turned ON. If the LED is not lit during starting, have it
checked. If the light stays on or comes on while driving,
have the system checked by an authorized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield.
NOTE:If the defrost feature is not functioning, the
cause should be located and corrected immediately. The
windshield could fog up while driving and obscure your
visibility.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear or uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread. Inspect tread and sidewall for cuts or
cracks. Check wheel nuts for tightness, and tires (includ-
ing spare) for proper pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. In addition, if
gasoline fumes are detected or fuel, power steering fluid,
transmission fluid, or brake fluid leaks are suspected, the
cause should be located and corrected immediately.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65
2
WARNING!
High speed driving with your vehicle under maxi-
mum load is dangerous. The added strain on your
tires could cause them to fail. You could have a
serious accident. Don’t drive a vehicle loaded to the
maximum capacity at continuous speeds above 75
mph (120 km/h).
Radial-Ply Tires
WARNING!
Combining radial ply tires with other types of tires
on your vehicle will cause your vehicle to handle
poorly. The instability could cause an accident. Al-
ways use radial ply tires in sets of four (or 6, in case
of trucks with dual rear wheels). Never combine
them with other types of tires.
Cuts and punctures in radial tires are repairable only in
the tread area because of sidewall flexing. Consult your
authorized tire dealer for radial tire repairs.
Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emergency use with
radial tires. It is engineered to be used on your style
vehicle only. Since this tire has limited tread life, the
original tire should be repaired (or replaced) and rein-
stalled at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
Temporary use spare tires are for emergency use
only. With these tires, do not drive more than 50 mph
(80 km/h). Temporary-use spare tires have limited
tread life. When the tread is worn to the tread wear
indicators, the temporary use spare tire needs to be
replaced. Be sure to follow the warnings, which
apply to your spare. Failure to do so could result in
spare tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
238 STARTING AND OPERATING
CAUTION!
Prolonged use of limited use spare, or an incorrect
tire size on either front wheel, may damage transaxle
differential and result in loss of vehicle mobility.
Do not install a wheel cover or attempt to mount a
conventional tire on the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the compact spare.
Do not install more than one compact spare tire/wheel
on the vehicle at any given time.
CAUTION!
Because of the reduced ground clearance, do not take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with the
compact spare installed. Damage to the vehicle may
result.
Limited Use Spare — If Equipped
The limited use spare tire is for temporary emergency use
on your vehicle. This tire is identified by a limited use
spare tire warning label located on the limited use spare
tire and wheel assembly. This tire may look like the
original equipped tire on the front or rear axle of your
vehicle, but it is not. Installation of this limited use spare
tire affects vehicle handling. Since it is not the same tire,
replace (or repair) the original tire and reinstall on the
vehicle at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
The limited use spare tires are for emergency use
only. Installation of this limited use spare tire affects
vehicle handling. With this tire, do not drive more
than 60 mph (100 km/h). Keep inflated to the cold
tire inflation pressure listed on either your tire
placard or limited use spare tire and wheel assembly.
Replace (or repair) the original tire at the first
opportunity and reinstall it on your vehicle. Failure
to do so could result in loss of vehicle control.
STARTING AND OPERATING 239
5
WARNING!
Prolonged use of limited use spare, or incorrect tire
size of front wheel, may damage the transaxle dif-
ferential and result in loss of vehicle mobility and
could result in loss of vehicle control.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not
spin your vehicle’s wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) for
more than 30 seconds continuously.
Refer to: “Freeing A Stuck Vehicle” in Section 6 of this
manual for additional information.
Tread Wear Indicators
Tread wear indicators are in the original equipment tires
to help you in determining when your tires should be
replaced.These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves. They will appear as bands when the tread depth
becomes 1/16 inch (2 mm). When the tread is worn to the
tread wear indicators, the tire should be replaced.
Many states have laws requiring tire replacement at this
point.
240 STARTING AND OPERATING
If the ignition key is cycled, this sequence will repeat,
providing the system fault still exists. If the system fault
no longer exists, the Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light will no longer flash, and theCHECK TPM SYS-
TEMtext message will no longer display.
NOTE:If your vehicle is equipped with a compact
spare wheel and tire assembly it does not have a tire
pressure monitoring sensor. Therefore, it will not be
monitored by the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
In the event that the compact spare tire is swapped witha low pressure road tire, the next ignition key cycle will
still show the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Lamp” to be
ON, a chime to sound, and the Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC) will still show the low tire pressure
value flashing on the graphic display. However, driving
the vehicle for up to 10 minutes above 15 mph (25 km/h)
will display a “CHECK TPM SYSTEM” text message on
the EVIC. This text message will then be followed by a
graphic, with “- -“ in place of the flashing low pressure
value. For every subsequent key cycle, the “Tire Pressure
Monitoring Lamp” will be ON, a chime will sound, a
“CHECK TPM SYSTEM” text message will be display in
the EVIC, and the graphic display will have “- -“ in place
of the pressure value of the spare tire location. Once the
original road tire has been properly repaired, and put
back onto the vehicle in place of the compact spare tire.
The TPMS will update the graphic display on the EVIC
with a new tire pressure value instead of “- -“, and the
“Tire Pressure Monitoring Lamp” will be OFF as long as
none of the road tire(s) are below the low pressure
warning threshold. The vehicle may need to be driven for
up to 10 minutes above 15 mph (25 km/h) for this update
to happen.
Check TPM System Display
246 STARTING AND OPERATING
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and will not shift during travel. When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts
can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
•When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a
loss of control, poor performance or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steering, suspension, chas-
sis structure or tires.
•Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic transmission in
P for Park. Always, block orchockthe trailer wheels.
•GCWR must not be exceeded.
•Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch utilized
(This requirement may limit the ability to always
achieve 10% of tongue weight as a percentage of
total trailer weight).
Towing Requirements — Tires
Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact
spare tire.
266 STARTING AND OPERATING
Jacking Instructions
1. Remove the scissors jack and lug wrench from the
spare wheel as an assembly. Turn the jack screw to the left
to loosen the lug wrench, and remove the wrench from
the jack assembly.
NOTE:The Jack Handle attaches to the side of the jack
with two attachment points. When the jack is partially
expanded, the tension between the two attachment
points holds the jack handle in place.
2. Loosen, but do not remove, the wheel nuts by turning
them to the left one turn while the wheel is still on the
ground.
Removing Jack Handle From Jack
276 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking on
locations other than those indicated in step 3.
3. There are two front jacking locations and two rear
jacking locations on each side of the body. The front
locations are outlined by two triangular cutouts, the rear
ones by two rectangular cutouts. For vehicles equipped
with plastic trim, the plastic has been cut away to expose
the jacking locations in the body.
Do not raise the vehicle until you are sure the jack is
securely engaged.
4. Turn the jack screw to the left until the jack can be
placed under the jacking location. Once the jack is
positioned, turn the jack screw to the right until the jack
head is properly engaged with the lift area closest to the
wheel to be changed. Do not raise the vehicle until you
are sure the jack is securely engaged.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle less stable. It could slip off the jack and
hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough
to remove the tire.
5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the right,
using the swivel wrench. Raise the vehicle only until the
tire just clears the surface and enough clearance is
obtained to install the spare tire. Minimum tire lift
provides maximum stability.
6. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel and wheel
covers where applicable off the hub. Install the spare
wheel and wheel nuts with the cone shaped end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the nuts. To avoid
the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not tighten
the nuts fully until the vehicle has been lowered.
278 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES