Page 229 of 366

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).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance. Use
of a gasoline with a pump octane
number less than 87 can lead to
engine damage.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear.
We recommend quality 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 stronglyrecommend, 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.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline. 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 % ethanol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
On vehicles with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
228
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Park with the driver’s side closest
to the gas pump.
To open the f uel f ill door, push
down on the lever located to the
lef t of the driver’s seat.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.
3.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
Ref ueling
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
229
FUEL FILL CAP
Push
TETHER
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.
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Page 231 of 366

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.To Open the Hood:
Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malf unction indicator lamp
maycomeon(seepage ).You
will also see a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL
CAP’’ message in the inf ormation
display.
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
1.
6.
4.
5.
324
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Service Station Procedure
Opening and Closing the Hood
230
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
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Page 232 of 366
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
(30cm)abovethefender,thenletit
drop. Make sure it is securely
latched. To Close the Hood:
Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood near the center.
Slide your hand to the lef t until
you f eel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle up to release it.
Lif t up the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves stif f ly,
or if you can open the hood without
lif ting the handle, the mechanism
should be cleaned and lubricated. Pull the support rod out of its clip
by holding the grip, and insert the
end into the designated hole in the
hood.
3.
2.
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
231
LATCH
SUPPORT ROD
GRIP
CLIP
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Page 233 of 366
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its hole. Remove the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
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, see
on page f or
informationonaddingtheproper
coolant.
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
vehicle.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see
on page .
1.
2.
3. 4.
278 283
273
Oil Check
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
A dding Engine Oil
Service Station Procedure
232
UPPER MARK
DIPSTICK (orange handle) LOWER MARKRESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
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Page 262 of 366

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition. Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the left,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in f irst or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure. All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ). Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections.
258 259 304
bottom
Pre-T ow ChecklistBacking Up
Parking
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Towing a Trailer
Driving
261
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Page 264 of 366

If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer. This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance messages in the multi-
inf ormation display, a maintenance
record, and instructions f or simple
maintenance tasks you may want to
take care of yourself .......................
Maintenance Saf ety .264
....................
Maintenance Minder .266
....................
Maintenance Record .275
..............................
Fluid Locations .277
........................
Adding Engine Oil .278
.......
Recommended Engine Oil .278
..............................
Synthetic Oil .279
................
Engine Oil Additives .279
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter .280
....................
Windshield Washers .282
..............................
Engine Coolant .283
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 283
.......................
Transmission Fluid .285
Automatic .........................
Transmission .285
Manual .........................
Transmission .287
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 288
................................
Brake Fluid .288
...............................
Clutch Fluid .289
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 289
.............................................
Lights .291
.......................................
Seat Belts .299
.....................................
Floor Mats .299
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 300
.................................
Wiper Blades .301 ...............................................
Tires .303
..................
Inf lation Guidelines . 303
...
Recomended Tire Pressures . 304
..........................
Tire Inspection .305
.....................
Tire Maintenance .305
.............................
Tire Rotation .306
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 306
Wheel and Tire ........................
Specif ications .307
..........................
Winter Driving .307
.............................
Snow Tires .307
............................
Tire Chains .308
...................
Checking the Battery . 309
.............................
Vehicle Storage .310
353
Maintenance
Maint enance
263
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Page 265 of 366

All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when
working near the battery or
when using compressed air.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
264
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection,
maintenance recommendations,
and schedules in this owner’s
manual.
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