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•Traction/stability control status
•Tire Pressure Monitoring System status (if equipped)
Child Restraint
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time, including babies and children. Every state in the
United States and all Canadian provinces require that
small children ride in proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years and younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny baby,
can become a missile inside the vehicle. The force
required to hold even an infant on your lap could
become so great that you could not hold the child, no
matter how strong you are. The child and others
could be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for the child’s
size.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat Owner’s Manual to ensure you have the correct seat
for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your
child.
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Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is inoper-
able.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread. Inspect the tread and sidewall for
cuts and cracks. Check the wheel nuts for tightness.
Check the tires (including spare) for proper pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid, or
brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be
located and corrected immediately.
76 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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the light remains on, or if the light does not turn on, have
the light inspected by an authorized dealer.
NOTE:The light will turn on when the ignition switch
is in the ON position and the parking brake is applied.
This light shows only that the parking brake is applied. It
does not show the degree of brake application. (See page
281 for more information.)
21. Vehicle Security Alarm (VSA) Indicator Light — If
Equipped
The VSA Indicator Light flashes rapidly when the VSA is
arming, and slowly when the VSA is armed. (See page 18
for more information.)
22. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light — If
Equipped
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicleplacard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s
handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
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maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or moretires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replace-
ment or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to
continue to function properly. (See page 311 for more
information.)
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Do not use aftermarket tire sealants
or balance beads if your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result.
172 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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The Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) fea-
tures a driver-interactive display. It is located in the
instrument cluster below the speedometer. Vehicles
equipped with steering wheel-mounted buttons (de-
scribed in this section) are also equipped with the EVIC.
The EVIC consists of the following:
•System status,
•Vehicle information warning message displays,
•Tire Pressure Monitor System,
•Personal settings (customer programmable features),
•Compass display,
•Outside temperature display,
•Trip computer functions,
•UConnecthands-free communication system dis-
plays (if equipped),
•Navigation system screens (if equipped),
•Audio mode display,
•Surround Sound modes (if equipped with Driver-
Selectable Surround [DSS]), and
•Performance Pages (if equipped).
The system allows the driver to select information by
pressing the following buttons mounted on the steering
wheel.
Press and release the MENU button and the
mode displayed will change between Trip
Functions, Performance Pages (if equipped),
Navigation (if equipped), System Warnings,
System Status, Personal Settings, Telephone (if
equipped), and Surround Sound (if equipped).
MENU
Button
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•Right Front Turn Signal Light Out (with a single
chime)
•Right Rear Turn Signal Light Out (with a single chime)
•RKE Battery Low (with a single chime)
•Personal Settings Not Available – Vehicle Not in PARK
•Left/Right Front Door Ajar (one or more, with a single
chime if speed is above 1 mph [1.6 km/h])
•Left/Right Rear Door Ajar (one or more, with a single
chime if speed is above 1 mph [1.6 km/h])
•Door(s) Ajar (with a single chime if vehicle is in
motion)
•Trunk Ajar (with a single chime)
•Oil Pressure
•Low Washer Fluid (with a single chime)
•Channel # Transmit
•Channel # Training
•Channel # Trained
•Clearing Channels
•Channels Cleared
•Did Not Train
•Left Front Low Pressure (with a single chime). Refer to
“Starting And Operating, Tire Section”
•Left Rear Low Pressure (with a single chime). Refer to
“Starting And Operating, Tire Section”
•Right Front Low Pressure (with a single chime). Refer
to “Starting And Operating, Tire Section”
•Right Rear Low Pressure (with a single chime). Refer
to “Starting And Operating, Tire Section”
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 177
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Driver-Selectable Surround Sound (DSS) – If
Equipped
Press and release the MENU button until “Surround
Sound” displays in the EVIC. The EVIC provides infor-
mation on the current surround mode.
•Stereo
•Video Surround
•Audio Surround
While in the Surround Sound menu, press the FUNC-
TION SELECT button to change surround modes. The
Video Surround Mode will only be available for video
media sources (DVDs, Video CDs, or other video media
supported by the radio).
System Warnings (Customer Information
Features)
Press and release the MENU button until “SYSTEM
WARNINGS” displays in the EVIC. Then, press the
SCROLL button to display anyone of the following
choices.
•Oil Temperature
Shows the actual oil temperature.
•Oil Pressure
Shows the actual oil pressure.
•Tire Pressure
Shows the actual tire pressure for each tire (EXCLUDING
THE SPARE TIRE).
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▫Traction............................276
Driving Through Water..................277
▫Flowing/Rising Water..................277
▫Shallow Standing Water.................277
Parking Brake.........................279
Brake System..........................281
▫Anti-Lock Brake System................281
Power Steering........................283
Electronic Brake Control System............284
▫ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System)............285
▫TCS (Traction Control System)............286
▫BAS (Brake Assist System)...............286
▫ESP (Electronic Stability Program).........287▫Synchronizing ESP....................290
▫ESP/BAS Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESP/TCS Indicator Light................291
Tire Safety Information...................292
▫Tire Markings........................292
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)..........295
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........296
Tires — General Information...............300
▫Tire Pressure.........................300
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................301
▫Radial-Ply Tires......................303
▫Tire Spinning........................304
▫Tread Wear Indicators..................304
258 STARTING AND OPERATING