Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{WARNING:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
•Passengers, especially children, can easily
open the doors and fall out of a moving vehicle.
When a door is locked, the handle will not open
it. The chance of being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash is increased if the doors are
not locked. So, all passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the doors should be
locked whenever the vehicle is driven.
•Young children who get into unlocked vehicles
may be unable to get out. A child can be
overcome by extreme heat and can suffer
permanent injuries or even death from heat
stroke. Always lock the vehicle whenever
leaving it.
•Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
Locking your doors can help prevent this from
happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock the vehicle.
To lock or unlock the door from the outside, use the
key in the driver or front passenger door or press
the lock or unlock button on the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter, if the vehicle has one.
To lock a door from the inside, push the manual lock
knob down or use the power door lock switches.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock switches are located on the
driver’s and front passenger’s door.
Press the outboard side of the switch to unlock all
doors. Press the inboard side of the switch to lock
all doors.
The rear doors do not have power door lock switches.
Rear seat passengers must use the manual lock
knob on their doors.
Door Ajar Reminder
A chime will sound and the DOOR AJAR message will
display if one of the doors is not fully closed. This
happens when the ignition is on and the shift lever is
moved out of P (Park) or N (Neutral). SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 4-42.
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Trunk
To open the trunk from the outside, press the trunk
release button on the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.
{WARNING:
Exhaust gases can enter the vehicle if it is driven
with the liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with any
objects that pass through the seal between the
body and the trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
WARNING: (Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
If the vehicle must be driven with the liftgate, or
trunk/hatch open:
•Close all of the windows.
•Fully open the air outlets on or under the
instrument panel.
•Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting
that brings in only outside air and set the fan
speed to the highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
•If the vehicle is equipped with a power liftgate,
disable the power liftgate function.
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3-30.
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Windows
{WARNING:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets in a
vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the extreme heat and
suffer permanent injuries or even death from heat
stroke. Never leave a child, a helpless adult, or a
pet alone in a vehicle, especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.
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Express Window Anti-Pinch Feature
If any object is in the path of the window when
the express-up is active, the window stops at the
obstruction and auto-reverse to a preset factory position.
Weather conditions such as severe icing may also
cause the window to auto-reverse. The window returns
to normal operation once the obstruction or condition
is removed.
Express Window Anti-Pinch Override
{WARNING:
If express override is activated, the window will not
reverse automatically. You or others could be
injured and the window could be damaged. Before
you use express override, make sure that all people
and obstructions are clear of the window path.
In an emergency, the anti-pinch feature can be
overridden in a supervised mode. Hold the window
switch all the way up to the second position. The window
rises for as long as the switch is held. Once the
switch is released, the express mode is re-activated.
In this mode, the window can still close on an object in
its path. Use care when using the override mode.
Window Lockout
The driver power window controls also include a
lockout button.
o(Window Lockout):Press the lockout button to
stop the rear passengers from using their window
switches. The driver and front passenger can still
operate all the windows with the lock on. When the red
part of the switch is visible, you have returned to
normal window operation.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also remove them from the center mount and
swing them to the side, to block out glare from the side.
Your vehicle may have lighted visor vanity mirrors
located on the passenger and driver’s side visor. When
you lift the cover, the light will turn on.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
This vehicle has theft-deterrent features, however,
they do not make it impossible to steal.
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The shift lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition
switch to LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If
this doesn’t work, the vehicle needs service.
ACC (ACC/ACCESSORY):This position lets you use
things like the radio and windshield wipers while
the engine is not running.
R(ON/RUN):This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories and to display some instrument
panel warning lights. The switch will stay in this position
while the engine is running.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN position with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle
if the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
/(START):This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return to the ON/RUN position for driving.
A warning tone will sound when the driver door is
opened, the ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF and the key is in the ignition.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be used for up to
10 minutes after the engine is turned off:
•Audio System
•Power Windows
•Heated Seats (if equipped)
•Sunroof (if equipped)
These features continue to work up to 10 minutes after
the ignition is turned to LOCK/OFF.
The power windows, heated seats, and sunroof will
work until any door is opened.
The radio continues to work until the driver door is
opened.
All these features operate when the key is in the
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The
engine will not start in any other position. To restart
the engine when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Notice:Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the vehicle
is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park) only when the vehicle
is stopped.
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Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can provide easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up in cold
weather conditions at or below 0°F (−18°C). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater should be plugged
in at least four hours before starting. Some models may
have an internal thermostat in the cord which will
prevent engine coolant heater operation at temperatures
above 0°F (−18°C).
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
engine coolant heater cord is located near the air
cleaner box on the passenger side of the engine
compartment. SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 6-14for more information on location.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-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 as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should remain plugged in
depends on several factors. Ask a dealer/retailer in
the area where you will be parking the vehicle for the
best advice on this.
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Automatic Transmission Operation
(Six Speed Transmission)
The automatic
transmission has a shift
lever located on the
console between the seats.
P (Park):This position locks the front wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move easily.
{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). SeeShifting Into
Park on page 3-27. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 5-27.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You must fully
apply the brake pedal then press the shift lever
button before you can shift from P (Park) while the
ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever and push
the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you maintain
brake application. Then move the shift lever into
another gear. SeeShifting Out of Park on page 3-28.
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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,
seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 5-18.
N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart the engine when the
vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is being towed.
{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.
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 35 mph (56 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
•Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
M (Manual Mode):This position, allows you to change
gears similar to a manual transmission. If the vehicle
has this feature, see Driver Shift Control (DSC).
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) rearward to
M (Manual).
While driving in manual mode, the transmission will
remain in the driver selected gear. When coming
to a stop in the manual position, the vehicle
will automatically shift into 1 (First) gear.
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