5-20 Instruments and Controls
This light flashes when the AWD
system is temporarily disabled.
For more information seeAll-Wheel
Drive on page 9‑38.
Power Steering Warning
Light
For 4‐cylinder vehicles with Electric
Power Steering (EPS), this light
comes on briefly when the ignition is
turned to ON/RUN as a check to
show it is working.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer/
retailer.
If the EPS light stays on, or comes
on while driving, the EPS system
may not be working. If this happens,
see your dealer/retailer for service.
StabiliTrak®Indicator
Light
The StabiliTrak®light comes on
briefly as the engine is started. If it
does not come on have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer/retailer.
This light flashes while the
StabiliTrack or the Traction Control
System (TCS) is working. The light
comes on when the ESP has been
turned off and if there is a problem
with the StabiliTrak or the TCS. See
Traction Control System (TCS)
on
page 9‑40and StabiliTrak Systemon page 9‑41for more information.
Traction Control System
(TCS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly as the
engine is started. If it does not come
on have the vehicle serviced by
your dealer/retailer.
It also comes on when the Traction
Control System (TCS) has been
turned off or when the Electronic
Stability Program (ESP) is not
ready. If there is a problem with the
TCS or the ESP, this light and the
TCS warning light comes on at the
same time. See Traction Control
System (TCS)
on page 9‑40and
StabiliTrak Systemon page 9‑41for more information.
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5-22 Instruments and Controls
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer/
retailer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer/retailer.
Change Engine Oil Light
When the change engine oil light
comes on, it means that service is
required on the vehicle.
See Scheduled Maintenance
on
page 11‑2and Engine Oilon
page 10‑8for more information.
After the engine oil is changed the
engine oil life system needs to be
reset in order to turn off this light.
See Engine Oil Life System
on
page 10‑10for more information.
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Instruments and Controls 5-25
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light comes on
whenever the cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. SeeCruise
Control
on page 9‑42for more
information.
Door Ajar Light
The door ajar light comes on when
a door is open. Before driving,
check that all doors are properly
closed.
Gate Ajar Light
If the gate ajar light comes on, the
liftgate is not completely closed.
Driving with the liftgate open can
cause carbon monoxide (CO) to
enter the vehicle.
See Engine Exhaust
on page 9‑34for more information.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC).
All information appears in the DIC
display located in the instrument
panel cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. After a short delay, the DIC
displays the information that was
last displayed before the engine
was turned off.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected.
The DIC also displays the compass
direction, outside air temperature,
and shift position indicator at the top
of the DIC display. If there is a
problem with the system that
controls the temperature display, the
numbers will be replaced with
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Instruments and Controls 5-29
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See“CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
under Engine Oil Messages
on
page 5‑33. You should change the
oil as soon as you can. See Engine
Oil
on page 10‑8. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance
on
page 11‑2for more information.
Whenever the oil is changed the Oil
Life System will need to be reset. To
reset the system through the DIC,
press and hold
Vwhile this display
is shown. When the system is reset
the display will show 100% OIL LIFE
REMAINING. Units
Press the vehicle information button
until UNITS displays. This display
allows you to select between
English or Metric units of
measurement. Once in this display,
press the set/reset button to select
between ENGLISH or METRIC
units. All of the vehicle information
will then be displayed in the unit of
measurement selected.
Tire Pressure
If your vehicle has the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), the
pressure for each tire can be viewed
in the DIC. The tire pressure will be
shown in either pounds per square
inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa).
Press the vehicle information button
until the DIC displays FRONT
TIRES PSI (kPa) LEFT ##
RIGHT ##. Press the vehicle
information button again until the
DIC displays REAR TIRES
PSI (kPa) LEFT ## RIGHT ##.If a low or high tire pressure
condition is detected by the system
while driving, a message advising
you to check the pressure in a
specific tire will appear in the
display. See
Tire Pressure
on
page 10‑50and Tire Messageson
page 5‑37for more information.
If the tire pressure display shows
dashes instead of a value, there
may be a problem with your vehicle.
If this consistently occurs, see your
dealer/retailer for service.
For information on relearning tire
positions see “TPMS Sensor
Matching Process” underTire
Pressure Monitor Operation
on
page 10‑54.
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5-34 Instruments and Controls
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP
ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle
while the engine oil pressure is
low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure
warning appears on the
instrument panel cluster and/or
DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. Do not drive the vehicle
until the cause of the low oil
pressure is corrected. See Engine
Oil
on page 10‑8for more
information.
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine oil pressure is low.
The oil pressure light also appears
on the instrument panel cluster. See
Engine Oil Pressure Light
on
page 5‑22. Stop the vehicle immediately, as
engine damage can result from
driving a vehicle with low oil
pressure. Have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer/retailer as soon as
possible when this message is
displayed.
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no
reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to your dealer/
retailer for service as soon as
possible.
Fuel System Messages
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays when your
vehicle is low on fuel. Refill the fuel
tank as soon as possible. See
Fuel
Gage
on page 5‑11and Filling the
Tankon page 9‑50for more
information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display along
with the check engine light on the
instrument panel cluster if the
vehicle's fuel cap is not tightened
properly. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp
on page 5‑15. Reinstall the
fuel cap fully. See Filling the Tank
on page 9‑50. 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 this light and message off.
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9-10 Driving and Operating
.Always carry a litter bag and
make sure all refuse is removed
from any campsite before
leaving.
.Take extreme care with open
fires (where permitted), camp
stoves, and lanterns.
.Never park your vehicle over dry
grass or other combustible
materials that could catch fire
from the heat of the vehicle's
exhaust system.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip,
especially when going to a remote
area. Know the terrain and plan
your route. Get accurate maps of
trails and terrain. Check to see if
there are any blocked or closed
roads.
It is also a good idea to travel with
at least one other vehicle in case
something happens to one of them.For vehicles with a winch, be sure to
read the winch instructions. In a
remote area, a winch can be handy
if you get stuck but you will want to
know how to use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road
Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an
area that is safe and close to home
before you go into the wilderness.
Off-roading requires some new and
different skills.
Tune your senses to different kinds
of signals. Your eyes need to
constantly sweep the terrain for
unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or
engine sounds. Use your arms,
hands, feet, and body to respond to
vibrations and vehicle bounce.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed. At higher
speeds:
.You approach things faster and
have less time to react.
.There is less time to scan the
terrain for obstacles.
.The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles.
.More braking distance is
needed, especially on an
unpaved surface.
{WARNING
When you are driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you out
of position. This could cause you
to lose control and crash. So,
whether you are driving on or off
the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety
belts.
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Driving and Operating 9-17
Driving in Water
{WARNING
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and
you could lose traction and roll
the vehicle over. Do not drive
through rushing water.Heavy rain can mean flash flooding,
and flood waters demand extreme
caution.
Find out how deep the water is
before driving through it. Do not try
it if it is deep enough to cover the
wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe
—you probably will not get
through. Deep water can damage
the axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive
slowly through it. At faster speeds,
water splashes on the ignition
system and the vehicle can stall.
Stalling can also occur if you get the
tailpipe under water. If the tailpipe is
under water, you will never be able
to start the engine. When going
through water, remember that when
the brakes get wet, it might take
longer to stop. See Driving on Wet
Roads on page 9‑18.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody,
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, axles,
and exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use. Refer to
the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
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Driving and Operating 9-19
.Keep your eyes moving—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Top of hills: Be
alert—something could be in
your lane (stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
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