The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lockup during brake
applications and compensates for
this tendency. The wheels are
prevented from locking even when
the brakes are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during hard braking with loss of front braking
traction.
WARNING:The Anti-Lock system does not decrease the time
necessary to apply the brakes or always reduce stopping
distance. Always leave enough room between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front of you to stop.
Using ABS
When hard braking is required, apply continuous force on the brake
pedal; do not pump the brake pedal since this will reduce the
effectiveness of the ABS and will increase your vehicle’s stopping
distance. The ABS will be activated immediately, allowing you to retain
steering control during hard braking and on slippery surfaces. However,
the ABS does not decrease stopping distance.
ABS warning lamp
The ABS lamp in the instrument
cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the
ABS may be disabled and may need to be serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system
serviced immediately by an authorized dealer.
ABS
P!
BRAKE
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Stability Control system can be restored by pressing the Electronic
Stability ControlOffbutton again or by turning off and restarting the
engine.
If you switch off the Electronic Stability Control system, the sliding car
icon
will illuminate steadily. Pressing the Electronic Stability Control
Off button again will turn off the sliding caricon
.
In R (Reverse), ABS and the Engine and Brake Traction Control features
will continue to function; however, DSC and RSC are disabled.
Electronic Stability Control Features
Button
functions “Sliding
car”
icon
RSC DSCTraction
Control
Default at
start-up Illuminated
during bulb check Enabled Enabled Enabled
Button pressed
momentarily Illuminated
solid Enabled Enabled Disabled
Button pressed
again after
deactivation Not
illuminated Enabled Enabled Enabled
Trailer Sway Control (if equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with Trailer Sway Control (TSC). When
properly equipped, trailer sway control will use the sensors of the
vehicle’s Electronic Stability Control system to detect and attempt to
mitigate trailer sway by applying brake force at individual wheels and, if
necessary, by reducing engine power. No driver action is required.
WARNING: Trailer sway control does not prevent a trailer from
swaying, it mitigates the sway from increasing once it has
occurred. TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying. If you are
experiencing trailer sway, it is likely that the trailer is improperly
loaded for the correct tongue weight or the speed of the vehicle and
trailer is too high. Pull the vehicle-trailer over to a safe location to
check the trailer weight distribution and tongue load and reduce speed
to a safe level while towing. If trailer sway is experienced, SLOW
DOWN. Always use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
tongue weight recommendations. Refer to the Trailer towingsection
in the Tires Wheels and Loading chapter of this owner’s manual
for more information on towing a trailer with your vehicle.
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WARNING:Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
the gearshift is latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the
LOCK position and remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever in R (Reverse), the vehicle will move backward.
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into and out of R
(Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in N (Neutral), the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.
D (Drive) with Overdrive
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through six.
D (Drive) with Overdrive Cancel and Grade Assist
Pressing the transmission control
switch on the side of the gearshift
lever activates two features at the
same time: Overdrive Cancel and
Grade Assist.
1. Overdrive Cancel
• Overdrive is deactivated.
• The transmission operates in gears one through five.
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Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. When you brake hard,
the front wheels can’t turn and if
they aren’t turning, you won’t be
able to steer. The front wheels have to be turning in order to steer the
vehicle. Rapid pumping of the brake pedal will help you slow the vehicle
and still maintain steering control.
Since your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
“pump” the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
•4WD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
• Should you start to slide while driving on snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the slide until you regain control.
• Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
• Avoid sudden braking as well. Although a 4WD vehicle may accelerate
better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t stop
any faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four
wheels. Do not become overconfident as to road conditions.
• Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other
vehicles for stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one
of the lower gears. In emergency stopping situations, avoid locking of
the wheels. Use a “squeeze” technique, push on the brake pedal with a
steadily increasing force which allows the wheels to brake yet
continue to roll so that you may steer in the direction you want to
travel. If you lock the wheels, release the brake pedal and repeat the
squeeze technique. Since your vehicle is equipped with a Four Wheel
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), apply the brake steadily. Do not
“pump” the brakes. Refer to the Brakessection of this chapter for
additional information on the operation of the anti-lock brake system.
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HAZARD FLASHER CONTROL
The hazard flasher is located on the
steering column, just behind the
steering wheel. The hazard flashers
will operate when the ignition is in
any position or if the key is not in
the ignition.
