fuel SATURN VUE HYBRID 2007 User Guide

This light should come on, as a check to show
you it is working, when the ignition is on and the
engine is not running. If the light does not
come on, have it repaired. This light will also
come on during a malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has
been detected. A misre increases vehicle
emissions and may damage the emission
control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis and
service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possibleIf the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do
so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park
your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light
remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady”
following. If the light is still ashing, follow the
previous steps, and see your retailer for service as
soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 292.
The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving trips
with the cap properly installed should turn the
light off.
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Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet.
The condition will usually be corrected when the
electrical system dries out. A few driving trips
should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 289. Poor fuel
quality will cause your engine not to run as
efficiently as designed. You may notice this as
stalling after start-up, stalling when you put the
vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration.
(These conditions may go away once the engine is
warmed up.) This will be detected by the system
and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the
light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light
turn off, your retailer can check the vehicle.
Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order
to help your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
check engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if
the OBD (on-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not
been completely diagnosed by the system.
The vehicle would be considered not ready for
inspection. This can happen if you have recently
replaced your battery or if your battery has
run down. The diagnostic system is designed to
evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and
your vehicle still does not pass the inspection for
lack of OBD system readiness, your retailer
can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
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Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on,
the fuel gage tells you
about how much
fuel you have left in
your tank.
When the indicator nears empty, the low fuel light
will come on. You still have a little fuel left, but
you should get more soon. SeeLow Fuel Warning
Light on page 181for more information.Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these mean a condition exists with
your fuel gage:
At the service station, the fuel pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than
the gage indicated. For example, the gage
may have indicated the tank was half full,
but it actually took a little more or less than
half the tank’s capacity to ll the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a
corner or speed up.
The gage takes a few seconds to stabilize
after the ignition is turned on, and will go
back to empty when you turn the ignition off.
For your fuel tank capacity, seeCapacities and
Specications on page 387.
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Low Fuel Warning Light
The light next to the fuel
gage will come on
briey when you are
starting the engine.
This light also comes on when the fuel tank is low
on fuel. When you add fuel the light should go
off. If it doesn’t, have your vehicle serviced.
Auto Stop Mode
This mark on the tachometer signies that the
engine is in Auto Stop mode which is a fuel saving
operation.
When the vehicle is keyed off when parking the
vehicle, the tachometer needle will drop to
OFF (United States) or 0 (Canada). If the driver’s
door is opened while in Auto Stop, a chime will
sound to indicate the engine will restart if you
remove your foot from the brake pedal.
United StatesCanada
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Fuel Economy Light
This light will come on
when the vehicle is
achieving fuel economy
close to rated
performance.
By changing your driving habits and increasing the
time that the fuel economy light is on, will improve
fuel economy.
To turn the fuel economy light off or on, press the
trip/reset button until the fuel economy light is
selected. Once selected, press and hold the
trip/reset button until the fuel economy light
switches to off or on. For more information see
Trip Odometer on page 163.
Hill Start Assist Light
If this light comes on,
there may be a problem
with the hill start
assist feature. See your
retailer for service.
If you are on an incline, your vehicle may roll
backwards a short distance until the engine
performs the auto start.
The hill start assist feature will help hold the
vehicle on a moderate or steep incline when
transitioning from a hybrid idle stop to starting
the engine.
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Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
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 rearview 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.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{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 the
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.
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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.
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 vehicle’s 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 the wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting the
transaxle back and forth, you can destroy the
transaxle. SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get
It Out on page 262.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 356.
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Certication/Tire Label
A vehicle specic Certication/Tire label is attached
to the rear edge of the driver’s door. The label
shows the gross weight capacity of your vehicle.
This is called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel, cargo, and trailer
tongue weight, if your vehicle is pulling a trailer.
The Certication/Tire label also tells you the
maximum weights for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).To nd out the actual loads on your front and rear
axles, you need to go to a weigh station and
weigh your vehicle. Your retailer can help you with
this. Be sure to spread out your load equally on
both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
GAWR for either the front or rear axle.
Similar looking vehicles may have different
GVWRs and payloads. Please consult your
vehicle’s Certication/Tire label or your retailer
for additional details.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
the proper trailer towing equipment. To identify
the trailering capacity of your vehicle, you should
read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. 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’s the reason for this part. 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, rear axle, 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. What’s more,
the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.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.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the rst
500 miles (805 km) your new vehicle is driven.
Your engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty.
Then, during the rst 500 miles (805 km) that
you tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle.
This helps your engine and other parts of
your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
Use INTERMEDIATE (I) or as you need to, a
lower gear which will minimize heat buildup
and extend the life of your transaxle.
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