Page 84 of 390

2-19
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. At temperatures above 32F (0C),
use of the coolant heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. It is
located at the front of the engine compartment on the
driver's side.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.
Page 87 of 390

2-22
DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving.
If you need more power for passing, and you're:
Going less than about 15 mph (25 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 15 mph (25 km/h) or more,
push your accelerator pedal all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have
more power.SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. 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. In this position, if the power
mode selector switch is turned to P, the transmission will
not downshift into LOW (L). See ªPower Mode Selector
Switchº later in this section.
NOTICE:
Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going
slower than 65 mph (105 km/h) with the transfer
case in FOUR
-WHEEL HIGH (4H), or 35 mph
(55 km/h) with the transfer case in FOUR
-WHEEL
LOW (4L). If you move the shift lever to a lower gear
while driving faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the lower gear, the transmission will
not downshift until your speed drops below the
maximum speed for the lower gear.
Page 88 of 390

2-23
LOW (L): This position gives you even more power but
lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use it
on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift
lever is put in LOW (L), the transmission won't shift
into low gear until the vehicle is going slow enough.
NOTICE:
Don't shift into LOW (L) at speeds above 40 mph
(65 km/h) with the transfer case in FOUR
-WHEEL
LOW (4L). If you move the shift lever to a lower gear
while driving faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the lower gear, the transmission will
not downshift until your speed drops below the
maximum speed for the lower gear.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can't turn, 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 transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal.
This could overheat and damage the transmission.
Use your brakes to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.
Page 89 of 390

2-24 Overdrive-Off Button (If Equipped)
The overdrive-off button is located on the left side of
the shift lever. When operating under normal conditions,
the vehicle will automatically default to overdrive when
initially started until it is disengaged. If overdrive is
turned off and the vehicle is turned off, when the
vehicle is restarted, overdrive will automatically turn
back on. By operating the overdrive off button,
with the ignition in the ON position, the four
-speed
automatic transmission (three
-speed plus overdrive) can
be converted to a three
-speed automatic transmission.
While in the three
-speed mode, the transmission will not
shift into the overdrive position.To convert the transmission to the three
-speed mode,
press in the overdrive
-off button and release it.
The OD/OFF indicator light on the instrument panel
cluster will come on. The overdrive
-off button is for
normal driving, however, it also offers more power
and lower fuel economy than driving in the overdrive
position. Here are some times you might choose to
drive with the overdrive
-off button engaged:
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When going down a steep hill.
To return the transmission to the four
-speed mode,
press in the overdrive
-off button again. The OD/OFF
indicator light will go off. Disengaging the overdrive
-off
button is for normal driving with the four
-speed
automatic transaxle. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator all the way down.
If the transfer case shift lever is in the 4L position,
the four
-speed automatic transmission will remain
in the three
-speed mode.
Page 93 of 390

2-28
TWO-WHEEL HIGH (2H): This setting is for driving
in most street and highway situations. Your front axle is
not engaged in two
-wheel drive.
FOUR
-WHEEL HIGH (4H): This setting
engages your front axle to help drive your vehicle.
Use FOUR
-WHEEL HIGH (4H) when you need
extra traction, such as on wet or icy roads, or in most
off
-road situations.
NEUTRAL (N): Shift to this setting only when your
vehicle needs to be towed.
CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can cause
your vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in
PARK (P), or if you have a manual transmission,
even if you are in gear. You or someone else could
be seriously injured. Be sure to set the parking
brake before placing the transfer case in
NEUTRAL. See ªParking Brakeº in the Index.
FOUR-WHEEL LOW (4L): This setting also engages
your front axle to give you extra traction and can be
used for driving downhill, uphill or on rocky terrain
when you're driving slower than 35 mph (55 km/h).
Remember that driving in FOUR
-WHEEL HIGH (4H)
or FOUR
-WHEEL LOW (4L) may reduce fuel
economy. Also, driving in four
-wheel drive on dry
pavement could cause your tires to wear faster and
make your transfer case harder to shift.
You can shift from TWO
-WHEEL HIGH (2H) to
FOUR
-WHEEL HIGH (4H) or from FOUR-WHEEL
HIGH (4H) to TWO
-WHEEL HIGH (2H) at any speed
if your vehicle is going less than 60 mph (100 km/h)
and your wheels are straight ahead. Your front axle will
engage faster if you take your foot off the accelerator
pedal for a few seconds as you shift.
Shifting Into or Out of FOUR
-WHEEL LOW (4L)
1. Stop your vehicle and shift your transmission to
NEUTRAL (N).
2. Shift the transfer case in one continuous motion.
Don't pause in NEUTRAL (N) as you shift from
FOUR
-WHEEL-LOW (4L) to FOUR-WHEEL
HIGH (4H), or your gears could clash.
Page 131 of 390
2-66
Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You'll know how fast you're
going, about how much fuel you have left, and many other things you'll need to know to drive safely and economically.
United States cluster shown, Canada similar
Page 138 of 390

2-73 Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves to the
H (red) side, your engine
is too hot.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated and
you should stop your vehicle and turn off the engine
as soon as possible.
The ªProblems on the Roadº section of this manual
shows what to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On
-Board
Diagnostics
-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The SERVICE ENGINE SOON light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle.
This system is also designed to assist your service
technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
Page 139 of 390

2-74
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, intake 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.