Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow or ice between thetires and the road, creating less traction or grip. Wet icecan occur at about 0°C (32°F) when freezing rainbegins to fall, resulting in even less traction. Avoiddriving on wet ice or in freezing rain until roads can betreated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the condition. Accelerategently so traction is not lost. Accelerating too quicklycauses the wheels to spin and makes the surface underthe tires slick, so there is even less traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate toofast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surfaceunder the tires even more.
TheStabiliTrak®Systemo n p a g e 6!6improves theability to accelerate on slippery roads, but slow downand adjust your driving to the road conditions. Whendriving through deep snow, turn off the traction controlpart of the StabiliTrak®System to help maintain vehiclemotion at lower speeds.
TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)o n p a g e 6!5improves vehicle stability during hard stops on aslippery roads, but apply the brakes sooner than whenon dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery roadand watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can occur onotherwise clear roads in shaded areas. The surfaceof a curve or an overpass can remain icy when thesurrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden steeringmaneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped, on slippery surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a serious situation. Staywith the vehicle unless there is help nearby. If possible,use theRoadside Serviceo n p a g e 9!8. To get helpand keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on theHazard Warning Flashersonp a g e 4!3.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
6-28
If a weight!distributing hitch is being used, it isrecommended to allow the shocks to inflate, therebyleveling the vehicle prior to adjusting the hitch.
Autoride®
With this feature, improved vehicle ride and handling isprovided under a variety of passenger and loadingconditions.
The system is fully automatic and uses a computercontroller to continuously monitor vehicle speed, wheelto body position, lift/dive and steering position of thevehicle. The controller then sends signals to each shockabsorber to independently adjust the damping level toprovide the optimum vehicle ride.
Autoride also interacts with the tow/haul mode that,when activated, will provide additional control of theshock absorbers. This additional control results in betterride and handling characteristics when the vehicle isloaded or towing a trailer. See“Tow/Haul Mode”underTowing a Traileron page 6!42for more information.
Towing a Trailer
If the vehicle has a two–mode hybrid engine, see theTwo–mode Hybrid manual for more information.
Do not tow a trailer during break!in. SeeNew VehicleBreak-Inon page 3!26for more information.
{WARNING:
The driver can lose control when pulling a trailer if
the correct equipment is not used or the vehicle is
not driven properly. For example, if the trailer is
too heavy, the brakes may not work well—or
even at all. The driver and passengers could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged; the resulting repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer only
if all the steps in this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer/retailer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can damage thevehicle and result in costly repairs not covered bythe vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,follow the advice in this section and see yourdealer/retailer for important information abouttowing a trailer with the vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of the vehicle, read theinformation in“Weight of the Trailer”that appears laterin this section.
6-42
Weight!Distributing Hitch Adjustment
A:Body to Ground Distance
B:Front of Vehicle
When using a weight-distributing hitch, the spring barsshould be adjusted so the distance (A) is the sameafter coupling the trailer to the tow vehicle and adjustingthe hitch.
Hitch Cover
The vehicle may have a hitch cover. To remove thehitch cover:
1. Turn the fasteners on the lower tabs 90 degreescounterclockwise.
2. Lift the lower edge of the cover about 45 degrees.
3. Pull the cover downward to disengage the upperattachments.
6-47
To reinstall the hitch cover:
1. Hold the cover at a 45 degree angle to the vehicleand push the upper tabs in the hitch cover into thechrome slots in the fascia.
2. Move the bottom of the cover forward until thelower tabs line up with the lower fascia slots.
3. Snap the hitch cover into place by pushing theupper corners forward.
4. Turn the fasteners on the lower tabs 90 degreesclockwise to lock the cover in place.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the vehicle and thetrailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue of thetrailer to help prevent the tongue from contacting theroad if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructionsabout safety chains may be provided by the hitchmanufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. If the trailerbeing towed weighs up to 5,000 lbs (2 271 kg) with afactory-installed step bumper, safety chains may beattached to the attaching points on the bumper,otherwise, safety chains should be attached to holes onthe trailer hitch platform. Always leave just enoughslack so the combination can turn. Never allow safetychains to drag on the ground.
6-48
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforestartingdown a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission isnot shifted down, the brakes might get hot and nolonger work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the transmission toa lower gear if the transmission shifts too often underheavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
The tow/haul mode may be used if the transmissionshifts too often. SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 3!36.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at alower temperature than at normal altitudes. If the engineis turned off immediately after towing at high altitude onsteep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similarto engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine runwhile parked, preferably on level ground, with theautomatic transmission in P (Park) for a few minutesbefore turning the engine off. If the overheat warningcomes on, seeEngine Overheating on page 7!34.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING:
Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer
attached can be dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always park the rig on
a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift intoP (Park) yet. Turn the wheels into the curb if facingdownhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailerwheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release theregular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
6-52
Notice:Using abrasive cleaners when cleaningglass surfaces on the vehicle, could scratch theglass and/or cause damage to the rear windowdefogger. When cleaning the glass on the vehicle,use only a soft cloth and glass cleaner.
Many cleaners contain solvents that may becomeconcentrated in the vehicle's breathing space. Beforeusing cleaners, read and adhere to all safetyinstructions on the label. While cleaning the vehicle'sinterior, maintain adequate ventilation by opening thevehicle's doors and windows.
Dust may be removed from small buttons and knobsusing a small brush with soft bristles.
Products that remove odors from the vehicle'supholstery and clean the vehicle's glass can beobtained from your dealer/retailer.
Do not clean the vehicle using:
.A knife or any other sharp object to remove a soilfrom any interior surface.
.A stiff brush. It can cause damage to the vehicle'sinterior surfaces.
.Heavy pressure or aggressive rubbing with acleaning cloth. Use of heavy pressure can damagethe interior and does not improve the effectivenessof soil removal.
.Laundry detergents or dishwashing soaps withdegreasers can leave residue that streaks andattracts dirt. For liquid cleaners, about 20 drops pergallon (3.78 L) of water is a good guide. Use onlymild, neutral-pH soaps.
.Too much cleaner that saturates the upholstery.
.Organic solvents such as naptha, alcohol, etc. thatcan damage the vehicle's interior.
Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachmentfrequently to remove dust and loose dirt. A canistervacuum with a beater bar in the nozzle may only beused on floor carpet and carpeted floor mats. For anysoil, always try to remove it first with plain water or clubsoda. Before cleaning, gently remove as much of thesoil as possible using one of the following techniques:
.For liquids: gently blot the remaining soil with apaper towel. Allow the soil to absorb into the papertowel until no more can be removed.
.For solid dry soils: remove as much as possibleand then vacuum.
7-99
A
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-4
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Accessory Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
Active Fuel Management™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-108
Additives, Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-9
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
Airbag
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-89
Airbag System
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-81
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-84
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 2-89
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-81
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . 2-82
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-80
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-77
Airbags
Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-74
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-49
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-9
Analog Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Antenna
Rear Side Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-108
Antenna, XM™Satellite Radio Antenna
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-108
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-5
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Appearance Care
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . .7-104
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-102
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-106
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-103
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-99
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-103
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-106
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-101
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-98
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-100
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-105
Speaker Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-101
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-105
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I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-52
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-65
Instrument Panel
Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Integrated Trailer Brake Control System (ITBC) . . . . 6-42
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-2
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44
K
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Keyless Entry System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-4
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-3
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-60
Lamps
Back-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Lamps (cont.)
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-56
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-47
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-39
LATCH System for Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-59
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41
Liftgate, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Liftgate/Liftglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Liftglass/Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Lighting
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Highbeam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Lights On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
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