
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly
when the ignition key is
turned on, but the engine
is not running, as a check
to show it is working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while driving, there could be a problem
with the charging system or it could indicate that there
are problems with a generator drive belt, or that there is
an electrical problem. Have it checked right away. If the
vehicle must be driven a short distance with the light on,
to turn off the accessories, such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Up-Shift Light
The vehicle may have an
up-shift light.
When this light comes on, shift to the next higher gear if
weather, road, and traffic conditions allow.
See Manual Transmission Operation
on page 3‑31for
more information.
4-29

Audio System(s)
Determine which radio the vehicle has and read the
following pages to become familiar with its features.
{WARNING:
Taking your eyes off the road for extended periods
could cause a crash resulting in injury or death to
you or others. Do not give extended attention to
entertainment tasks while driving.
This system provides access to many audio and non
audio listings.
To minimize taking your eyes off the road while driving,
do the following while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the operation and controls of
the audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker adjustments, and preset
radio stations.
For more information, see Defensive Driving
on
page 5‑2. Notice:
Contact your dealer/retailer before adding
any equipment.
Adding audio or communication equipment could
interfere with the operation of the vehicle's engine,
radio, or other systems, and could damage them.
Follow federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment.
Notice: The chime signals related to safety belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the radio/entertainment system.
If that equipment is replaced or additional
equipment is added to your vehicle, the chimes
may not work. Make sure that replacement or
additional equipment is compatible with your
vehicle before installing it. See Accessories and
Modifications on page 6‑3.
The vehicle has Retained Accessory Power (RAP).
With RAP, the audio system can be played even after
the ignition is turned off. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
on page 3‑25for more information.
4-60

Your Driving, the Road, and the
Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always expect the
unexpected.” The first step in driving defensively
is to wear your safety belt —See Safety Belts: They
Are for Everyone on page 2‑14.
{WARNING:
Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do and be ready. In addition:
.Allow enough following distance between
you and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in
injury or possible death. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
Drunk Driving
{WARNING:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after drinking. Do not
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a
group, designate a driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have
been associated with the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
5-2

Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the condition of the tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is
banked, and vehicle speed. While in a curve, speed is
the one factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed, do it before entering
the curve, while the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can drive through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve, and then accelerate
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. These
problems can be avoided by braking—if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you cannot stop in time because
there is no room. That is the time for evasive
action —steering around the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply the brakes —but, unless the vehicle
has antilock brakes, not enough to lock the wheels. See
Braking
on page 5‑3. It is better to remove as much speed as possible from a collision. Then steer around
the problem, to the left or right depending on the space
available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, it can be
turned a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
5-14

Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See this manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission
fluid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake system. It is a good idea to inspect these
before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 6‑34.
Towing a Trailer
(Manual Transmission)
Do not tow a trailer if the vehicle is equipped with a
manual transmission.
5-40

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-71
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-76
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-76
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-77
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-77
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-78
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit Storage . . . . . . 6-87
Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-88
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the SpareTire (All Models Except SS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-92
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire (SS Model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-96
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . 6-106
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113 Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Headlamp Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-119
Windshield Wiper Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-119
Power Windows and Other Power Options . . . 6-119
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-119
Floor Console Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-120
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-122
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-125
6-2

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems, many
fluids, and some component wear by-products contain
and/or emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications, such as
airbag initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials. Special handling
may be necessary. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{WARNING:
You can be injured and the vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
.Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.
.Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric fasteners
can be easily confused. If the wrong fasteners
are used, parts can later break or fall off. You
could be hurt.
If doing some of your own service work, use the proper
service manual. It tells you much more about how to
service the vehicle than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 8‑14.
This vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, see Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 2‑76.
6-4

Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a
typical passenger vehicle tire size.
(A) Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire:The United States
version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter P
as the first character in the tire size means a
passenger vehicle tire engineered to standards
set by the U.S. Tire and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width
:The three‐digit number indicates
the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall
to sidewall. (C) Aspect Ratio
:A two‐digit number that
indicates the tire height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 60, as
shown in item C of the illustration, it would mean
that the tire's sidewall is 60 percent as high as it
is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or bias ply construction;
and the letter B means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of the wheel in
inches.
(F) Service Description
:These characters
represent the load index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents the load carry
capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified to
carry a load.
6-59