2-28
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.
DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you're:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
The transaxle will shift down to the next gear and
have more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or
if it doesn't seem to shift gears as you accelerate,
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 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
Here are examples for using THIRD (3) instead of
DRIVE (D).
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
When going down a steep hill.
2-42
Rainsense Wipers (If Equipped)
This moisture sensor is mounted on the passenger's
interior side of the windshield behind the rearview
mirror and is used to automatically operate the wipers
by monitoring the amount of moisture that is on
the windshield.
The Rainsense system can be activated by turning the
wiper stalk to one of the five sensitivity levels indicated
on the stalk. The position closest to OFF is the lowest
sensitivity setting. This allows more water to collect on
the windshield between wipes. Turning the stalk away
from you to the other settings increases the sensitivity of
the system and frequency of wipes. A single wipe will
occur each time you turn the wiper stalk to a higher
sensitivity level. An initial wipe occurs when you turn
the ignition on as a reminder that Rainsense is active.The Rainsense wipers operate in a delay mode as well as
a continuous low or high speed depending on the
amount of moisture and the sensitivity level. The MIST
and ªwashº cycles operate as normal and are not
affected by the Rainsense function.
NOTICE:
The wipers must be turned off when going
through a car wash to avoid damage.
It is important to note that the Rainsense wiping feature
can be overridden at any time by manually changing the
wiper control to LO or HI speed.
If you ever need to replace the windshield, make sure it
is Rainsense compatible.
2-50
If you move the control all the way to the right, the
lamps will remain on for approximately three minutes
after the ignition has been turned to OFF. If you move
the control so it is just on, the lamps will go off quickly
when you turn the ignition switch out of OFF. You can
adjust the delay time from only a few seconds to about
three minutes.
If it's dark enough outside and the Twilight Sentinel
control is off, a HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message
will display on the Driver Information Center (DIC).
This message informs the driver that turning on the
exterior lamps is recommended (it's become dark
enough outside to require the headlamps and/or other
exterior lamps). Turning on the Twilight Sentinel, the
headlamp switch or the fog lamp switch will remove the
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message.Light Sensor
The light sensor for the DRL and the Twilight Sentinel
is located in the center of the front defogger grille. If
you cover the sensor, it will read ªdarkº and the lamps
will come on.
2-51
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the headlamp or manual parking lamp control
has been left on, the exterior lamps will turn off
approximately 10 minutes after the ignition is turned to
OFF. This protects draining the battery in case you have
accidentally left the headlamps or parking lamps on. If
you need to purposely leave the lamps on for more than
10 minutes with the ignition in OFF or ACCESSORY,
turn the manual control knob off and then back on.
To delay the lamps from turning off, see ªTwilight
Sentinelº in the Index.
If the headlamp switch is turned on after the ignition key
is moved to either OFF or ACCESSORY, the lamps will
not time out.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel
Intensity/Brightness Control
The displays automatically dim when it becomes dark
outside and your lights are on. The displays
automatically brighten when it becomes light outside.
Backlighting will only remain active as long as the
parking lamps are on and it is dark outside.
Courtesy Lamps
The courtesy lamps are located on the ceiling above the
rear seat. These lamps come on with the control lamp
knob or when any door is opened and it is dark outside.
Puddle lamps are located on the bottom of the front and
rear door trim.
Illuminated Entry
The illuminated entry system turns on the courtesy
lamps and the backlighting to the door switches and to
the lamp control knob when a door is opened or if you
press a remote keyless entry transmitter unlock button.
If activated due to the transmitter, the lighting will
remain active for about 40 seconds. Since the
illuminated entry system uses the light sensor, it must be
dark outside in order for the courtesy lamps to turn on.
The courtesy lamps turn off approximately 25 seconds
after the last door is closed. They will dim to off if the
ignition key is placed in ON, or immediately deactivate
if the power locks are activated.
2-52
Parade Dimming
This feature prohibits dimming of the digital displays
and backlighting during daylight hours when the key is
in the ignition and the headlamps are on. This feature
operates with the light sensor for the Twilight Sentinel
and is fully automatic. When the light sensor reads
darkness outside and the park lamps are active, the
digital displays can be adjusted by turning the lamp
control knob counterclockwise to dim and clockwise to
brighten lighting.
