If you put things inside the
vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything
else — they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have to
stop or turn quickly, or if there
is a crash, they will keep going.
{WARNING
Things you put inside the
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
•Put things in the trunk of
your vehicle. In a trunk,
put them as far forward
as you can. Try to spread
the weight evenly.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
•Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
•Do not leave an unsecured
child restraint in the
vehicle.
•When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
•Do not leave a seat folded
down unless you need to.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Follow these
recommended guidelines during
the rst 2 414 km/1,500 miles of
driving this vehicle. Parts have a
break-in period and performance
will be better in the long run.
For the rst 2 414 km/
1,500 miles:
•Avoid full throttle starts and
abrupt stops.
•Do not exceed
4,000 engine rpm.
•Avoid driving at any one
constant speed, fast or slow.
•Do not drive above 160 km/h
(100 mph).
8-16 Driving and Operating
If charging or jump starting the
battery does not work, remove the
plug covering the hole below the
ignition lock. Insert a screwdriver into
the opening as far as it will go and
remove the key from the ignition.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories may be
used for up to 10 minutes after
the engine is turned off:
•Audio System
•Power Windows
The power windows will continue to
work for up to 10 minutes or until any
door is opened. The radio will work
when the key is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF,
the radio will continue to work for
10 minutes, or until the driver door
is opened or the key is removed
from the ignition.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
vehicle when it 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.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in
N (Neutral) and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start
if the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as the engine
warms. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. 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 and protects
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 for many
seconds, cranking stops
after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage.
Driving and Operating 8-19
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 ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.
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. If the engine does not start
after 5-10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below 0°F or
−18°C), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Push the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait atleast 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor to
cool. When the engine starts, let
go of the key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, repeat the
procedure. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do not
race the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice:The engine is designed
to work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer/retailer. If you do not,
the engine might not perform
properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater, if
available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below 0°F (−18°C)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting the vehicle.
An internal thermostat in the
plug-end of the cord will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above 0°F (−18°C).
8-20 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). SeeShifting
Into Park on page 8-21.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 8-49.
Make sure the shift lever is fully
in P (Park) before starting the
engine. The vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock
control system. The regular brakemust be fully applied first and then
the shift lever button pressed 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 8-22.
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 the Vehicle is Stuck on
page 8-11.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.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly 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.
Driving and Operating 8-27
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Tap Shift allows the driver to
manually control the automatic
transmission. To use Tap Shift, the
shift lever must be in M (Manual
Mode). Vehicles with this feature
have flags on the top of the steering
wheel to indicate to the driver the
location of the switches on the back
of the steering wheel. Tap the leftswitch to downshift, and the right
switch to upshift. A display in the
Driver Information Center will show
which gear the vehicle is in.
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 4-27for more information.
While using the Tap Shift feature,
the vehicle will have firmer, quicker
shifting for increased performance.
You can use this for sport driving or
when climbing or descending hills, to
stay in gear longer, or to down shift
for more power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow
you to shift into gears appropriate
for the vehicle speed and engine
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM).
The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next higher
gear if the engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any
reason, the message Shift Denied
will appear in the DIC, indicating
that the transmission has notshifted gears. While in the Tap
Shift mode, the transmission will
not automatically downshift on
hard acceleration.
When coasting to a stop, the
V6 transmission will automatically
downshift to 1 (First) gear, and the
V8 transmission will automatically
downshift to 2 (Second) gear.
A 1 (first) gear start can be selected
using the Tap Shift controls on
V8 models When accelerating from
a stop the transmissions will hold
these gears until the driver manually
selects higher gears using the Tap
Shift controls.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into second
gear. A higher gear ratio allows you
to gain more traction on slippery
surfaces.
Driving and Operating 8-29
Manual Transmission
Shift Pattern (V8 Engines)
Shift Pattern (V6 Engine)
These are the shift patterns for the
six-speed manual transmissions.To operate the transmission:
1 (First):Press the clutch pedal and
shift into 1 (First). Then slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
You can shift into 1 (First) when
you are going less than 64 km/h
(40 mph). If you come to a complete
stop and it is hard to shift into
1 (First), put the shift lever in Neutral
and let up on the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down. Then shift
into 1 (First).
2 (Second):Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth)
and 6 (Sixth):Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth) and 6 (Sixth) the
same way you do for 2 (Second).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal,
and shift to Neutral.
Neutral:Use this position when
you start or idle the engine. The shift
lever is in Neutral when it is centered
in the shift pattern, not in any gear.
R (Reverse):To back up, press
down the clutch pedal and shift
into R (Reverse). On V8 models,
apply pressure to get the lever
past 5 (Fifth) and 6 (Sixth) into
R (Reverse). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the
accelerator pedal.
8-30 Driving and Operating
The fuel cap is located behind a
hinged fuel door on the passenger
side of the vehicle.
To open the fuel door, push the
rearward center edge in and release
and it will open.
When reinstalling the cap, turn it
clockwise until it clicks, otherwise
the Malfunction Indicator Lamp may
turn on. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 4-19.
{WARNING
Fuel can spray out on you if
you open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then something
ignites it, you could be badly
burned. This spray can happen if
the tank is nearly full, and is more
likely in hot weather. Open the fuel
cap slowly and wait for any hiss
noise to stop. Then unscrew the
cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the nozzle.
Clean fuel from painted surfaces as
soon as possible. SeeExterior Care
on page 9-88.
When replacing the fuel cap,
turn it clockwise until it clicks.
Make sure the cap is fully installed.
The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed.This would allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4-19.
{WARNING
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel
by shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice:If a new fuel cap is
needed, be sure to get the right
type of cap from your dealer/
retailer. The wrong type fuel cap
might not t properly, might cause
the malfunction indicator lamp to
light, and could damage the fuel
tank and emissions system.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4-19.
Driving and Operating 8-47
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that
hand to the left. To move the trailer
to the right, move your hand to
the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
flash whenever signaling a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also flash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you
may think other drivers are seeing
the signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to be
sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the transmission
is not shifted down, the brakes might
have to be used so much that they
would get hot and no longer
work well.Vehicles with an automatic
transmission can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts
too often under heavy loads and/or
hilly conditions. For vehicles with
a manual transmission, it is
better not to use the highest gear.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades,
the vehicle may show signs similar
to engine overheating. To avoid
this, let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level ground,
with the automatic transmission
in P (Park) for a few minutes
before turning the engine off.
Driving and Operating 8-51