Knowing your vehicle
88 3
Front
Cups or small beverage cans may be
placed in the cup holders.
Rear (if equipped)
To use the rear cup holder, press the
front face, release it and extend from the
console box.
To return the cup holder to its closed
position, push it completely into the con-
sole box. The cup holder latching mecha-
nism will “click” when it is locked into
position.
Sunvisor
Use the sunvisor to shield direct light
through the front or side windows.
To use a sunvisor, pull it downward.
To use a sunvisor for a side window, pull
it downward, unsnap it from the bracket
and swing it to the side.
Adjust the sunvisor forward or backward.
To use the vanity mirror, pull down the
visor and pull up the mirror cover.
✽
NOTICE
Close the vanity mirror cover securely
and return the sunvisor to its original
position after use.
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CAUTION
• Do not place heavy cups or cans
in cup holders. Cup holders could
be damaged.
• Be careful not to step on the rear
cup holder.
457
Driving your vehicle
If the rear hatch window is open ( ),
the rear wiper will not operate. Check the
rear hatch window warning light in the
instrument cluster, and make sure the
rear hatch window is closed completely.
- Spraying washer fluid and wiping
OFF - Wiper is not in operation
INT - Intermittent wiper operation
ON - Normal wiper opertion
- Spraying washer fluid and wiping
The defroster heats the window to
remove frost, fog and thin ice from the
interior and exterior of the rear window,
while engine is running.To activate the rear window defroster,
press the rear window defroster button
located in the center console switch
panel. The indicator on the cluster illumi-
nates when the defroster is ON.
If there is heavy accumulation of snow on
the rear window, brush it off before oper-
ating the rear defroster.
The rear window defroster automatically
turns off after 20 minutes or when the
ignition switch is turned off. To turn off the
defroster, press the rear window
defroster button again.
Outside mirror heater (if equipped)
There is no control button for the outside
mirror heater, instead the outside mirror
heater automatically turns on when the
rear window defroster is turned on.
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CAUTION
• To prevent damage to the con-
ductors bonded to the inside sur-
face of the rear window, never use
sharp instruments or window
cleaners containing abrasives to
clean the window.
• To prevent the battery from being
discharged, the rear window
defroster will only operate when
the engine is running.
• If you want to defrost and defog
on the front windshield, refer to
“Windshield Defrosting and
Defogging” in this section.
DEFROSTER (IF EQUIPPED)
475
Driving your vehicle
Manual climate control system
To defog inside windshield
1. Select any fan speed.
2. Select desired temperature.
3. Select the or position.
4. The outside (fresh) air position is auto-
matically selected.
If the outside (fresh) air position is not
selected automatically, press the corre-
sponding button manually.
To defrost outside windshield
1. Set the fan speed to the highest
(extreme right) position.
2. Set the temperature to the extreme hot
position.
3. Select the position.
4. The outside (fresh) air position is auto-
matically selected.• For maximum defrosting, set the tem-
perature control to the extreme highest
temperature setting and the fan speed
control to the highest speed.
• Before driving, clear all snow and ice
from the windshield, rear window, out-
side rear view mirrors, and all side win-
dows.
• Clear all snow and ice from the hood
and air inlet in the cowl grill to improve
heater and defroster efficiency and to
reduce the probability of fogging up
inside of the windshield.
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING
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➀➁
➂➃
➀➁
➂➃
WARNING
Do not use the or position
during cooling operation in
extremely humid weather. The dif-
ference between the temperature of
the outside air and that of the wind-
shield could cause the outer sur-
face of the windshield to fog up,
causing loss of visibility. In this
case, set the mode selection knob
to the position and fan speed
control knob to the lower speed.
Driving your vehicle
76 4
Automatic climate control system
To defog inside windshield
1. Select desired fan speed.
2. Select desired temperature.
3. Press the defrost button ( ).
4. The outside (fresh) air position is auto-
matically selected.
If the outside (fresh) air position are not
selected automatically, press the corre-
sponding button manually.
To defrost outside windshield
1. Set temperature to the extreme hot
(HI) position.
2. Set fan speed to the highest position.
3. Press the defrost button ( ).
4. The outside (fresh) air position is auto-
matically selected.• For maximum defrosting, set the tem-
perature control to the extreme highest
temperature setting and the fan speed
control to the highest speed.
