If you lose or damage your PASS-Key®III+ key,
see your dealer/retailer or a locksmith who can
service PASS-Key
®III+ to have a new key made.
The SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM
message displays on the Driver Information Center
(DIC) when there is a problem with the
theft-deterrent system. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 239for additional information.
Do not leave the key or device that disarms or
deactivates the theft deterrent system in the
vehicle.
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
If you have all-wheel drive, keep your
speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less for
the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
the new brake linings are not yet broken in.
Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer on page 362for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
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Automatic Transmission Operation
Your vehicle has an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument panel cluster.
When using the Electronic Range Select Mode a
number will display next to the L, indicating
the current gear that has been selected.
See Electronic Range Select mode in this section
for more information.
Your automatic transmission has a shift lever
located on the console between the seats.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start
your engine because your vehicle cannot move
easily.{CAUTION:
It is 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). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 134.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 362.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock control system.
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DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. It
provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If
you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
Notice:If your vehicle seems to accelerate
slowly or not shift gears when you go faster,
and you continue to drive your vehicle that
way, you could damage the transmission. Have
your vehicle serviced right away. You can
drive in LOW (L) when you are driving less than
35 mph (56 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for higher
speeds until then.
LOW (L):This position gives you access to gear
ranges. This provides more engine braking but
lower fuel economy than DRIVE (D). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
Electronic Range Select Mode
Electronic Range Selector (ERS) mode allows you
to choose the top-gear limit of the vehicle’s
transmission and the vehicle’s speed while driving
down hill or towing a trailer.To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever to LOW (L).
2. Press the plus/minus
button located on the
shift lever, to
increase or decrease
the gear range
available based
upon your current
driving conditions
and needs.
When you shift from DRIVE (D) to LOW (L), the
transmission will shift to a pre-determined
lower gear range. The highest gear available for
this pre-determined range is displayed next to
the L in the DIC. SeeDriver Information Center
(DIC) on page 228andDIC Operation and
Displays (With DIC Buttons) on page 229orDIC
Operation and Displays (Without DIC Buttons)
on page 235for more information. The number
displayed in the DIC is the highest gear that
the transmission will be allowed to operate in.
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However, your vehicle can automatically shift to
lower gears as required by various driving
conditions. This means that all gears below that
number are available. For example, when
FOURTH (4) is shown next to the L, FIRST (1)
through FOURTH (4) gears are automatically
shifted by the vehicle. You cannot shift into
FIFTH (5) until the plus (+) button is used or you
shift back into DRIVE (D) mode.
While in LOW (L), the transmission will prevent
shifting to a lower gear range if the engine speed
is too high for the gear range you are trying to
select. You have a brief period of time to slow the
vehicle speed. If vehicle speed is not reduced
within the timeframe allowed, the lower gear range
attempted will not be available. The highest
possible gear that is allowed for that engine speed
will display next to the L in the DIC. Try again
to slow the vehicle speed and press the minus (−)
button to the desired lower gear range.
Automatic Engine Grade braking is not available
when the ERS is active. It is available in
DRIVE (D) for both normal and Tow/Haul mode.
While using the ERS, cruise control and the
tow/haul mode can be used. SeeTow/Haul Mode
on page 132for more information.Tow/Haul Mode
Your vehicle may have a Tow/Haul mode.
The button to turn it on
or off is located on
instrument panel under
the climate controls.
Push the button to turn it on, push it again to
deactivate the system. You can use this feature to
assist when towing or hauling a heavy load.
When Tow/Haul is activated the Tow/Haul symbol
will come on the instrument panel cluster. See
Tow/Haul ModeunderTowing a Trailer on
page 362for more information.
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To release the parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot. Push down
momentarily on the parking brake pedal with
your left foot until you feel the pedal release, then
slowly pull your foot up off the park brake
pedal. If the parking brake is not released when
you begin to drive, the brake system warning light
will be on and a chime will sound warning you
that the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 362.
Shifting Into Park (P)
{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. If you have left
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 362.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot
and set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding
in the button on the shift lever and pushing
the shift lever all the way toward the front
of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
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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 137.
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 347.
{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 the 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 134.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 362.
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Reading Lamps
The vehicle has reading lamps that also act as the
dome lamp. Press the button to turn them on
and off.
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 a 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 239.
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light will come on the URPA display when the shift
lever is moved into REVERSE (R). This occurs
under the following conditions:
The parking brake pedal is depressed.
A trailer was attached to your vehicle, or a
bicycle or an object was hanging out of your
trunk during your last drive when you turned off
the vehicle. If the attached objects are removed
from your vehicle before the start of your next
drive, the system will return to normal operation
unless an object is detected when the vehicle is
shifted into REVERSE (R). If this occurs, URPA
assumes the object is still attached, so you will
have to wait until the vehicle is driven forward
above 15 mph (25 km/h) before URPA will
return to normal operation.
The ultrasonic sensors need to be kept clean.
So, be sure to keep your vehicle’s rear bumper
free of mud, dirt, snow, ice, and slush. For
cleaning instructions, seeWashing Your
Vehicle on page 468. If the DIC still displays the
PARK ASSIST OFF message after cleaning the
bumper and driving forward at a speed of at
least 15 mph (25 km/h), see your
dealer/retailer.
Other conditions that may affect system
performance include vibrations from a
jackhammer or the compression of air brakes
on a very large truck or other mechanical
devices that interfere with URPA performance.
As always, drivers should use care when backing
up a vehicle. Always look behind you, being
sure to check for other vehicles, obstructions and
blind spots.
If the vehicle bumper is damaged, the URPA
system may not work properly. Take the vehicle to
your dealer/retailer to repair the system.
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