Page 144 of 274
Bef ore you begin driving your
vehicle, you should know what
gasoline to use and how to check the
levels of important f luids. You also
need to know how to properly store
luggage or packages. The
inf ormation in this section will help
you. If you plan to add any
accessories to your vehicle, please
read the information in this section
first..............................
Break-in Period .142
.................
Fuel Recommendation . 142
.........
Service Station Procedures . 143
....................................
Ref ueling .143
Opening and Closing ................................
the Hood .144
...................................
Oil Check .145
.............
Engine Coolant Check . 146
...............................
Fuel Economy .147
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 148
.............................
Carrying Cargo .150
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
141
Page 145 of 274

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
During this period:
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced.
Do not tow a trailer.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
We recommend using gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
142
Page 146 of 274

Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
on the handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.
Removethefuelfillcapslowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
The fuel fill cap is attached to the
f uel f iller with a tether. Put the
attachment on the fuel fill cap into
the slit on the fuel fill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
even though the tank is not f ull,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle’s fuel vapor recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapors f rom going into the
atmosphere. Try f illing at another
pump. If this does not f ix the
problem, consult your dealer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
CONT INUED
Service Station Procedures
Ref ueling
Bef ore Driving
143
Pull
TETHER
FUEL FILL CAP
ATTACHMENT
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
Page 148 of 274
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
Wipe of f the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its hole.
To close the hood, lif t it up slightly to
remove the support rod f rom the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
f ender, then let it drop. Make sure it
is securely latched. Remove the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
Pull the support rod out of its clip,
and insert the end into the
designated hole in the hood.
1.
2.
3.
3.
4.
193
Oil Check
A dding Engine Oil
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
145
DIPSTICK
SUPPORT ROD
CLIP UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
Page 149 of 274
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, seeon page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to
on page f or
inf ormation about checking other
items on your vehicle. 186
196
Service Station Procedures
Engine Coolant Check A dding
Engine Coolant Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
146
MAX RESERVE TANK
MIN
Page 150 of 274
Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See(see page
).
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more f uel.
The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible. The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible. Combine several short trips into
one. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
f uel. Use cruise control when
appropriate.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel. 186
For example,
Fuel Economy
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Bef ore Driving
147
Page 158 of 274

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
the braking system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer or drive off-highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .156
....................
Preparing to Drive .157
.......................
Starting the Engine .158
...................
Manual Transmission . 159
..............
Automatic Transmission . 161
...........................................
Parking .166
.............................
Braking System .167
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 168
Vehicle Stability Assist ............................
(VSA) System .170
...........................
Towing a Trailer .172
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a ................................
Motorhome .177
Of f -Highway Driving ..................................
Guidelines .179
Driving
Driving
155
Page 160 of 274
Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed.Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors, the tailgate,
and the hatch glass are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely. Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ).
Youshoulddothesechecksand
adjustments bef ore you drive your
vehicle:
1.
2.
10.78
88
14
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
55
213 69
Driving Guidelines
Preparing to Drive
Driving
157