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WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through standing water.
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after driving through
standing water, drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and leave you
stranded.
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.
If for some reason the power assist is interrupted, it will
still be possible to steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial increase in steering
effort, especially at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.
NOTE:
•Increased noise levels at the end of the steering wheel
travel are considered normal and do not indicate that
there is a problem with the power steering system.
•Upon initial start-up in cold weather, the power steer-
ing pump may make noise for a short amount of time.
This is due to the cold, thick fluid in the steering
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WARNING! (Continued)
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission
in PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to
roll and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the “Brake Warning Light” remains on with the
parking brake released, a brake system malfunction
is indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an
authorized dealer immediately.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic
brake systems. If either of the two hydraulic
systems loses normal capability, the remaining
system will still function. There will be some
loss of overall braking effectiveness. This may be evident
by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and potential
activation of the “Brake Warning Light.”
In the event power assist is lost for any reason (for
example, repeated brake applications with the engine
OFF) the brakes will still function. The effort required to
brake the vehicle will be much greater than that required
with the power system operating.
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Anti-Lock Brake System
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) provides increased
vehicle stability and brake performance under most
braking conditions. The system automatically “pumps”
the brakes during severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.
The electronic brake force distribution (EBD) prevents the
rear wheels from over-braking and provides greater
control of available braking forces applied to the rear
axle.
When the vehicle is driven over 7 mph (11 km/h), you
may also hear a slight clicking sound as well as some
related motor noises. These noises are the system per-
forming its self check cycle to ensure that the ABS system
is working properly. This self check occurs each time the
vehicle is started and accelerated past 7 mph (11 km/h).ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.
You also may experience the following when the brake
system goes into Anti-lock:
•The ABS motor running (it may continue to run for a
short time after the stop),
•The clicking sound of solenoid valves,
•Brake pedal pulsations, and
•A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end
of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.
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WARNING!
•The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisti-
cated electronic equipment that may be susceptible
to interference caused by improperly installed or
high output radio transmitting equipment. This
interference can cause possible loss of anti-lock
braking capability. Installation of such equipment
should be performed by qualified professionals.
•Pumping of the anti-lock brakes will diminish
their effectiveness and may lead to an accident.
Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) cannot prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase braking or steering
efficiency beyond that afforded by the condition of
the vehicle brakes and tires or the traction afforded.
•The ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
following another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver
can prevent accidents.
•The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
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avoid skidding on slippery surfaces during braking.
Refer to “Anti-Lock Brake System” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.
WARNING!
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road conditions. The
ABS cannot prevent accidents, including those re-
sulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on
very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ABS-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
that could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each
driven wheel. If wheel spin is detected, brake pressure is
applied to the slipping wheel(s) and engine power is
reduced to provide enhanced acceleration and stability.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
This system complements the ABS by optimizing the
vehicle braking capability during emergency braking
maneuvers. This system detects an emergency braking
situation by sensing the rate and amount of brake appli-
cation and then applies optimum pressure to the brakes.
This can help reduce braking distances.
Applying the brakes very quickly results in the best BAS
assistance. To receive the benefits of this system, you
must apply continuous brake pedal pressure during the
stopping sequence. Do not reduce brake pedal pressure
unless braking is no longer desired. Once the brake pedal
is released, the BAS is deactivated.
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switch and the “ESP/TCS Indicator Light” will illumi-
nate. To turn the ESP ON again, momentarily press the
“ESP OFF” switch and the “ESP/TCS Indicator Light”
will turn off.
NOTE:To improve the vehicle’s traction when driving
with snow chains, or when starting off in deep snow,
sand, or gravel, it may be desirable to switch to the
“Partial Off” mode by momentarily pressing the “ESP
OFF” switch. Once the situation requiring “Partial Off”
mode is overcome, turn the ESP ON again by momen-
tarily pressing the “ESP OFF” switch. This may be done
while the vehicle is in motion.
Full Off
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use
only and should not be used on any public roadways. In
this mode, all TCS and ESP stability features are turned
OFF. To enter the “Full Off” mode, press and hold the
“ESP OFF” switch for five seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine running. After five seconds, a
chime will sound, the “ESP/TCS Indicator Light” will
illuminate, and the
ESP OFFmessage will display in the
vehicle odometer. Press and release the TRIP ODOM-
ETER button located on the instrument cluster to clear
this message. The “ESP OFF” message may appear in the
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC). Refer to
“Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)” in “Un-
derstanding Your Instrument Panel” for further informa-
tion. To turn ESP ON again, momentarily press the “ESP
OFF” switch.
NOTE: TheESP OFF message will display and the
audible chime will sound when the shift lever is moved
into the PARK position from any position other than
PARK and then moved out of the PARK position. This
will occur when the message was previously cleared.
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Indicator Light” should go out. However, if the light
remains on, have the ESP and BAS checked at your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
ESP/BAS Malfunction Indicator Light and
ESP/TCS Indicator Light
The Malfunction Indicator Light for the ESP is
combined with the BAS indicator. The “ESP/
BAS Malfunction Indicator Light” and the
“ESP/TCS Indicator Light” in the instrument
cluster both come on when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. They should go out with the engine
running.
The system will turn the “ESP/BAS Malfunction Indica-
tor Light” on continuously while the engine is running if
it detects a malfunction in either the ESP or the BAS or
both. If the light remains on after several ignition cycles
and you have driven the vehicle several miles (kilome-
ters) at speeds greater than 30 mph (48 km/h), and the ESP is synchronized (refer to Synchronizing ESP), see
your authorized dealer as soon as possible to have the
problem diagnosed and corrected.
NOTE:
•The “ESP/TCS Indicator Light” and the “ESP/BAS
Malfunction Indicator Light” will turn on momen-
tarily each time the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position.
•Each time the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position, the ESP System will be ON even if it was
turned OFF previously.
•The ESP Control System will make buzzing or clicking
sounds when it is active. This is normal; the sounds
will stop when the ESP becomes inactive following the
maneuver that caused the ESP activation.
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WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous. Overloading
can cause tire failure, affect vehicle handling, and
increase your stopping distance. Use tires of the
recommended load capacity for your vehicle. Never
overload them.
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire pressure:
Safety
WARNING!
•Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can
cause accidents.
•Under-inflation increases tire flexing and can re-
sult in over-heating and tire failure.
•Over-inflation reduces a tire’s ability to cushion
shock. Objects on the road and chuckholes can
cause damage that result in tire failure.
•Unequal tire pressures can cause steering prob-
lems. You could lose control of your vehicle.
•Over-inflated or under-inflated tires can affect
vehicle handling and can fail suddenly, resulting
in loss of vehicle control.(Continued)
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