manual transmission SATURN VUE 2010 User Guide

9-14 Driving and Operating
Things not to do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, when going up
a hill:
.Never attempt to prevent a stall
by shifting into N (Neutral) to
rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will not
work. The vehicle can roll
backward very quickly and could
go out of control.
.Never try to turn around if about
to stall when going up a hill.
If the hill is steep enough to stall
the vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause it to roll over. If you
cannot make it up the hill, back
straight down the hill.
If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake,
put your transmission in P (Park),
and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit
on the uphill side and stay clear of
the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
.How steep is the downhill? Will I
be able to maintain vehicle
control?
.What is the surface like?
Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
.Are there hidden surface
obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
.What is at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden creek bank or
even a river bottom with large
rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill
safely, try to keep the vehicle
headed straight down. Use a low
gear so engine drag can help the
brakes so they do not have to do
all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping the vehicle under control at
all times.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the
brakes lightly when descending a
hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
Things not to do when driving down
a hill:
.When driving downhill, avoid
turns that take you across the
incline of the hill. A hill that is not
too steep to drive down might be
too steep to drive across. The
vehicle could roll over.
.Never go downhill with the
transmission in N (Neutral),
called free-wheeling. The brakes
will have to do all the work and
could overheat and fade.
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Driving and Operating 9-19
.Keep your eyes moving—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
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 the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Top of hills: Be
alert—something could be in
your lane (stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
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9-22 Driving and Operating
If the Vehicle is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If the vehicle has a traction system,
it can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's
traction system in the Index. If stuck
too severely for the traction system
to free the vehicle, turn the traction
system off and use the rocking
method.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph) as
shown on the speedometer.For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see
Tire
Chains on page 10‑64.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any stability
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, or with a manual transmission,
between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels as
little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If the vehicle does
need to be towed out, see Towing
the Vehicle on page 10‑78.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory‐installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.
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9-28 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply the
regular brake pedal.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer/retailer. LOCK/OFF:
This position locks the
ignition. It also locks the steering
wheel and the transmission. The
key can only be removed in LOCK/
OFF. The shift lever must be in
P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, the vehicle needs
service.
ACC (ACC/ACCESSORY): This is
the position in which you can
operate the electrical accessories or
items plugged into the accessory
power outlets.
Use this position if the vehicle must
be pushed or towed. ON/RUN:
This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. The transmission
is also unlocked in this position.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN positions
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start the vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
START: This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
and the key is in the ignition.
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Driving and Operating 9-29
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories may be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
ignition key is turned to the LOCK
position:
.Outside Mirror
.Power Windows
.Sunroof (if equipped)
.Radio
The outside mirror, power windows
and sunroof will function until a door
is opened.
The radio will function until the
driver door is opened.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition to START.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key. The idle speed will slow
down as the engine warms. Do
not race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
to allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage. To
prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by turning the ignition switch to
the ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF position.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
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9-30 Driving and Operating
2. If the engine does not start after5‐10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below −18°C or
0°F), it could be flooded with too
much gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for
up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then
stops again, repeat these steps.
This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting
it. Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts. Notice:
The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer/retailer. If you do not, the
engine might not perform
properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below −18°C ( 0°F). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least
four hours before starting. Some
models may have an internal
thermostat in the cord which will
prevent engine coolant heater
operation at temperatures above
−18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The engine
coolant heater cord is located
near the air cleaner box on the
passenger side of the engine
compartment. See Engine
Compartment Overview
on
page 10‑6for more information
on location.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
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9-32 Driving and Operating
Leaving the Vehicle With the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it
could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running.If you have to leave an automatic
transmission vehicle with the engine
running, be sure the vehicle is in
P (Park) and the parking brake is
firmly set before you leave it. After
you have moved the shift lever into
P (Park), hold the brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from P (Park) without
first pushing the button. If you can, it
means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift into P (Park) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put
too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park). This is called
“torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave
the driver seat. To find out how, see
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑31.
Move the shift lever out of P (Park)
before you release the parking
brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull
the shift lever out of P (Park).
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Driving and Operating 9-35
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll. Do
not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑31.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑53.
Automatic
Transmission
The shift lever is located on the
console between the seats.
There are several different positions
for the automatic transmission.
P (Park): This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park
on
page 9‑31
. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑53.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You have to fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press
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9-36 Driving and Operating
the shift lever button before you can
shift from P (Park) when the ignition
key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure
on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into P (Park) as
you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into
another gear. SeeShifting Out of
Park on page 9‑33.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle is Stuck on page 9‑22. N (Neutral):
In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed. Notice:
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving with the automatic
transmission. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph),
push the accelerator all the
way down.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding, see “Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑7.
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Driving and Operating 9-37
M (Manual):This position allows
you to change gears similar to a
manual transmission. If the vehicle
has this feature, see Manual
Shift Mode.
Notice: Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one place
on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.Manual Mode
Manual Shift Mode (MSM)
(Automatic Transmission)
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) rearward to
M (Manual).
The six-speed transmission will
downshift to a lower gear and
the instrument panel will display
the gear range selected.
If equipped with a 4-speed
transmission it will display a 3 for
third gear range.
When coming to a stop in the
manual position, the vehicle will
automatically shift to
1 (First) gear.
2. Press the plus (+) button to upshift or the minus (-) button to
downshift. While using the MSM feature the
vehicle will have sportier
performance. You can use this when
driving hilly roads to stay in gear
longer or to downshift for more
power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow you
to shift into a gear range appropriate
for the vehicle speed.
.The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next
higher gear range without
pressing the button on the shifter
handle.
.The transmission will not allow
shifting to the next lower gear if
the vehicle speed is too high.
If the vehicle does not respond to a
gear change, or detects a problem
with the transmission, the range of
gears may be reduced and the
Malfunction Indicator Lamp will
come on. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp
on page 5‑15Malfunction
Indicator Lamp .
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