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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
·Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all ¯uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
·Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get so hot that they wouldn't work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.
·Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better.
·Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
·As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
·You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or
winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate
action.
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Page 278 of 423
Filling Your Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor is highly ¯ammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don't smoke if you're near fuel or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, ¯ames and smoking
materials away from fuel.The fuel cap is located behind a hinged door on driver's
side of your vehicle.
The fuel door release
button is located to the left
of the steering wheel
next to the exterior lamp
control.
The button only works when the vehicle is in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N), when the key is in the ignition and
the VALET lockout button is in OFF.
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Page 309 of 423

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is ®lled with DOT-3
brake ¯uid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake ¯uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The ®rst is that the
brake ¯uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the ¯uid level goes back up. The other reason is
that ¯uid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, youshould have your brake system ®xed, since a leak
means that sooner or later your brakes won't work well,
or won't work at all.
So, it isn't a good idea to ªtop offº your brake ¯uid.
Adding brake ¯uid won't correct a leak. If you add ¯uid
when your linings are worn, then you'll have too
much ¯uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake ¯uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake ¯uid, it can spill on
the engine. The ¯uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
¯uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
If the ignition is in ON and the brake ¯uid is low, the
CHECK BRAKE FLUID message will be displayed in the
DIC. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-60.
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Page 314 of 423

Jump Starting
If you cannot start your vehicle and you are unable to
remove your key from the ignition, see ªShift Lock
Releaseº under
Automatic Transaxle Operation on
page 2-27.
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
·They contain acid that can burn you.
·They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
·They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you don't follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn't be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
won't work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other system isn't a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be
damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able to
start your vehicle and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake ®rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in
NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
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Page 315 of 423

Notice:If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlets. Turn off
the radio and all lamps that aren't needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the positive (+) and
negative (-) terminal locations on the other
vehicle. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) jump
starting terminal and a remote negative (-) jump
starting terminal.
The remote positive (+)
terminal is located in the
engine compartment
on the passenger's side of
the vehicle. A second
remote positive (+) terminal
is located on the rear
underseat fuse block. Lift
the red plastic cap to
access the terminal.The remote negative (-) terminal is located near
the power steering ¯uid reservoir. It is marked
ªGND (-).º See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for more information on location.
You will not see the battery of your vehicle under
the hood. It is located under the rear passenger's
seat. You will not need to access the battery
for jump starting. The remote positive (+) terminal is
for that purpose.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
5-44
Page 330 of 423
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See ªWiper Blade
Checkº under
At Least Twice a Year on page 6-10.
It's a good idea to clean or replace the wiper blade
assembly on a regular basis or when worn. For proper
windshield wiper blade length and type, see
Normal
Maintenance Replacement Parts on page 5-103.
To replace the wiper blade assembly, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY and turn the
wipers on. Position the wipers on the windshield
in the mid-wipe position. Then with a door
open, turn the ignition to OFF.2. Tip the blade up almost to a T position and push
down on the tab to release the wiper blade
assembly.
3. To install, align the wiper blade with the loop on the
wiper blade assembly, and push up to snap it into
place.
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Page 365 of 423

Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the chance of ®res
caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical
size and rating. If a fuse should blow, see your dealer
for service immediately.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don't have
a spare fuse, you can ªborrowº one that has the
same amperage. Pick some feature of your vehicle that
you can get along without ± like the radio or cigarette
lighter ± and use its fuse, if it is the correct amperage.
Replace it as soon as you can.
The fuses are located in two fuse blocks, one located in
the engine compartment on the passenger's side and
the other under the rear seat on the driver's side.
If a fuse should blow, have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer immediately.
Underhood Fuse Block
The underhood fuse block
is located next to the
engine on the passenger's
side of the vehicle. For
more information on
location, see
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
.
To access the fuses, push in the two tabs located at
each end of the fuse block cover. Then lift the cover off.
Fuse 22 or 23 can be moved to the outer position to
enable the accessory power outlets or cigarette lighter
when the ignition is not on. See your dealer for
additional assistance, if needed.
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Fuses Usage
1 Assembly Line Diagnostic Work
2 Accessory
3 Windshield Wipers
4 Not Used
5 Headlamp Low Beam Left
6 Headlamp Low Beam Right
7 Instrument Panel
8 Powertrain Control Module Battery
9 Headlamp High Beam Right
10 Headlamp High Beam Left
Fuses Usage
11 Ignition 1
12 Fog Lamps
13 Transmission
14 Cruise Control
15 Coil Module
16 Injector Bank #2
17 Not Used
18 Not Used
19 Powertrain Control Module Ignition
20 Oxygen Sensor
21 Injector Bank #1
22 Cigar Lighter #2
23 Cigar Lighter #1
24 Daytime Running Lamps
25 Horn
26 Air Conditioner Clutch
42 Not Used
43 Not Used
44 Anti-Lock Brake System
45 Air Pump
46 Cooling Fan 1
47 Cooling Fan 2
5-95