steering SUZUKI XL7 2007 2.G User Guide

3-39 INSTRUMENT PANEL
78J00-03E
 DO NOT RESTORE:
The personalization features will not be
set to their factory default settings.
Choose one of the available settings and
press the set/reset button while it is dis-
played on the DIC to select it.
EXIT FEATURE SETTINGS
This feature allows you to exit the feature
settings menu.
Press the vehicle information button until
FEATURE SETTINGS PRESS TO
EXIT appears in the DIC display. Press the
set/reset button to exit the menu.
If you do not exit, pressing the vehicle
information button again will return you to
the beginning of the vehicle information
menu.
Exiting the Feature Settings Menu
The feature settings menu will be exited
when any of the following occurs:
 The vehicle is shifted out of PARK (P).
 The vehicle is no longer in RUN.
 The trip/fuel DIC button is pressed.
 The end of the feature settings menu is
reached and exited.
 A 40 second time period has elapsed
with no selection made.
Audio System(s)Determine which radio your vehicle has
and then read the pages following to famil-
iarize yourself with its features.
Driving without distraction is a necessity
for a safer driving experience. Refer to
“Defensive Driving” in “Your Driving, the
Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section. By taking a few
moments to read this manual and get
familiar with your vehicle’s audio system,
you can use it with less effort, as well as
take advantage of its features. While your
vehicle is parked, set up your audio system
by presetting your favorite radio stations,
setting the tone and adjusting the speak-
ers. Then, when driving conditions permit,
you can tune to your favorite stations using
the presets and steering wheel controls if
the vehicle has them.Keeping your mind on the drive is impor-
tant for safe driving. Here are some ways
in which you can help avoid distraction
while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
 Familiarize yourself with all of its con-
trols.
 Familiarize yourself with its operation.
 Set up your audio system by presetting
your favorite radio stations, setting the
tone, and adjusting the speakers. Then,
when driving conditions permit, you can
tune to your favorite radio stations using
the presets and steering wheel controls
if the vehicle has them.
WARNING
This system provides you with a far
greater access to audio stations and
song listings. Giving extended atten-
tion to entertainment tasks while
driving can cause a crash and you or
others can be injured or killed.
Always keep your eyes on the road
and your mind on the drive – avoid
engaging in extended searching
while driving.
CAUTION
Before adding any sound equipment
to your vehicle, such as an audio
system, CD player, CB radio, mobile
telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking
with your dealer. Also, check federal
rules covering mobile radio and tele-
phone units. If sound equipment can
be added, it is very important to do it
properly. Added sound equipment
can interfere with the operation of
your vehicle’s engine, radio, or other
systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle’s systems can interfere
with the operation of sound equip-
ment that has been added.

3-45 INSTRUMENT PANEL
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2) Press the MENU button to display the
radio setup menu.
3) Press the pushbutton under the AUTO
VOLUM label on the radio display.
4) Press the pushbutton under the desired
Speed Compensated Volume setting
(OFF, Low, Med, or High) to select the
level of radio volume compensation.
The display times out after approxi-
mately 10 seconds. Each higher setting
allows for more radio volume compen-
sation at faster vehicle speeds.
Finding a Station
BAND:
Press this button to switch between AM,
FM, or XM
TM (if equipped). The display
shows the selection.
(Tune):
Turn this knob to select radio stations.
SEEK :
Press the right or left SEEK arrow to go to
the next or to the previous station and stay
there.
To scan stations, press and hold either
SEEK arrow for a few seconds until a beep
sounds. The radio goes to a station, plays
for a few seconds, then goes to the next
station. Press either SEEK arrow again to
stop scanning.
The radio only seeks and scans stations
with a strong signal that are in the selected
band. (Information) (XM
TM Satellite Radio
Service, MP3, and RDS Features):
Press the information button to display
additional text information related to the
current FM-RDS or XMTM station, or MP3
song. A choice of additional information
such as: Channel, Song, Artist, and CAT
may appear. Continue pressing the infor-
mation button to highlight the desired label,
or press the pushbutton positioned under
any one of the labels and the information
about that label is displayed.
When information is not available, No Info
displays.
Storing a Radio Station as a Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up their
radio station favorites while the vehicle is
parked. Tune to your favorite stations using
the presets, favorites button, and steering
wheel controls (if equipped). Refer to
“Defensive Driving” in “Your Driving, the
Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section.
FAV (Favorites):
A maximum of 36 stations can be pro-
grammed as favorites using the six push-
buttons positioned below the radio station
frequency labels and by using the radio
favorites page button (FAV button). Press
the FAV button to go through up to six
pages of favorites, each having six favorite
stations available per page. Each page of
favorites can contain any combination of
AM, FM, or XM
TM (if equipped) stations. Tostore a station as a favorite, perform the
following steps:
1) Tune to the desired radio station.
2) Press the FAV button to display the
page where you want the station
stored.
3) Press and hold one of the six pushbut-
tons until a beep sounds. Whenever
that pushbutton is pressed and
released, the station that was set,
returns.
4) Repeat the steps for each pushbutton
radio station you want stored as a favor-
ite.
The number of favorites pages can be
setup using the MENU button. To setup the
number of favorites pages, perform the fol-
lowing steps:
1) Press the MENU button to display the
radio setup menu.
2) Press the pushbutton located below the
FAV 1-6 label.
3) Select the desired number of favorites
pages by pressing the pushbutton
located below the displayed page num-
bers.
4) Press the FAV button, or let the menu
time out, to return to the original main
radio screen showing the radio station
frequency labels and to begin the pro-
cess of programming your favorites for
the chosen amount of numbered
pages.

