engine SATURN RELAY 2005 Repair Manual

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do
not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road in less than a second, and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.
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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system,
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area,
or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
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Even though you have ABS, you will want to begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such
as around clumps of trees, behind buildings,
or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve
or an overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of
ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not
to brake while you are actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
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{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
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If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking
can help you get out when you are stuck, but you
must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-30.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-65.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. If your
vehicle has traction control, you should turn your traction
control system off. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-8andStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-9.
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-36.
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Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well — or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section. Ask your
retailer for advice and information about
towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result in costly repairs that would
not be covered by your warranty. Always follow
the instructions in this section and check with your
retailer for more information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should
read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, acceleration, braking, durability,
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That is the reason for this section. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and
under greater loads, generating extra heat. The
trailer also adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you’ll be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches” later
in this section.
Do not tow a trailer at all during the rst 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle, or other parts could be damaged.
During the rst 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a
trailer, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and do
not make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
You can use THIRD (3) or, as you need to, a lower
gear when towing a trailer. Operating your vehicle
in THIRD (3) when towing a trailer will minimize heat
buildup and extend the life of your transaxle.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
Weight of the trailer
Weight of the trailer tongue
Weight on your vehicle’s tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature, and how much your vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on
any special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
Look in the following chart to nd the maximum
trailer weight for your vehicle.
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Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You will nd these numbers on the
Certication/Tire label at the rear edge of the driver’s
door or seeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
Then be sure you do not go over the GVW limit for your
vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It is important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you will need the right hitch. Here
are some rules to follow:
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
If you will be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than 2,000 lbs (900 kg), be sure to use
a properly mounted weight-carrying hitch and
sway control of the proper size. This equipment is
very important for proper vehicle loading and
good handling when you are driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of
your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?If you do, remember to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch. If you do not seal them,
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust
can get into your vehicle. SeeEngine Exhaust
on page 2-40. Dirt and water can, too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your 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 you can turn with your rig. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes – and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes so you will be able to install, adjust,
and maintain them properly.
Because your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes, do not
try to tap into your vehicle’s brake system. If you do,
both brake systems will not work well, or at all.
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Driving with a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull a trailer with your vehicle, carbon
monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle.
You cannot see or smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness or death. SeeEngine
Exhaust on page 2-40. To maximize your safety
when towing a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle. Do not use
the climate control setting for maximum air
because it only recirculates the air inside
your vehicle. SeeClimate Control System
on page 3-24.Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you will want to
get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself 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 a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector, lamps,
tires, and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
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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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