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If you have Stabilitrak@, you may see the STABILITY
ACTIVE message on the Driver Information Center. See
“Stability Active Message” under
DIC Warnings and
Messages on
page 3-50.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely
to be impaired
- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
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Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have the anti-lock braking system,
you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See
Braking on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers. road.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you
are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. -You snouia probabiy stay witn
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
@ Turn on your hazard iiasners.
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C -..- .. car. .. -~,. ex-._.ust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see
it or
smell
it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that
is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just
a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.
nun your engme only as lorig as yuu must. I tlls saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged.
You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long
as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until
help comes.
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Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes?
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap
into your vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all.
Trailer Wiring Harness
All of the electrical circuits required for your trailer
lighting system can be accessed at the driver’s side rear
lamp connector. This connector is located under the
carpet
in the rear corner of the trunk compartment.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight
of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself. Before
you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
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The fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel door on
the driver’s side of the vehicle. To open the fuel door,
press the button located
on the driver’s door
trim near the trunk release
button.
The ignition does not need to be on. The remote fuel
door release will work in all transaxle positions.
The trunk release lockout switch must be in
OFF for the
fuel door
to open.
The fuel door can be opened manually in case of a
power failure. To do this, first open the trunk. The release mechanism is located on the driver’s side of the
vehicle, at the top
of the trunk compartment.
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Pull the tab toward you to
release the fuel door.
Notice: Prying on a locked fuel filler door can
damage it. Use the remote fuel door manual release
located in the trunk
in the case of a power failure.
While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap
from the
hook on the fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The fuel cap has a spring in it;
if
you let go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the
rinht a '3' '*.
I
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If you get fuel on yourself and then something
ignites
it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly. This spray can happen if your tank
is
nearly full, and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for any
“hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap all
the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon
as possible. See Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle on page 5-85. When filling the tank
do not overfill by squeezing in much more fuel after the
pump shuts
off.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear
a clicking sound. Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page
3-39.
The CHECK GAS CAP DIC message will come on if the
fuel cap is not properly reinstalled.
Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type,
it may not fit properly.
This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions
system. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in the
Index.
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A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
C. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
D. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Passenger Compartment Air Filter
G. Remote Negative (-) Terminal
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap
I. Engine Oil Dipstick
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir
K. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
L. Engine Air CleanedFilter
.
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message appears on the
instnJment chster, it me;lns yn~~ need to check
your engine oil level right away. For more information,
see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-50.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
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