• Before driving, clear all snow and ice
from the windshield, rear window, out-
side rear view mirrors, and all side win-
dows.
• Clear all snow and ice from the hood
and air inlet in the cowl grill to improve
heater and defroster efficiency and to
reduce the probability of fogging up
inside of the windshield.
OBL046942NOBL046943N
➀➁
➂➃
➀➁
➂➃
WARNING
Do not use the or position
during cooling operation in
extremely humid weather. The dif-
ference between the temperature of
the outside air and that of the wind-
shield could cause the outer sur-
face of the windshield to fog up,
causing loss of visibility. In this
case, set the mode selection knob
to the position and fan speed
control knob to the lower speed.
55
Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING
Before entering vehicle:
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-
ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
• Check the condition of the tires.
• Check under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks.
• Be sure there are no obstacles behind
you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in
Section 7, Maintenance.
Before starting
• Close and lock all doors.
• Position the seat so that all controls are
easily reached.
• Adjust the inside and outside rearview
mirrors.
• Be sure that all lights work.
• Check all gauges.
• Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
• Release the parking brake and make
sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.WARNING- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement. Driving
while under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerous
than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or take
drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.
Driving tips
8 5
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight, here
are some important tips to remember:
• Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
• Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare
from other driver's headlights.
• Keep your headlights clean and prop-
erly aimed on vehicles not equipped
with the automatic headlight aiming
feature. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlights will make it much more diffi-
cult to see at night.
• Avoid staring directly at the headlights
of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not pre-
pared for the slick pavement. Here are a
few things to consider when driving in the
rain:
• A heavy rainfall will make it harder to
see and will increase the distance
needed to stop your vehicle, so slow
down.
• Keep your windshield wiping equip-
ment in good shape. Replace your
windshield wiper blades when they
show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield.
• If your tires are not in good condition,
making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. Be sure your tires are in
good shape.
• Turn on your headlights to make it eas-
ier for others to see you.
• Driving too fast through large puddles
can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
• If you believe you may have gotten
your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking oper-
ation returns.WARNING- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, especially
at speeds more than 56 km/h (35
mph). Spinning the wheels at high
speeds when the vehicle is station-
ary could cause a tire to overheat,
explode and injure bystanders.
CAUTION
The ESC system (if equipped)
should be turned OFF prior to rock-
ing the vehicle.
Driving tips
32 5
Remember that trailering is different than
just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering causes major changes in han-
dling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering requires cor-
rect equipment, and cautious driving.
This section contains many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your
safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transmission, wheel assemblies,
and tires are forced to work harder
against the load of the added weight. The
engine is required to operate at relatively
higher speeds and under greater loads.
This additional burden generates extra
heat. The trailer also adds considerably
to wind resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.If you do decide to pull a trailer
Here are some important points if you
decide to pull a trailer:
• State, provincial, county and municipal
government have varying trailering
laws. Make sure your hitch, mirrors,
lights and wiring arrangements are
legal, not only where you live, but also
where you’ll be driving. A good source
for this information is state or local law
enforcement agencies.
• Consider using a sway control. You can
ask a hitch dealer about sway control.
• After your odometer indicates 800 km
(500 miles) or more, you can tow a
trailer. For the first 800 km (500 miles)
that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and don’t make
starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle
“wear” in at the heavier loads.
• Always drive your vehicle at a moder-
ate speed (less than 100 km/h (60
mph)).
• On a long uphill grade, do not exceed
70 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower.
• The important considerations have to
do with weight:
Weight of the trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It
should never weigh more than the maxi-
mum trailer weight with trailer brakes. But
even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
trailer. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. The ideal trailer weight
can also depend on any special equip-
ment that you have on your vehicle.
Driving tips
34 5
Safety chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not
drop to the road if it becomes separated
from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be
provided by the hitch manufacturer or by
the trailer manufacturer. Follow the man-
ufacturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trailer.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
loaded, then it needs its own brakes and
they must be adequate. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
• Don’t tap into your vehicle's brake sys-
tem.
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you must get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so responsive as your vehicle is
by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still work-
ing.
WARNING - Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi-
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.