Fuel Economy
The condition of your vehicle and your driving habits are the two mostimportant things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition Always maintain your vehicle accord- ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owner Maintenance
Checks (see page 231 ). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your fuel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to "warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel. Turn off the A/C tocut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Automatic Transmission
Second (2) — To shift to Second,
pull the shift lever towards you, then shift to the lower gear. This position
locks the transmission in second
gear. It does not downshift to first gear when you come to a stop.Second gives you more power when
climbing, and increased engine
braking when going down steep hills. Use second gear when starting out
on a slippery surface or in deep snow.
It will help reduce wheelspin.
When driving down hill with a trailer, use the Second position.
First (1) — To shift from Second toFirst, pull the shift lever towards you,
then shift to the lower gear. With the
lever in this position, the transmis- sion locks in First gear. By upshift-
ing and downshifting through 1, 2,
D3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal. Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
you may feel the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter
in the engine's computer controls.
The engine will run normally
when you reduce the RPM below the
red zone.
Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brakepedal and pulling the shift lever doesnot work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
3. Place a cloth on the edge of the shift lock release slot cover on thesteering column. Remove the
cover by carefully prying on the
edge with a small flat-tipped screwdriver (not included in the
tool kit).
Driving
CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Tires
These pressures are also given on the tire information label on thedriver's doorjamb.
Tubeless tires have some ability to self-seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is often
very slow, you should look closely for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
Inspection
Every time you check inflation, you
should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for: Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions. Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see fabric or cord. Excessive tread wear.
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
Your vehicle's tires have wear indica- tors molded into the tread. When thetread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread. This shows there is less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire.
MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Index
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating)........................................ 213
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight
Rating)........................................ 213
Gearshift Lever Positions............. 199
Glass Cleaning............................... 281
Glove Box......................................... 87
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) ........................................ 213
Halogen Headlight Bulbs.............. 266
Hazard Warning Flashers............... 70
Headlights......................................... 66 Aiming......................................... 266
Automatic Lighting Off............... 67
Daytime Running Lights............. 67
High Beam Indicator................... 61
High Beams, Turning on............ 66
Low Beams, Turning on............. 66
Reminder Chime.......................... 66
Replacing Halogen Bulbs ......... 266
Turning on.................................... 66
Head Restraints............................. 104
Heated Mirror................................ 116 Heating and Cooling...................... 130
High Altitude, Starting at.............. 197
High-Low Beam Switch .................. 66
HomeLink Universal
Transmitter.................................. 95
Hood Latch..................................... 248
Hood, Opening the ........................ 184
Horn................................................... 65
Hot Coolant, Warning about........ 237
Hydroplaning.................................. 211
Identification Number, Vehicle.... 314
If Your Vehicle Has to be
Towed......................................... 311
Ignition
Keys...............................................76
Switch............................................78
Timing Control System............. 324
Immobilizer System......................... 77
Important Safety Precautions .......... 6
Indicator Lights, Instrument
Panel.............................................. 57
Individual Map Lights................... 127
Infant Restraint................................ 30
Inflation, Proper Tire .................... 257
Inside Mirror.................................. 115
Inspection,Tire.............................. 259
Instrument Panel........................ 2, 56
Instrument Panel Brightness......... 67
Interior Cleaning............................ 280
Interior Lights................................ 125
Introduction......................................... i
Jacking up the Vehicle.................. 290
Jack, Tire........................................ 288
Jump Starting................................. 297
Keys...................................................76
Label, Certification........................ 314
Lane Change, Signaling.................. 68
Lap/Shoulder Belts.................. 15, 45
CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t