You may notice a slight change in engine performance
when the air-conditioning compressor shuts off and
turns on again. This is normal. The system is designed
to make adjustments to help with fuel economy while
still maintaining the selected temperature.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the
system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days press the AUTO
button and adjust the temperature to a cool, comfortable
setting. To achieve maximum cool down, do the
following: 1. Select
Hmode.
2. Press
?.
3. Select the a/c on.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed. Using these settings together for long periods of time
may cause the air inside of your vehicle to become too
dry. To prevent this from happening, after the air in the
vehicle has cooled, turn the recirculation mode off.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so a small amount of water might drip under the
vehicle while idling or after turning off the engine.
This is normal.
?
(Recirculation) : Press to turn the recirculation
mode on or off. An indicator light comes on to show
that recirculation is on. This mode prevents outside air
from entering your vehicle. It can be used to prevent
outside air and odors from entering your vehicle and
to help cool the air inside your vehicle more quickly.
Recirculation mode is not available in defrost or
defog mode.
4-25
This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing : A misfire condition has been detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and could
damage the emission control system on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
The following can prevent more serious damage to the
vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn off the ignition, wait at least 10 seconds, and
restart the engine. If the light is still flashing, follow the
previous steps and see your dealer/retailer for service
as soon as possible.
Light On Steady : An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required. An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following:
.Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. See
Filling
the Tankon page 6‑9. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
.If the vehicle has been driven through a deep
puddle of water, the vehicle's electrical system
might be wet. The condition is usually corrected
when the electrical system dries out. A few driving
trips should turn the light off.
.Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel.
Poor fuel quality causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may cause: stalling
after start-up, stalling when the vehicle is changed
into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration. These conditions
might go away once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change
the fuel brand used. It will require at least one full
tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See Gasoline Octane on page 6‑7.
4-42
Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows
how much fuel the vehicle
has left while the engine
is on.
An arrow on the fuel gauge indicates the side of the
vehicle the fuel door is on.
When the needle approaches the low fuel symbol, a
chime sounds and LOW FUEL appears on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) display. There is still a little fuel
left, but the vehicle's fuel tank should be filled soon.
Press the RESET button to acknowledge a DIC
message(s). Pressing the RESET button also turns off a
DIC message but the LOW FUEL message comes on
again in 10 minutes if fuel is not added to the vehicle. Here are five things that some owners ask about.
All these things are normal and do not indicate that
anything is wrong with the fuel gauge.
.At the service station, the gas pump shuts off
before the gauge reads the full.
.It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gauge indicated. For example, the gauge may
have indicated half full, but it took a little more or
less than half of the tank's capacity to fill the tank.
.The gauge pointer may move while cornering,
braking or speeding up.
.The gauge may not indicate the tank is empty
when the ignition is turned off.
.The gauge reading may change slightly within the
first several minutes after starting the vehicle.
See DIC Operation and Displays
on page 4‑47for
more information.
4-46
CHECK COOLANT LEVEL
This message displays when the engine coolant level is
low. Have the cooling system serviced by your dealer/
retailer as soon as possible. See Engine Coolant
on
page 6‑34.
CHECK GAS CAP
This message displays if the fuel cap has not been fully
tightened. Check the fuel cap to make sure that it is on
properly. Once tightened, it takes at least one overnight
park to reset or clear this message. If both the CHECK
GAS CAP message and the malfunction indicator lamp
in the instrument panel cluster are on, you may need to
see your dealer/retailer for service. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
on page 4‑41for more information.
CHECK OIL LEVEL
On some vehicles, this message displays and two
chimes sound if the oil level in the vehicle is low. Once
the vehicle senses a change in the engine oil level, the
light remains off.
If this message appears after starting the engine, the
engine oil level may be too low. You may need to add
oil. See Engine Overheating on page 6‑38.
To acknowledge the message, press the RESET button.
The message reappears every 10 minutes until this
condition changes.
CLOSE TRUNK TO MOVE TOP
This message displays and a sound will be heard if
the trunk is open while you are trying to operate the
convertible top. Make sure the trunk is closed before
operating the convertible top. See Convertible Top
(Manual)
on page 3‑59or Convertible Top (Power)on
page 3‑66.
COMPETITIVE DRIVING MODE
This message displays and a sound will be heard
when the Competitive Driving mode is selected.
The instrument panel cluster light will be on when
the Competitive Driving mode is selected. If your
vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission,
Launch Control is available when this mode selected.
The Traction Control System (TCS) will not be operating
while in the Competitive Driving mode. Adjust your
driving accordingly. This system is available on all
models except ZR1. See Competitive Driving Mode
on
page 5‑9, including the “Launch Control” information,
and Racing or Other Competitive Drivingon page 5‑19for more information.
4-55
Refer to your vehicle's Tire and Loading
Information label for specific information about
your vehicle's capacity weight and seating
positions. The combined weight of the driver,
passengers and cargo should never exceed your
vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification Label
A vehicle specific Certification label is attached
to the rear edge of the driver's door. It tells you
the gross weight capacity of your vehicle,
called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel and cargo. Never exceed the
GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle.
Do not load your vehicle with more weight than it
was designed to carry. See
“Steps for Determining
Correct Load Limit” earlier in this section.
{WARNING:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts
on the vehicle can break, and it can change
the way the vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and crash.
Also, overloading can shorten the life of
the vehicle.
Notice :Overloading the vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not overload the vehicle.
5-32
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel might be hard
to find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club,
or contact a major oil company that does business
in the country where you will be driving.
Filling the Tank
{WARNING:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire can
cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow all the instructions
on the fuel pump island. Turn off the engine
when refueling. Do not smoke near fuel or when
refueling the vehicle. Do not use cellular phones.
Keep sparks, flames, and smoking materials away
from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is against the law (Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
in some places. Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away from the fuel
pump; never let children pump fuel.
The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel
door on the driver side of the vehicle.
6-9
The fuel door release
button is located on the
instrument panel to the
left of the steering wheel.
Push the button to release
the fuel door. There is also a manual
fuel door release tab.
It is located against the
upper trim in the rear
compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. Pull
the tab to release the
fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly counterclockwise.
While refueling, let the cap hang by the tether below the
fuel fill opening.
6-10
{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. See Washing
Your Vehicle on page 6‑94.
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.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 4‑41. The CHECK GAS CAP message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) if the fuel cap is not properly
installed. See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on
page 4‑52for more information.
{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 you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer/retailer can get one for
you. If you get the wrong type, it may not fit
properly. This may cause the malfunction indicator
lamp to light and may damage the fuel tank and
emissions system. See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4‑41.
6-11