5-8 Instruments and Controls
Speedometer
The speedometer shows the
vehicle's speed in both kilometers
per hour (km/h) and miles per
hour (mph).
Odometer
The odometer shows how far the
vehicle has been driven, in either
kilometers or miles.
This vehicle has a tamper-resistant
odometer. If the vehicle needs a
new odometer installed, the new
one is set to the mileage of the old
odometer. If this is not possible,
it is set at zero and a label is put
on the driver's door to show the old
mileage reading.
Trip Odometer
The vehicle has a trip odometer that
indicates how far the vehicle has
been driven since the trip odometer
was last set to zero.See
“Trip Odometer” underDriver
Information Center (DIC)
on
page 5‑18for more information.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine
speed in revolutions per
minute (rpm).
Fuel Gauge
United StatesCanada
The fuel gauge indicates about how
much fuel there is remaining in the
fuel tank. The ignition must be in
ON/RUN.
An arrow on the fuel gauge
indicates the side of the vehicle
the fuel door is on. Here are three things that can
happen but do not indicate a
problem with the fuel gauge:
.At the gas station, the gas pump
shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
.It takes a little more or less
fuel to fill up than the gauge
indicated. For example, the
gauge may have indicated the
tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than
half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.
.The gauge moves a little when
turning a corner or speeding up.
When the fuel in the fuel tank is low,
a LOW FUEL message displays on
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Fuel System Messages
on
page 5‑24for more information.
5-12 Instruments and Controls
It should go out once the engine
starts. If it stays on, or comes on
while driving, there could be a
problem with the charging system.
A charging system message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
may also appear. SeeBattery
Voltage and Charging Messages
on
page 5‑21for more information.
This light could indicate that there
are problems with a generator drive
belt, or that there is an electrical
problem. Have it checked right
away. If the vehicle must be driven a
short distance with the light on, turn
off all the accessories, such as the
radio and air conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems. It ensures that emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to
produce a cleaner environment.
This light comes on when the
ignition is on, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the check engine light comes on
and stays on, while the engine is
running, this indicates that there is
an OBD II problem and service is
required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:
If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, after a while, the emission
controls might not work as well,
the vehicle's fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of
the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by
the vehicle warranty. This
could also result in a failure
to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
See Accessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3.
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.
Instruments and Controls 5-21
The following are the available
modes:
RFA 1 (default):This mode flashes
the parking lamps when you press
the lock or unlock buttons on the
RKE transmitter.
RFA 2: This mode flashes the
parking lamps and sounds the horn
when you press the lock button on
the RKE transmitter. This mode also
flashes the parking lamps when you
press the unlock button on the RKE
transmitter.
RFA 3: This mode flashes the
parking lamps and sounds the horn
when you press the lock or unlock
buttons on the RKE transmitter.
RFA 4: This mode disables RKE
feedback. There will be no feedback
when you press the lock or unlock
buttons on the RKE transmitter.Vehicle Messages
Messages are displayed on the
DIC to notify the driver that the
status of the vehicle has changed
and that some action may be
needed by the driver to correct
the condition. Multiple messages
may appear one after another.
The messages are displayed for
several seconds each.
Some messages may not require
immediate action, but you should
press and release the trip odometer
reset stem to acknowledge that
you received the messages and to
clear them from the display. Each
message must be acknowledged
individually.
Some messages cannot be cleared
from the DIC display because they
are more urgent. These messages
require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any
messages that appear on the display seriously and remember that
clearing the messages only makes
the messages disappear, not correct
the problem.
The following are the possible
messages that can be displayed
and some information about them.
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
SERVICE CHARG (Charge)
SYS (System)
This message displays if there is a
problem with the battery charging
system. Under certain conditions,
the battery warning light may also
turn on in the instrument panel
cluster. See
Charging System Light
on page 5‑11. The battery will not
be charging at an optimal rate and
the vehicle will lose the ability to
enter the fuel economy mode.
5-24 Instruments and Controls
Fuel System Messages
FUEL CAP
This message displays if the
vehicle's fuel cap is either off or
loose. Pull over as soon as possible
and check to see if the fuel cap is
secure. You may also see the check
engine light on the instrument panel
cluster. If the check engine light
does come on when the fuel cap
was loose, it may take a few driving
trips before the light turns off.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on
page 5‑12for more information if
the light still remains on. Press
and release the reset stem to
acknowledge the message and
clear it from the display.
LOW FUEL
This message displays if the level of
fuel in the vehicle is low. Also check
the fuel gauge. See Fuel Gauge
on
page 5‑8for more information.
Refill the fuel tank as soon as
possible.
Lamp Messages
TURN SIGNAL
This message displays when the
turn signal is on for about 1.2 km
(0.75 miles) of travel. Press
and release the reset stem to
acknowledge the message and
clear it from the display.
Ride Control System
Messages
SERVICE STAB (Stability)
SYS (System)
This message displays if there is
a problem with the StabiliTrak®
system. Have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer. See StabiliTrak
System
on page 9‑53for more
information.
STAB (Stability)
SYS (System) OFF
This message displays when the
StabiliTrak®system is turned off.
See StabiliTrak Systemon
page 9‑53for more information.
TRAC (Traction) OFF
This message along with the
traction off light displays when the
Traction Control System (TCS) is
turned off by pressing the TCS
button. See Traction Control System
(TCS)
on page 9‑52and Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak®
Lighton page 5‑16for more
information.
8-2 Climate Controls
9(Fan Control): Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the fan speed.
Air Delivery Mode Control: Turn
clockwise or counterclockwise to
change the direction of the airflow in
the vehicle. The airflow can be set
between modes.
To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
H (Vent): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
\(Bi-Level): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets, and the
remaining air to the floor outlets
and the defroster and side window
outlets. Cooler air is directed to the
upper outlets and warmer air to the
floor outlets. [
(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets, side window outlets,
and defroster. Recirculation is not
available in this mode.
/ (Floor/Defog): This clears the
windows of fog and moisture. Air is
directed to the windshield, side
window, and floor outlets. The
system runs the air conditioning
unless the outside temperature is
near freezing or below. Recirculation
is not available in this mode.
0 (Defrost): This clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield and side window
outlets. The system runs the air
conditioning system unless the
outside temperature is near or
below freezing. Recirculation is
not available in this mode.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear. #
(Air Conditioning): Press to
turn the air conditioning system
on or off. An indicator light comes
on when the air conditioning is
turned on. This system cools and
dehumidifies the air entering the
vehicle.
The air conditioning will not
function if the fan is turned off.
If air conditioning is selected with
fan off, the indicator light flashes
three times and then turns off.
A slight change in engine
performance may occur when the
air conditioning compressor shuts
off and turns on again. This is
normal. The system is designed
to make adjustments to help with
fuel economy while still maintaining
the selected temperature.
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so
water might drip under the vehicle
while idling or after turning off the
engine. This is normal.
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-22
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-23
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-26
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-33
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-36
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Parking Over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-41
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-44
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-52
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
StabiliTrak System . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Locking Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Object Detection Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-65
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
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.