Page 213 of 398

Driving and Operating 9-9
Loading Your Vehicle for
Off-Road Driving
{WARNING
.Cargo on the load floor piled
higher than the seatbacks
can be thrown forward during
a sudden stop. You or your
passengers could be injured.
Keep cargo below the top of
the seatbacks.
.Unsecured cargo on the load
floor can be tossed about
when driving over rough
terrain. You or your
passengers can be struck by
flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Heavy loads on the roof raise
the vehicle's center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll
over. You can be seriously or
fatally injured if the vehicle
rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on
the roof. Keep cargo in the
cargo area as far forward and
low as possible.
There are some important things to
remember about how to load your
vehicle.
.The heaviest things should be
on the floor, forward of the rear
axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
.Be sure the load is properly
secured, so things are not
tossed around. You will find other important
information under
Vehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑22and Tireson
page 10‑43.
Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide
wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it also raises
environmental concerns. We
recognize these concerns and urge
every off-roader to follow these
basic rules for protecting the
environment:
.Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
specially set aside for public
off-road recreational driving and
obey all posted regulations.
.Avoid any driving practice that
could damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb
wildlife. This includes
wheel-spinning, breaking down
trees, or unnecessary driving
through streams or over soft
ground.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 231 of 398

Driving and Operating 9-27
WARNING (Continued)
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
.Do not leave a seat folded
down unless you need to.
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:
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 200 miles (322 km) 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 Trailer Towing
on page 9‑56for the trailer
towing capabilities of the
vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 258 of 398

9-54 Driving and Operating
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
Get familiar with handling and
braking with the added trailer
weight. The vehicle is now longer
and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.
Check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires
and mirror adjustments. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working.
During the trip, check regularly to be
sure that the load is secure, and the
lamps and trailer brakes are working
properly.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the
trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal so the
trailer won't strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Use the turn signal well in
advance and avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 296 of 398

10-30 Vehicle Care
2. Push the release lever (B) todisengage the hook and push
the wiper arm (A) out of the
blade (C).
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm until
you hear the release lever click
into place.
4. Return the wiper arm and blade assembly to the rest position on
the windshield. To replace the rear wiper blade:
1. Lift the rear wiper arm (A) from
the window.
2. Turn the bottom edge of the blade assembly (B) slightly away
from the underside of the
wiper arm.
3. Apply downward pressure to the blade assembly and remove
from the wiper arm.
4. Install the new wiper blade.
5. Return the wiper arm and blade assembly to the rest position on
the window.
Headlamp Aiming
The headlamp aiming system has
been preset at the factory.
If the vehicle is damaged in an
accident, the aim of the headlamps
may be affected and adjustment
may be necessary.
It is recommended that a dealer/
retailer adjust the headlamps.
To re-aim the headlamps yourself,
use the following procedure.
The vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:
.The vehicle should be placed so
the headlamps are 7.6 m (25 ft)
from a light colored wall.
.The vehicle must have all
four tires on a level surface
which is level all the way to
the wall.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 338 of 398
10-72 Vehicle Care
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{WARNING
Storing a jack, a tire, or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store all these in
the proper place.
To store the flat or spare tire and
tools, do the following:
1. Place the wheel wrench into the bag and use the straps to
secure the bag to the fully
collapsed jack.
2. Install the jack between the back
of the trunk and the compact
spare tire and secure with the
wing bolt.
3. Reverse Steps 1 through 3 under “Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools” to replace the floor and
lock in place.
4. Place the flat, or damaged tire, face down, on the bottom of the
spare tire compartment.Before
After
ProCarManuals.com
Page 343 of 398

Vehicle Care 10-77
10. Now start the vehicle with thegood battery and run the
engine for a while.
11. Press the unlock symbol on the remote keyless entry
transmitter to disarm your
security system, if equipped.
12. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Notice: If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other
or other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote Negative (−)
Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (−) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal To disconnect the jumper cables
from both vehicles, do the following:
1. Disconnect the black
negative (−) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead
battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the vehicle with the
good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other vehicle.
5. Return the underhood fuse block cover to its original position,
if applicable.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 345 of 398

Vehicle Care 10-79
Dinghy Towing
Front-wheel‐drive and
all-wheel-drive vehicles may be
dinghy towed from the front.
These vehicles can also be towed
by placing them on a platform trailer
with all four wheels off of the
ground. For other towing options,
see“Dolly Towing” following in this
section.
For vehicles being dinghy towed,
the vehicle should be run at the
beginning of each day and at each
RV fuel stop for about five minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components.
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle that will be towed and secure it to the
towing vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ACCESSORY. 3. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
4. Turn fog lamps and all accessories off.
5. To prevent the battery from draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove the
2 amp IGN SW fuse from the
instrument panel fuse block
and store it in a safe location.
See Instrument Panel Fuse
Block on page 10‑40
ProCarManuals.com
Page 347 of 398
Vehicle Care 10-81
Dolly Towing
(Front-Wheel‐Drive Vehicles)
To tow the vehicle from the front
with the rear wheels on the ground,
do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park).
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position with a
clamping device designed for
towing. 5. Remove the key from the
ignition.
6. Secure the vehicle to the dolly.
7. Release the parking brake.
Towing the Vehicle From
the Rear
Notice: Towing the vehicle from
the rear could damage it. Also,
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Never have
the vehicle towed from the rear.
ProCarManuals.com