{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something
may be wrong with the airbag system.
If this ever happens, have the vehicle
serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the
protection of the frontal airbag. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 169for
more on this, including important safety
information.A thick layer of additional material such as a
blanket, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters and seat massagers
can affect how well the passenger sensing system
operates. Remove any additional material from
the seat cushion before reinstalling or securing the
child restraint or small occupant. You may want
to consider not using seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment if your vehicle has the
passenger sensing system. SeeAdding Equipment
to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 97for
more information about modifications that can
affect how the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
95
Keys............................................................ 102
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System........ 104
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation.................................. 105
Doors and Locks........................................ 108
Door Locks................................................ 108
Power Door Locks..................................... 109
Cargo Door Relocking............................... 109
Rear Door Security Locks......................... 110
Lockout Protection..................................... 110
Sliding Side Door...................................... 111
60/40 Swing-Out Side Door....................... 112
Rear Doors............................................... 114
Windows...................................................... 116
Manual Windows....................................... 116
Power Windows........................................ 117
Swing-Out Windows.................................. 118
Sun Visors................................................ 119
Theft-Deterrent Systems............................. 119
Passlock
®.................................................. 119
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle......... 120
New Vehicle Break-In................................ 120
Ignition Positions....................................... 121Retained Accessory Power (RAP)............. 122
Starting the Engine.................................... 122
Fuel Regulator........................................... 124
Engine Coolant Heater.............................. 124
Automatic Transmission Operation............. 125
Parking Brake........................................... 128
Shifting Into Park (P) ................................. 129
Shifting Out of Park (P)............................. 130
Parking Over Things That Burn................. 131
Engine Exhaust......................................... 132
Running the Engine While Parked............. 133
Mirrors......................................................... 134
Manual Rearview Mirror............................. 134
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
Compass and Temperature Display........ 134
Outside Manual Mirror............................... 136
Outside Camper-Type Mirrors.................... 137
Outside Power Mirrors............................... 138
Outside Convex Mirror............................... 138
Outside Heated Mirrors............................. 139
Storage Areas............................................. 139
Section 2 Features and Controls
101
Fuel Regulator
Your vehicle has a fuel regulator that shuts the
fuel off when the engine reaches 5,600 rpm.
Engine Coolant Heater
In very cold weather, 0°F (−18°C) or colder, the
engine coolant heater can help. You will get easier
starting and better fuel economy during engine
warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should be
plugged in a minimum of four hours prior to starting
your vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F (0°C),
use of the coolant heater is not required. Your
vehicle may also have an internal thermostat in the
plug end of the cord. This will prevent operation of
the engine coolant heater when the temperature is
at or above 0°F (−18°C) as noted on the cord.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord for the engine coolant heater is
located on the driver’s side of the engine
compartment and is attached to the hose for
the power steering reservoir.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and some
other things. Instead of trying to list everything here,
we ask that you contact your dealer in the area
where you will be parking your vehicle. The dealer
can give you the best advice for that particular area.
124
Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust and fuel operated heater
exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you cannot
see or smell. It can cause
unconsciousness and death. If your
vehicle has a diesel engine and a fuel
operated heater, see “Fuel Operated
Heater (FOH)” in the diesel engine
supplement.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange
or different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a
collision.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Your vehicle was damaged when
driving over high points on the road
or over road debris.
Repairs were not done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system has
been modi ed improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows
down to blow out any CO; and
Have your vehicle xed immediately.
132
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under
your vehicle. This can cause deadly CO
(carbon monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might
not know it is in your vehicle. Clear away
snow from around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe and/or the fuel operated
heater exhaust system, if equipped. And
check around again from time to time to be
sure snow does not collect there. If your
vehicle has a diesel engine and a fuel
operated heater, see “Fuel Operated Heater
(FOH)” in the diesel engine supplement.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.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 (or batteries)
charged. You will need a well-charged battery
(or batteries) 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.
257
To ensure quick starts in the wintertime, the
E85 fuel must be formulated properly for your
climate according to ASTM specification D 5798.
If you have trouble starting on E85, it may be
because your E85 fuel is not properly formulated
for your climate. If this happens, switching to
gasoline or adding gasoline to your fuel tank may
improve starting. For good starting and heater
efficiency below 32°F (0°C), the fuel mix in the fuel
tank should contain no more than 70% ethanol.
It is best not to alternate repeatedly between
gasoline and E85. If you do switch fuels, it
is recommended that you add as much fuel as
possible — do not add less than three gallons
(11 L) when refueling. You should drive the
vehicle immediately after refueling for at least
seven miles (11 km) to allow the vehicle to adapt
to the change in ethanol concentration.
E85 has less energy per gallon than gasoline, so
you will need to refill your fuel tank more often
when using E85 than when you are using gasoline.
SeeFilling the Tank on page 292.Notice:Some additives are not compatible
with E85 fuel and may harm your vehicle’s fuel
system. Damage caused by additives would
not be covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for
fuel that contains methanol. Do not use
fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and also damage
the plastic and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside
the United States or Canada, the proper fuel may
be hard to find. Never use leaded gasoline or
any other fuel not recommended in the previous
text on fuel. Costly repairs caused by use of
improper fuel would not be covered by your
warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business
in the country where you will be driving.
291