
If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire. If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inf late the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver’s doorjamb. When this indicator is on, one or
more of your tires is signif icantly
under inf lated. You should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible.
The VTM-4 Lock will temporarily
disengage when the vehicle speed
exceeds 18 mph (30 km/h). The
indicator in the button will remain on.
do
any of the f ollowing: Press the VTM-4 LOCK button. Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure indicator and the
appropriate tire on the tire pressure
monitor to come on. Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.
Move the shift lever to D.
Turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
To Disengage the VTM-4 L ock, Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(T PMS)
VTM-4 System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
204
Do not continuously spin the f ront tires
of your vehicle. Continuously spinning
the f ront tires can cause transmission
or rear dif f erential damage. 

Forbettertractiononallsurfaces,
accelerate slowly and gradually build
up speed. If you try to start too fast
on wet soil, mud, snow, or ice, you
might not have enough traction to
get underway, and you may dig
yourself a hole. Starting with the
shif t lever in second (2) gear will
help you have a smoother start on
snow or ice.
Keep in mind that you will usually
need more time and distance to
brake to a stop on unpaved surf aces.
Avoid hard braking. Do not ‘‘pump’’
the brakes; let the anti-lock braking
system pump them f or you.Your vehicle is not equipped with
undercarriage guards to protect key
components, so take care to avoid
rocks, tree stumps, and other
obstacles in your path.
Because your vehicle has a higher
center of gravity than a conventional
passenger vehicle, driving a wheel
over a tall object, or allowing a wheel
to drop into a deep hole, can cause
your vehicle to tip or roll over.
If you can’t clearly see all conditions
or obstacles on a slope, walk the
slope bef ore you drive on it. If you
have any doubt whether or not you
can saf ely drive on the slope, don’t
do it. Find another route.
If you are driving up a hill and f ind
that you cannot continue,
. Your vehicle could roll
over. Slowly back down the hill,
f ollowing the same route you took up
the hill.
do not try to
turn around
A ccelerating and Braking A voiding ObstaclesDriving on Slopes
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
Driving
229 

The banks  and surface  under the
water  provide  good traction.  The
water  may  hide  hazards  such as
rocks,  holes, or mud.
Before 
driving  through  water, stop,
get  out  if necessary,  and make  sure
that:
If you  decide  it is  safe  to drive
through  water, choose  a suitable
speed,  and proceed  without shifting,
changing  speed s, stopping,  or
shutting  off the  engine.
Do  not  try to cross  water  at high
speeds,  as this  may  cause  severe
damage  to the  cooling  system or
result  in loss  of control.
After  driving  through  water, test
your  brakes.  If they  got wet,  gently
‘‘pump’’  them while  driving  slowly
until  they operate  normally.
If  the  water  is deeper  than the wheel
hubs,  some additional  service may
be  required.  This service  is not
covered  by your  warranties.
The 
water  is not  flowing  too fast.
Deep  rushing  water can sweep  you
downstream.  Even very  shallow
rushingwatercanwashthe
ground  from under  your tires and
cause  you to lose  traction  and
possibly  roll over.
The 
ban ks  are  sloped  so you  can
drive  out.
The 
water  is not  deep  enough  to
cover  your wheel  hubs, axles,  or
exhaust  pipe. You could  stall and
not  be able  to restart  your engine.
The  water  can also  damage
important  vehicle components. If 
you  get stuck,  and cannot  get
unstuck  with the VTM-4  system,
engage  the VTM-4  Lock  (see  page
),  and  carefully  try to go  in the
direction  (forward or reverse)  that
you  think  will get you  unstuck.  Do
notspinthetiresathighspeeds.It
will  not help  you get out  and  may
cause  damage  to the  transmission  or
VTM-4  system.
If  you  are still  unable  to free  yourself,
your  vehicle  is equipped  with front
and rear tow hooks designed f or this
purpose (see page ). 297
203
If You Get Stuck
Crossing a Stream
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
230 

