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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. 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.
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.
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.
For vehicles with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
154
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Page 149 of 281

Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
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 f uel f ill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top of f ’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
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. 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.
3. 4.
1. 2.
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Ref ueling
Service Station Procedure
156
FUEL FILL CAP
Push
TETHER
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 152 of 281
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.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.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
1. 2. 3.4.
203
Oil Check
A dding Oil
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
159
4-cylinder models6-cylinder models 4-cylinder modelsUPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
DIPSTICK
(orange handle) DIPSTICK
(orange loop)
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Page 153 of 281
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.
208 197
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Service Station Procedure
160
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK RESERVE TANK
4-cylinder models MIN
MAX MAX
RESERVE TANK
6-cylinder models MIN
6-cylinder models
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Page 154 of 281
Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
f uel. Use cruise control when
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use 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. an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more f uel.
Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
minder. See
(see page
).
197
For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
161
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Page 160 of 281
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Check that the trunk is f ully
closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely. Check the seat adjustment (see
pages to ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
pages and ).
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see pages to
).
3.
2. 1.
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
11.
10. 58
16
85 87
90 91 73 66
Preparing to Drive
168
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Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.Turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in START (III) f or more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the
engine does not start right away,
pause f or at least 10 seconds
bef ore trying again.If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. Return
to step 5 if the engine does not
start.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
1. 2. 3.
4. 5.6.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission: 75
Starting the Engine
Driving
169
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page .The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
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Page 162 of 281

The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse.
On vehicles with 6-speed manual
transmission, the lockout system
prevents you f rom shif ting directlyf rom Fif th to Reverse instead of
Sixth (see page ).
When shif ting up or down, make
sure you push the clutch pedal down
all the way, shif t to the next gear,
and let the pedal up gradually. Avoid
skipping gears when shif ting up or
down or serious transmission
damage can occur. When you are not
shif ting, do not rest your f oot on the
clutch pedal. This can cause your
clutch to wear out f aster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Failure to make sure the
engine speed will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone in a lower
gear can cause serious engine
damage.
172
On all 4-cylinder models with 5-speed
manual transmission
On all 6-cylinder models with 6-speedmanual transmission
Manual T ransmission
170
5-speed M/T 6-speed M/T
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