
There are some things you should do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, and you cannot make it up the hill:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it
from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
If the engine is still running, shift the transmission to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
If the engine has stopped running, you will need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This
way, you will be able to tell if the wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It is best that you
back down the hill with the wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.There are also some things you must not do if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill:
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will not work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could go
out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle.
Then apply the parking brake. Shift to REVERSE (R),
release the parking brake, and slowly back
straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to
stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you
cannot make it up the hill, you must back straight
down the hill.
4-20

StabiliTrak®improves your ability to accelerate when
driving on a slippery road. But you can turn StabiliTrak®
off if you ever need to. SeeStabiliTrak®System on
page 4-6andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow on page 4-34. Even with StabiliTrak
®, slow
down and adjust your driving to the road conditions.
Under certain conditions, you might want to turn
StabiliTrak
®off, such as when driving through deep
snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion
at lower speeds.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne until
you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you
are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
4-32

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking the exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with the headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
4-33

Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and includes the weight of
all occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it was designed to carry, the Tire
and Loading Information label and the
Certi cation/Tire label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on the vehicle can break, and it can
change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of the vehicle.Tire and Loading Information Label
A vehicle speci c Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the center pillar (B-pillar).
With the driver’s door open, you will nd the label
attached below the door lock post (striker). The tire
and loading information label shows the number of
occupant seating positions (A), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (B) in kilograms and
pounds.
Label Example
4-36

{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in PARK (P).
You or others could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is rmly set before you shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL.
5. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL. See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-36for the proper
procedure to select the neutral position for
your vehicle.
6. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing vehicle.
7. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Dolly Towing
Front Towing (Front Wheels Off the
Ground)
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Notice:If you tow a two-wheel-drive vehicle with
the rear wheels on the ground, the transmission
could be damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Never tow your vehicle
with the rear wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with the
rear wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed.
To dolly tow a two-wheel-drive vehicle, you must tow
the vehicle with the rear wheels on the dolly. See “Rear
Towing (Rear Wheels Off the Ground)” later in this
section for more information.
4-52

Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle:
1. Drive the vehicle up onto the tow dolly.
2. Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
3. Turn the engine off, but leave the ignition on.
4. Firmly set the parking brake.
5. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the
tow dolly.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in PARK (P).
You or others could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is rmly set before you shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL.
6. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL. See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-36for the proper
procedure to select the neutral position for
your vehicle.
7. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4-53

Rear Towing (Rear Wheels Off the
Ground)
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle from
the rear:
1. Drive the vehicle onto the dolly.
2. Firmly set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-50.
3. Put the transmission in PARK (P).
4. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to
attach and secure the vehicle being towed to
the dolly and then the loaded dolly to the tow
vehicle. Make sure the wheels are straight before
towing.
Use an adequate clamping device to ensure that
the front wheels are locked into the straight position.
5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the tow vehicle.
6. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle from
the rear:
1. Drive the vehicle onto the dolly.
2. Firmly set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-50.
3. Put the transmission in PARK (P).
4. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions to attach
and secure the vehicle being towed to the dolly and
then the loaded dolly to the tow vehicle.
Use an adequate clamping device to ensure that
the front wheels are locked into the straight position.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle’s transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in PARK (P).
You or others could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is rmly set before you shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL.
4-54