
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch re. You or
others could be injured. Do not leave your
vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P)
and your parking brake is rmly set before you
leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into
PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever
away from PARK (P) without rst pushing the
button. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift
your transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight
of the vehicle may put too much force on the
parking pawl in the transaxle. You may nd
it difficult to pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
This is called “torque lock.” To prevent torque lock,
set the parking brake and then shift into PARK (P)
properly before you leave the driver’s seat. To
nd out how, seeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 123.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever
out of PARK (P) before you release the parking
brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to
take some of the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transaxle, so you can pull the shift lever
out of PARK (P).
124

Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the
gas carbon monoxide (CO), which you
cannot see or smell. It can cause
unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange
or different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a
collision.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Your vehicle was damaged when
driving over high points on the road
or over road debris.
Repairs were not done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system has
been modi ed improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows
down to blow out any CO; and
Have your vehicle xed immediately.
127

Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 127.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your
vehicle even if the climate control fan is at
the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust — with
CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in
a garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 316.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. Do not leave
your vehicle when the engine is running
unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake and move
the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle
will not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 123.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 328.
128

Instrument Panel Overview........................ 148
Hazard Warning Flashers.......................... 150
Other Warning Devices............................. 150
Horn.......................................................... 150
Tilt Wheel.................................................. 151
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.................. 151
Turn and Lane-Change Signals................. 152
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.......... 152
Flash-to-Pass............................................ 153
Windshield Wipers..................................... 153
Windshield Washer.................................... 154
Rear Window Wiper/Washer...................... 155
Cruise Control........................................... 155
Headlamps................................................ 159
Headlamps on Reminder........................... 159
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)................. 160
Automatic Headlamp System..................... 160
Fog Lamps................................................ 161
Instrument Panel Brightness...................... 161
Dome Lamp.............................................. 162
Entry Lighting............................................ 162
Map Lamps............................................... 162
Cargo Lamp.............................................. 162
Electric Power Management...................... 163Battery Run-Down Protection..................... 164
Accessory Power Outlet(s)........................ 164
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter................ 165
Climate Controls......................................... 166
Climate Control System............................. 166
Outlet Adjustment...................................... 170
Passenger Compartment Air Filter............. 170
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators..... 172
Instrument Panel Cluster........................... 173
Speedometer and Odometer...................... 174
Trip Odometer........................................... 174
Tachometer............................................... 174
Safety Belt Reminder Light........................ 175
Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light....... 175
Airbag Readiness Light............................. 176
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator............. 177
Battery Warning Light................................ 179
Brake System Warning Light..................... 180
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light...... 181
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light........................................ 182
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light........................................ 182
Section 3 Instrument Panel
145

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage............ 183
Tire Pressure Light.................................... 183
Malfunction Indicator Lamp........................ 184
Oil Pressure Light..................................... 187
Change Engine Oil Light........................... 188
Security Light............................................ 189
Fog Lamp Light......................................... 189
Cruise Control Light.................................. 189
Reduced Engine Power Light.................... 190
Highbeam On Light................................... 190
Service All-Wheel Drive Light.................... 191
All-Wheel Drive Disabled Light.................. 191
Gate Ajar Light.......................................... 192
Door Ajar Light.......................................... 192
Service Vehicle Soon Light........................ 192
Fuel Gage................................................. 192
Low Fuel Warning Light............................ 193
Driver Information Center (DIC).................. 194
DIC Operation and Displays...................... 195
DIC Warnings and Messages.................... 200
DIC Vehicle Personalization....................... 210Audio System(s)......................................... 218
Setting the Time (Without Date Display).... 220
Setting the Time (With Date Display)......... 220
Radio with CD (Base)............................... 222
Radio with CD (MP3)................................ 228
Radio with CD and DVD........................... 239
Using an MP3 (Radio with CD or Six-Disc
CD Player)............................................. 257
Using an MP3 (Radio with CD and DVD
Player)................................................... 264
XM Radio Messages................................. 272
Navigation/Radio System........................... 274
Rear Seat Entertainment System............... 274
Theft-Deterrent Feature............................. 285
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.................. 285
Radio Reception........................................ 287
Care of Your CDs and DVDs.................... 288
Care of the CD and DVD Player............... 288
Multi-Band Antenna................................... 288
Section 3 Instrument Panel
146

Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM)
that estimates the battery’s temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best
performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the
voltage is raised slightly to quickly put the charge
back in. When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging.
If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage or voltage
display on the Driver Information Center (DIC), you
may see the voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for all
vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator)
may not be spinning fast enough at idle to
produce all the power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s
output and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It
can increase engine idle speed to generate more
power, whenever needed. It can temporarily
reduce the power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels,
without being noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action, this action may
be noticeable to the driver. If so, a Driver
Information Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as Battery Saver Active or Service
Battery Charging System. If this message is
displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 200.
163

For quick cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the vent mode.
2. Select the outside air.
3. Select air conditioning.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed.
6. Once the vehicle’s interior temperature is
below the outside temperature, select
recirculation mode for enhanced cooling.
Using these settings together for long periods of
time may cause the air inside of the vehicle
to become too dry. To prevent this from
happening, after the air inside of the vehicle has
cooled, turn the recirculation mode off.
The air conditioning system removes moisture
from the air, so you may sometimes notice a small
amount of water dripping underneath the vehicle
while idling or after turning off the engine. This
is normal.
((Heated Seats):If your vehicle has heated
seats, seeHeated Seats on page 11.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog or frost on the inside of windows is a result of
high humidity (moisture) condensing on the cool
window glass. This can be minimized if the climate
control system is used properly. To avoid fogging
windows on rainy and humid days at temperatures
above freezing, turn on the air conditioning
system. Also, it is best to avoid the use of the
recirculation mode, except when maximum
A/C performance is needed or for short times to
avoid exterior odors.
Use the defog mode to clear the windows of fog
or moisture and warm the passengers. Use
the defrost mode to remove fog or frost from the
windshield more quickly. When you select either of
these modes, or the oor mode which also
helps defog the windows slightly, the system runs
the air conditioning compressor and cancels
recirculation mode to dry the air; however, the
recirculation light will stay on. For best results,
clear all snow and ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
Turn the right knob to select the defog or
defrost mode.
168