
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after
the ignition key is turned off:
Audio System
Power Windows
Sunroof (if equipped)
Power to the windows and sunroof
will work up to 10 minutes or
until a door is opened.
The radio continues to work for
10 minutes or until the driver’s door
is opened.
For an additional 10 minutes of
operation, close all the doors and
turn the key to ON/RUN and
then back to LOCK/OFF.
All these features will work when
the key is in the ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY positions.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage
the transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition to START.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key. The idle speed will slow
down as the engine warms. Do
not race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently to
allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists
in starting the engine andprotects components. If the
ignition key is turned to
the START position, and then
released when the engine begins
cranking, the engine will
continue cranking for a
few seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not
start and the key is held in
START, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage.
To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by turning the ignition switch
to the ACC/ACCESSORY
or LOCK/OFF position.
Notice:Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2-22 Features and Controls

shift lever button before shifting from
P (Park) when the ignition key is in
ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever, then push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the
shift lever button and move the shift
lever into another gear. SeeShifting
Out of Park on page 2-29.
R (Reverse):Use this gear to
back up.
Notice:Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse)
only after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and
forth to get out of snow, ice or sand
without damaging the transmission,
seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in
Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 4-15.N (Neutral):In this position, the
engine does not connect with
the wheels. To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle
is being towed.
{CAUTION
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
rmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into
a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure
the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph
(56 km/h), push the 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.
L (Low):This position gives you
access to gear ranges. This
provides more engine braking but
lower fuel economy than D (Drive).
You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud.
Features and Controls 2-25

Automatic Engine Grade
Braking
Automatic Engine Grade Braking
assists when driving on a downhill
grade. It maintains vehicle speed by
automatically implementing a shift
schedule that uses the engine and
the transmission to slow the vehicle.
The system will automatically
command downshifts to reduce
vehicle speed, until the brake pedal
is no longer being pressed.
While in the Electronic Range
Select (ERS) mode, grade braking
is deactivated, allowing the
driver to select a range and limiting
the highest gear available. Grade
braking is available for normal
driving and in Tow/Haul mode.
SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-24.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down, then push
the parking brake pedal down.
If the ignition is on, the brake system
warning light will come on. See
Brake System Warning Light
on page 3-33.Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the
brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to
brake system parts. Make
sure that the parking brake is
fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal down,
then push down momentarily on
the parking brake pedal until
you feel the pedal release. 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 4-24.
Features and Controls 2-27