
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Starting Your 2.4 Liter Engine
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let
go
of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine warms
up.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If the engine doesn’t start right away, and if the
weather is very cold (below -20” F or -29” C), push
the accelerator pedal about one-quarter
of the way
down while
you turn the key to START. Do this
until the engine starts. As soon as it does, let go
of the key.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then stops),
it could be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the floor
and holding it there as you hold the key in START for
a maximurn of 15 seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline
from the engine. If the engine still won’t start
or starts briefly but then stops again, repeat step 1 or 2,
depending on temperature. When the engine starts,
release the key and the accelerator pedal.
NOTICE:
1 Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
~ equipment, check with your dealer. If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing.
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
2-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine PRND2I
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Three-Speed Automatic Transaxle
PRND321
Four-Speed Automatic Transaxle PARK
(P): This position locks your front wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on
fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer’’ in
the Index.
2-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has a brake-transaxle
shift interlock. You have
to fully apply your regular
brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition key
is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK
(P), ease pressure on the shift lever -- push the
shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and also release
the shift lever button on floor shift console models as
you maintain brake application. Then move the shift
lever into the gear you wish. (Press the shift lever button
before moving the shift lever.) See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift
to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice
or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine
doesn’t connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL
(N) when your vehicle is being towed.
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed)
is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK
(P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
2-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down and
pull up
on the parhng brake lever. If the ignition is on,
the brake system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down.
Pull the parking brake lever up until you can press the
release button. Hold the release button
in as you move
the brake lever all the way down.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Only)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the
steps that
follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
.
2-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position like
this: Hold in the button on the lever, and push the
lever all the way toward the front
of your vehicle.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle
is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transaxle Only)
L
I
AUTION:
--
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle
is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into PARK
(P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from PARK
(P) without first pushing
the button. If you can,
it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into PARK
(P).
2-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Running Your Engine While You’re
Parked (Automatic Transaxle)
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if yo\
u
ever have to, here are
some things to know.
I
Idling the engine with the climate control
system
off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle (see the earlier Caution under
“Engine Exhaust”).
Also, idling in
a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen
is a garage. Exhaust -- with
CO -- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be
a blizzard.
(See “Blizzard” in the Index.)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly
set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer,
also see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.
2-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine lhrn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow
you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
I I
Q
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and other
drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a
turn, check the fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit
Breakers” in the Index) and
for burned-out bulbs.
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or high
beam to low, pull the turn signal lever all the way
toward you. Then release it.
When the high beams
are on, this light on the
instrument panel will
also be on.
Flash-To-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of
you that you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them off.
2-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Windshield Washer
To wash your windshield, pull the stalk with the wiper
symbol on it toward you one time. When you release the
stalk, the washers will stop. The wipers continue wiping
for approximately three cycles and will either stop or
will resume the speed you were using before.
I
I ,A CAUTIGk
In freezing weather, don't use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice
on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Cruise Control (If Equipped)
1
I I
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 kmk) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise
control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph
(40 Wh).
When you apply your brakes, or the clutch pedal if you
have a manual transaxle, the cruise control shuts off.
2-36