Push in the flasher control and all
front and rear direction signals will
flash. Press the flasher control again
to turn them off. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and is creating a
safety hazard for other motorists.
Note:With extended use, the flasher may run down your battery.
FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH
This device stops the electric fuel pump from sending fuel to the engine
when your vehicle has had a substantial jolt.
After an accident, if the engine cranks but does not start, this switch
may have been activated.
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Note:Inspect the wheel pilot hole
prior to installation. If there is
visible corrosion in wheel pilot hole,
remove loose particles by wiping
with clean rag and apply grease.
Apply grease only to the wheel pilot
hole surface by smearing a “dime”
(1 square cm) sized glob of grease
around the wheel pilot surface (1)
with end of finger. DO NOT apply
grease to lugnut/stud holes or
wheel-to-brake surfaces.
OVERHEATING
If the temperature gauge indicates overheating and you experience
power loss, you hear a loud knocking or pinging noise, the engine is
probably too hot.
If this happens:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way.
2. Shift the automatic transmission into P (Park) or the manual transmission into the neutral position, and apply the parking brake.
3. Turn off the air conditioner.
WARNING: Steam from an overheated engine is dangerous. The
escaping steam could seriously burn you. Open the hood ONLY
after steam is no longer escaping from the engine.
4. Check whether coolant or steam is escaping from under the hood or from the engine compartment.
• If steam is coming from the engine compartment: do not go near
the front of the vehicle. Stop the engine, then turn the ignition switch
to the ON position without starting the engine. The radiator cooling
fans will start to cool the engine.
• If neither coolant nor steam is escaping: open the hood and idle
the engine until it cools. If this does not lower the temperature, stop
the engine and let it cool.
5. Check the coolant level. If it is low, look for leaks in the radiator hoses and connections, heater hoses and connections, radiator and
water pump.
If you find a leak or other damage, or if coolant is still leaking, stop the
engine and call an authorized dealer.
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WARNING:Keep batteries out of reach of children. Batteries
contain sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing.
Shield your eyes when working near the battery to protect against
possible splashing of acid solution. In case of acid contact with skin or
eyes, flush immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes and
get prompt medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a physician
immediately.
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Wash hands after handling.
Because your vehicle’s engine is electronically controlled by a computer,
some control conditions are maintained by power from the battery. When
the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the engine must
relearn its idle and fuel trim strategy for optimum driveability and
performance. To begin this process: 1. With the vehicle at a complete stop, set the parking brake.
2. Put the gearshift in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or the neutral position (manual transmission), turn off all accessories and start the
engine.
3. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature.
4. Allow the engine to idle for at least one minute.
5. Turn the A/C on and allow the engine to idle for at least one minute.
6. Drive the vehicle to complete the relearning process.
• The vehicle may need to be driven 10 miles (16 km) or more to
relearn the idle and fuel trim strategy.
• If you do not allow the engine to relearn its idle trim, the idle
quality of your vehicle may be adversely affected until the idle
trim is eventually relearned.
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery installed, the
transmission must learn its adaptive strategy. As a result of this, the
transmission may shift firmly. This operation is considered normal and
will fully update transmission operation to its optimum shift feel.
If the battery has been disconnected or a new battery has been installed,
the clock and the preset radio stations must be reset once the battery is
reconnected.
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2. Arrange for the vehicle to be taken to an authorized dealer.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and replenish if low.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
5. Re-start the engine and take your vehicle to an authorized dealer.
Driving the vehicle without repairing the engine problem
increases the chance of engine damage. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
FUEL FILTER
Your vehicle is equipped with a lifetime fuel filter that is integrated with
the fuel tank. Regular maintenance or replacement is not needed.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
Important safety precautions
WARNING: Do not overfill the fuel tank. The pressure in an
overfilled tank may cause leakage and lead to fuel spray and fire.
WARNING: The fuel system may be under pressure. If you hear
a hissing sound near the fuel filler door (Easy Fuel™ “no cap”
fuel system), do not refuel until the sound stops. Otherwise, fuel may
spray out, which could cause serious personal injury.
WARNING: Automotive fuels can cause serious injury or death
if misused or mishandled.
WARNING: Gasoline may contain benzene, which is a
cancer-causing agent.
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