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.
TheStabiliTrak
®Systemon page 5‑6improves the
ability to accelerate on slippery roads, but slow down
and adjust your driving to the road conditions. When
driving through deep snow, turn off the traction control
part of the StabiliTrak
®System to help maintain vehicle
motion at lower speeds.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 5‑4improves vehicle stability during hard stops on 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.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a serious situation. Stay
with the vehicle unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use the
Roadside 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.
(Continued)
5-26
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailerwheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift into P (Park).
5. If the vehicle is four-wheel-drive, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear and not in
N (Neutral).
6. Release the brake pedal.
{WARNING:
It can be 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.
If the engine has been left running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even
when on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow. (Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
Always put the shift lever fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set.
If the transfer case on a four-wheel-drive vehicle
is in N (Neutral), the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in P (Park). Be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear—not in
N (Neutral).
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine
3. Shift into a gear
4. Release the parking brake
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
5-73
Front Position–
1500 ModelsFront Position –
All Other Models
4. Position the jack under the vehicle as shown. If the flat tire is on the front of the vehicle (1500 Model
vehicles), position the jack under the bracket
attached to the vehicle's frame, behind the flat tire.
If the flat tire is on the front of the vehicle (all other
models), position the jack on the frame behind the
flat tire.Rear Position –
1500 ModelsRear Position –
All Other Models
5. If the flat tire is on the rear, for 1500 models position the jack under the rear axle about 2 inches
(5 cm) inboard of the shock absorber bracket; for
all other models, position the jack under the rear
axle between the spring anchor and the shock
absorber bracket.
If you have added a snow plow to the front of your
vehicle, lower the snow plow fully before raising
the vehicle.
6-99
.Laundry detergents or dishwashing soaps with
degreasers can leave residue that streaks and
attracts dirt. For liquid cleaners, about 20 drops per
gallon (3.78 L) of water is a good guide. Use only
mild, neutral-pH soaps.
.Too much cleaner that saturates the upholstery.
.Organic solvents such as naptha, alcohol, etc. that
can damage the vehicle's interior.
Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment
frequently to remove dust and loose dirt. A canister
vacuum with a beater bar in the nozzle may only be
used on floor carpet and carpeted floor mats. For any
soil, always try to remove it first with plain water or club
soda. Before cleaning, gently remove as much of the
soil as possible using one of the following techniques:
.For liquids: gently blot the remaining soil with a
paper towel. Allow the soil to absorb into the paper
towel until no more can be removed.
.For solid dry soils: remove as much as possible
and then vacuum.To clean:
1. Saturate a lint-free, clean white cloth with water or club soda.
2. Wring the cloth to remove excess moisture.
3. Start on the outside edge of the soil and gently rub toward the center. Continue cleaning, using a clean
area of the cloth each time it becomes soiled.
4. Continue to gently rub the soiled area until the cleaning cloth remains clean.
5. If the soil is not completely removed, use a mild soap solution and repeat the cleaning process that
was used with plain water.
If any of the soil remains, a commercial fabric cleaner or
spot lifter may be necessary. When a commercial
upholstery cleaner or spot lifter is to be used, test a
small hidden area for colorfastness first. If the locally
cleaned area gives any impression that a ring formation
may result, clean the entire surface.
After the cleaning process has been completed, a paper
towel can be used to blot excess moisture from the
fabric or carpet.
6-111
A
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-4
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Accessory Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Active Fuel Management™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . 5-36
Additives, Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-8
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18, 4-20
Airbag Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-EquippedVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-91
Airbag System Airbag Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-82
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-79
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-85
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 2-91
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-79
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . 2-80
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-78
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-75 Airbags
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-73
Antenna Fixed Mast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-149
Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-149
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-4 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Appearance Care Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other PlasticSurfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
i - 1
Lamps (cont.)Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-62
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Puddle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-37
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30
LATCH System for Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-50
Latches, Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Lights
Airbag Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Four-Wheel-Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Lights (cont.)
Highbeam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
StabiliTrak
®Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Loading Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-8
Locks Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . 2-50
Lumbar Manual Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
i - 9