
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be
slick and hard
to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because
it may offer the least traction
of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about
freezing
(32*F; O°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow --
drive with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begm stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See
“’Anti-lock” in the Index.
0 Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps
of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a
curve
or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are
clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
208

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine TOWING A TMLER
’ A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive properly, you
can lose control when you pull
a trailer. For example, if the
trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not work well
-- or even at
all. You and your passengers could be seriously injured. Pull a
trailer onp7 ;€you have followed all the step? in this section.
NOTJCE
Fulling
I
in costly repairs not covered by your wan lty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice
in this secti I.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies,
and tires are forced to
work harder against the drag of the added weight.
The engine is required
to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the traile\
r adds
considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.
All of that means changes in:
0 Handling
0 Durability
Fuel economy
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal,
not only where you live but also where you’ll be
driving.
A good source for this information can be state or provincial
police.
21 1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer
weight
(B). After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see
if the weights are proper. If they
aren’t, you may be able to get them right simply
by moving some
items around in the trailer.
3. Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for cold tires.
You’ll find these numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge\
of the driver’s door (or see Index under “Tire Loading”). Then be
sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit for your vehicle.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to follow:
0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later
when
you remove the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see
Index under “Carbon Monoxide”). Dirt and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other bumper-type hitches to them.
213

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue
will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Follow
the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety chains. \
Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow
safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s
brake system. If you do, both brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you’ll want
to get to know your rig. Acquaint
yourself with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight
of
the trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is
now a good deal longer and not nearly so responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller
by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This
lets you check your electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer brakes are
still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help
you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
214

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I SLING-TYPE
WHEEL LIFT
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it was factory-new by
adding aftermarket items like fog lamps, aero skirting, or spec\
ial tires and
wheels, these instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or rear with
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
sling-type equipment,
0 If there
was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the
tow operator know that this
manual contains detailed towing instructions and illustrations. The
operator may want
to see them.
228

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Put the cap back on
the coolant surge
tank.
5. Start the engine and as the engine runs the coolant will circulate
through the cooling system. Any air that was introduced while adding
coolant will purge itself and rise to the top of the surge tank.
If the
“ENGINE COOLANT LOW” message does not appear on the
Driver Information Center, coolant is at the proper
fill level. If an
“ENGINE COOLANT LOW” message does appear, repeat steps
1
through 4 or see your dealer.
IFA TIRE GOES FLAT
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out7’ while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain
your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely
to leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
will create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake
to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like
a skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your
foot from the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by steering the
way you want the vehicle
to go. It may be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to
a stop, well off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use your jacking
equipment to change a flat tire safely.
246

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Dog’t;ake your compact spare through an automatic car wash
+th-&&ie rails. The compact spare can get caught on the rails.
1 hat can damage the tire and wheel, and maybe other parts of
your vehicle,
Don’t use your compact spare on some other vehicle.
And don’t mix your compact spare
or wheel with other wheels or tires.
They won’t fit. Keep your spare and
its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your cornpal spare. Using thc
damage your vehicle and destroy
le c 1ins too.
4ains on your compaet sparer
Storing a jack,
a tire, or
Impartment
of the vehicle could cause injury. In a sudden stor
or collision, loose eq
these iRfhe DroD(
DI $2- &? .F%.,.
IF YOU’RE STUCK: IN SAND, MUD, ICE OR
SNOW
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is to spin your
wheels. The method known
as “rocking” can help you get out when
you’re stuck, but you must use caution.
256

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can explode and you
or others could be injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re stuck, spin the
wheels as little as possible. Don’t spin the wheels above
35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
-3pannmg your
H ; can destroy parts of your v( cle as well
I as the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting your
transaxle back and forth, you can destroy your transarj
.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area
around your front wheels. Then shift back and forth between
“R’
(Reverse) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear.
If that doesn’t get you out
after
a few tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do need to be
towed out, see “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
257