OFF:Turn the band to OFF to turn off the wipers.
Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before using them. If they are frozen to the windshield,
carefully loosen or thaw them. If the blades do
become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Your vehicle is equipped with wiper-activated
headlamps. After the windshield wipers have been on
for approximately six seconds, the headlamps will
automatically turn on. SeeWiper Activated Headlamps
on page 3-16for more information.Rainsense™ II Wipers
If your vehicle has this feature, the moisture sensor is
mounted on the interior side of the windshield behind the
rearview mirror. It is used to automatically operate the
wipers by monitoring the amount of moisture build-up on
the windshield. Wipes occur as needed to clear the
windshield depending on driving conditions and
the sensitivity setting. In light rain or snow, fewer wipes
will occur. In heavy rain or snow, wipes will occur
more frequently. The Rainsense™ II wipers operate in a
delay mode as well as a continuous low or high speed
as needed. If the system is left on for long periods
of time, occasional wipes may occur without any
moisture on the windshield. This is normal and indicates
that the Rainsense™ II system is activated.
The Rainsense™ II system can be activated by turning
the wiper band to one of the ve sensitivity levels
indicated on the wiper stalk. The position closest to OFF
is the lowest sensitivity setting, level one. This allows
more rain or snow to collect on the windshield between
wipes. Turning the wiper band away from you to
higher sensitivity levels increases the sensitivity of the
system and frequency of wipes. The highest sensitivity
setting, level ve is closest to LO. A single wipe will
occur each time you turn the wiper stalk to a higher
sensitivity level to indicate that the sensitivity level has
been increased.
3-10
Notice:Going through an automatic car wash with
the wipers on can damage them. Turn the wipers
off when going through an automatic car wash.
The MIST and wash cycles operate as normal and are
not affected by the Rainsense™ II function. The
Rainsense™ II system can be overridden at any time by
manually turning the wiper band to LO or HI speed.
When Rainsense™ II is active, the headlamps will turn
on automatically. The headlamps will turn off again
once the wipers turn off if it is light enough outside. If it
is dark, they will remain on. SeeWiper Activated
Headlamps on page 3-16for more information.
Notice:Do not place stickers or other items on the
exterior glass surface directly in front of the
moisture sensor. Doing this could cause the
moisture sensor to malfunction.Windshield Washer
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
LPUSHPress and release this paddle, located at the
top of the turn signal/multifunction lever, to spray
washer uid on the windshield. The wipers will clear the
windshield and either stop or return to your preset
speed. For more washer cycles, press and hold
the paddle.
CHECK WASHER FLUID will be displayed on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) when the washer uid is low.
3-11
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of
approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. This is helpful on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h). When cruise control is on, you will see
a CRUISE light on the instrument panel cluster.
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control shuts off.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-8. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
3-12
The buttons to operate cruise control are located on the
steering wheel.
1. Press the CRUISE ON/OFF button, located on the
bottom left of the steering wheel, to turn cruise
control on. An indicator light will come on to show
that the cruise control is on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET/CST (coast) button located on the
bottom right of the steering wheel. The CRUISE
light will display on the instrument panel cluster.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This shuts off the
cruise control. But you do not need to reset it.
Once the vehicle is traveling approximately 25 mph
(40 km/h) or more, you can press the RES/ACC
(resume/accelerate) button to return to your desired
preset speed. The CRUISE light will be displayed again.
The vehicle will return to and stay at your preset
speed. If you press and hold the RES/ACC button,
the vehicle speed will increase until you release
the button or apply the brake. Unless you want to go
faster, do not press and hold the RES/ACC button.
3-13
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Press the SET/CST button, then release the
button and the accelerator pedal. You will now
cruise at the higher speed.
Press the RES/ACC button. Hold it there until you get
up to the speed that you want, and then release the
button. To increase your speed in very small
amounts, brie y press the RES/ACC button and then
release it. Each time you do this, your vehicle will
speed up approximately 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
The accelerate feature will only work after you have set
the cruise control speed by pressing the SET/CST button.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Press the SET/CST button until you reach the lower
speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the
SET/CST button brie y. Each time you do this,
the vehicle will slow down approximately
1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may have to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Applying the
brake or shifting into a lower gear will take you out
of cruise control. If you need to apply the brake or shift
to a lower gear due to the grade of the downhill
slope, you may not want to attempt to use your cruise
control feature.
Ending Cruise Control
To turn off the cruise control, step lightly on the brake
pedal, or press the CRUISE ON/OFF button on the
steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-14
Exterior Lamps
The exterior lamp control
is located to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
O(Exterior Lamp Control):Turn the control with
this symbol on it to operate the exterior lamps.The exterior lamp control has three positions:
9(Off):Turn the control to this position to turn off all
lamps except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
;(Parking Lamps):Turn the control to this position
to turn on the parking lamps together with the
following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
The parking brake indicator light will come on and stay
on while the parking lamps are on with the engine
off and the ignition in ACCESSORY or ON.
5(Headlamps):Turning the control to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
3-15
Wiper Activated Headlamps
This feature activates the headlamps and parking lamps
after the windshield wipers have been in use for
approximately six seconds. To operate, the Twilight
Sentinel
®feature must be turned on.
When the exterior lamp control is in the off position or
parking lamp position and the wiper control is on delay,
LO or HI, the HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message
will appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC).
When the ignition is turned to OFF, the wiper-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. The wiper-activated
headlamps will also turn off if the Twilight Sentinel
®or
the windshield wipers are turned off.
Headlamps on Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the exterior lamp control
is left on in either the headlamp or parking lamp position
and the driver’s door is opened with the ignition off.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will make the low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced intensity when the following
conditions are met:
It is still daylight and the ignition is on.
The exterior lamp control is in the off position.
The transaxle is not in PARK (P).
When DRL are on, only your low-beam headlamps at
reduced brightness will be on. No other exterior
lamps such as the parking lamps, taillamps, etc. will be
on when the DRL are being used. Your instrument
panel will not be lit up either.
3-16
When the Twilight Sentinel®lever is on and it is dark
enough outside, the low-beam headlamps at reduced
intensity will turn off and normal low-beam headlamp
operation will occur.
When the Twilight Sentinel
®lever is on and it is bright
enough outside, the regular lamps will go off, and
the low-beam headlamps at reduced brightness will take
over. If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the
automatic headlamp system will come on immediately.
Once you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
knob is in the full bright position. SeeInstrument
Panel Brightness on page 3-20.
If it is dark enough outside and the Twilight Sentinel
®
lever is off, a HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will
display on the Driver’s Information Center (DIC). This
message informs the driver that turning on the exterior
lamps is recommended even though the DRL are
still illuminated.Turning on the Twilight Sentinel
®or the headlamps will
deactivate the DRL and remove the HEADLAMPS
SUGGESTED message. If the parking lamps or the fog
lamps were turned on instead, the DRL will still
deactivate and the HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED
message will continue to be displayed.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off at night, turn off the
Twilight Sentinel
®and shift the transaxle into PARK (P).
Placing your vehicle in PARK (P) disables the DRL.
The DRL will stay off until you shift out of PARK (P).
To drive your vehicle with the DRL off, turn off the
Twilight Sentinel
®and manually turn on the parking
lamps or fog lamps (if equipped).
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-17