Saturn Vue 2004 User Manual

2004 Saturn VUE Owner Manual M

Seats and Restraint Systems ...........................	1-1
Front Seats ...............................................	1-2
Rear Seats ...............................................	1-8
Safety Belts .............................................	1-10
Child Restraints .......................................	1-28
Airbag Systems ........................................	1-48
Restraint System Check ............................	1-58
Features and Controls .....................................	2-1
Keys ........................................................	2-2
Doors and Locks .......................................	2-7
Windows .................................................	2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................	2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ...........	2-14
Mirrors ....................................................	2-29
OnStar® System ......................................	2-35
Storage Areas .........................................	2-36
Sunroof ..................................................	2-38
Instrument Panel .............................................	3-1
Instrument Panel Overview ..........................	3-4
Climate Controls ......................................	3-21
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........	3-25
Audio System(s) .......................................	3-42

Driving Your Vehicle .......................................	4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle	..... 4-2
Towing ...................................................	4-46
Service and Appearance Care ..........................	5-1
Service .....................................................	5-3
Fuel .........................................................	5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ...............	5-10
All-Wheel Drive ........................................	5-51
Headlamp Aiming .....................................	5-52
Bulb Replacement ....................................	5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement .........	5-60
Tires ......................................................	5-62
Appearance Care .....................................	5-89
Vehicle Identification .................................	5-97
Electrical System ......................................	5-98
Capacities and Specifications ...................	5-102
Maintenance Schedule .....................................	6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................	6-2
Customer Assistance and Information ..............	7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ...........	7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ............................	7-8
Index ................................................................	1

SATURN, the SATURN Emblem, and the name VUE are registered trademarks of Saturn Corporation. GENERAL MOTORS and GM are registered trademarks of General Motors Corportation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after that time without further notice.

Keep this manual in the vehicle so it will be there if it is needed. If the vehicle is sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.

Canadian Owners

A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer or from:

Helm, Incorporated

P.O. Box 07130

Detroit, MI 48207

About Driving Your Vehicle

As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control

or an accident. Be sure to read the “on-pavement” and “off-road” driving guidelines in this manual. See Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle on page 4-2

and Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle Off Paved Roads on page 4-18.

How to Use This Manual

Many people read the owner manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle.

If this is done, it can help you learn about the features and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words

work together in the owner manual to explain things.

Litho in U.S.A.	© 2004 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Part No. 04VUE B Second Edition

ii

Index

A good place to quickly locate information about the vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and

the page number where it can be found.

Safety Warnings and Symbols

There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.

{CAUTION:

These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not, you or others could be hurt.

You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means “Do Not,” “Do Not do this” or

“Do Not let this happen.”

iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings

Also, in this manual you will find these notices:

Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle.

A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.

When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words.

There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

Vehicle Symbols

The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a specific component, control, message, gage, or indicator.

If you need help figuring out a specific name of a component, gage, or indicator, reference the following topics:

•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1

•Features and Controls in Section 2

•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3

•Climate Controls in Section 3

•Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3

•Audio System(s) in Section 3

•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5

iv

These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:

v

NOTES

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Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Front Seats ......................................................	1-2
Manual Seats ................................................	1-2
Driver Seat Height Adjuster ..............................	1-3
Six-Way Power Driver Seat ..............................	1-3
Manual Lumbar ..............................................	1-4
Heated Seats .................................................	1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................	1-5
Head Restraints .............................................	1-7
Passenger Folding Seatback ............................	1-8
Rear Seats .......................................................	1-8
Split Folding Rear Seat ...................................	1-8
Safety Belts ...................................................	1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................	1-10
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......	1-14
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................	1-15
Driver Position ..............................................	1-15
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................	1-22
Right Front Passenger Position .......................	1-23
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................	1-23
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults ..........................	1-25
Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................	1-28
Safety Belt Extender .....................................	1-28
Child Restraints .............................................	1-28
Older Children ..............................................	1-28
Infants and Young Children ............................	1-31

Child Restraint Systems .................................	1-34
Where to Put the Restraint .............................	1-36
Top Strap ....................................................	1-37
Top Strap Anchor Location .............................	1-39
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) ...........................	1-40
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System ....................................	1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position ....................................	1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position ....................................	1-45
Airbag Systems ..............................................	1-48
Where Are the Airbags? ................................	1-50
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................	1-53
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................	1-54
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................	1-54
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....	1-55
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........	1-56
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................	1-57
Restraint System Check ..................................	1-58
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................	1-58
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................	1-58
	1-1

Front Seats

Manual Seats

{CAUTION:

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release

the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place.