Use a nylon  strap to attach  your
vehicle  to the  recovery  vehicle, and
carefully  take out the  slack  in the
strap.  Once the strap  is tight,  the
recovery  vehicle should apply force.
Re me mber  that the recovery  vehicle
needs  good traction  to avoid
becoming  stuck, too.
You  should  never use a jack  to try  to
get  unstuck.  Your vehicle  could
easily  slip off the  jack  and hurt  you
or  someone  else. You 
may  safely  tow a trailer  off-road
if  you  follow  these guidelines:
Do not exceed the trailer weight
or tongue limits (see page ).
Stay on smooth, level dirt roads,
and avoid driving in hilly terrain.
Allow extra room f or starting,
stopping, and turning.
Slow down if you encounter bumps
or other obstacles. 214
Towing a Trailer Off-Road
Of f -Highway Driving Guidelines
Driving
231 

If the  temperatu re gauge  stays at
the  red  mark,  turn off  the  engine.
Look  for any  obvious  coolant leaks,
such  as a split  radiator  hose.
Everything  is still  extremely  hot,
so  use  caution.  If you  find  a leak,  it
must  be repaired  before  you
continue  driving (see
on  page  ).
Put the radiator  cap back  on
tightl y. Run  the engine,  and watch
the  temperatu re gauge.  If it goes
back  to the  red  mark,  the engine
needs repair (see on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.Start the engine, and set the
temperature to maximum heat
(climate control to AUTO at
‘‘ ’’). Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.
4.
5.
6.
7. 8.
10.
11.9.
296 296
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
287
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap. 

Safely pull off the  road,  and  shut
off  the  engine.  Turn on the  hazard
warning  indicators.
Let  the vehicle  sit for  a minute.
Op en  the  hood,  and check  the oil
level  (see page  ). An  engine
very  low on oil can  lose  pressure
during  cornering  and other  driving
maneuvers.
If  necessary,  add oil to bring  the
level  back  to the  full  mark  on the
dipsti ck (see  page  ). If 
the  charging  system
indicator  comes on brightly
wh en the  engine  is running,  the
battery  is not  being  charged.
Immediately  turn off all electri cal
accessories.  Try not to use  other
electrically  operated controls such as
the  power  windows.  Keep the engine
running;  starting the engine  will
discharge  the battery  rapidly.
This 
indicator  should never
come  on when  the  engine  is
running.  If it starts  flashing  or stays
on,  the  oil pressure  has dropped  very
low  or lost  pressure.  Serious  engine
damage  is possible,  and you should
take  immediate  action.
Start the engine,  and watch  the oil
pressure  indicator.  If it does  not go
out  within  10 seconds,  turn off  the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(see on page
). Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
182
246
296
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Charging System Indicator
Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
288
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped. 

If you take your vehicle f or a state
emissions test shortly af ter the
battery has been disconnected or
gone dead, it may not pass the test.
This is because of certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that must be set in the on-
board diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. These codes are erased
when the battery is disconnected,
and set again only after several days
of driving under a variety of
conditions.
If the testing f acility determines that
the readiness codes are not set, you
will be requested to return at a later
date to complete the test. If you must
get the vehicle retested within the
next two or three days, you can
condition the vehicle f or retesting by
doing the f ollowing.Make sure the gas tank is nearly,
but not completely, f ull (around
3/4). Without touching the accelerator
pedal, start the engine, and let it
idle f or 20 seconds.
Keep the vehicle in Park. Increase
the engine speed to 2,000 rpm, and
hold it there until the temperature
gauge rises to at least 1/4 of the
scale (about 3 minutes).
Select a nearby lightly traveled
major highway where you can
maintain a speed of 50 to 60 mph
(80to97km/h)foratleast20
minutes. Drive on the highway in
D. Do not use the cruise control.
When traffic allows, drive for 90
seconds without moving theaccelerator pedal. (Vehicle speed
may vary slightly; this is okay.) If
you cannot do this f or a
continuous 90 seconds because of
traf f ic conditions, drive f or at least
30 seconds, then repeat it two
more times (for a total of 90
seconds).
Then drive in city/suburban
traffic for at least 10 minutes.
When traffic conditions allow, let
the vehicle coast f or several
seconds without using the
accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal.
Stop the vehicle, turn of f the
ignition switch, and leave it of f f or
30 minutes.
If the testing f acility determines the
readiness codes are still not set, see
your dealer.
Make sure the vehicle has been
parked with the engine of f f or 6
hours or more.
Make sure the ambient
temperature is between 40° and
95°F.
State Emissions T esting
T esting of Readiness Codes
310