Climate Controls 8-7
When this mode is selected, the
system turns the recirculation mode
off. Recirculation mode cannot be
selected while in floor mode. This is
to help prevent window fogging.
-(Defog):Clears the windows of
fog or moisture. Air is directed to the
floor outlets, with some air directed
to the windshield and side window
outlets. In this mode, the system
turns the recirculation mode off and
runs the air conditioning compressor
unless the outside air is at or below
freezing. Recirculation mode cannot
be selected while in defog mode.
This helps prevent window fogging.
0(Defrost): Removes fog or frost
from the windshield more quickly.
Air is directed to the windshield and
the side window outlets. In this
mode, the system turns the
recirculation mode off automatically
and runs the air conditioning
compressor unless the outside air is
at or below freezing. Recirculation
mode cannot be selected while in
defrost mode. This helps prevent
window fogging. For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
#(Air Conditioning):
Press to turn
the air conditioning system on or off.
An indicator light comes on to show
that the air conditioning is on. The
air conditioning can be selected in
any mode as long as the fan is on
and the outside temperature is
above freezing. A flashing indicator
light indicates that the air
conditioning compressor is currently
not available.
On hot days, use the automatic fan
and automatic air delivery mode
settings and the vehicle will reach
the desired temperature more
quickly. The desired fan and air
delivery mode settings can still be
adjusted manually. Open the
windows to let the hot inside air
escape, then close them. This helps
reduce the time it takes for the
vehicle to cool down and helps the
system to operate more efficiently. The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so a
small amount of water might drip
under the vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine.
;(Outside Air):
Press to turn the
outside air mode on. An indicator
light comes on to show that outside
air is on. Air from outside the vehicle
will circulate throughout the vehicle.
The outside air mode can be used
with all modes, but it cannot be
used with the recirculation mode.
Pressing this button will cancel the
recirculation mode.
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8-8 Climate Controls
@(Recirculation): Press to turn
on the recirculation mode. An
indicator light comes on to show
that recirculation is on. This mode
recirculates and helps to quickly
cool or heat the air inside the
vehicle. It can be used to prevent
outside air and odors from entering
the vehicle. Avoid using the
recirculation mode during high
periods of humidity and cool outside
temperatures since this may result
in increased window fogging.
If window fogging is experienced,
select the defrost mode.
Recirculation mode is not available
in floor, defog or defrost modes and
will shut off automatically and
change to outside air. If the button is
selected in any of these modes, the
indicator will flash. This helps
prevent window fogging and
moisture building up inside the
vehicle.Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
The rear window defogger only
works when the ignition is in
ON/RUN.
< (Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
it is activated.
The rear window defogger stays on
for approximately 10 minutes after
the button is pressed, unless the
ignition is turned to ACC/
ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.
If turned on again, the defogger only
runs for approximately five minutes
before turning off. At higher vehicle
speeds, the defogger may stay on
continuously. The defogger can also
be turned off by turning off the
engine. For vehicles with the remote start
feature, the rear defogger will
automatically turn on when remote
start is activated.
Notice:
Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation
For vehicles with the remote start
feature and if it is activated, the
climate control system heats and
cools the inside of the vehicle using
the modes that were set before the
vehicle was turned off.
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9-4 Driving and Operating
Medical research shows that alcohol
in a person's system can make
crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord,
or heart. This means that when
anyone who has been
drinking—driver or passenger —is
in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to
control the vehicle while
driving —brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when
driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle. See Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 9‑40.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer
accessories can affect vehicle
performance. See Accessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Lighton page 5‑18.
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about
three‐fourths of a second. But that is
only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two
or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and
eyesight all play a part. So do
alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But
even in three‐fourths of a second, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h
(60 mph) travels 20 m (66 ft). That
could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough
space between the vehicle and
others is important. And, of course, actual stopping
distances vary greatly with the
surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of
the road, whether it is wet, dry,
or icy; tire tread; the condition of the
brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking.
