Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control
The vehicle has a Traction Control System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control (ESC), an electronic stability control system. These systems help limit wheel spin and assist the driver in maintaining control, especially on slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any of the drive wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, TCS
applies the brakes to the spinning wheels and reduces engine power to limit
wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the vehicle senses a difference between the intended path and the direction the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies braking pressure to any one of the vehicle wheel brakes to assist the driver in keeping the vehicle on the intended path.
If cruise control is being used and TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit wheel spin, cruise control will disengage. Cruise control may be turned back on when road conditions allow.
Both systems come on automatically when the vehicle is started and begins to move. The systems may be heard or felt while they are operating or while performing diagnostic checks. This is normal and does not mean there is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both systems on for normal driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0 178 and “Turning the
The indicator light for both systems is in the instrument cluster. This light will:
Flash when TCS is limiting wheel spin.
Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is activated.
Turn on and stay on when either system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to activate, a message displays in the Driver Information Center (DIC), and d comes on and stays on to indicate that the system is inactive and is not assisting the driver in maintaining control. The vehicle is safe to drive, but driving should be adjusted accordingly.
If d comes on and stays on:
Stop the vehicle.
Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle.
If d comes on and stays on, the vehicle may need more time to diagnose the problem. If the condition persists, see your dealer.
Turning the Systems Off and On
TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC are turned off and on using the Driver Information Center (DIC) controls. See Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base and Midlevel) 0 118 or Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) 0 120 and Instrument Cluster (Midlevel) 0 100 or Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0 103 or Instrument Cluster (Base Level) 0 98 for instructions on navigating the cluster menus and selecting items.
Base Cluster
To turn TCS or ESC/StabiliTrak off and on, access the Traction and Stability display from the Vehicle menu in the DIC. The current status of each system is displayed below to the Traction and Stability icons. To turn either system off or on, select Options from the display to access the Traction and Stability menu screen. To turn TCS off, select Traction from the menu. The Traction Off Light i displays in the instrument cluster. See Traction Off Light 0 114. If TCS is limiting wheel spin, the TCS will not turn off until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn TCS back on, select Options from the display and then select Traction from the menu. To turn StabiliTrak/ESC off, select Options from the display and then select Stability from the menu. The StabiliTrak Off Light g will display in the instrument cluster. See StabiliTrak OFF Light 0 114. TCS cannot be on when StabiliTrak/ESC is off. If TCS is on when StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off, both systems will turn off. To turn StabiliTrak/ESC back on, select Options from the display and then select Stability from the menu. StabiliTrak/ESC will turn on, but TCS will remain off. To turn both TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC back on, select Options from the display and then select Traction from the menu and both systems will be turned back on. Adding accessories can affect the vehicle performance. See Accessories and Modifications 0 257
Midlevel and Up-Level Cluster
To turn Traction (TCS) or StabiliTrak (ESC) off and on, access the Traction and Stability display from the Options application.
The current status of each system is displayed next to the Traction and Stability icons. To turn either system off or on, select Menu to access the Traction and Stability menu screen. To turn TCS off, select Traction Off from the menu. The Traction Off Light i displays in the instrument cluster. See Traction Off Light 0 114. If TCS is limiting wheel spin, the TCS will not turn off until the wheels stop spinning. To turn TCS back on, select Traction On from the menu. Select Stability from the Traction and Stability menu to access the Stability Menu. To turn StabiliTrak/ESC off, select Stability Off from the menu. The StabiliTrak Off Light g will display in the instrument cluster. See StabiliTrak OFF Light 0 114. TCS cannot be on when StabiliTrak/ESC is off. If TCS is on when StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off, both systems will turn off. To turn StabiliTrak/ESC back on, select Stability On from the menu. TCS will remain off.
To turn both TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC back on, select Traction On from the Traction and Stability menu and both systems will be turned back on. Adding accessories can affect the vehicle performance. See Accessories and Modifications 0 257.
Driver Mode Control
Driver Mode Control (DMC) allows the driver to adjust the overall driving experience to better suit preference by selecting different modes. These modes will then adjust multiple systems to fit the specific driving needs. Drive mode availability and affected vehicle subsystems are dependent upon vehicle trim level, region, and optional features. If the vehicle is in Normal Mode or AWD Mode it will stay in that mode through future ignition cycles. If the vehicle is in any other mode, it will return to Normal Mode when the vehicle is restarted. When each mode is selected, a unique and persistent indicator will light on the mode knob.
Driver Mode Control Knob for FWD
Driver Mode Control Knob for AWD
To activate drive modes, turn knob until desired mode is illuminated.
q Normal Mode (FWD Only) or 5 Normal Mode (AWD Only)
Front-Wheel Drive (FWD vehicles only) and Two-Wheel Drive (AWD vehicles only) are for normal city and highway driving to provide a smooth ride. These settings provide a balance between comfort and handling. This is standard default mode.
4 AWD Mode
AWD Mode provides drive torque to all four wheels. Select AWD Mode to improve traction and control on slippery surfaces such as gravel, sand, wet pavement, snow, and ice. This mode will remain active through future ignition cycles. For more information on AWD Mode, see All-Wheel Drive 0 209.
6 Snow/Ice Mode
Snow/Ice Mode improves vehicle acceleration on snow and ice covered roads. When active, Snow/Ice Mode will adjust acceleration to optimize traction on slippery surfaces. This can compromise the acceleration on dry asphalt.
This feature is not intended for use when the vehicle is stuck in sand mud, ice, snow, or gravel. If the vehicle becomes stuck, see If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0 196.
7 Off-Road Mode
Use this mode for off-road recreational driving. Off-Road Mode should be used to improve driving at moderate speeds, on grass, gravel, dirt, unpaved roads, or snow covered roads. The accelerator pedal is tuned for off-road use and AWD will automatically be activated. StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Antilock Brake System (ABS), steering, and Traction Control System (TCS) will change for optimal off-road performance. Use this mode for public off-road recreational driving. For more information, see Off-Road Driving 0 190.
_Tow/Haul Mode
This mode will automatically activate AWD, if available. The transmission holds lower gears longer before shifting to provide more torque necessary when towing heavy loads. This will also increase fuel consumption. Use this mode to assist in maintaining desired vehicle speeds when driving on downhill grades by using the engine and transmission to slow the vehicle. This helps prevent the brakes from overheating. For more information, see Transporting a Disabled Vehicle 0 311.
Automatic Engine Grade Braking
Automatic Engine Grade Braking assists when driving downhill. It maintains vehicle speed by automatically implementing a shift pattern that uses the engine and the transmission to slow the vehicle. The system will automatically command downshifts to reduce vehicle speed. The normal shift pattern will return once the vehicle is on a low grade or when the accelerator pedal is pressed. While in the Electronic Range Select (ERS) Mode, grade braking is deactivated, allowing the driver to select a range and limiting the highest gear available. Grade braking is available for normal driving and in Tow/Haul Mode. See Automatic Transmission 0 207.
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