Page 277 of 493

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
Automatic Transmission
Start the engine with the selector lever in the ªNº
(Neutral) or ªPº (Park) position. Apply the brake before
shifting to any driving range.
Manual Transmission Ð If Equipped
Apply the parking brake, place the gearshift control lever
in ªNº (Neutral) and depress the clutch pedal beforestarting vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a clutch
interlocking ignition system. It will not start unless the
clutch pedal is pressed to the floor.
4WD Models Only
To enhance off-road performance, 4-wheel drive models
equipped with a manual transmission will start with or
without pressing the clutch pedal when in 4-wheel drive
low range. The 4 LOW indicator light will illuminate
when the transfer case is in 4-wheel drive low range.
Normal Starting
NOTE:Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or depressing the
accelerator pedal.
For vehicles not equipped with Tip Start,turn the ignition
switch to the START position and release it when the
engine starts. If the engine fails to start within 10 seconds,
turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position, wait 10 to
15 seconds, then repeat the normal starting procedure.
STARTING AND OPERATING 277
5
Page 278 of 493

For vehicles equipped with Tip Start,turn the ignition
switch to the START position and release it as soon as the
starter engages. The starter motor will continue to run,
and it will disengage automatically when the engine is
running. If the engine fails to start, the starter will
disengage automatically in 10 seconds. If this occurs, turn
the ignition switch to the LOCK position, wait 10 to 15
seconds, then repeat the normal starting procedure.
Extreme Cold Weather (below ±20ÉF or ±29ÉC)
To insure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails to Start
WARNING!
²Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to
start the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
²Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission cannot be started this way. Unburned
fuel could enter the catalytic converter and once
the engine has started, ignite and damage the
converter and vehicle. If the vehicle has a dis-
charged battery, booster cables may be used to
obtain a start from a booster battery or the battery
in another vehicle. This type of start can be dan-
gerous if done improperly. Refer to Section 6 of
this manual for proper jump starting procedures
and follow them carefully.
278 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 279 of 493

Without Tip Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
ªNormal Startingº or ªExtreme Cold Weatherº proce-
dures, it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it there while cranking the
engine. This should clear any excess fuel in case the
engine is flooded.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank the
engine for more than 15 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again.
If the engine is flooded, it may start to run, but not have
enough power to continue running when the key is
released. If this occurs, continue cranking up to 15seconds with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to
the floor. Release the accelerator pedal and the key once
the engine is running smoothly.
If the engine shows no sign of starting after two 15-
second periods of cranking with the accelerator pedal
held to the floor, repeat the ªNormal Startingº or ªEx-
treme Cold Weatherº procedures.
With Tip Start
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
ªNormal Startingº or ªExtreme Cold Weatherº proce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel, push
the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Then, turn the ignition switch to the START position and
release it as soon as the starter engages. The starter motor
will disengage automatically in 10 seconds. Once this
occurs, release the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then
repeat the normal starting procedure.
STARTING AND OPERATING 279
5
Page 280 of 493
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, wait 10 to 15
seconds before trying again.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build up may
cause serious injury or death.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER Ð IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms engine coolant and
permits quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord
to a standard 110-115 volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded three-wire extension cord.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the cord before driving.
Damage to the 110-115 volt AC electrical cord could
cause electrocution.
Use the heater when temperatures below 0ÉF (-18ÉC) are
expected to last for several days.
280 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 281 of 493

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
²Shift into ªPº (Park) only after the vehicle has
come to a complete stop.
²Shift into or out of ªRº (Reverse) only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine
is at idle speed.
²Do not shift from ªRº (Reverse), ªPº (Park), or ªNº
(Neutral) into any forward gear when the engine is
above idle speed.
²Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of ªPº
(Park) or ªNº (Neutral) if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in ªRº (Reverse). You could lose control of
the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Shift Lock Manual Override Ð If Equipped
Your vehicle may be equipped with a shift lock manual
override. The manual override may be used in the event
that the shift lever should fail to move from ªPº (Park)
with the key in the ON position and the brake pedal
depressed. To operate the shift lock manual override,
perform the following steps:
STARTING AND OPERATING 281
5
Page 283 of 493
Brake/Transmission Interlock System
This system prevents you from moving the gear shift out
of ªPº (Park) and into any gear unless the brake pedal is
pressed. Always depress thebrake pedal first,before
moving the gear selector out of ªPº (Park).
4±Speed Automatic Transmission
Shifting from ªDº (Drive) to ªPº (Park) or ªRº (Reverse)
(or from ªPº or ªRº to ªDº) should be done only after the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake when moving the
selector lever between these gears.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from ªPº (Park)
or ªNº (Neutral) position into another gear range.
Automatic Shift Controls
STARTING AND OPERATING 283
5
Page 284 of 493

ªPº (Park)
This gear position supplements the parking brake by
locking the transmission. The engine can be started in
this range. Never use ªPº (Park) while the vehicle is in
motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range. Always apply parking brake first,
and then place the selector in ªPº (Park) position.
WARNING!
Never use ªPº (Park) position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
WARNING!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out of ªPº
(Park) or ªNº (Neutral) if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in ªRº (Reverse). You could lose control of
the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift
into gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
ªRº (Reverse)
Use this range only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
284 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 285 of 493

ªNº (Neutral)
Shift into ªNº (Neutral) when the vehicle is standing for
prolonged periods with the engine running. The engine
may be started in this range. Set the parking brake if you
must leave the vehicle.
NOTE:Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever in ªNº (Neutral) can
result in severe transmission damage. Refer to ªRecre-
ational Towingº in Section 5 and ªTowing a Disabled
Vehicleº in Section 6 of this manual.
ªDº (Drive)
For most city and highway driving.
ª2º (Second)
For moderate grades and to assist braking on dry pave-
ment or in mud and snow. Begins at a stop in low gear
with automatic upshift to 2nd gear. Will not shift to 3rd.ª1º (First)
For hard pulling at low speeds in mud, sand, snow, or on
steep grades. Begins and stays in low gear with no
upshift. Provides engine compression braking at low
speeds.
Overdrive Operation
The overdrive automatic transmission contains an elec-
tronically controlled fourth speed (Overdrive). The trans-
mission will automatically shift from 3rd gear to Over-
drive if the following conditions are present:
²The transmission selector is in ªDº (Drive).
²The vehicle speed is above approximately 30 mph (48
km/h).
²The ªTOW/HAULº button has not been activated.
STARTING AND OPERATING 285
5