All-wheel drive (awd) system, All-wheel drive (awd) system -7, Traction control operation – GMC 2009 Sierra User Manual

Page 265

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Traction Control Operation

The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak

®

system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine speed management)
and by applying brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as necessary.

The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle. It will activate and the
StabiliTrak

®

light will flash if it senses that any of the

wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction while
driving. If you turn off traction control, only the
brake-traction control portion of traction control will
work. The engine speed management will be disabled.
In this mode, engine power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can
cause the brake-traction control to activate constantly.

Notice: If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin
excessively while the StabiliTrak

®

, ABS and brake

warning lights and the SERVICE STABILITRAK
message are displayed, you could damage the
transfer case. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Reduce engine power and do not
spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights and
this message are displayed.

The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens, you may
notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise
or vibration. This is normal.

If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the StabiliTrak

®

light will flash and the cruise

control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on
page 3-11
.

StabiliTrak

®

may also turn off automatically if it

determines that a problem exists with the system. If
the problem does not clear itself after restarting
the vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.

All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System

Your vehicle may have this feature. Engine power is
sent to all four wheels all the time.

This is like four-wheel drive, but there is no separate
lever or switch to engage or disengage the front axle.
It is fully automatic, and adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.

4-7

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