WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchor positions directly behind
the child seat to secure a child restraint top tether
strap.
Transporting Pets
Airbags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine in
your new vehicle.
Drive moderately during the first 300 miles (500 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or 55
mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration, within the
limits of local traffic laws, contributes to a good break-in.
Wide open throttle acceleration in low gear can be
detrimental and should be avoided.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur.
The recommended viscosity and quality grades are
shown in Section 7 of this manual. NON-DETERGENT
OR STRAIGHT MINERAL OILS MUST NEVER BE
USED.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 77
2
A new engine may consume some oil during its first few
thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This should be
considered as a normal part of the break-in and not
interpreted as an indication of difficulty.
SAFETY TIPS
Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO) which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can
eventually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO)
follow the safety tips below.
•Do not inhale exhaust gases. They contain carbon
monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas which can kill.
Never run the engine in a closed area, such as a
garage, and never sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for a extended period. If the vehicle is
stopped in an open area with engine running for more
than a short period, adjust the ventilation system to
force fresh, outside air into the vehicle.
•Guard against carbon monoxide with proper mainte-
nance. Have the exhaust system inspected every time
the vehicle is raised. Have any abnormal conditions
repaired promptly. Until repaired, drive with all side
windows fully open.
•Always run the climate control in panel or floor mode
when driving with any windows open, even if only
slightly, to help keep fresh air circulating inside ve-
hicle. Otherwise poisonous gases could be drawn into
the vehicle.
78 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DESCRIPTION
Your vehicle is equipped with the instrument cluster
described on the following pages.
1. Fuel Gauge
The pointer shows the level of fuel in the fuel tank. When
the fuel gauge pointer initially moves to E, for your
safety, approximately 2 U.S. Gallons (7.6L) of fuel remain.
NOTE:When the ignition switch is turned to OFF, the
fuel gauge, voltmeter, oil pressure and temperature
gauges may not show accurate readings. When the
engine is not running, turn the ignition switch to ON to
obtain accurate readings.
2. Charging System Warning Light
This light shows the status of the electrical charg-
ing system. The light should come on for three
seconds when the ignition is first turned ON. If the light
comes back on immediately or comes on while driving, it
means that there is a problem with the charging systemor the battery is low. Also, a chime will sound if the light
comes back on. See your authorized dealer immediately.
3. Front Fog Light Indicator Light — If Equipped
This light shows when the front fog lights are on.
4. Low Fuel Warning Light
When the fuel level reaches approximately 2 U.S.
Gallons (7.6L) this light will come on and remain on
until fuel is added. The “Low Fuel Warning Light”
may turn on and off again, especially during and after
hard braking, accelerations, or turns. This occurs due to
the shifting of the fuel in the tank.
5. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.
202 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
6. Front Axle Lock Indicator Light — If Equipped
Indicates when the front axle lock has been
activated.
7. Seat Belt Indicator Light
A warning chime and an indicator light will alert
you to buckle the seat belts. When the belt is
buckled, the chime will stop, but the light will stay
on until it times out (about 6 seconds).
8. Turn Signal Indicator Lights
The arrows will flash with the exterior turn signals
when the turn signal lever is operated. A tone will
chime if the turn signals are left on for more than 1 mile
(2 km).
9. Oil Pressure Warning Light
Shows low engine oil pressure. The light will come
on and remain on when the ignition switch isturned from the OFF to the ON position, and the light
will turn off after the engine is started. If the bulb does
not come on, have the system checked by your autho-
rized dealer.
If the warning light comes on and remains on while
driving, stop the vehicle and shut off the engine. DO
NOT OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CAUSE IS
CORRECTED. Also, a single chime will sound.
10. High Beam Indicator Light
This light shows that the headlights are on high
beam. Pull the turn signal lever towards the
steering wheel to switch the headlights from high or low.
If the driver’s door is open, and the headlights or
parklights are left on, the “High Beam Indicator Light”
will flash and a chime will sound.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 203
4
smoke, perfumes, etc.) from sticking to the windows.
Contaminates increase the rate of window fogging.