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Playing the Radio
(Power/Volume):
Press this knob to turn the system on and
off.
Turn this knob clockwise or counterclock-
wise to increase or decrease the volume.
Speed Compensated Volume (SCV):
The radio has Speed Compensated Vol-
ume (SCV). While SCV is on, the radio vol-
ume automatically adjusts to compensate
for road and wind noise as driving speed
changes. That way, the volume level
should sound about the same as you drive.
To activate SCV:
1) Set the radio volume to the desired
level.
2) Press the MENU button to display the
radio setup menu.
3) Press the pushbutton under the AUTO
VOLUM (volume) label on the radio dis-
play.
4) Press the pushbutton under the desired
SCV setting (OFF, Low, Med (medium),
or High) to select the level of radio vol-
ume compensation. The display times
out after approximately 10 seconds.
Each higher setting allows for more
radio volume compensation at faster
vehicle speeds.Finding a Station
BAND:
Press this button to switch between AM,
FM, or XM
TM (if equipped). The display
shows the selection.
(Tune):
Turn this knob to select radio stations.
SEEK :
Press the left or right SEEK arrow to go to
the next or to the previous station and stay
there.
To scan stations, press and hold either
SEEK arrow for a few seconds until a beep
sounds. The radio goes to a station, plays
for a few seconds, then goes to the next
station. Press either SEEK arrow again to
stop scanning.
The radio seeks and scans stations only
with a strong signal that are in the selected
band.
(Information) (XM
TM Satellite Radio
Service, MP3, and RDS Features):
Press the information button to display
additional text information related to the
current FM-RDS or XMTM station, or MP3
song. A choice of additional information
such as: Channel, Song, Artist, and CAT
(category) could appear. Continue press-
ing the information button to highlight the
desired label, or press the pushbutton
positioned under any one of the labels and
the information about that label is dis-
played.When information is not available, No Info
displays.
Storing a Radio Station as a Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up their
radio station favorites while the vehicle is
parked. Tune to your favorite stations using
the presets, favorites button, and steering
wheel controls, if the vehicle has them.
Refer to “Defensive Driving” in “Your Driv-
ing, the Road, and Your Vehicle” in the
“Driving Your Vehicle” section.
FAV (Favorites):
A maximum of 36 stations can be pro-
grammed as favorites using the six push-
buttons positioned below the radio station
frequency labels and by using the radio
favorites page button (FAV button). Press
the FAV button to go through up to six
pages of favorites, each having six favorite
stations available per page. Each page of
favorites can contain any combination of
AM, FM, or XM
TM (if equipped) stations. To
store a station as a favorite, perform the
following steps:
1) Tune to the desired radio station.
2) Press the FAV button to display the
page where you want the station
stored.
3) Press and hold one of the six pushbut-
tons until a beep sounds. Whenever
that pushbutton is pressed and
released, the station that was set,
returns.

