05 During your trip
Driving recommendations
05
204
General information
Economical driving conserves natural
resources
Better driving economy may be obtained by
thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stops
and adjusting the speed of your vehicle to
immediate traffic conditions.
Observe the following rules:
•Bring the engine to normal operating tem-
perature as soon as possible by driving
with a light foot on the accelerator pedal for
the first few minutes of operation. A cold
engine uses more fuel and is subject to
increased wear.
•Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle
for driving short distances. This does not
allow the engine to reach normal operating
temperature.
•Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration
and hard braking.
•Use the transmission's Drive (D) position
as often as possible and avoid using kick-
down.
•Do not exceed posted speed limits.
•Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra
load) in the vehicle.
•Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire
pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
•Remove snow tires when threat of snow or
ice has ended.
•Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc,
increase air resistance and also fuel con-
sumption.
•At highway driving speeds, fuel consump-
tion will be lower with the air conditioning
on and the windows closed than with the
air conditioning off and the windows open.
•Using the onboard trip computer's fuel
consumption modes can help you learn
how to drive more economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage
are:
•Dirty air cleaner
•Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
•Dragging brakes
•Incorrect front end alignment
Some of the above mentioned items and others
are checked at the standard maintenance
intervals.
WARNING
Driving with the tailgate open: Driving with
the tailgate open could lead to poisonous
exhaust gases entering the passenger com-
partment. If the tailgate must be kept open
for any reason, proceed as follows:
•Close the windows
•Set the ventilation system control to air
flow to floor, windshield and side win-
dows and the blower control to its high-
est setting.
Weight distribution affects handlingAt the specified curb weight your vehicle has a
tendency to understeer, which means that the
steering wheel has to be turned more than
might seem appropriate for the curvature of a
bend. This ensures good stability and reduces
the risk of rear wheel skid. Remember that
these properties can alter with the vehicle load.
The heavier the load in the cargo area, the less
the tendency to understeer.
Handling, roadholdingVehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure
all affect vehicle handling. Therefore, check
that the tires are inflated to the recommended
pressure according to the vehicle load. See the
"Tire pressure" section. Loads should be dis-
tributed so that capacity weight or maximum
permissible axle loads are not exceeded.
07 Index
07
298
Stone chips, touching up......................... 279
Storage spaces........................................ 198
Studded tires........................................... 264
Sunroof
laminated panoramic roof................... 101
Supplemental restraint system.................. 19
warning light......................................... 76
T
Tailgate
driving with it open.............................204
power operated.................................. 212
wiper/washer........................................ 95
Tailgate wipers......................................... 243
Taillights, changing bulbs........................ 238
Temporary spare tire............................... 265
Three-way catalytic converter................. 211
Tire designations.....................................261
Tire Pressure Monitoring System....273, 274
indicator light........................................ 75
Tires.........................................................255
age...................................................... 255
changing from summer to winter........ 256glossary of terms................................ 262
improving economy............................ 255
inflation pressure........................257, 258
inflation pressure tables..................... 260
rotation............................................... 256
snow...................................................264
spare................................................... 265
specifications...................................... 259
storing................................................. 256
studded............................................... 264
tire pressure monitoring system......... 273
tread wear indicator............................ 257
uniform tire quality grading................. 264
Top tether anchors (child restraint sys-
tems).......................................................... 45
Touching up paint.................................... 279
Towing a trailer................................219, 220
trailer hitch.......................................... 220
Towing the vehicle........................... 221, 222
Traction control........................................ 156
Trailer towing...................................219, 220
trailer hitch.......................................... 220
Transmission
general description.....................110, 111
oil........................................................ 288
shiftlock override................................ 111Tread wear indicator................................ 257
Trip computer.......................................... 153
Trip odometers.......................................... 78
Trips, long distance................................. 206
Turn signals............................................... 91
changing bulbs................................... 237
indicator lights...................................... 75
Two-stage booster cushion....................... 47U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading...................264
Unlocking the vehicle................................ 56
Upholstery care....................................... 278
V
Vanity mirror............................................ 200
changing bulbs................................... 240
Vehicle dimensions.................................. 283
Vehicle Event Data............................... 9, 226
Vehicle loading................................212, 262
roof loads............................................ 214
