This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .264
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .265
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .270
................................
Jump Starting .272
..............
If the Engine Overheats .274
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .276
..........
Charging System Indicator .276
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .277
...............
Brake System Indicator .278
..................
Closing the Moonroof .279
..............................................
Fuses .280
..............................
Fuse Locations .283
......................
Emergency Towing .285
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
263
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Store the jack in its holder. Turn
the jack’s end bracket to lock it in
place. Replace the cover. Store the
tools.
Store the wheel cover or center
cap in the trunk. Make sure it does
not get scratched or damaged.
Lower the trunk floor, then close
the trunk lid. Di
agnosing why the engine won’t
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position: Wh
en you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound or series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Check these things:
You
hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page .
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral.
20.
21. 22.
272
If the Engine Won’t Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
Changing a Flat Tire, If the Engine Won’t Start
270
Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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Ifyoufindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. Seeon page .
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses
(see page ). Do you have fuel? Check the fuel
gauge; the low fuel indicator m ay
not be working. Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to on page .
Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the fuses. If the fuses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem (see
on page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ). 59
199
280 285
285
272
260
If theEngineWon’tStart
Emergency
Towing
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
271
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start your vehicle with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.To jump start your vehicle:
The numbers in the illustrations
show you the order to connect the
jumper cables.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral
(M/T) or Park (A/T), and set the
parking brake. Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
1.
2.
Jump Starting
272
4-cylinder models
BOOSTER
BATTERY
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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µ
´
´
Start the vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle. Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
vehicle’s battery. Connect the
other end to the positive ( )
terminal on the booster battery.
6.
5. 4.
3.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
273
6-cylinder models
4-cylinder models
6-cylinder models BOOSTER
BATTERY
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Keep the ends of the jumper
cables away from each other and
any metal on the vehicle until
everything is disconnected.
Otherwise, you may cause an
electrical short.If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
Once the vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
and then from the booster battery.
The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
If it climbs to the red mark, you
should determine the reason (hot
day, driving up a steep hill, etc.).
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral
(M/T) or Park (A/T), and set the
parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning lights.
2. 1.
7.
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
If the Engine Overheats
274
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
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CONT INUED
BatteryCharging System ...........................
Indicator . 57, 276
............................
Jump Starting .272
..............................
Maintenance .260
....................
Specifications . 291, 293
..............................
Bef ore Driving .183
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,17
...........................
Beverage Holders .98
..................................
Booster Seats .47
Brakes
...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) .209
.............
Break-in, New Linings .184
...........................................
Fluid .243
.........................................
Parking .96
..........................
System Design .208
.................
System Indicator . 58, 278
........................
Wear Indicators .208
.............................
Braking System .208
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle .184
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 71
........................
Brights, Headlights .69
....................................
Accessories .191
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key
.......................................
Position) .76
............
Accessory Power Sockets .100
................
Adding Engine Coolant .236
Additional Inf ormation About Your
.........................................
Airbags .21
....................
Additives, Engine Oil .233
.......
Adjusting the Steering Wheel .73
...........................
Advanced Airbags .25
.........
Advice f or Pregnant Women .15
...............................
Airbag (SRS) . 9, 21
..............
Air Conditioning System .106
.........................
Manual System . 108
.....................
Automatic System .113
Automatic System with
.................
navigation system .117
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .256
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline .184
All Children Should Sit in a
.....................................
Back Seat .33
......................................
Antif reeze .236
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............................
Indicator . 59, 209 ...................................
Operation .209
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System .172
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock .76
............................................
Armrest .85
................................
Audio System .124
.................
AM/FM/CD Player .126
.............
AM/FM/CD Changer .136
AM/FM/CD Changer with
.................
navigation system .149
...
Automatic Lighting Off Feature .70
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners .19
..
Automatic Climate Control . 113, 117
.............
Automatic Speed Control .175
..............
Automatic Transmission .203
..................
Capacity, Fluid . 290, 292
.......
Checking Fluid Level . 239, 240
.......................................
Shif ting .203
Shif t Lever Position
...............................
Indicators .203
................
Shif t Lever Positions .204
....................
Shif t Lock Release .206
Index
A B
INDEX
I
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..............................
Economy, Fuel .190
..................................
Emergencies .263
.............
Battery, Jump Starting .272
...........
Brake System Indicator .278
................
Changing a Flat Tire .265
.....
Charging System Indicator .276
..................
Checking the Fuses .280
.........
Hazard Warning Flashers .71
............................
Jump Starting .272
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .276
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .277
...
Manually Closing Moonroof .279
..................
Overheated Engine .274
.......................................
Towing .285
...........................
Emergency Brake .96
......................
Emergency Flashers .71
......................
Emergency Towing .285
............
Emergency Trunk Opener .81
.......................
Emissions Controls .297
.............
Emissions Testing, State .300 Engine
............
Adding Engine Coolant .236
....................................
Additives .233
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter .233
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 64
.........................
If It Won’t Start .270
Malf unction Indicator
......................................
Lamp .277
.........................
Oil Lif e Display .221
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 57, 276
.............................
Oil, Synthetic .233
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use .232
...............................
Overheating .274
....................
Specifications . 291, 293
....................
Speed Limiter . 202, 205
.......................................
Starting .199
..........
Engine Speed Limiter . 202, 205
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline .184
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls .297
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .50
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
........................................
Belts by .15
................
Daytime Running Lights .70
Daytime Running Lights
.......................................
Indicator .60
.................................
Dead Battery .272
............
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety .304
................
Def ogger, Rear Window .72
Defrosting the
....................
Windows . 111, 115, 120
............................
Dimensions .290, 292
...............
Dimming the Headlights . 69
Dipstick .
Automatic Transmission . 239, 240
..........................
Engine Oil . 188, 189
..........................
Directional Signals .69
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators .208
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil . 235
....
Door and Trunk Open Monitor . 61
Doors ..............
Locking and Unlocking .77
......................
Power Door Locks .77
........
DOT Tire Quality Grading .294
Downshif ting, Manual
.............................
Transmission .200
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety .5
...........................................
Driving .197
....................................
Economy .190 ..........
Dual Temperature Control .121
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .252
Index
INDEX
E
III
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