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DVD Display Error Messages
The DVD display error message depends
on which radio you have. The video screen
may display one of the following:
Disc Load/Eject Error:
This message is displayed when there are
disc load or eject problems.
Disc Format Error:
This message will be displayed, if the disc
is inserted with the disc label wrong side
up, or if the disc is damaged.
Disc Region Error:
This message will be displayed, if the disc
is not from a correct region.
No Disc Inserted:
This message will be displayed, if no disc
is present when the EJECT button is
pressed on the radio.
DVD Distortion
Video distortion may occur when operating
cellular phones, scanners, CB radios, Glo-
bal Position Systems (GPS)*, two-way
radios, mobile fax, or walkie talkies.
It may be necessary to turn off the DVD
player when operating one of these
devices in or near the vehicle.
Cleaning the RSE Overhead Console
When cleaning the RSE overhead console
surface, use only a clean cloth dampened
with clean water.Cleaning the Video Screen
When cleaning the video screen, use only
a clean cloth dampened with clean water.
Use care when directly touching or clean-
ing the screen, as damage may result.
Theft-Deterrent FeatureTHEFTLOCK
® is designed to discourage
theft of your vehicle’s radio. The feature
works automatically by learning a portion
of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
If the radio is moved to a different vehicle,
it does not operate and LOCKED displays.
With THEFTLOCK
® activated, the radio
cannot operate if stolen.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
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If your vehicle has audio steering wheel
controls, they may be differ depending onyour vehicle’s options. Some audio con-
trols can be adjusted at the steering wheel.
They include the following:
(Next/Previous):
Press the up or the down arrow to go to the
next or to the previous radio station stored
as a favorite.
When a CD/DVD is playing, press the up
or the down arrow to go to the next or pre-
vious track or chapter.
(Mute/Voice Recognition):
Press and release this button to silence
the vehicle speakers only. The audio of the
wireless and wired headphones, if your
vehicle has these features, will not be
muted. Press and release this button
again, to turn the sound on.
If your vehicle has the navigation system,
press and hold this button for longer than
one second to initiate voice recognition.
See “Voice Recognition” in the Navigation
System manual for more information.
SRCE (Source):
Press this button to switch between the
radio (AM, FM), XM (if equipped), CD, and
if your vehicle has these features, DVD,
front auxiliary, and rear auxiliary.
(Volume):
Press the plus or minus button to increase
or to decrease the radio volume.

4-3 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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There is something else about drinking
and driving that many people do not know.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a
person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spi-
nal cord, or heart. This means that when
anyone who has been drinking – driver or
passenger – is in a crash, that person’s
chance of being killed or permanently dis-
abled is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.Control of a VehicleYou have three systems that make your
vehicle go where you want it to go. They
are the brakes, the steering, and the accel-
erator. All three systems have to do their
work at the places where the tires meet the
road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on
snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those
control systems than the tires and roadcan provide. That means you can lose con-
trol of your vehicle.
Adding non-Suzuki accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. Refer to
“Accessories and Modifications” in “Ser-
vice” in the “Service and Appearance
Care” section.
BrakingRefer to “Brake System Warning Light” in
“Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators” in
the “Instrument Panel” section.
Braking action involves perception time
and reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the
brake pedal. That is perception time. Then
you have to bring up your foot and do it.
That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-
fourths of a second. But that is only an
average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all
play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and frus-
tration. But even in three-fourths of a sec-
ond, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/
h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a
lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping
enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances
vary greatly with the surface of the road,whether it is pavement or gravel; the con-
dition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount
of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some peo-
ple drive in spurts – heavy acceleration fol-
lowed by heavy braking – rather than
keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake.
The brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes will wear
out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If you keep pace with the traffic
and allow realistic following distances, you
will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while
you are driving, brake normally but do not
pump the brakes. If you do, the pedal may
get harder to push down. If the engine
stops, you will still have some power brake
assist. But you will use it when you brake.
Once the power assist is used up, it may
take longer to stop and the brake pedal will
be harder to push.
Adding non-Suzuki accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. Refer to
“Accessories and Modifications” in “Ser-
vice” in the “Service and Appearance
Care” section.
WARNING
Drinking and then driving is very dan-
gerous. Your reflexes, perceptions,
attentiveness, and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of
alcohol. You can have a serious – or
even fatal – collision if you drive after
drinking. Please do not drink and
drive or ride with a driver who has
been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or
if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.

