While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is meant to provide advice
for when you drive your vehicle off paved roads.
Also, seeBraking on page 238.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some de nite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great
North American road system behind. Traffic
lanes are not marked. Curves are not banked.There are no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery,
rough, uphill or downhill. In short, you have
gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And
that is why it is very important that you read
this guide. You will nd many driving tips and
suggestions. These will help make your off-road
driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out.
For example, be sure to have all necessary
maintenance and service work done. Check to
make sure all underbody shields are properly
attached. Make sure any equipment you
may need — rst aid kit, cell phone, ashlight,
etc. — is securely stored in the vehicle.
Be sure you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is
there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully in ated?
Are the uid levels up where they should be?
What are the local laws that apply to off-roading
where you will be driving? If you do not know, you
should check with law enforcement people in
the area. Will you be on someone’s private land?
If so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
250
The trailer tongue weight (A) should be 10 percent
to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B),
up to a maximum of 500 lbs (227 kg) with a weight
carrying hitch or a weight distributing hitch.
Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue
weight for your vehicle. Choose the shortest hitch
extension that will position the hitch ball closest
to the vehicle. This will help reduce the effect
of trailer tongue weight on the rear axle.Your spare tire carrier is behind the tailgate.
If your hitch extension is too short, the spare
tire may interfere with trailer coupling or trailer
tongue jack operation on some types of trailers.
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue, separately, to see if
the weights are proper. If they aren’t, you may be
able to get them right simply by moving some
items around in the trailer.Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are in ated to the
upper limit for cold tires. You’ll nd these numbers
on the Certi cation/Tire Label located on the
B-pillar below the door latch or seeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 289. Then be sure you don’t
go over the GVW limit for your vehicle, or
the GAWR, including the weight of the trailer
tongue. If you use a weight distributing hitch, make
sure you don’t go over the rear axle limit before
you apply the weight distribution spring bars.
300
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 358
Bulb Replacement....................................... 361
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 361
Headlamps................................................ 362
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps............................... 363
License Plate Lamp................................... 364
Replacement Bulbs................................... 365
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 366
Tires............................................................ 367
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 368
Tire Terminology and De nitions............... 372
In ation - Tire Pressure............................. 375
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 376Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 381
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 383
Buying New Tires...................................... 383
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 385
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 386
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 387
Wheel Replacement.................................. 387
Tire Chains............................................... 389
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 390
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 391
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 393
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 396
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 403
Spare Tire................................................. 405
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
312