AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Automatic transmission adaptive learning
Your transmission is equipped with an adaptive learning strategy found in
the vehicle computer. This feature is designed to increase durability and
provide consistent shift feel over the life of the vehicle. A new vehicle or
transmission may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is
considered normal and will not affect function or durability of the
transmission. Over time, the adaptive learning process will fully update
transmission operation. Additionally, whenever the battery is
disconnected or a new battery installed, the strategy must be relearned.
Understanding the gearshift positions of the 6–speed automatic
transmission
Your vehicle has been designed to improve fuel economy by reducing
fuel usage while coasting or decelerating. When you take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and the vehicle begins to slow down, the torque
converter clutch locks up and aggressively shuts off fuel flow to the
engine while decelerating. This fuel economy benefit may be perceived
as a light to medium braking sensation when removing your foot from
the accelerator pedal.
P (Park)
This position locks the transmission
and prevents the front wheels from
turning.
To put your vehicle in gear:
•Press the brake pedal
•Move the gearshift lever into the
desired gear
To put your vehicle in P (Park):
•Come to a complete stop
•Move the gearshift lever and securely latch it in P (Park)
WARNING:Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
the gearshift is latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the off
position and remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever in R (Reverse), the vehicle will move backward.
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into and out of R
(Reverse).
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N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in N (Neutral), the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.
D (Drive) with Overdrive
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through six.
The automatic transmission shift strategy has the ability to detect hilly
terrain or mountainous areas and will provide a limited amount of grade
assist features automatically. Refer to D (Drive) with Grade Assist or
SelectShift for more information.
D (Drive) with Grade Assist
Pressing the transmission control switch on the side of the gearshift
lever activates Grade Assist and cancels Overdrive.
Grade Assist:
•Provides additional grade
(engine) braking and extends
lower gear operation on uphill
climbs for hilly terrain or
mountainous areas.
•Provides additional engine
braking through the automatic
transmission shift strategy which
reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle
acceleration, accelerator pedal, brake pedal and vehicle speed).
•Allows the transmission to select gears that will provide the desired
engine braking based on the vehicle inputs mentioned above. This will
increase engine RPM during engine braking.
•The grade assist lamp in the
instrument cluster is illuminated.
Grade assist is designed to aid the
driver with optimal gear selection in
hilly terrain or mountainous areas but is not intended for normal
operation. It is recommended that you return to O/D (overdrive mode)
on flat terrain to provide the best fuel economy and transmission
function.
To return to normal D (Drive) position (with O/D), press the
transmission control switch again.
•The grade assist lamp in the instrument cluster will not be illuminated.
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•The transmission will operate in gears one through six.
L (Low)
•Provides maximum engine braking.
•Will downshift to the lowest available gear for the current vehicle
speed; allows for first gear when vehicle reaches slower speeds.
Understanding your SelectShift Automatic™ Transmission (SST)
This vehicle may be equipped with a SelectShift Automatic™
transmission (SST) gearshift lever. SST is an automatic transmission with
the ability for the driver to change gears up or down as desired. By
moving the gearshift lever from D (Drive) to M (Manual), you now have
control of selecting the gear you desire using the paddle shifters on the
steering wheel or the toggle switch on the gearshift lever.
Gearshift lever toggle switch
•To manually downshift the
transmission with the gearshift
lever in M (Manual), press – on
the gearshift lever.
•To manually upshift the
transmission with the gearshift
lever in M (Manual), press + on
the gearshift lever.
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Paddle shifters (Sport)
The paddle shifters allow you to shift gears quickly, without taking your
hands off the steering wheel. Temporary manual control is provided
when pulling the paddles with the gearshift in the D (Drive) position.
The system will determine when temporary manual control is no longer
desired and reverts back to automatic control. Extensive manual control
can be achieved by moving the shifter to the M (Manual) position. The
system will stay in manual control until the shifter is moved out of the
manual position.
•To manually downshift the
transmission, pull the – paddle.
•To manually upshift the
transmission, pull the + paddle.
Recommended shift speeds
Upshift according to the following chart:
Upshifts when accelerating
(recommended for best fuel economy)
Shift from:
1 - 2 15 mph (24 km/h)
2 - 3 25 mph (40 km/h)
3 - 4 40 mph (64 km/h)
4 - 5 45 mph (72 km/h)
5 - 6 50 mph (80 km/h)
The message center display in the instrument cluster will show the
current selected gear you are in.
In order to prevent the engine from running at too low an RPM, which
may cause it to stall, the SST will automatically make some downshifts
even if it has determined that you have not downshifted in time. It will
still allow you to downshift at any time as long as the SST determines
that the engine will not be damaged from over-revving.
Engine damage may occur if excessive engine revving is held
without shifting.
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Hill start assist (HSA) system
The hill start assist system makes it easier to pull away when the vehicle
is on a slope without the need to use the parking brake. When hill start
assist is active, the vehicle will remain stationary on the slope for up to
three seconds after you release the brake pedal. During this time, you
have time to move your foot from the brake to the accelerator pedal and
pull away. The brakes are released automatically once the engine has
developed sufficient drive to prevent the vehicle from rolling down the
slope. This is an advantage when pulling away on a slope; for example
from a car park ramp, traffic lights or when reversing uphill into a
parking space.
WARNING:The hill start assist system does not replace the
parking brake. When you leave the vehicle, always apply the
parking brake and select first or reverse gear.