1-2

Driver Seat Height Adjuster	Six-Way Power Driver Seat

If your vehicle has a driver’s seat height adjuster, it is located on the outboard side of the seat.

To raise the seat, ratchet the lever upward until the seat is at the desired height. To lower the seat, ratchet the lever downward until the seat is at the desired height.

If your vehicle has this feature, the control is located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. To adjust the seat do any of the following:

•Move the seat forward or rearward by moving the control forward or rearward.

•Raise or lower the seat by sliding the control up or down.

•Raise or lower the front portion of the seat by sliding the front of the control up or down.

•Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat by sliding the rear of the control up or down.

1-3

Manual Lumbar	Heated Seats

If your vehicle has this feature, the knob is located on the inboard side of the driver’s seatback.

Turn the knob forward or rearward to increase or decrease the lumbar support.

Your vehicle may have heated seats. The switches are located below the climate control system.

Press 1 to warm the seat. Press 2 for a higher temperature setting. To turn this feature off, move the switch to the center position.

1-4

Reclining Seatbacks

To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outboard side of the seat and move the seatback to where

you want it. Then release the lever to lock the seatback in place.

1-5

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

{CAUTION:

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can not do their job when you are reclined like this.

The shoulder belt can not do its job because it will not be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.

The lap belt can not do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

1-6

Head Restraints

Press the button on the side of the head restraint to adjust it.

Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position

reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

1-7

Passenger Folding Seatback

The front passenger’s seatback folds flat. To fold the seatback, do the following:

1.Lift the bar under the seat to unlock it.

2.Slide the seat as far back as it will go and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to make sure it is locked into place.

3.Lift the recliner lever, located on the outside of the seat, and fold the seat forward until the seatback disengages. Continue to fold the seat forward until it locks in the folded position. Pull up on the

seatback to be sure it is locked.

{CAUTION:

If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inflating airbag might force that object toward a person. This could cause severe injury or even death. Secure objects away from the area in which an airbag would inflate. For more information, see “Where Are the airbags?” and “Loading Your Vehicle,” in the Index.

Rear Seats

Split Folding Rear Seat

The rear split bench seatbacks have three available positions — folded forward, upright, or partially reclined. Each of the rear seatbacks can be moved to any of the three positions independent of the other seatback position.

1-8

{CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

{CAUTION:

A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted will not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted.

Prior to lowering the seatback, ensure all three of the seatbelts are unbuckled and the front seats are not reclined.

Lift the lever on the upper back corner of the seatback to move it to the desired position and then release

it. Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked in place.

1-9

Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone

This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts.

{CAUTION:

Do not let anyone ride where he or she can not wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you are not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened properly too.

{CAUTION:

It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly.

Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-28.

In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work.

1-10

You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one.

A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.

After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter...a lot!

Why Safety Belts Work

When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels.

1-11

Put someone on it.	Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
	does not stop.

1-12

The person keeps going until stopped by something.	or the instrument panel...
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...

1-13

or the safety belts!

With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense.

Questions and Answers About

Safety Belts

Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I am wearing a safety belt?

A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident,

so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted.

Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts?

A: Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.

1-14

Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an accident — even one that is not your fault — you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers.

Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious

injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h).

Safety belts are for everyone.

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

This part is only for people of adult size.

Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be

riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-28 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-31. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.

First, you will want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has.

We will start with the driver position.

Driver Position

This part describes the driver’s restraint system.

Lap-Shoulder Belt

The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear it properly.

1.Close and lock the door.

2.Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

1-15

3.Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted.

The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly.

4.Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-28.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

5.To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.

1-16

The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.

The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster

Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height that is right for you. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder.

To move it down, squeeze the release button and move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down without squeezing the release button to make sure it has locked into position.

1-17

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move

forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body.

1-18

Q: What’s wrong with this?

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

1-19

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm.

It should be worn over the shoulder at all times.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen.

1-20

Q: What’s wrong with this?

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces.

If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your retailer to fix it.

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

1-21

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way.

Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.

A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.

1-22

Right Front Passenger Position

To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 1-15.

The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt — except for one

thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all

the way and start again.

Rear Seat Passengers

It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.

Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.

Lap-Shoulder Belt

All rear seating positions have lap-shoulder belts. Here is how to wear one properly.

1.Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted.

The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly.

1-23

2.Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.

If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-28.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

3.To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.

The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.

1-24