Page 75 of 319

The information display in the
instrument panel shows you the
engine oil life and maintenance
service items when the ignition
switch is in the ON (II) position. This
information helps to keep you aware
of the periodic maintenance your
vehicle needs for continued trouble-
free driving. Refer to page for
more information.
Your
vehicl e’s on board 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
the 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 . 229
277
Gauges
Maintenance Minder Display
Check Fuel Cap Message
72
Page 188 of 319
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 .186
.................
Fuel Recommendation .186
.........
Service Station Procedures .187
....................................
Ref ueling .187
Opening and Closing the
.......................................
Hood .188
...................................
Oil Check .189
.............
Engine Coolant Check .190
...............................
Fuel Economy .190
...
Accessories and Modif ications .191
.............................
Carrying Cargo .193
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
185
Page 189 of 319

Help assure your vehicle’s future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:
Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
accele ration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also follow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exch anged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. In
addition, in order to maintain good
performance, fuel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-b ased
fuel additives such as MMT.
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 persi stent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
We recommend using quality
gasolines containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits. Some
gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxyg enated gasoline
containing up to 10 % eth anol by
volume and up to 15 % MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
Premium f uel is recommended when
towing in certain conditions (see
page ).
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. 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
.
220
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
186
Page 190 of 319

Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat. 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. Put the
attachment on the f uel f ill cap into
the slit 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
187
Pull
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 191 of 319
Put your fingers under the front
edge of the hood near the center.
Slide your hand to the left until
you feel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle up to release it.
Lift up the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves
stiffly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated.
Park
the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower left corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Screw
the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malf unction indicator lamp
maycomeon(seepage ).You
will also see a ‘‘CHECK FUEL
CAP’’ message on the inf ormation
display.
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches. 2.
1.
5.
6. 277
Service Station Procedures
Opening and Closing the Hood
188
LATCH
SLIT
ATTACHMENT FUEL FILL CAP HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
Page 193 of 319

Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehic le uses extra
fuel. 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.
Always
maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
messages displayed in the
information display. 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 for
info rmation on adding the proper
coolan t.
Refer to
on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
vehicle. Always drive in the highest gear
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. 234
For example,
242
234
Service Station Procedures, Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coola
nt
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
190
RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
Improving Fuel Economy
Page 223 of 319

Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated, and the trailer
tires and spare are inflated as
recommended by the trailer
maker.
To wing performance can be
affected by high altitude, high
te mperature, or when climbing
steep grades. Therefore, premium
fuel (premium unleaded gasoline
wi th pump octane number of 91 or
higher) is recommended when
towing more than 3,500 lbs (1,590
kg).
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will affect your
vehicl e’s handling and performance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques. Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers
before heading for the
open road, and follow the guidelines
below.
Avoid towing a trailer during your
vehicle’s f irst 600 miles (1,000 km)
(see page ).
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
When towing a f ixed-sided trailer
(e.g., camper), do not exceed 55 mph
(88 km/h). At higher speeds, the
trailer may sway or affect vehicle
handling.
To prevent the transmission f rom
shif ting f requently, drive in the D
position. Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently while going up a hill, shif t
to D .
186
3
Trailer Driving Tips
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Break-In Period
T owing Speeds and Gears Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
220
Page 237 of 319

µµµ
µ
µ
Ì µ
Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specified interval s. If
you are unsure of how to perform
any check, turn to the appropriate
page listed.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page .
Automatic transmission Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
.
Brakes Check the fluid level
monthly. See page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
According
to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with will not void your emissions
warranties. However, all
maintenance services should be
performed in accordance with the
intervals indicated by the
information display. Lights
Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate light monthly. See
page .
189
246
258
244 248
190
U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance Minder
Owner’s Maintenance Checks
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are ‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA
standards.
234