4-5 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the
same time. In many emergencies, steering
can help you more than even the very best
braking.Traction Control System (TCS)Your vehicle has a traction control system
that limits wheel spin. This is especially
useful in slippery road conditions. The sys-
tem operates only if it senses that one or
both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this hap-
pens, the system reduces engine power to
limit wheel spin.
1545635
This light will come on when your traction
control system is limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working,
but this is normal. This light may also come
on after extended heavy braking indicating
the brakes have become too hot to limit
wheel spin.
The traction control system automatically
comes on whenever you start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery
road conditions, you should always leavethe system on. But you can turn the trac-
tion control system off if you ever need to.
You should turn the system off if your vehi-
cle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow and rocking the vehicle is required.
Refer to “Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out” in this section.
78J001
The traction control system can be turned
off by pressing the traction control button,
located on the floor console to the left of
the shift lever.
The traction control system can be acti-
vated again by pressing the traction control
button.
If the system is limiting wheel spin when
you press the button, the traction control
off light will appear on the instrument panel
cluster. The system will not turn off until
there is no longer a current need to limit
wheel spin. You can turn the system back
on at any time by pressing the button
again. If the light does not come on, you
may not have traction control and your
vehicle should be serviced by a dealer.
Adding non-SUZUKI accessories can
affect your vehicle’s performance. Refer to“Accessories and Modifications” in “Ser-
vice” in the “Service and Appearance
Care” section for more information.
Electronic Stability ControlThe Electronic Stability Control (ESC) sys-
tem is an advanced computer controlled
system that helps the driver maintain direc-
tional control of the vehicle in difficult driv-
ing conditions. This is accomplished by
selectively applying any one of the vehi-
cle’s brakes and reducing engine power.
The ESC system comes on automatically
whenever you start your vehicle.
The SERVICE STABILITY CTRL message
may be displayed in the DIC after first driv-
ing the vehicle and exceeding 30 mph 48
(km/h) for 30 seconds. The ESC system is
off until the message has turned off. This
could take up to 15 minutes. Refer to “DIC
Warnings and Messages” in “Driver Infor-
mation Center (DIC)” in the “Instrument
Panel” section for more information.
The SERVICE STABILITY CTRL message
will stay on if there is a problem with the
system. When this message is on, the sys-
tem is not operational. Adjust your driving
accordingly. ESC can be turned off using
the traction control button. To disable ESC,
press and hold the traction control button
for five seconds. ESC can be activated
again by pressing the traction control but-
ton.

4-6 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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All-Wheel Drive (AWD) SystemIf your vehicle has all-wheel drive (AWD),
the AWD system operates automatically
without any action required by the driver. If
the front drive wheels begin to slip, the rear
wheels will automatically begin to drive the
vehicle as required. Torque is also applied
to the rear wheels during launches. There
may be a slight engagement noise during
hard use but this is normal.
1710820
This light and the SERVICE ALL WHEEL
DRIVE message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will come on and stay on to
indicate that there may be a problem with
the drive system and service is required.
Refer to “Service All-Wheel Drive Light” in
“Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators” in
the “Instrument Panel” section and “DIC
Warnings and Messages” in “Driver Infor-
mation Center (DIC)” in the “Instrument
Panel” section for more information.
1710823
This light will come on along with the ALL
WHEEL DRIVE OFF message when the
rear drive system is overheating. This light
will turn off when the rear drive system
cools down. If this light stays on, it must be
reset. To reset the light, turn the ignition off
and then back again. If the light stays on,
see your dealer for service.
Refer to “All Wheel Drive Off” under “DIC
Warnings and Messages” in “Driver Infor-
mation Center (DIC)” in the “Instrument
Panel” section for more information.SteeringPower Steering
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the power steering sys-
tem is not functioning, you can steer, but it
will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reason-
able 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 pos-
sible 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 your 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.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp
curve. Then you suddenly accelerate. Both
control systems – steering and accelera-
tion – have to do their work where the tires
meet the road. Adding the sudden acceler-
ation can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. Refer to
“Traction Control System (TCS)” and
“Electronic Stability Control” in this section.
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