Using hill start assist
Hill start assist is activated automatically when the vehicle is stopped on
a slope greater than five degrees. Hill start assist operates with the
vehicle facing downhill if reverse gear is selected.
WARNING:You must remain in the vehicle once you have
activated hill start assist.
Activating hill start assist
1. Press the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a complete standstill.
Keep the brake pedal pressed.
2. If the sensors detect that the vehicle is on a slope, hill start assist will
be activated automatically.
3. When you remove your foot from the brake pedal, the vehicle will
remain on the slope without rolling away for approximately up to three
seconds. This hold time will automatically be extended if you are in the
process of driving off.
4. Drive off in the normal manner. The brakes will be released
automatically.
WARNING:If the engine is revved excessively, or if a
malfunction is detected when hill start assist is active, hill start
assist will be deactivated.
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If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow, it may be rocked out by
shifting between forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a minute or damage to the
transmission and tires may occur, or the engine may overheat.
It may be beneficial to turn the AdvanceTracwith RSC system off so
the wheels are allowed to spin.
REVERSE SENSING SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
The reverse sensing system (RSS) sounds a tone to warn the driver of
obstacles near the rear bumper when the R (Reverse) is selected and the
vehicle is moving at speeds less than 3 mph (5 km/h). The system is not
effective at speeds above 3 mph (5 km/h) and may not detect certain
angular or moving objects.
WARNING:To help avoid personal injury, please read and
understand the limitations of the reverse sensing system as
contained in this section. Reverse sensing is only an aid for some
(generally large and fixed) objects when moving in reverse on a flat
surface at “parking speeds”. Inclement weather may also affect the
function of the RSS; this may include reduced performance or a false
activation.
WARNING:To help avoid personal injury, always use caution
when in R (Reverse) and when using the RSS.
WARNING:This system is not designed to prevent contact with
small or moving objects. The system is designed to provide a
warning to assist the driver in detecting large stationary objects to
avoid damaging the vehicle. The system may not detect smaller
objects, particularly those close to the ground.
WARNING:Certain add-on devices such as large trailer hitches,
bike or surfboard racks and any device that may block the
normal detection zone of the RSS system may create false beeps.
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WARNING:Objects in the blind spot mirror are closer than they
appear.
BLIND SPOT INFORMATION SYSTEM (BLIS) WITH CROSS
TRAFFIC ALERT (CTA) (IF EQUIPPED)
The BLISis a convenience feature
that aids the driver in assessing
whether a vehicle is within an area
on either side of the vehicle
extending rearward from the outside
mirrors to approximately 10 feet
(3 meters) beyond the bumper. This
area is referred to as the blind zone.
The BLISwill alert the driver to
the presence of motorized vehicles
in these areas while driving on roads
and freeways.
The system is not designed to
prevent contact with other vehicles
or objects. The system is designed
to provide a warning to assist the
driver in detecting vehicles in the blind zones. The system will not detect
infrastructure, pedestrians, or cyclists.
WARNING:To help avoid injuries, NEVER use the BLISas a
replacement for using the side and rear view mirrors and looking
over your shoulder before changing lanes. BLISis not a replacement
for careful driving and only an assist.
The BLISand CTA has a yellow
indicator (also referred to as the
alert) located in the left and right
exterior mirrors. When the vehicle is
started, the BLISautomatically
illuminates both indicators for
several seconds indicating the
system is operating. The first time
you place the transmission in D (Drive) after starting the engine and
drive forward at a speed greater than 3 mph (5 km/h) the BLISsystem
becomes active. Afterwards, the BLISremains active for all speeds
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All components of the AWD system are sealed for life and require no
maintenance.
Note:When an AWD system fault is present, the warningCHECK AWD
will display in the message center. The AWD system is not functioning
correctly and defaulted to front-wheel drive. When this warning is
displayed, have your vehicle serviced at an authorized dealer
If your vehicle is equipped with AWD, a spare tire of a different size
other than the tire provided should never be used. If the spare tire is
installed, the AWD system may disable automatically and enter
front-wheel drive only mode to protect driveline components. This
condition may be indicated by anAWD OFFmessage in the message
center (seeMessage centersection in theInstrument Clusterchapter
for more information). If there is anAWD OFFmessage in the message
center from using the spare tire, this indicator should turn off after
reinstalling the repaired or replaced normal road tire and driving a short
distance. It is recommended to reinstall the repaired or replaced road
tire as soon as possible. Major dissimilar tire sizes between the front and
rear axles could cause the AWD system to stop functioning and default
to front-wheel drive or damage the AWD system.
Note:TheAWD OFFmessage may also be displayed in the message
center if the AWD system has overheated and defaulted to front-wheel
drive. This condition may occur if the vehicle was operated in extreme
conditions with excessive wheel slip, such as deep sand. To resume
normal AWD function as soon as possible, stop the vehicle in a safe
location and allow it to idle. TheAWD OFFmessage will turn off when
the system cools and normal AWD function returns.
Note:The AWD feature gives your vehicle some limited off-road
capabilities in which driving surfaces are relatively level, obstruction-free
and otherwise similar to normal on-road driving conditions. Operating
your vehicle under other than those conditions could subject the vehicle
to excessive stress which might result in damage which is not covered
under your warranty.
Driving off-highway with AWD vehicles
AWD vehicles are equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud and rough
roads and have operating characteristics that are somewhat different
from conventional vehicles, both on and off the highway.
When driving at slow speeds off-highway under high outside
temperatures, use L (Low) gear when possible. L (Low) gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission cooling capability.
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