Instruments and Controls 5-13
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
The following can prevent more
serious damage to the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
.If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park the
vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
engine. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps and see
your dealer for service as soon as
possible. Light On Steady:
An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be
required.
An emission system malfunction
might be corrected.
.Make sure the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tankon
page 9‑68. The diagnostic
system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the
light off.
.If the vehicle has been driven
through a deep puddle of water,
the vehicle's electrical system
might be wet. The condition is
usually corrected when the
electrical system dries out.
A few driving trips should turn
the light off.
.Make sure to fuel the vehicle
with quality fuel. Poor fuel quality
causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may
cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these
conditions occurs, change the
fuel brand used. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper
fuel to turn the light off.
See Recommended Fuel
on
page 9‑64.
If none of the above have made
the light turn off, your dealer can
check the vehicle. The dealer
has the proper test equipment
and diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.
Lighting 6-9
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information
Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as BATTERY
SAVER ACTIVE, BATTERY
VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY.
If one of these messages displays,
it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much
as possible. See
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑18.Battery Power Protection
The dome lamp is shut off if it is left
on for more than 20 minutes when
the ignition is in LOCK/OFF. This
helps to prevent the battery from
being drained.
9-2 Driving and Operating
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-65
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-66
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-74
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-78
Trailer Recommendations . . . . 9-81
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-81
Driving Information
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The
first step in driving defensively is
to wear your safety belt, see Safety
Belts on page 3‑10.
{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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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.
Driving and Operating 9-29
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the“XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs
and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle,
the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400 −750
(5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, the load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
See Trailer Towing
on
page 9‑74
for important
information on towing a
trailer, towing safety, and
trailering tips.
Example 1
A.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
B.Subtract Occupant Weight @
68 kg (150 lbs) × 2 = 136 kg
(300 lbs).
C.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs).
Driving and Operating 9-31
Certification/Tire Label
Label Example
A vehicle specific Certification/
Tire label is attached to the
bottom section of the driver sidecenter pillar (B-pillar) or on the
end of the driver side instrument
panel. The label shows the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, cargo and trailer
tongue weight, if pulling a trailer.
The Certification/Tire label also
tells the maximum weights for
the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). To find out the actual
loads on the front and rear
axles, go to a weigh station and
weigh the vehicle. Your dealer
can help with this. Be sure to
spread out the load equally on
both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for the
vehicle, or the GAWR for either
the front or rear axle.
If the load is heavy, it should be
spread out.
Driving and Operating 9-33
There is also important loading
information for off-road driving in
this manual. See
“Loading Your
Vehicle for Off-Road Driving”
under Off-Road Drivingon
page 9‑7
.
Truck-Camper Loading
Information
The vehicle was neither
designed nor intended to carry
a slide-in type camper.
Notice :Adding a slide-in
camper or similar equipment
to the vehicle can damage
it, and the repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not install a
slide-in camper or similar
equipment on the vehicle.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice: The vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
.Keep your speed at 88 km/h
(55 mph) or less for the
first 805 km (500 miles).
.Do not drive at any
one constant speed, fast
or slow, for the first 805 km
(500 miles). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 miles)
or so. During this time the
new brake linings are not
yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips
on page 9‑70for the
trailer towing capabilities
of the vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Driving and Operating 9-37
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord to prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Shifting Into Park
{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 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, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑70.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake
on
page 9‑51for more information.
{WARNING
With all-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, four-wheel high (4H) or
four-wheel low (4L) —not in
Neutral.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pressing the shift lever button
and moving the lever as far
forward as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key from the ignition.
Driving and Operating 9-39
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of a
an uncharged or low voltage (less
than 9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. SeeJump Starting
on
page 10‑86for more information.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If you still are unable to shift out
of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever
button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever
button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.
Parking
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, before you get out of
the vehicle, move the shift lever into
R (Reverse), and firmly apply the
parking brake. Once the shift lever
has been placed into R (Reverse)
with the clutch pedal pressed in,
turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF,
remove the key and release the
clutch.
If you are parking on a hill, or if
the vehicle is pulling a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips on page 9‑70.