Page 112 of 228
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 .110
.................
Fuel Recommendation . 110
.........
Service Station Procedures . 111
....................................
Ref ueling .111
OpeningandClosingthe .......................................
Hood .112
...................................
Oil Check .113
.............
Engine Coolant Check . 114
...............................
Fuel Economy .114
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 115
.............................
Carrying Cargo .117
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
109
Page 113 of 228

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).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration. Do not exceed 5,500
rpm f or the f irst 600 miles (1,000
km) of operation.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km). Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
We recommend quality gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
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
.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher.
Useof aloweroctanegasolinecan
cause occasional metallic knocking
noises in the engine and will result in
decreased engine perf ormance. Use
of a gasoline with a pump octane
number less than 87 can lead to
engine damage.
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
110
Page 114 of 228

Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
on the knob on the driver’s door
jamb. Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.Removethefuelfillcapslowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ 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.
1.
2. 3.
4.
CONT INUED
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Ref ueling
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
111
Pull
FUEL FILL CAP
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 115 of 228
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 malfunction 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.
Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood near the center.
Slide your hand to the lef t until
you f eel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle to the lef t to
release the hood. Lif t up the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves
stif f ly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated.
1.
2.
5.
6.
187
Service Station Procedures
Opening and Closing the Hood
112
RELEASE HANDLE
Page 116 of 228
Remove the dipstick again, and
ch eck the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (black
handle).
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into its hole. Wipe of f the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
To close the hood, lif t it up slightly to
remove the support rod f rom the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
f ender, then let it drop. Make sure it
is securely latched. Holding the grip, pull the support
rod out of its clip. Insert the end
into the designated hole in the
hood.
3. 4.
1.
2.
3.
146
Service Station Procedures
A dding Engine Oil
Oil Check
Bef ore Driving
113
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
DIPSTICK
CLIP
SUPPORT ROD GRIP
Page 117 of 228

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.
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 for information
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 fuel.
The
build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicl e’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your fuel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion. an
underinflated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more fuel.
Always
maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the
information display. See
on page
.
149 141
141
For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Fuel Economy
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Service Station Procedures, Fuel Economy
114
RESERVE TANK
MAX MIN
Page 136 of 228

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
If you have the skills and tools to
perform more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer. This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance minder messages on
the information display, a
maintenance record, and instructions
for simple maintenance tasks you
may want to take care of yourself. ......................
Maintenance Saf ety .134
....................
Maintenance Minder . 135
....................
Maintenance Record .143
..............................
Fluid Locations .145
........................
Adding Engine Oil .146
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 147
..............................
Engine Coolant .149
....................
Windshield Washers .151
........
Manual Transmission Fluid . 152
..........................
Dif f erential Fluid .153
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 154
.............................................
Lights .155
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts . 160
.....................................
Floor Mats .161
..................
DustandPollenFilter . 161
..............................
Audio Antenna .161
.................................
Wiper Blades .162
...........................................
Wheels .163
...............................................
Tires .163
...................
Checking the Battery . 169
.............................
Vehicle Storage .171
215
Maintenance
Maint enance
133
Page 137 of 228

To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required. All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air. Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here.
However, we cannot warn you of
every conceivable hazard that can
arise in performing maintenance.
Only you can decide whether or
not you should perf orm a given
task.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts. Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the
engine.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Burns f rom hot parts. Carbon Monoxide poison
f rom engine exhaust.
Potential Vehicle Hazards
134
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’s
manual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle, or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner’s
manual.