
{WARNING:
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down and they could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in gear when
going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that
let you stay in your own lane.
.Top of hills: Be alert—something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks
area, winding roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
See Off-Road Driving
on page 5‑12for information
about driving off-road.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow or ice between the
tires and the road, creating less traction or grip. Wet ice
can occur at about 0°C (32°F) when freezing rain
begins to fall, resulting in even less traction. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the condition. Accelerate
gently so traction is not lost. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the surface under
the tires slick, so there is even less traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 5‑4improves vehicle stability during hard stops on a
slippery roads, but apply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road
and watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can occur on
otherwise clear roads in shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped, on slippery surfaces.
5-27

Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a serious situation. Stay
with the vehicle unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use theRoadside Assistance Program
on page 8‑7.
To get help and keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasherson
page 4‑3.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{WARNING:
Snow can trap engine exhaust under the vehicle.
This may cause exhaust gases to get inside.
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around the base of
your vehicle, especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
.Open a window about 5 cm (two inches) on
the side of the vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under the
instrument panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting
that circulates the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the Index.
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3‑37.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods only as needed to
keep warm, but be careful.
5-28

Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it was designed to carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the Certification/Tire
label.
{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.
Tire and Loading Information Label
Label Example
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the center pillar (B-pillar). With
the driver's door open, you will find the label
attached below the door lock post (striker). The
tire and loading information label shows the
number of occupant seating positions (A), and the
maximum vehicle capacity weight (B) in kilograms
and pounds.
5-31

Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with the
rear wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed.
Dolly Towing (Rear Wheels Off the Ground)
Use the following procedure to dinghy tow a
two-wheel-drive vehicle from the rear:1. Attach the dolly to the tow vehicle following the dolly manufacturer's instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the dolly. 3. Firmly set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake
on page 3‑34.
4. Put the transmission in P (Park).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's instructions.
6. Use an adequate clamping device designed for towing to ensure that the front wheels are locked
into the straight position.
7. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
5-41

Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more than 2,000 lbs
(900 kg) needs to have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the trailer. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so they
are installed, adjusted and maintained properly.
Since the vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak
®, the
trailer brakes cannot tap into the vehicle's hydraulic
system.
Integrated Trailer Brake Control System
The vehicle may have an
Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system for
electric trailer brakes. This symbol is located on the Trailer Brake Control
Panel on vehicles with an Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System. The power output to the trailer brakes
is based on the amount of brake pressure being applied
by the vehicle’
s brake system. This available power
output to the trailer brakes can be adjusted to a wide
range of trailering situations.
The ITBC system is integrated with the vehicle’s brake,
anti‐lock brake and StabiliTrak systems. In trailering
conditions that cause the vehicle’s anti‐lock brake or
StabiliTrak systems to activate, power sent to the
trailer's brakes will be automatically adjusted to
minimize trailer wheel lock-up. This does not imply that
the trailer has the StabiliTrak system.
If the vehicle’s brake, anti‐lock brake or StabiliTrak
systems are not functioning properly, the ITBC system
may not be fully functional or may not function at all.
Make sure all of these systems are fully operational to
ensure full functionality of the ITBC system.
5-49

The trailer and the vehicle's brake lamps will come on
when either vehicle braking or manual trailer brakes are
applied.
Trailer Gain Adjustment Procedure
Trailer Gain should be set for a specific trailering
condition and must be adjusted any time vehicle
loading, trailer loading or road surface conditions
change.
Setting the Trailer Gain properly is needed for the best
trailer stopping performance. A trailer that is
over-gained may result in locked trailer brakes. A trailer
that is under-gained may result in not enough trailer
braking. Both of these conditions may result in poorer
stopping and stability of the vehicle and trailer.
Use the following procedure to correctly adjust Trailer
Gain for each towing condition:1. Make sure the trailer brakes are in proper working condition.
2. Connect a properly loaded trailer to the vehicle and make all necessary mechanical and electrical
connections. See Loading the Vehicle
on
page 5‑31for more information. 3. After the electrical connection is made to a trailer
equipped with electric brakes:
.A TRAILER CONNECTED message will be
briefly displayed on the DIC display.
.The Trailer Brake Display Page will appear on
the DIC showing TRAILER GAIN and TRAILER
OUTPUT.
.In the Trailer Output display on the
DIC, “- - - - - -“ will disappear if there is no error
present. Connecting a trailer without electric
brakes will not clear the six dashed lines.
4. Adjust the Trailer Gain by using the gain adjustment (+ / -) buttons on the Trailer Brake
Control Panel.
5. Drive the vehicle with the trailer attached on a level road surface representative of the towing
condition and free of traffic at about 20 to 25 mph
(32 to 40 km/h) and fully apply the Manual Trailer
Brake Apply lever.
Adjusting trailer gain at speeds lower than
20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h) may result in an
incorrect gain setting.
5-53

6. Adjust the Trailer Gain to just below the point oftrailer wheel lock-up, indicated by trailer wheel
squeal or tire smoke when a trailer wheel locks.
Trailer wheel lock-up may not occur if towing a
heavily loaded trailer. In this case, adjust the
Trailer Gain to the highest allowable setting for the
towing condition.
7. Re-adjust Trailer Gain any time vehicle loading, trailer loading or road surface conditions change or
if trailer wheel lock-up is noticed at any time while
towing.
Other ITBC Related DIC Messages
In addition to displaying TRAILER GAIN and TRAILER
OUTPUT through the DIC, trailer connection and ITBC
system status is displayed in the DIC.
TRAILER CONNECTED –This message will be briefly
displayed when a trailer with electric brakes is first
connected to the vehicle. This message will
automatically turn off in about ten seconds. The driver
can also acknowledge this message before it
automatically turns off. CHECK TRAILER WIRING
–This message will be
displayed if:
1. The ITBC system first determines connection to a trailer with electric brakes and then the trailer
harness becomes disconnected from the vehicle.
If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle is
stationary, this message will automatically turn off
in about thirty seconds. This message will also turn
off if the driver acknowledges this message off or if
the trailer harness is re-connected.
If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle is
moving, this message will continue until the ignition
is turned off. This message will also turn off if the
driver acknowledges this message off or if the
trailer harness is re-connected.
2. There is an electrical fault in the wiring to the electric trailer brakes. This message will continue
as long as there is an electrical fault in the trailer
wiring. This message will also turn off if the driver
acknowledges this message off.
5-54

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Vehicle Identification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Windshield Wiper Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114 Power Windows and Other Power Options . . . 6-114
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Underhood Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-122
6-3