the
console to turn on and turn off the
Tow/Haul mode.
The Tow/Haul light on the
instrument panel will come on to
indicate that Tow/Haul mode
has been selected.
Tow/Haul may be turned off by
pressing the button again, at which
time the indicator light on the
instrument panel will turn off.
The vehicle will automatically turn
off Tow/Haul every time it is started.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle’s
Gross Combined Weight Rating
(GCWR). See Weight of the Trailerearlier in this section. Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following
driving conditions:
When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load through
rolling terrain.
When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in stop and
go traffic.
When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired.
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
when lightly loaded or with no trailer
at all will not cause damage.
However, there is no bene t to the
selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a selection
when unloaded may result in
unpleasant engine and transmission
driving characteristics and reduced
fuel economy. Tow/Haul is
recommended only when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load.
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Parking on Hills
{CAUTION
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a at surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do
not shift into P (Park) yet.
Turn the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic
if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then
apply the parking brake and shift
the transmission into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.Leaving After Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal
while you:
start the engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up
and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer.
SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 6-3for more information.Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission uid, engine oil,
axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake system. It is a good
idea to inspect these before and
during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The vehicle is equipped with the
following wiring harness for towing
a trailer.
Basic Trailer Wiring
The trailer wiring harness, with a
seven-pin connector, is located
at the rear of the vehicle and is
tied to the vehicle’s frame.
The harness connector can be
plugged into a seven-pin
universal heavy-duty trailer
connector available through your
dealer/retailer.
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The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
Brown: Taillamps
Black: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red/Black: Battery Feed
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuse for this circuit is installed
in the underhood electrical center,
but the wires are not connected.
They should be connected by your
dealer/retailer or a quali ed
service center.
If the back-up lamp circuit is not
functional, contact your
dealer/retailer.If a remote (non-vehicle) battery is
being charged, press the Tow/Haul
mode switch located on the
center console near the climate
controls. This will boost the vehicle
system voltage and properly
charge the battery. If the trailer is
too light for Tow/Haul mode, turn on
the headlamps (Non-HID only) as
a second way to boost the
vehicle system and charge the
battery.
Electric Trailer Brake Control
Wiring Provisions
These wiring provisions for an
electric trailer brake controller are
included with the vehicle as
part of the trailer wiring package.
The instrument panel contains blunt
cut wires behind the steering
column for the electric trailer brake
controller. The harness contains
the following wires:
Red/Black: Power Supply
White: Brake Switch Signal
Gray: Illumination
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake Signal
Black: Ground
The electric trailer brake controller
should be installed by your
dealer/retailer or a quali ed service
center.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 5-23.
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✍NOTES
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