Run your engine only as long as you must.
This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make
it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push
the accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for
the heat that you get and it keeps the battery
charged. You will need a well-charged battery
to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling
later on with your headlamps. Let the heater
run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable from the cold.
But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm,
you can get out of the vehicle and do some
fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck,
you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
If your vehicle has a traction system, the traction
system can often help to free a stuck vehicle. See
Traction Control System (TCS) on page 295or
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 297.
If the stuck condition is too severe for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system
off and use the rocking method.
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Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to come in
contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid making very sharp
turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal. Do this so your trailer
won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs,
trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may
need additional wiring. Check with your
dealer/retailer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will ash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps will also ash, telling other drivers you’re
about to turn, change lanes or stop.When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the
bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are seeing
your signal when they are not. It’s important to
check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs
are still working.
Driving On Grades
When towing a trailer on long uphill grades while
the outside temperature is above 85°F (29°C),
reduce your vehicle speed to 45 mph (72 km/h)
to avoid overheating the engine cooling system.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift down, you might have to use
your brakes so much that they would get hot
and no longer work well.
Pay attention to the engine coolant gage.
If the indicator is in the red area, turn off the
air conditioning to reduce engine load. See
Engine Overheating on page 371.
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