ground clearance SATURN VUE 2009 Owners Manual

Driver Behavior
The single most important thing is
this: everyone in the vehicle,
including the driver, should buckle
up. SeeSafety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-10. In fact, most
serious injuries and fatalities to
unbelted occupants can be reduced
or prevented by the use of safety
belts. In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is signicantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. In addition, avoiding excessive
speed, sudden or abrupt turns, and
drunken or aggressive driving can
help make trips safer and avoid the
possibility of a crash, especially a
rollover crash. This section provides
many useful tips to help you drive
more safely.
Driving Environment
You can also help avoid a rollover
or other type of crash by being
prepared for driving in inclement
weather, at night, or during other
times where visibility or traction
may be limited, such as on curves,
slippery roads, or hilly terrain.
Unfamiliar surroundings can also
have hidden hazards.
To help you learn more about driving
in different conditions, this section
contains information about city,
freeway, and off-road driving, as well
as other hints for driving in various
weather conditions.
Vehicle Design
According to the U.S. Department
of Transportation, utility vehicles
have a signicantly higher rollover
rate than other types of vehicles.Utility vehicles do have higher
ground clearance and a narrower
track or shorter wheelbase than
passenger cars, to make them more
capable for off-road driving. Specic
design characteristics like these give
the driver a better view of the road,
but also give utility vehicles a higher
center of gravity than other types of
vehicles. This means that you should
not expect a utility vehicle to handle
the same way a vehicle with a lower
center of gravity, like a car, would in
similar situations.
But driver behavior factors are
far more often the cause of a
utility vehicle rollover than
are environmental or vehicle
factors. Safe driver behavior and
understanding the environment in
which you will be driving can help
avoid a rollover crash in any type of
vehicle, including utility vehicles.
4-2 Driving Your Vehicle
ProCarManuals.com

Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent,
cracked or badly rusted or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
should be replaced. If the wheel
leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can
sometimes be repaired). See your
dealer/retailer if any of these
conditions exist.
Your dealer/retailer will know the
kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset and be
mounted the same way as the one
it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your
wheels, wheel bolts or wheel
nuts, replace them only with new
Saturn original equipment parts.
This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and
wheel nuts for your vehicle.{CAUTION
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the
braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You
could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured.
Always use the correct wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for
replacement.
Notice:The wrong wheel can
also cause problems with bearing
life, brake cooling, speedometer
or odometer calibration, headlamp
aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and
chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 5-64for more information.
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.
(Continued)
5-62 Service and Appearance Care
ProCarManuals.com