towing SATURN RELAY 2005 Owner's Manual

Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you do not shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 lbs (450 kg), you may prefer to drive in THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) or, as you
need to, a lower gear. This will minimize heat build-up
and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, do the
following:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into
PARK (P).
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and shift into PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you do the following:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
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
Your vehicle will need service more often when you are
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for
more on this. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transaxle uid, engine oil,
belts, cooling system, and brake system. Each of
these is covered in this manual, and the Index will help
you nd them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a
good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Your vehicle has a trailer wiring harness located at the
rear of your vehicle. To use the trailer wiring harness,
you need a converter kit. Contact your retailer for more
information.
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If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If your air conditioner is on, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.
3. If you are in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving — AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) or
THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you are parked. If you still have the
warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” later in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode allows your vehicle to
be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation.
If an overheated engine condition exists, an overheat
protection mode which alternates ring groups of
cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice a signicant loss in power and engine
performance. The temperature gage will indicate
an overheat condition exists. Driving extended
miles (km) and/or towing a trailer in the overheat
protection mode should be avoided.
Notice:After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil and
reset the oil life system. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-13.
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(h)Change automatic transaxle uid and lter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these
conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police, or delivery
service.
(i)Drain, ush, and rell cooling system. See Engine
Coolant on page 5-22 for what to use. Inspect hoses.
Clean radiator, condenser, pressure cap, and ller neck.
Pressure test the cooling system and pressure cap.
(j)Check system for interference or binding and
for damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as needed.
Replace any components that have high effort or
excessive wear. Do not lubricate accelerator or cruise
control cables.
(k)A uid loss in any vehicle system could indicate a
problem. Have the system inspected and repaired
and the uid level checked. Add uid if needed.
(m)Visually inspect belt for fraying, excessive cracks, or
obvious damage. Replace belt if necessary.Owner Checks and Services
These owner checks and services should be performed
at the intervals specied to help ensure the safety,
dependability and emission control performance of your
vehicle. Your Saturn retailer can assist you with these
checks and services.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any uids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important to perform these underhood checks at
each fuel ll.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13for further
details.
Notice:It is important to check your oil regularly
and keep it at the proper level. Failure to keep your
engine oil at the proper level can cause damage
to your engine not covered by your warranty.
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Q
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts.........1-26
R
Radiator Pressure Cap....................................5-25
Radios..........................................................3-72
Care of Your CD and DVD Player................3-111
Care of Your CDs and DVDs.......................3-111
Radio with CD............................................3-73
Rear Seat Audio........................................3-106
Setting the Time..........................................3-72
Theft-Deterrent..........................................3-109
Understanding Reception............................3-110
Rear Climate Control System............................3-27
Rear Reading Lamps......................................3-18
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides......................1-39
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)..................................3-106
Rear Seat Entertainment System.......................3-91
Rear Seat Operation......................................... 1-6
Rear Seat Passengers, Safety Belts..................1-36
Rearview Mirrors.............................................2-41Reclining Seatbacks.......................................... 1-4
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants.................6-12
Recreational Vehicle Towing.............................4-36
Remote Keyless Entry System............................ 2-4
Remote Keyless Entry System, Operation............ 2-5
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire.............................................5-73
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools...................5-70
Replacement Bulbs.........................................5-50
Reporting Safety Defects
Canadian Government................................... 7-8
Saturn......................................................... 7-8
United States Government.............................. 7-8
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems....................1-79
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash..........................................1-80
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)......................2-31
Right Front Passenger Position, Safety Belts......1-36
Roadside
Assistance Program....................................... 7-5
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out....................4-30
Running the Engine While Parked.....................2-40
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Tires (cont.)
Secondary Latch System..............................5-80
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-82
Tire Sidewall Labelling..................................5-53
Tire Terminology and Denitions....................5-55
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-62
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-63
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-64
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-60
Top Strap......................................................1-53
Top Strap Anchor Location...............................1-54
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-36
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-38
Your Vehicle...............................................4-36
Traction
Control System (TCS).................................... 4-8
Control System Warning Light.......................3-37
StabiliTrak
®System....................................... 4-9
Transaxle
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-19
Transaxle Operation, Automatic.........................2-33
Trip Odometer................................................3-31
Turn and Lane-Change Signals.......................... 3-8
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-7
U
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)...............3-20
Understanding Radio Reception.......................3-110
Uniform Tire Quality Grading............................5-62
V
Vehicle
Control........................................................ 4-5
Damage Warnings........................................... iv
Loading......................................................4-31
Symbols......................................................... iv
Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders.................................................... 7-6
Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN).............................................5-96
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-96
Vehicle Personalization
DIC ...........................................................3-64
Ventilation Adjustment......................................3-27
Visors...........................................................2-25
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