Page 5 of 378
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Braking/Anti-lock Brakes
Steering
Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Off-Road DrivingRecreational Vehicle Towing
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
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
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2-17
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0F (-18C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is located on the driver's side of the engine
compartment, behind the underhood fuse block.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
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.
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2-27 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. After
you've moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from PARK (P) without pressing the
button on the shift lever. If you can, it means that the
shift lever wasn't fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don't shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called ªtorque lock.º
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver's seat. To find out how, see ªShifting Into
PARK (P)º in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take
some of the pressure from the parking pawl in the
transmission, so you can pull the shift lever out
of PARK (P).
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2-68 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That's normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you're driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light isn't on, you still have brakes, but you
don't have anti
-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don't have anti
-lock brakes
and there's a problem with your regular brakes. See
ªBrake System Warning Lightº earlier in this section.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly 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.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine
is too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
The ªProblems on the Roadº section of this manual
show you what to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.
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4-23 Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you'll want to
consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
What's the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard
-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What's at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and
they won't have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause
your brakes to overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a serious accident.
Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill
and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed
under control.
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
ignore them you could lose control and have a
serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that's not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you don't drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called ªfree
-wheeling.º
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
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4-54 Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy
-duty turn signal flasher.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you're about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It's important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer work well.You should use THIRD (3) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in THIRD (3) when towing a
trailer will minimize heat buildup and extend the life of
your transmission. See ªTow/Haul Modeº in the Index.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get the
overheat warning, see ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.
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5-
5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-3 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-7 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-8 Engine Overheating5
-11 Cooling System
5
-19 Engine Fan Noise
5
-19 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-20 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-30 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
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5-8
NOTICE:
Use the proper towing equipment to avoid
damage to the bumper, fascia or fog lamp areas
of the vehicle.
With current trends in automotive styles and design,
it is essential that the correct towing equipment is used
to tow a vehicle. Your vehicle can be towed with with
wheel lift or car carrier equipment. When towing with
wheel lift equipment, the transfer case must be in
NEUTRAL and the following tow limits must be used:
Towing from the front
-- 55 mph (88 km/h) or
legal speed limit and distance is unlimited
Towing from the rear
-- 35 mph (55 km/h),
50 miles (80 km)
NOTICE:
If the towing limits must be exceeded, a towing
dolly must be used under the front wheels or
vehicle/powertrain damage will occur.
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your vehicle towed. See ªRoadside
Assistanceº in the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle's instrument panel. See ªGagesº in the Index.
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