Page 17 of 120
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
Starting the Vehicle
{WARNING:
Exiting the vehicle, without first shifting into
P (Park), may cause the vehicle to move, and you
or others can be seriously injured. Because the
vehicle has the Automatic Engine Start/Stop
feature, the vehicle’s engine might seem to be
shut off when you come to a complete stop.(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
However, once the brake pedal is released,
the vehicle can move. The vehicle’s engine can
also restart at any time.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF, before exiting the vehicle.
Start the engine as you would any other engine.
See “Starting the Engine” in the owner manual for
more information on starting. If pulling a trailer with
trailer brakes, see Towing a Trailer
on page 5‑8for more information.
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Page 18 of 120
Auto Stop
The vehicle has an Auto Stop feature. After a
successful engine start, the engine may turn off and
operate in the Auto Stop mode. Some of the vehicle
conditions that allow the engine to stop running and
enter the Auto Stop mode are:
.Ignition switch is in the ON/RUN position.
.The hood is closed.
.The gear selector is in P (Park), R (Reverse),
N (Neutral) or D (Drive).
.The hybrid battery is at an acceptable state of
charge.
.The hybrid battery voltage, temperature or power
limits are not exceeded. In very hot conditions,
Auto Stop may be unavailable until the hybrid
battery has cooled.
.The engine is at operating temperature.
.The vehicle may enter Auto Stop after a remote
vehicle start.
If you are on an incline, the hybrid drive motor can help
keep the vehicle from rolling backwards, even if the
engine is in Auto Stop. With your foot off the brake and the vehicle on level
ground, the hybrid drive motor may cause the vehicle
to roll slowly forward, even when the engine is in
Auto Stop.
Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal until you are
ready for the vehicle to move.
Engine OFF and AUTO STOP modes are indicated on
the tachometer display. When the tachometer needle
indicates OFF, the engine is not running and will remain
off until the ignition key is placed in the START position
or a remote vehicle start is performed. When the
tachometer needle indicates AUTO STOP, the hybrid
system is on, the engine is not running, but may Auto
Start at any time without notice. See
Tachometer
on
page 4‑4for more information.
A chime will sound if the driver door is opened while in
Auto Stop as a reminder that the ignition switch is not in
the LOCK/OFF position. Always turn the ignition switch
to LOCK/OFF and remove the key from the ignition
switch when exiting the vehicle.
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Page 19 of 120
Auto Start
The vehicle also has an Auto Start feature. The engine
will remain off while in Auto Stop mode until vehicle
conditions require the engine to run. The near-instant
starting of the engine from Auto Stop mode is called
Auto Start. Some of the vehicle conditions that may
cause the engine to Auto Start are:
.The hood is opened.
.The gear selector is in M (Manual Mode).
.The hybrid battery state of charge is too low.
.The hybrid battery voltage, temperature or power
limits are exceeded.
.A remote vehicle start has been requested.
.The engine is not at operating temperature.
.Acceleration demands require the use of the
engine.
EV Mode
The vehicle also has an Electric Vehicle (EV) mode
which uses only the electric motor to move the vehicle.
With light acceleration, the vehicle will drive in EV
mode. EV mode is unavailable when the vehicle is
out of fuel.
If increased acceleration is required, or the vehicle
reaches approximately 40 km/h (30 mph), the engine will
start automatically. The engine shuts off at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph) unless the transmission is in
M (Manual Mode) or Auto Stop is disabled.
During heavy acceleration, both the engine and
hybrid electric motors supply power. A sensation
similar to a transmission gear change can be felt as
the transmission changes modes. Engine RPM may
remain above 4,000 RPM for a longer period during
hard acceleration.
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Page 20 of 120
Automatic Transmission Operation
The vehicle has an electronic shift position indicator
within the instrument panel cluster.
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
See“Range Selection Mode” later in this section.
P (Park) : This position locks the rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
When parked on a hill, especially when the vehicle has
a heavy load, you may notice an increase in the effort to
shift out of P (Park). See “Shifting Into P (Park)”in the
Index of vehicle's owner manual for more information.