4-7 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
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 your 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-Suzuki accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. Refer to
“Accessories and Modifications” in “Ser-
vice” in the “Service and Appearance
Care” section.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be
more effective than braking. For example,
you come over a hill and find a truck
stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out
from between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. You can avoid these prob-
lems by braking – if you can stop in time.
But sometimes you cannot; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action –
steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in
emergencies like these. First apply your
brakes.
Refer to “Braking” in this section. It is bet-
ter to remove as much speed as you canfrom a possible collision. Then steer
around the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
811539
An emergency like this requires close
attention and a quick decision. If you are
holding the steering wheel at the recom-
mended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly with-
out removing either hand. But you have to
act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly
straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations
are always possible is a good reason to
practice defensive driving at all times and
wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road RecoveryYou may find that your vehicle’s right
wheels have dropped off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while you are driv-
ing.
810696
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly
below the pavement, recovery should be
fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and
then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the
pavement. You can turn the steering wheel
up to one-quarter turn until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.PassingThe driver of a vehicle about to pass
another on a two-lane highway waits for
just the right moment, accelerates, moves
around the vehicle ahead, then goes back

4-8 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
into the right lane again. A simple maneu-
ver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially dan-
gerous move, since the passing vehicle
occupies the same lane as oncoming traf-
fic for several seconds. A miscalculation,
an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to
frustration or anger can suddenly put the
passing driver face to face with the worst of
all traffic accidents – the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
 Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the
sides, and to crossroads for situations
that might affect your passing patterns. If
you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a bet-
ter time.
 Watch for traffic signs, pavement mark-
ings, and lines. If you can see a sign up
ahead that might indicate a turn or an
intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it is all right
to pass, providing the road ahead is
clear. Never cross a solid line on your
side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
 Do not get too close to the vehicle you
want to pass while you are awaiting an
opportunity. For one thing, following too
closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you are following a larger
vehicle. Also, you will not have adequatespace if the vehicle ahead suddenly
slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
 When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming up, start to accelerate but stay in
the right lane and do not get too close.
Time your move so you will be increas-
ing speed as the time comes to move
into the other lane. If the way is clear to
pass, you will have a running start that
more than makes up for the distance you
would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to can-
cel your pass, you need only slow down
and drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
 If other vehicles are lined up to pass a
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone is not trying to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow vehi-
cle. Remember to glance over your
shoulder and check the blind spot.
 Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance
over your shoulder, and start your left
lane change signal before moving out of
the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to
see its front in your vehicle’s inside mir-
ror, activate the right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane.
Remember that your vehicle’s passen-
ger side outside mirror is convex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really is. Try not to pass more than one vehicle at
a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider
before passing the next vehicle.
 Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle
too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps
are not flashing, it may be slowing down
or starting to turn.
 If you are being passed, make it easy for
the following driver to get ahead of you.
Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of ControlLet us review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three con-
trol systems – brakes, steering, and accel-
eration – do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the
vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to exist-
ing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always pos-
sible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your vehicle’s three control systems. In the
braking skid, your wheels are not rolling. In
the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to
slip and lose cornering force. And in the

4-9 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
acceleration skid, too much throttle causes
the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system
helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If
your traction system is off, then an acceler-
ation skid is also best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal. Refer to
“Traction Control System (TCS)” and
“Electronic Stability Control” in this section.
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 con-
ditions. It is important to slow down on slip-
pery surfaces because stopping distance
will be longer and vehicle control more lim-
ited.
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 sur-
face – 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.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at NightNight driving is more dangerous than day
driving. One reason is that some drivers
are likely to be impaired – by alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
 Drive defensively.
 Do not drink and drive.
 Adjust the inside rearview mirror to
reduce glare from headlamps behind
you.
 Since you cannot see as well, you may
need to slow down and keep more space
between you and other vehicles. Slow down, especially on higher speed
roads. Your vehicle’s headlamps can
light up only much road ahead.
 In remote areas, watch for animals.
 If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these differ-
ences increase. A 50-year-old driver may
require at least twice much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect
your night vision. For example, if you
spend the day in bright sunshine you are
wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if
you are driving, do not wear sunglasses at
night. They may cut down on glare from
headlamps, but they also make a lot of
things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching headlamps. It can take a sec-
ond or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams,
or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps,
slow down a little. Avoid staring directly
into the approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on
your vehicle clean – inside and out. Glare
at night is made much worse by dirt on the
glass. Even the inside of the glass can