
1-28
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver's or the
right front passenger's air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger's air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting or higher 
-- or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even if there's no crash. You would have to
replace the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts. If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it's exposed
to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning off the vehicle immediately and
disconnecting the battery cables. Don't let anyone start
the vehicle under any circumstances. See your dealer 
for service.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don't want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. 
Your dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system. 
To purchase a service manual, see ªService and Owner
Publicationsº in the Index.
CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an 
air bag can still inflate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an air bag
when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors. They
are probably part of the air bag system. Be sure
to follow proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for you is
qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance. 

2-8
At times you may notice a decrease in range. This is
normal for any remote keyless entry system. If the
transmitter does not work or if you have to stand closer
to your vehicle for the transmitter to work, try this:
Check the distance. You may be too far from your
vehicle. You may need to stand closer during rainy
or snowy weather.
Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may 
be blocking the signal. Take a few steps to the left 
or right, hold the transmitter higher, and try again.
Check to determine if battery replacement or
resynchronization is necessary. See the instructions
that follow.
If you're still having trouble, see your dealer or a
qualified technician for service.Operation
The following functions are available with the remote
keyless entry system:
LOCK: All doors will automatically lock when the
LOCK button is pressed. In addition, if all doors and 
the trunk are closed, the headlamps will flash once, the
interior lamps will turn off, and the vehicle anti
-theft
system will arm. If you press the LOCK button again
within five seconds, the horn will chirp to let you know
that the system is armed. The THEFT SYSTEM light
will flash on the instrument panel to let you know the
system is armed. If a door or the trunk is open when 
you press the LOCK button, the doors will lock, but the
security system will not arm until all the doors and the
trunk are closed.
Your dealer can change the settings to disable the
headlamp flash feature and horn chirp. Your dealer can
also change the settings to allow the horn to chirp twice
on the first press of the UNLOCK button. See your
dealer for more information. 

2-10
Radio Personalization Feature
Your vehicle can store different radio preset stations 
and other settings depending on which keyless entry
transmitter you use to unlock the doors with. The radio
will recall all the stored settings associated with that
transmitter. Any radio setting changes will be assigned
to the transmitter last used to unlock the doors.
This feature can be disabled by your dealer if you desire.
Contact your dealer for further information.
Matching Transmitter(s) To Your Vehicle
Each remote keyless entry transmitter is coded to
prevent another transmitter from unlocking your vehicle.
If a transmitter is lost or stolen, a replacement can be
purchased through your dealer. Remember to bring any
remaining transmitters with you when you go to your
dealer. When the dealer matches the replacement
transmitter to your vehicle, any remaining transmitters
must also be matched. Once your dealer has coded the
new transmitter, the lost transmitter will not unlock your
vehicle. Each vehicle can have only four transmitters
matched to it.
Battery Replacement
Under normal use, the battery in your remote keyless
entry transmitter should last about two years.
You can tell the battery is weak if the transmitter won't
work at the normal range in any location. If you have to
get close to your vehicle before the transmitter works,
it's probably time to change the battery.
NOTICE:
When replacing the battery, use care not to touch any
of the circuitry. Static from your body transferred to
these surfaces may damage the transmitter. 

2-11 Replacing the Battery in the Remote
Keyless Entry System Transmitter
To replace the battery in the transmitter:
1. Use a small coin or flat
-tip screwdriver to separate
the bottom half from the top half of the transmitter.
2. Remove the battery and replace it with the new one.
Make sure the positive (+) side of the battery faces
down. For battery replacement, use a three
-volt
battery, type CR2032, or equivalent.
3. Read the instructions inside the case.4. Put the two halves back together. Make sure the
cover is on tightly, so water won't get in.
5. Check the operation of the transmitter with your
vehicle. If the transmitter does not work, try
resynchronizing the transmitter with the receiver.
Resynchronization
Your remote keyless entry system is equipped with a
security system that prevents anyone from recording and
playing back your signal. The transmitter does not send 
the same signal twice to the receiver. The receiver will not  
respond to a signal that has been sent to it more than once.
Normally, the transmitter and receiver resynchronize
automatically. However, under certain circumstances,
manual resynchronization may be required.
To resynchronize your transmitter and receiver, follow
these directions:
1. Stand close to your vehicle.
2. Press and hold the LOCK and UNLOCK buttons 
on the transmitter at the same time.
3. Hold the buttons for at least 10 seconds. During 
this time, the doors should lock and unlock once.
This confirms the resynchronization. If the doors 
do not lock and unlock, see your dealer for service. 

2-17
Starting Your Engine
Automatic Transaxle
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won't start in any other position 
-- that's 
a safety feature. To restart when you're already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
NOTICE:
Don't try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle 
is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transaxle
The gear selector should be in NEUTRAL and the
parking brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal to the
floor and start the engine. Your vehicle won't start if 
the clutch pedal is not all the way down 
-- that's a 
safety feature.
Starting Your 2.2 Liter L4 Engine
1. Without pushing 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 gets warm.
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. Wait 
about 15 seconds between each try to help avoid
draining your battery or damaging your starter.
2. 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 about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine. 

2-18
NOTICE:
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 ªTowing
Your Vehicleº in the Index.
Starting Your 2.4 Liter L4 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. Wait 
about 15 seconds between each try to help avoid
draining your battery or damaging your starter.
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. 

2-43
After you exit the vehicle and all of the doors have 
been closed, the lamps will stay on for an additional 
20 seconds before fading off. The lamps will also fade
to off when the key is inserted and turned to RUN 
of ACCESSORY, or the lock button on the key fob 
is pressed.
Front Reading Lamps (If Equipped)
These lamps are located on the rearview mirror. 
Turn each one on and off by pressing its switch.
Map Lamps (If Equipped)
These lamps are located forward of the dome lamp. 
To turn the lamps on, press the switch. Press the 
switch again to turn them off.
Battery Saver
Your vehicle is equipped with a battery saver feature
designed to protect your vehicle's battery.
When any interior lamp (trunk, reading, dome, etc.) 
is left on and the ignition is turned off, the battery
rundown protection system will automatically turn the
lamp off after 20 minutes. This will avoid draining the
battery. This system does not protect against leaving on
the headlamps or parking lamps.
To reactivate the interior lamps, either:
The ignition must be turned on,
the activated lamp switch must be turned off, 
then on, or
a front door must be opened.
The battery rundown protection feature will also be
activated when any door is left open. 

2-66
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 RUN. If the light
doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be ready 
to warn you if there is a problem.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition, and
the engine is not running, 
as a check to show you 
it is working.
Then it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging system.
It could indicate that you have a loose generator drive
belt, or another electrical problem. Have it checked 
right away. Driving while this light is on could drain
your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all you accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.