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STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
Starting Procedures.....................248
▫Normal Starting......................248
Engine Block Heater—If Equipped.........250
Automatic Transmission..................251
▫Brake/Transmission Interlock System.......251
▫Automatic Transmission Ignition Interlock
System.............................252
▫Four Speed Automatic Transmission........252
AutoStick............................254▫AutoStick Operation...................254
▫AutoStick General Information............254
All Wheel Drive—If Equipped............255
Parking Brake.........................256
Brake System..........................258
▫Anti-Lock Brake System................258
Power Steering........................261
Traction Control—If Equipped............262
Tire Safety Information...................263
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▫Tire Markings........................263
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)..........267
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........268
Ti re s—General Information................272
▫Tire Pressure.........................272
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................273
▫Radial-Ply Tires......................276
▫Compact Spare Tire—If Equipped.........276
▫Limited Use Spare—If Equipped.........277
▫Tire Spinning........................278
▫Tread Wear Indicators..................278
▫Replacement Tires.....................279
▫Alignment And Balance.................280All Wheel Drive (AWD)—If Equipped.......281
Tire Pressure Monitor System—If Equipped . . . 281
▫1,2,3, Or 4 Tire(s) Low Pressure...........282
▫1,2,3, Or 4 Tire(s) High Pressure...........282
▫Service Tire Pressure System/See Owner’s
Manual............................282
▫General Information...................284
Tire Chains...........................284
Snow Tires...........................285
Tire Rotation Recommendations............286
Fuel Requirements......................287
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................287
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............288
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▫MMT In Gasoline.....................288
▫Materials Added To Fuel................289
▫Fuel System Cautions..................289
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings..............290
Adding Fuel..........................290
▫Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap)...............290
Vehicle Loading........................292
▫Vehicle Certification Label...............292
▫Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).......292▫Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).........292
▫Overloading.........................293
▫Loading............................293
Trailer Towing.........................294
▫Towing Requirements..................295
Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 298
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)............................298
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•You can start out in first, second, or third gear. Shifting
into fourth gear can occur only after vehicle speed
reaches 15 mph (24 km/h).
•The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop.
•Starting out in third gear is helpful in snowy or icy
conditions.
•While in the Autostick mode, Speed Control will only
function in third or fourth gear.
Downshifting out of third gear will turn off the speed
control.
•If the system detects powertrain overheating, the
transmission will revert to the automatic shift mode
and remain in that mode until the powertrain cools off.
•If the system detects a problem it will disable the
Autostick mode and the transmission will return to the
automatic mode until the problem is corrected.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE—IF EQUIPPED
This feature provides full time, on-demand, All Wheel
Drive (AWD). The system is automatic with no driver
inputs or additional driving skills required. Under nor-
mal driving conditions, the front wheels provide most of
the traction. If the front wheels begin to lose traction,
power is shifted automatically to the rear wheels. The
greater the front wheel traction loss, the greater the
power transfer to the rear wheels.
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CAUTION!
All wheels must have the same size and type tires.
Unequal tire sizes must not be used. Unequal tire
size may cause failure of the power transfer unit
and/or the viscous coupling.
PARKING BRAKE
When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch on, the brake light in the instrument cluster will
turn on.
NOTE:This light only shows that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied and place the gear selector in the
Park position. To release the parking brake, pull out on
the parking brake release located on the left side of the
instrument panel.
Parking Brake Release
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When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking
brake before placing the gear selector in Park, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may
make it difficult to move the selector out of park. As an
added precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb
on a downhill grade and away from the curb on a uphill
grade.
The parking brake should always be applied when the
driver is not in the vehicle.WARNING!
•Leaving children in a vehicle unattended is dan-
gerous for a number of reasons. A child or others
could be injured. Children should be warned not
to touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the
gear selector lever. Don’t leave the keys in the
ignition. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
•Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving: failure to do so can lead to brake
failure, and an accident.
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BRAKE SYSTEM
In the event power assist is lost for any reason (for
example, repeated brake applications with the engine
off), the brakes will still function. The effort required to
brake the vehicle will be much greater than that required
with the power system operating.
Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic
brake systems. If either of the two hydraulic
systems lose normal capability, the remaining
system will still function. There will be some
loss of overall braking effectiveness. This may be evident
by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and potential
activation of the Brake Warning Lamp.
Anti-Lock Brake System
The Anti-Lock Brake System provides increased vehicle
stability and brake performance under most braking
conditions. The system automatically“pumps”the
brakes during severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.
WARNING!
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish
their effectiveness and may lead to an accident.
Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need to
slow down or stop.
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When the vehicle is driven over 7 mph (11 km/h), you
may also hear a slight clicking sound as well as some
related motor noises. These noises are the system per-
forming its self check cycle to ensure that the ABS system
is working properly. This self check occurs each time the
vehicle is started and accelerated past 7 mph (11 km/h).
ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.
You also may experience the following when the brake
system goes into Anti-lock:
•The ABS motor running (it may continue to run for a
short time after the stop),
•the clicking sound of solenoid valves,
•brake pedal pulsations,
•and a slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the
end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
WARNING!
The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisticated
electronic equipment that may be susceptible to
interference caused by improperly installed or high
output radio transmitting equipment. This interfer-
ence can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such equipment should be
performed by qualified professionals.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
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