Table of Contents (cont'd)
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
SteeringDriving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Off-Road Driving
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio ClockRadio/Cassette Player/CD Player
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your VehicleEngine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
Section
3
Section
4
Section
5
Your Driving and the Road Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
iii
1-28
When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near
-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system's designed
ªthreshold level.º If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level is
about 8 to 12 mph (13 to 19 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near
-frontal impacts.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off
-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See ªOff
-Road
Drivingº in the Index for more tips on off
-road driving.What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags
would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts,
primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near
-frontal collisions.
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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.
Charging System Light
This light will come on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine is
not running, as a check to
show you it is working.
Then it should go out when
the engine starts.
If the light 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 this light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
2-65
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transmission,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light to come on. Modifications to these systems
could lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
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If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see ªIf
the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A
few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts
of air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire.
The system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct
this condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly.
See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a few
driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
ªFuelº in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration
or stumbling on acceleration. (These conditions may go
away once the engine is warmed up.) This will be detected
by the system and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
3-
3-1
Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle.
Be sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-2 Climate Control System
3
-3 Air Conditioner Controls (Option)
3
-3 Heating
3
-3 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-4 Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped)
3
-4 Ventilation System
3
-5 Audio Systems
3
-5 Setting the Clock
3
-6AM-FM Stereo (If Equipped)3
-9AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped)
3
-14 AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player
(If Equipped)
3
-18 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-18 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-19 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-20 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-20 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-20 Antenna
3-2
Comfort Controls
With this system, you can control the heating and
ventilation in your vehicle. If you have the air
conditioning option, you can also control cooling.
Your vehicle also has the flow
-through ventilation
system described later in this section.
Climate Control System
Airflow Lever
VENT: This position directs the airflow through
the instrument panel vents.
BI-LEVEL: This position directs air through the
instrument panel vents and toward the floor.
FLOOR: This position directs air toward the floor.
DEFOG: This position directs air toward the
floor, the windshield and side windows. The air
conditioning compressor will run automatically in
this setting.
DEFROST: This position directs air to the
windshield and side windows. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in this setting.
Fan Control Lever
Slide the lever away from OFF to turn the system on.
Move the lever toward the fan symbol to increase the
fan's speed.
Temperature Control Lever
Slide the lever to change the temperature of the air
flowing from the system. Move it to the right for
warmer air and to the left for cooler air. Without
optional air conditioning, the air temperature cannot be
less than the outside air temperature.
Air Intake Lever
RECIRCULATE: Choose this position
to recirculate the inside air through the comfort
control system.
OUTSIDE AIR: Choose this position to circulate
outside air through the comfort control system.
3-3 Air Conditioner Controls (Option)
The air conditioning system
uses the same controls as
described previously. The
function of each lever is
explained under ªClimate
Control Systemº in this
part. The incoming air is
cooled and dehumidified
instead of being heated.
Push the A/C button to change your comfort control
system from heating to air conditioning. A light will
come on when the air conditioning is on. The A/C
button can also control the humidity in your vehicle.
The air conditioner works best if you keep your
windows closed. On very hot days, open the windows
just long enough for the hot air to escape.
For normal cooling, push the A/C button and move the
air intake lever to OUTSIDE AIR. For faster cooling,
move the lever to RECIRCULATE. Then move the
airflow lever to VENT, the temperature control lever
toward the left and the fan control lever toward the
fan symbol.On days when it is raining or the humidity is high,
follow these dehumidifying steps to help clean windows
that are cloudy with moisture. Move the air intake lever
to OUTSIDE AIR. Move the airflow lever to DEFROST
and the fan control lever toward the fan symbol. Adjust
the temperature control lever to a comfortable setting.
The air conditioning compressor will run automatically
and the A/C button will illuminate when the air flow
lever is in DEFOG or DEFROST.
Heating
For the quickest results, move the air intake lever to
RECIRCULATE. Move the airflow lever to FLOOR,
the temperature control lever toward the right for
warmer air and the fan control lever toward the fan
symbol. You should switch to OUTSIDE AIR once
in a while to avoid stale air and cloudy windows.
Defogging and Defrosting
Slide the air intake lever to OUTSIDE AIR and
the airflow lever to DEFROST to direct air to the
windshield vents. Then slide the temperature control
lever toward the right and the fan lever toward the fan
symbol. When the windshield is clear, turn down the
fan speed.