Page 81 of 340

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has a
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock (BTSI). You must
fully apply your regular brakes before
you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition
is in ON. If you
cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift
lever by pushing it all the way into PARK (P) while
keeping the brake pushed down. Then move the shift
lever out
of PARK (P), being sure to press the shift lever
button. 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.
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
ProCarManuals.com
Page 82 of 340

DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. It is
the drive position. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
0 Going less than 35 mph (55 km/hj, push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator pedal all the way down.
0 Going about 35 mph (55 km/hj or more, push the
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or
if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
sensor. If you drive very far that
way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you
can use
SECOND (2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (55 kmh) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving. but it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD
(3)
instead of DRIVE (Dj:
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads.
0 When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
0 When going down a steep hill.
22
ProCarManuals.com
Page 84 of 340
-
---king Brake
To set parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot.
Push down the parking
brake pedal with your
left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your left
foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
released position.
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.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
2-24
ProCarManuals.com
Page 85 of 340
Shifting Into PARK (P)
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 with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like this:
0 Hold in the button on the lever and push the lever all
1. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
the way toward the front of the vehicle.
2. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave with the ignition key in your hand, your
vehicle is in
PARK (P).
2-25
ProCarManuals.com
Page 86 of 340

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
L
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 the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the shift lever away from PARK
(P)
without first pulling it toward you If you can, it means
that
the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into
PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK
(P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some
of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-26
ProCarManuals.com
Page 89 of 340

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.
Windows
Power Windows
Switches on the driver’s door armrest control each of the
windows when the ignition is on. In addition, each
passenger door has a switch for its own window.
The driver’s window switch has an auto-down fe.ature.
This switch is labeled AUTO. Tap the switch back, and
the driver’s window will open a small amount.
Tf the
switch is moved all the way back, the window will go all
the way down.
2-29
ProCarManuals.com
Page 92 of 340

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 lane change, if the arrow flashes
faster than normal, 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 for burned-out bulbs and then check
the fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in the Index).
A chime will sound if you leave your turn signal on for
more than
3/4 mile (1.2 km).
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
To change your headlamps
from low beam
to high
beam, push the lever
forward.
To change back to
low beam, pull the lever
toward you.
To flash your high beams, pull the lever toward you and
release. The lever will return to the low-beam position.
Flash-to-Pass
With the lever in the low-beam position, pull the lever
toward you momentarily to switch to high beams
(to
signal you are going to pass). If you have the headlamps
on, they will return
to low beams when you release
the lever.
2-32
ProCarManuals.com
Page 103 of 340
Mirrors
Adjust all mirrors so you can see clearly when you are
sitting in
a comfortable position.
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lamps behind you, push the
lever away from you (to the night position).
To return
the mirror back to the day position, pull the lever
toward you.
Electrochromic Daymight Rearview
Mirror with Compass
and Map Lamps
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have an automatic electrochromic
dayhight rearview mirror with a compass and
map lamps. This
mirror automatically changes to reduce glare from
headlamps behind
you. A time delay feature prevents
rapid changing from the day to night positions while
driving under lights and through traffic.
2-43
ProCarManuals.com