Summer Operation
Air conditioned vehicles must be protected with a high
quality antifreeze coolant during summer to provide
proper corrosion protection and to raise the boiling point
of the coolant for protection against overheating. A 50 %
concentration is recommended. Refer to Fluids and
Genuine Parts in Section 7 for the proper coolant type.
When using the air conditioner in extremely heavy traffic
in hot weather especially when towing a trailer, addi-
tional engine cooling may be required. If this situation is
encountered, operate the transmission in a lower gear to
increase engine RPM, coolant flow and fan speed. When
stopped in heavy traffic, it may be necessary to shift into
N (Neutral) and depress the accelerator slightly for fast
idle operation to increase coolant flow and fan speed.
Winter Operation
When operating the system during the winter months,
make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the
windshield, is free of ice, slush, snow, or other obstruc-
tions.
Vacation Storage
Anytime you store your vehicle, or keep it out of service
(i.e. vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air condi-
tioning system at idle for about five minutes in the fresh
air and high blower setting. This will insure adequate
system lubrication to minimize the possibility of com-
pressor damage when the system is started again.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 259
4
Standing Water
Avoid driving in standing water deeper than 20 inches,
and reduce speed appropriately to minimize wave ef-
fects. Maximum speed in 20 inches of water is less than 5
mph (8 km/h).
Maintenance
After driving through deep water, inspect your vehicle
fluids and lubricants (engine oil, transmission oil, axle,
transfer case) to assure the fluids have not been contami-
nated. Contaminated fluid (milky, foamy in appearance)
should be flushed/changed as soon as possible to pre-
vent component damage.
Driving In Snow, Mud and Sand
In heavy snow, when pulling a load, or for additional
control at slower speeds, shift the transmission to a low
gear and shift the transfer case to 4L (Low) if necessary.
Refer to “Four-Wheel Drive Operation” in this section.Do not shift to a lower gear than necessary to maintain
headway. Over-revving the engine can spin the wheels
and traction will be lost.
Avoid abrupt downshifts on icy or slippery roads, be-
cause engine braking may cause skidding and loss of
control.
Hill Climbing
NOTE:Before attempting to climb a hill, determine the
conditions at the crest and/or on the other side.
Before climbing a steep hill,shift the transmission to a
lower gear and shift the transfer case to 4L (Low). Use
first gear and 4L (Low) for very steep hills.
If you stall or begin to lose headwaywhile climbing a
steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and
immediately apply the brakes. Restart the engine and
shift to R (Reverse). Back slowly down the hill allowing
the compression braking of the engine to help regulate
292 STARTING AND OPERATING
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
CONTENTS
Engine Compartment – 3.8L...............364
Onboard Diagnostic System — OBD II........365
▫Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message............366
Emissions Inspection And Maintenance
Programs............................366
Replacement Parts......................368
Dealer Service.........................368
Maintenance Procedures..................369
▫Engine Oil..........................369▫Drive Belts — Check Condition And Tension . . 372
▫Spark Plugs.........................373
▫Catalytic Converter....................373
▫Crankcase Emission Control System........375
▫Fuel Filter..........................375
▫Engine Air Cleaner Filter................375
▫Maintenance-Free Battery................376
▫Air Conditioner Maintenance.............376
▫Power Steering Fluid Check..............377
7
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
The pages that follow contain therequiredmaintenance
services determined by the engineers who designed your
vehicle.
Besides the maintenance items for which there are fixed
maintenance intervals, there are other items that should
operate satisfactorily without periodic maintenance.
However, if a malfunction of these items does occur, it
could adversely affect the engine or vehicle performance.
These items should be inspected if a malfunction is
observed or suspected.
Engine Oil
Checking Oil Level
To assure proper lubrication of your vehicle’s engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at the correct level. The
best time to check the engine oil level is about 5 minutes
after a fully warmed up engine is shut off or before
starting the engine after it has sat overnight.Checking the oil while the vehicle is on level ground will
improve the accuracy of the oil level readings. Always
maintain the oil level within the SAFE zone on the
dipstick. Adding one quart of oil when the reading is at
the bottom of the SAFE zone will result in a reading at the
top of the safe zone on these engines.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 369
7