traction control SATURN VUE 2007 User Guide

Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the
power steering assist system will continue
to operate until you are able to stop your vehicle.
If you lose power steering assist because the
electric power steering system is not functioning,
you can steer, but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in either direction
several times until it stops, or hold the steering
wheel in the stopped position for an extended
amount of time, you may notice a reduced amount
of power steering assist. The normal amount of
power steering assist should return shortly after a
few normal steering movements.
The electric power steering system does not
require regular maintenance. If you suspect
steering system problems and/or the Service
Vehicle Soon light comes on, contact your
dealer/retailer for service repairs.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is
subject to the same laws of physics when driving
on curves. The traction of the tires against the
road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to
change its path when you turn the front wheels.
If there is no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle
going in the same direction. If you have ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on
the condition of the tires and the road surface,
the angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.
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Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both
control systems — steering and braking — have
to do their work where the tires meet the road.
Unless you have four-wheel anti-lock brakes,
adding the hard braking can demand too much
of those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering
through a sharp curve and you suddenly
accelerate. Those two control systems — steering
and acceleration — can overwhelm those places
where the tires meet the road and make you lose
control. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 238.
What should you do if this ever happens?
Ease up on the brake or accelerator pedal,
steer the vehicle the way you want it to go,
and slow down.Speed limit signs near curves warn that you
should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted
speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you
will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
the front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of
the curve, and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can
affect your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories
and Modications on page 304.
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A cornering skid is best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Traction Control System (TCS),
remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration
skid. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 238. If you do not have this system, or if
the system is off, then an acceleration skid is
also best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off
the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle
control more limited.While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including reducing
vehicle speed by shifting to a lower gear.
Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize
warning clues — such as enough water, ice,
or packed snow on the road to make a mirrored
surface — and slow down when you have any
doubt.
If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid.
If you do not have ABS, then in a braking
skid, where the wheels are no longer rolling,
release enough pressure on the brakes to get
the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the
wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.
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Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, the wheels
will not get good traction. You cannot accelerate
as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you
will need longer braking distances.
It is best to use a low gear when you are in
mud —the deeper the mud, the lower the gear.
In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle
moving so you do not get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you will sense a change
in wheel traction. But it will depend upon how
loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed
sand, such as on beaches or sand dunes,
your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This has
an effect on steering, accelerating, and braking.
Drive at a reduced speed and avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers.Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire
traction. On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose
control. On wet ice, for example, the traction is
so poor that you will have difficulty accelerating.
And, if you do get moving, poor steering and
difficult braking can cause you to slide out
of control.
{CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds, or rivers
can be dangerous. Underwater springs,
currents under the ice, or sudden thaws
can weaken the ice. Your vehicle could
fall through the ice and you and your
passengers could drown. Drive your
vehicle on safe surfaces only.
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Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
If your vehicle has traction control, you should turn
the system off. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 238. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, or with a
manual transaxle, between FIRST (1) or
SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R), 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 the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions, you will cause
a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that
does not get your vehicle out after a few tries,
it may need to be towed out. Or, you can
use the recovery hook if your vehicle has one.
If your vehicle does need to be towed out,
seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 284.
Recovery Hook
{CAUTION:
The recovery hook, when used, is under
a lot of force. Always pull the vehicle
straight out. Never pull on the hook at a
sideways angle. The hook could break off
and you or others could be injured from
the chain or cable snapping back.
Notice:Never use the recovery hook to tow
the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged
and it would not be covered by warranty.
Contact your dealer/retailer if you would like to
have a recovery hook installed on your vehicle.
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Service
Your Saturn retailer knows your vehicle best and
wants you to be happy with it. We hope you
will go to your retailer for all your service needs.
You will get genuine Saturn parts and
Saturn-trained and supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your Saturn vehicle
all Saturn.
Genuine Saturn parts have one of these marks.
Accessories and Modications
When you add non-Saturn accessories to your
vehicle they can affect your vehicle’s performance
and safety, including such things as, airbags,
braking, stability, ride and handling, emissions
systems, aerodynamics, durability, and electronic
systems like anti-lock brakes, traction control,
and stability control. Some of these accessories
may even cause malfunction or damage not
covered by warranty.
Saturn accessories are designed to complement
and function with other systems on your vehicle.
Your Saturn retailer can accessorize your vehicle
using genuine Saturn accessories. When you go to
your Saturn retailer and ask for Saturn accessories,
you will know that Saturn-trained and supported
service technicians will perform the work using
genuine Saturn accessories.
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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 by the tire manufacturer.
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 367for additional information.
{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,
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 398.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your 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 your vehicle.
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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.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed
on the Tire and Loading Information label.
This label is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar
(B-pillar). SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 279,
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, 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 377and
Accessories and Modications on page 304for
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.
Warning:The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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 the material 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.
Warning: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.
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