Page 177 of 352
Fuel Requirements......................222
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................223
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............223
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................224
▫Materials Added To Fuel................224
▫Fuel System Cautions..................224
▫Carbon Monoxide Warnings..............225Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap).................226
▫Locking Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) — If
Equipped...........................228
Trailer Towing.........................229
Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome, Etc.) . . 232
▫Shifting Into Neutral (N)................232
▫Shifting Out Of Neutral (N)..............233
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STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
Manual Transmission
Apply the parking brake, place the gearshift control lever
in N (Neutral) and depress the clutch pedal before
starting vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a clutch
interlocking ignition system. It will not start unless the
clutch pedal is pressed to the floor.
WARNING!
You or others around you could be injured if you
attempt to start the engine with a manual transmis-
sion in gear — your vehicle will move. Remember,
always push the clutch pedal in fully and shift into
N (Neutral) before attempting to start the engine.
Automatic Transmission
Start the engine with the selector lever in the N (Neutral)
or P (Park) position. Apply the brake before shifting to
any driving range.
Normal Starting
Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine is
obtained without pumping or depressing the accelerator
pedal. Turn the key to the START position and release
when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start within
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10 seconds, turn the key to the OFF position, wait 5
seconds, then repeat the normal starting procedure.Extreme Cold Weather (below –20°F or –29°C)
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails to Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather” proce-
dures, it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it there while cranking the
engine. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
Ignition Key Positions
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If the engine has been flooded, it may start to run, but not
have enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking with the accel-
erator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. Release the
accelerator pedal and the key once the engine is running
smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, the “Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold
Weather” procedures should be repeated.
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
CAUTION!
Long periods of engine idling, especially at high
engine speeds can cause excessive exhaust tempera-
tures which can damage your vehicle. Do not leave
your vehicle unattended with the engine running.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three wire extension cord. The engine block
heater cord is found under the hood clipped to the tie rod
between the radiator grille and the dash panel.
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WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt AC electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
Use the heater when temperatures below 0°F (-18°C) are
expected to last for several days.
TRANSMISSION SHIFTING
6-Speed Manual Transmission
Follow the shift pattern on the gearshift knob.
NOTE:The backup lights will come on when your
vehicle is in reverse gear and the ignition is in the ON
position.Manual Shift Controls
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WARNING!
When parking your vehicle, always leave a manual
transmission in first gear and apply the parking
brake fully to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage. Never use any gear as a
substitute for the parking brake.
CAUTION!
To drive as safely as possible and to prolong the life
of your manual transmission, follow these tips:
•Before shifting from a forward gear into reverse, or
from reverse to a forward gear, stop vehicle com-
pletely. Otherwise, transmission damage may result.
•Do not operate at sustained high engine or road
speeds in lower gears. Engine damage may result.
•Do not downshift into a low gear while traveling at too
high a speed for that gear. Engine, clutch, or transmis-
sion damage may result.
•Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal. This causes
heat buildup and damages the clutch.
•When you slow down or go up a grade, downshift as
speed requires or the engine may overheat.
•Never hold the vehicle stopped on a hill by using the
clutch pedal. The clutch may be damaged.
•During cold weather, you may experience increased
effort in shifting until the transmission fluid warms
up. This is normal.
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•Push in the clutch pedal completely when shifting.
Otherwise, transmission or clutch damage may result.
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting between a
forward gear and reverse, do not spin wheels faster
than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
•The manual transmission may be equipped with a
“Reverse Blocker” to prevent inadvertent shifts from
5th gear to Reverse. If you experience difficulty shift-
ing into “Reverse”, make sure that you are not inad-
vertently moving the shift lever toward 5th gear when
shifting into “Reverse.”
Recommended Manual Transmission Shifting
Speeds
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
EngineSpeeds 1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6
2.4L Accel. 14
(23)24
(39)34
(55)46
(74)57
(92)
Cruise 11
(18)19
(31)27
(43)38
(61)45
(72)
4.0L Accel. 15
(24)24
(39)34
(55)47
(76)56
(90)
Cruise 10
(16)19
(31)27
(43)37
(60)41
(66)
Clutch Interlocking Ignition System
Manual transmission vehicles are equipped with a clutch
interlock safety feature. With this feature engaged, you
must depress the clutch pedal to allow cranking of the
engine. To temporarily bypass this safety feature while
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off-road driving (4L range only), which will allow crank-
ing the engine without depressing the clutch, follow
these steps:
1. Locate the Power Distribution Center (PDC) in the
engine compartment. Refer to “Fuse Panel” in Section 7
of this manual.
2. Put a 10 Amp fuse in the PDC cavity (#28) marked as
Clutch Override.
NOTE:A fuse is provided in fuseblock cavity (f19 or
f20) marked as Spare.
3. Be sure to re-engage the clutch interlock safety feature
by following these steps in reverse order when you are
finished off-road driving.Automatic Transmission
Shifting from D (Drive) to P (Park) or R (Reverse) (or
from P or R to D) should be done only after the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake when moving the
shift lever between these gears.
Automatic Shift Controls
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