Page 217 of 352
Bef ore you begin driving your
vehicle, you should know what
gasoline to use and how to check the
levels of important f luids. You also
need to know how to properly store
luggage or packages. The
inf ormation in this section will help
you. If you plan to add any
accessories to your vehicle, please
read the information in this section
first..............................
Break-in Period .214
.................
Fuel Recommendation .214
.........
Service Station Procedures .215
....................................
Ref ueling .215
........
Check Fuel Cap Message .216
Opening and Closing
................................
the Hood .217
...................................
Oil Check .218
.............
Engine Coolant Check .218
...............................
Fuel Economy .219
...
Accessories and Modif ications .220
.............................
Carrying Cargo .222
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
213
Page 218 of 352

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).Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
During this period:
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced.
Do not tow a trailer. 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.
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.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact your authorized dealer f or service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 % ethanol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
We recommended using a quality
gasoline containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits.
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
214
Page 219 of 352

Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
on the handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard. Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.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.
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 vapor f rom going into the
atmosphere. Try f illing at another
pump. If this does not f ix the
problem, consult your dealer. 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. Place the
cap in the holder on the f uel f ill
door.
1.
2. 3.
4.
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
CONT INUED
Service Station Procedures
Ref ueling
Bef ore Driving
215
TETHER
FUEL FILL DOOR RELEASE HANDLE
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.
Page 220 of 352

Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malfunction indicator lamp
maycomeon(seepage ).You
will also see a ‘‘CHECK FUEL
CAP’’ message on the information
display.
Push the fuel fill door closed until
it latches.
Your vehicl e’s onboard diagnostic
system will detect a loose or missing
fu el fill cap as an evaporative system
leak. The first time a leak is detected
a ‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message
appears on the information display.
Turn the engine off, and confi rm the
fuel fill cap is installed. If it is, loosen
it, then retighten it until it clicks at
least once. The message should go
off after several days of normal driving
once you tighten or replace
the fuel fill cap. To scroll to another
display, press the select/reset knob.
The ‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message
will appe ar each time you restart the
engine until the system turns the
message off.
If the system still detects a leak in
your vehicle’s evaporative emissions
system, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) comes on. If the fuel fill
cap was not already tightened, turn
the engine off, and check or
retighten the fuel fill cap until it
clicks at least once. The MIL should
go off after several days of normal
driving once the cap is tightened or
replaced. If the MIL does not go of f ,
have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer. For more inf ormation, see
page .
5.
6.
310
310
Service Station Procedures
Check Fuel Cap Message
216
Page 222 of 352
Wait a few minutes after turning the
engine off before you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
Wipe off the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into 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 .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, see on page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant.
1.
2.
3. 4.
267 270
Oil Check
A dding Engine OilEngine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Service Station Procedures
218
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARKMAX
MIN RESERVE TANK
Page 223 of 352

Refer to
on page for
inform ation about checking other
items on your vehicle. Always
maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
messages displayed in the
information display. See
on page
.
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses 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.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel.
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.
262
262
For example,
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Service Station Procedures, Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
219
Page 231 of 352

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the vehicle stability assist
(VSA) system, the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) and f acts
you need if you are planning to tow a
trailerordriveoff-highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .228
....................
Preparing to Drive .229
.......................
Starting the Engine .230
..............
Automatic Transmission .231
...........................................
Parking .236
.............................
Braking System .237
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .238
Vehicle Stability Assist
............................
(VSA) System .240
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ......................................
(TPMS) .242
...........................
Towing a Trailer .245
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a
................................
Motorhome .250
Of f -Highway Driving ..................................
Guidelines .252
Driving
Driving
227
Page 233 of 352
Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is fully closed. Check
the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
ad justment (see page ).
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page ).
Wh en you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicato rs in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Check
that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
fastened down securely.
Vi
sually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.
Make sure the doors and the
tailgate are securely closed and
locked.
1.
2.
10.14
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
288 94
108 79
59
Driving Guidelines
Preparing to Drive
Driving
229