Page 5 of 359
iii
Section
3
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Section
4
Your Driving and the Road
Section
5
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
BrakingSteering
Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio Clock
Radio/Cassette Player/CD PlayerRadio Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your VehicleEngine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
Page 82 of 359

2-22
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use
a heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord rated
for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts. If you don't, it could be damaged.How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks
the front wheels. It's the
best position to use
when you start the engine
because your vehicle
can't move easily.
Page 85 of 359

2-25
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving,
however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than
OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are examples for using THIRD (3) instead of
OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power.
You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control
your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but
then you would also want to use your brakes off and on.
NOTICE:
Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are
going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h), or you
can damage your engine.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud.
If the traction control switch is off, your vehicle will not
go into FIRST (1) gear and the vehicle will accelerate
from stop more slowly. This can help in deep snow or
mud conditions. When the traction control is turned
off, a message will be lit on the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can't rotate, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a
solid object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could cause overheating and damage
the transaxle. Use your brakes to hold your
vehicle in position on a hill.
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2-27
Reach under the driver's side of the instrument panel
and pull down on the manual release lever, which is
located behind the parking brake pedal. Pull down on
the yellow tab as shown by the arrow in the illustration.
If the parking brake does not release, you should have
your vehicle towed to your dealer for service.
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 a hill, see
ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
CAUTION:
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 ªTowing a
Trailerº in the Index.
Page 88 of 359

2-28 Console Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.
2. Move the shift lever into
PARK (P) by pushing
the lever all the way
toward the front of
your vehicle.
3. With your right foot still holding the brake pedal
down, set the parking brake.
4. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
5. 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
CAUTION:
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.
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2-73
The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine
-related problem, the system will turn off
and the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
This light tells you that
the engine has overheated.
You should stop the car
and turn the engine off
as soon as possible.
A warning chime should also sound if this light comes on. As a check, the light should come on for a few seconds
when you start your engine. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, the engine
is too hot.
That reading means the same thing as the warning
light
-- the engine coolant has overheated. See
ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
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2-83
DRIVER NO. X (1 OR 2) : This message will be
displayed with the key in ON and while entering
FEATURE PROGRAMMING, but only if the vehicle
is equipped with memory seats. The message will show
which driver is activating the personalization feature.
It will only stay on for five seconds. This message can
be customized for you by your dealer.
ENGINE COOLANT HOT, IDLE ENGINE
- 44:
This message will appear when the engine coolant
temperature is over 262F (128C). Stop and allow
your vehicle to idle in PARK (P) until it cools down and
the message is removed. Do not increase engine speed
above a normal idle. If it does not cool down, turn off
the engine and have it serviced before driving it again.
Severe engine damage can result from an overheated
engine. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
ENGINE HOT
-AC OFF - 16: This message displays
when the engine coolant becomes hotter than the normal
operating temperature. To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning compressor is automatically
turned off. When the coolant temperature returns to
normal, the A/C operation will automatically resume.You can continue to drive your vehicle. If this message
continues to appear, have the system repaired as soon as
possible to avoid compressor damage.
ENGINE MISFIRE
-- EASE OFF GAS
PEDAL
- 114: An engine misfire has occurred.
You'll need to ease off the gas pedal.
ENGINE OVERHEATED, STOP ENGINE
- 42:
This message will appear when the engine has
overheated. Stop and turn the engine off immediately to
avoid severe engine damage. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index. A multiple chime will also sound when this
message is displayed.
ENGINE POWER REDUCED
- 41: This message
informs you that the vehicle is reducing engine power
because the transaxle is being placed in gear under
conditions that may cause damage to the vehicle's
engine, transaxle or ability to accelerate.
FUEL LEVEL LOW
- 11 : This message serves as
a warning that the fuel level in the tank is critically low.
Stop for fuel soon. A single chime will also sound when
this message is displayed.
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2-87
TRACTION OFF - 89: This message will be displayed
after the traction control has been turned off by the
button on the center console.
TRACTION READY
- 90: This message informs
the driver that the traction control system is available.
This occurs when the traction control switch on the
console has been returned to ON (pressing the button
once turns the traction control system off: pressing the
button again turns the system back on). This message
will automatically disappear from the display after
five seconds.
TRACTION SUSPENDED
- 56: This message
displays when the traction control system has been
temporarily shut off because your vehicle's brakes
have overheated. This message does not indicate a
problem with your vehicle's traction control system.
After a few minutes, the traction control system will be
available again and the TRACTION READY message
will appear.TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE
- 112: This message
indicates that the transaxle fluid in your vehicle is too
hot. Stop and allow your vehicle to idle until it cools
down or until this message is removed.
TRUNK OPEN
- 24: This message indicates that the
trunk is open when the ignition is on.
TURN SIGNAL ON
- 20: This message is a reminder,
after driving about a mile, that you have the turn signal
on. A multiple chime will also sound when this message
is displayed.
VEHICLE OVERSPEED
- 52: This message is
displayed when the vehicle speed exceeds a certain limit
as required by some export countries. A continuous
chime will also sound when this message is displayed.