{WARNING:
It is 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.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into
Park in the Owner Manual. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑8.
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{WARNING:
If you have Four-Wheel Drive, the vehicle will
be free to roll—even if the shift lever is in
P (Park) —if the transfer case is in Neutral.
So, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear,
Two-Wheel Drive High or Four-Wheel Drive High
or Four-Wheel Drive Low —not in Neutral.
See “Shifting Into Park” in the Owner Manual.
R (Reverse) : Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging the transmission, see
“If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow” in
the Index of the vehicle's owner manual. N (Neutral) :
In this position, the engine and
transmission are not connected with the wheels.
To restart the engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
{WARNING:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.
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Page 22 of 120
D (Drive) :This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
D (Drive) or M (Manual Mode) can be used when
towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on
steep hills, or for off-road driving. You may want to
shift the transmission to a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding. See “Skidding”
under “Loss of Control” in the owner manual for more
information.
When temperatures are very cold, the transmission's
gear shifting may be delayed, providing more stable
shifts until the engine warms up. Shifts may be more
noticeable with a cold transmission. This difference in
shifting is normal. M (Manual Mode) :
This position lets drivers select
the range of gears appropriate for current driving
conditions. If the vehicle has this feature, see “Range
Selection Mode” later in this section.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that
adjusts the transmission shifting to the current driving
conditions to reduce rapid upshifts and downshifts.
If the shift stabilization feature determines that a current
vehicle speed cannot be maintained, the transmission
does not upshift. In some cases, this may appear to be
a delayed shift, however the transmission is operating
normally.
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Page 23 of 120
Range Selection Mode
The Range Selection Mode controls the vehicle's
transmission.
To use this feature:1. Move the shift lever to the M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button to upshift or downshift selecting the desired range of gears.
A number displays next to the M, indicating the current
gear that has been selected. The number displayed in
the gear indicator is the highest gear that can be used. The vehicle can automatically shift to lower gears
as it adjusts to driving conditions. When 3 (Third) is
selected, 1 (First) through 3 (Third) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle, but 4 (Fourth)
cannot be used until it is selected.
The Range Selection Mode controls the vehicle and
engine speed while driving down a hill or towing a
trailer, by allowing you to select a desired range of
gears.
When you move the shift lever into M, the transmission
will default to M4. In this gear range, effective engine
braking occurs at speeds above 45 mph (72 km/h).
Pushing the minus (−) button on the shift lever reduces
the gear range.
In the M3 gear range, effective engine braking occurs at
speeds above 35 mph (56 km/h).
In the M2 gear range, effective engine braking occurs at
speeds above 25 mph (40 km/h).
In the M1 gear range, effective engine braking occurs at
speeds above 10 mph (16 km/h).
When operating in M (Manual Mode), Auto Stop is
disabled. For better vehicle efficiency, operate the
vehicle in D (Drive) not M (Manual Mode).
Cruise control can be used while using the Range
Selection Mode.
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Page 24 of 120
Four-Wheel Drive
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send the
engine's driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. Read the following before using four-wheel
drive.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive Low for
an extended period of time may cause premature
wear on your vehicle's powertrain. Do not drive on
clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel-Drive High or
Four-Wheel-Drive Low for extended periods of time.
While driving on clean dry pavement and during tight
turns, you may experience a vibration in the steering
system.
The vehicle has StabiliTrak
®. Shifting into
Four-Wheel-Drive Low will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak
®off. See StabiliTrak®System in the index
of the Owner Manual for more information.
Front Axle
The front axle engages and disengages automatically
when you shift the transfer case. Some delay for the
axle to engage or disengage is normal.
Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is
located to the left of the
instrument panel cluster.
Use this dial to shift into and out of four-wheel drive.
You can choose among five driving settings:
Indicator lights in the switches show you which setting
you are in. The indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and the last chosen
setting will stay on. If the lights do not come on, you
should take the vehicle to your dealer/retailer for
service. An indicator light will flash while shifting. It will
stay on when the shift is completed. If for some reason
the transfer case cannot make a requested shift, it will
return to the last chosen setting.
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