Reading Lamps
The reading lamps are located on the overhead console
on the ceiling and in the rear door opening. These lamps
come on automatically when any door is opened and it is
dark outside. For manual operation, press the button to
turn them on. Press it again to turn them off.
If the reading lamps are left on, they automatically shut
off 10 minutes after the ignition has been turned off.
Map Lamps
These lamps are located in the front overhead console.
Press the button to turn them on. Press it again to turn
them off.
2-75
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG or the symbol of an air
bag. The system checks the air bag's electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. The system check includes the air bag sensors,
the air bag modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module. For more information on the air bag
system, see ªAir Bagº in the Index.
United States Canada
This light will come on when you start your vehicle, and
it will flash for a few seconds. Then the light should go
out. This means the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inflate in a crash, or they
could even inflate without a crash. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle
serviced right away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
2-93
SERVICE AC SYSTEM - 14: This message
appears when the electronic sensors that control the air
conditioning and heating systems are no longer working.
Have the climate control system serviced if you notice a
drop in heating and air conditioning efficiency.
SERVICE AIR BAG
- 83: There is a problem with the
supplemental inflatable restraint (air bag) system when this
message appears. Let only a qualified technician work on
your vehicle. See your dealership for service at once.
SERVICE CHARGING SYS
- 102: This message
will display when a problem with the charging system
has been detected. Have your vehicle serviced at
your dealership.
SERVICE ELECTRICAL SYS
- 106: This message
will display if an electrical problem has occurred within
the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) or the ignition
switch. Have your vehicle serviced by your dealership.
SERVICE FUEL SYSTEM
- 101: The Powertrain
Control Module (PCM) has detected a problem within
the fuel system when this message appears. See your
dealership for service.
SERVICE IDLE CONTROL
- 107: A problem
with the idle control has occurred when this message
displays. Take your vehicle to your dealership
for service.SERVICE STABILITY SYS
- 54 : If you ever see the
SERVICE STABILITY SYS message, it means there
may be a problem with your stability enhancement
system. If you see this message, try to reset the system
(stop; turn off the engine; then start the engine again). If
the SERVICE STABILITY SYS message still comes on,
it means there is a problem. You should see your dealer
for service. Reduce your speed and drive accordingly.
A single chime will also sound when this message
is displayed.
STABILITY SYS ENGAGED
- 55 : You may see the
STABILITY SYS ENGAGED message on the Driver
Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer
-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you're
steering. This stability enhancement system activates
when the computer senses that your vehicle is just
starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice or
other slippery spot on the road. When the system is on,
you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal.
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Comfort Controls and Radio System Personalization
These features allow both drivers to personalize their
own climate control settings as well as their radio
settings. For more information, see ªClimate Control
Personalizationº and ªRadio Personalizationº in
the Index.
Continuous Variable Road Sensing Suspension
(CVRSS) (If Equipped)
The CVRSS automatically adjusts the ride of your
vehicle. Automatic ride control is achieved through a
computer used to control and monitor the suspension
system. The controller receives input from various
sensors to determine the proper system response. If the
controller detects a problem within the system, the DIC
will display a SERVICE SUSPENSION SYS message.
If this message appears, have your vehicle serviced at
your dealership.Oil Life Indicator
This feature lets you know when to change the engine
oil. It's based on the engine oil temperatures and your
driving patterns. To see the display, press the INFO
button several times until ENGINE OIL LIFE appears.
If you see 99% ENGINE OIL LIFE, 99 percent of your
current oil life remains.
The DIC may display a CHANGE ENGINE OIL
message. Always keep a written record of the mileage
and date when you changed your oil. For more
information, see the Maintenance Schedule booklet. If
you see CHANGE ENGINE OIL, it means the oil life is
gone and you should change the oil right away. The
system doesn't check how much oil you have, so you'll
still have to check for that. To see how, see ªEngine Oilº
in the Index.
When the oil is changed, you'll need to reset the system.
See ªOil Life Indicator, How to Resetº in the Index.