Some people drive in
spurts
—heavy acceleration
followed by heavy braking —rather
than keeping pace with traffic. This
is a mistake. The brakes might not
have time to cool between hard
stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster with a lot of heavy
braking. Keeping pace with the
traffic and allowing realistic following
distances eliminates a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
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Driving and Operating 9-5
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If the engine stops, there will
still be some power brake assist but
it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is
used up, it can take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer
accessories can affect vehicle
performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the vehicle has the electric power
steering system and the engine
stalls while driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you are able to stop
the vehicle. If power steering assist
is lost because the electric power
steering system is not functioning,
the vehicle can be steered but it will
take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in
either direction several times until it
stops, or hold the steering wheel in
the stopped position for an
extended amount of time, you may
notice a reduced amount of power
steering assist. The normal amount
of power steering assist should
return shortly after a few normal
steering movements.
The electric power steering system
does not require regular
maintenance. If you suspect
steering system problems and/or the
Service Vehicle Soon light comes
on, contact your dealer/retailer for
service repairs.
Hydraulic Power Steering
If the vehicle has the hydraulic
power steering system and power
steering assist is lost because the
engine stops or the power steering
system is not functioning, the
vehicle can be steered but it will
take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the
condition of the tires and the road
surface, the angle at which the
curve is banked, and vehicle speed.
While in a curve, speed is the one
factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed,
do it before entering the curve, while
the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can
drive through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve, and
then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
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9-6 Driving and Operating
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can
be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from
nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. These problems can
be avoided by braking—if you can
stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there is
no room. That is the time for
evasive action —steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well in
emergencies like these. First apply
the brakes. See Braking
on
page 9‑4. It is better to remove as
much speed as possible from a
collision. Then steer around the
problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires
close attention and a quick decision.
If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o'clock
positions, it can be turned a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and just as
quickly straighten the wheel once
you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency
situations are always possible is a
good reason to practice defensive
driving at all times and wear safety
belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only
slightly below the pavement,
recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the accelerator and then, if there
is nothing in the way, steer so that
the vehicle straddles the edge of the
pavement. Turn the steering wheel
8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches), about
one-eighth turn, until the right front
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Driving and Operating 9-11
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain. Be
familiar with the terrain and its many
different features.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading
surfaces can be hard-packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud,
snow, or ice. Each of these surfaces
affects the vehicle's steering,
acceleration, and braking in different
ways. Depending on the surface,
slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction,
and longer braking distances can
occur. Surface Obstacles:
Unseen or
hidden obstacles can be hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can
startle you if you are not prepared
for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow,
or even the rise and fall of the
terrain itself.
Some things to consider:
.Is the path ahead clear?
.Will the surface texture change
abruptly up ahead?
.Does the travel take you uphill or
downhill?
.Will you have to stop suddenly
or change direction quickly?
When driving over obstacles or
rough terrain, keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs,
or other surface features can jerk
the wheel out of your hands. When driving over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, the wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
cannot control the vehicle as well or
at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved
surface, it is especially important to
avoid sudden acceleration, sudden
turns, or sudden braking.
Off-roading requires a different kind
of alertness from driving on paved
roads and highways. There are no
road signs, posted speed limits,
or signal lights. Use good judgment
about what is safe and what is not.
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9-14 Driving and Operating
Things not to do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, when going up
a hill:
.Never attempt to prevent a stall
by shifting into N (Neutral) to
rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will not
work. The vehicle can roll
backward very quickly and could
go out of control.
.Never try to turn around if about
to stall when going up a hill.
If the hill is steep enough to stall
the vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause it to roll over. If you
cannot make it up the hill, back
straight down the hill.
If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake,
put your transmission in P (Park),
and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit
on the uphill side and stay clear of
the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
.How steep is the downhill? Will I
be able to maintain vehicle
control?
.What is the surface like?
Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
.Are there hidden surface
obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
.What is at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden creek bank or
even a river bottom with large
rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill
safely, try to keep the vehicle
headed straight down. Use a low
gear so engine drag can help the
brakes so they do not have to do
all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping the vehicle under control at
all times.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the
brakes lightly when descending a
hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
Things not to do when driving down
a hill:
.When driving downhill, avoid
turns that take you across the
incline of the hill. A hill that is not
too steep to drive down might be
too steep to drive across. The
vehicle could roll over.
.Never go downhill with the
transmission in N (Neutral),
called free-wheeling. The brakes
will have to do all the work and
could overheat and fade.
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9-18 Driving and Operating
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTireson
page 10‑43.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park your vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
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