The vehicle has the StabiliTrak system which combines antilock brake, traction and stability control systems and helps the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle in most driving conditions.
Traction control activates when the controller senses wheel spin. StabiliTrak will selectively apply the brakes and reduce engine torque to help regain traction.
Stability control activates when the controller senses a discrepancy between the intended path and the direction the vehicle is travelling. StabiliTrak selectively applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle's brakes to help guide the vehicle in the intended direction.
When you first start the vehicle and begin to drive away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to insure there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt while it is working. This is normal and does not mean there is a problem with the vehicle. If driving conditions delay system initialization, the STABILITRAK NOT READY message may be displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC). If this is the case, the vehicle does not need servicing.
For more information on the stability messages, see DIC Warnings and Messages.
When the StabiliTrak system is both on and actively controlling the stability of the vehicle, the StabiliTrak light will blink for the duration of the event.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working. This is normal.
The StabiliTrak disable button is located on the transmission shift handle.
The StabiliTrak system is automatically disabled in 4LO mode and cannot be turned on until the vehicle is switched to 2HI, 4HI, or 4AWD.
The StabiliTrak system has three modes of operation: STABILITRAK ON, TRACTION CONTROL OFF, and STABILITRAK OFF.
STABILITRAK ON -- The vehicle will default to STABILITRAK ON every time the driver starts the vehicle. The StabiliTrak light will be off and no DIC messages will be displayed.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF -- The driver can modify the engine speed management system by momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak button on the transmission shift handle. The StabiliTrak light will come on and TRACTION CONTROL OFF will be displayed. For vehicles without a DIC, the StabiliTrak indicator light will come on. Momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak button again will return the system to the STABILITRAK ON mode.
STABILITRAK OFF -- The driver can turn off StabiliTrak by pressing the StabiliTrak button for more than five seconds. The StabiliTrak light will come on and STABILITRAK OFF will be displayed. For vehicles without a DIC, the StabiliTrak indicator light will come on. Momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak button again will return the system to the STABILITRAK ON mode. See StabiliTrak Off below for more information.
Traction Control Off
In this mode, stability control and brake-traction control are functional. Engine speed management will be modified and the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can cause the brake-traction control to activate more frequently. If the controller detects excessive wheel spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak indicator light may blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message may be displayed to warn the driver that damage may occur to the transfer case.
StabiliTrak Off
In this mode, both stability control and part of the traction control system are disabled. The vehicle will still have brake-traction control, but will not be able to use the engine speed management system. System noises may be heard as a result of the brake-traction control coming on. If the controller detects excessive wheel spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak indicator light may blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message may be displayed to warn the driver that damage may occur to the transfer case.
It is recommended to leave the system on for normal driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, and you may want to "rock" the vehicle in an attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high wheel spin is required. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow for more information.
When the transfer case is in 4LO, the stability system is automatically disabled. The StabiliTrak light will come on and the STABILITRAK OFF message will appear on the DIC. The StabiliTrak system cannot be turned on until the vehicle is switched to 2HI, 4HI, or 4AWD.
The following chart describes the StabiliTrak system events and the corresponding messages and lights that will be displayed on the instrument panel cluster.
Vehicles with a DIC | Vehicles without a DIC | Event | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
StabiliTrak Indicator Light | DIC Message | StabiliTrak Indicator Light | StabiliTrak Service Light | -- |
Off | None | Off | Off | StabiliTrak On mode (System is fully enabled, but is not actively controlling vehicle stability). |
Solid | Traction Control Off | Solid | Off | Traction Control Off Mode |
Solid | StabiliTrak Off | Solid | Off | StabiliTrak Off Mode (StabiliTrak indicator light will flash when system first enters this mode). |
Blinking | StabiliTrak Active | Blinking | Off | StabiliTrak system activates using engine speed management, brake traction control, and/or stability control. |
Solid | Service StabiliTrak | Solid | Solid | StabiliTrak system is disabled due to a system fault. |
Solid | StabiliTrak Not Ready | Solid | Off | StabiliTrak system is disabled due to a failure to initialize. |
Notice: If the StabiliTrak® light comes on due to heavy braking and/or because the traction control system has been continuously active, do not allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively. This could lead to damage to the transfer case and costly repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice: If the wheel(s) of one axle is allowed to spin excessively while the StabiliTrak, ABS and brake warning lights and any relevant DIC messages are displayed, the transfer case could be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights and messages are displayed.
StabiliTrak 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, a reduction in acceleration may be noticed, or a noise or vibration may be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when the system activates, the StabiliTrak light will flash and cruise control will automatically disengage. Cruise control may be reengaged when road conditions allow. See Cruise Control.
StabiliTrak will turn off automatically if a problem is detected in the system. The StabiliTrak light will come on and SERVICE STABILITRAK will be displayed on the DIC. For vehicles without a DIC, the StabiliTrak light and the StabiliTrak service light will both come on. If the SERVICE STABILITRAK message (or StabiliTrak service light) does not clear itself after restarting the vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect the vehicle's performance. See Accessories and Modifications for more information.
