Page 7 of 286

Your Vehicle at a Glance(main controls)
....................................................................................................................
3
Driver and Passenger Safety (seat belts, SRS, and child protection)
...........................................................................
5
Instruments and Controls (indicators, gauges, dashboard, and steering column)
....................................................
55
Features (heating and cooling, audio, steering wheel, cruise control, and other convenience items)
......................
103
Before Driving (fuel, vehicle break-in, and cargo loading)
.......................................................................................
141
Driving (engine and transmission operation)
...........................................................................................................
157
Maintenance (minder, fluid checking, minor services, and vehicle storage)
...........................................................
183
Taking Care of the Unexpected (flat tire, jump starting, overheating, and fuses)
...................................................
221
Technical Information (vehicle specifications, tires, and emissions controls)
........................................................
247
Warranty and Customer Relations (warranty and contact information)
................................................................
263
Index
..............................................................................................................................................................................
I
INDEX
Service Information Summary (fluid capacities and tire pressures)
...............................................................
last page
Contents
1
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Contents
A convenient reference to the
sections in this manual.
Your Vehicle at a Glance
A quick reference to the main
controls in your vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important information about the
proper use and care of your vehicle's
seat belts, an overview of the
supplemental restraint system, and
valuable information on how to
protect children with child restraints.
Instruments and Controls
Explains the purpose of each
instrument panel indicator and
gauge, and how to use the controls
on the dashboard and steering
column.
Features
How to operate the heating and air
conditioning system, the audio
system, and other convenience
features.Before Driving
What gasoline to use, how to break-
in your new vehicle, and how to load
luggage and other cargo.
Driving
The proper way to start the engine,
shift the transmission, and park; plus
what you need to know if you're
planning to tow a trailer.
Maintenance
The Maintenance Minder
™shows
you when you need to take your
vehicle to the dealer for maintenance
service. There is also a list of things
to check and instructions on how to
check them.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers several problems
motorists sometimes experience, and
details how to handle them. Technical Information
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities,
and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations
A summary of the warranties
covering your new vehicle, and how
to contact us for any reason. Refer to
your warranty manual for detailed
information.
Index
Service Information Summary
A summary of the information you
need when you pull up to the fuel
pump.Overview of Contents210/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
Page 9 of 286
ꭧ: If equipped
POWER DOOR
LOCK SWITCH
(P. 80)
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P. 92)
HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE
(P. 144)
Ex model is shown. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (P. 161)
PARKING BRAKE
(P. 94) HEATING/COOLING
CONTROLS
(P. 104) PASSENGER'S
FRONT AIRBAG
(P. 9, 24)
DRIVER'S FRONT
AIRBAG (P. 9, 24) INSTRUMENT PANEL (P. 57)
GAUGES (P. 64)
MIRROR CONTROLS
(P. 93)
CONTINUED
Your Vehicle at a Glance
3
Your Vehicle at a Glance
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Your vehicle's exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. Carbon
monoxide should not enter the
vehicle in normal driving if you
maintain your vehicle properly and
follow the information on this page.
Have the exhaust system inspected
for leaks whenever:●The vehicle is raised for an oil
change.●You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.●The vehicle was in a collision that
may have damaged the underside.
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.
High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage. With the tailgate or hatch open, air
flow can pull exhaust gas into your
vehicle's interior and create a
hazardous condition. If you must
drive with the tailgate or hatch open,
open all the windows and set the
heating and cooling system as shown
below.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle
with the engine running, even in an
unconfined area, adjust the heating
and cooling system as follows:
1. Select the fresh air mode.
2. Select the
mode.
3. Turn the fan on high speed.
4. Set the temperature control to a comfortable setting.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard5210/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
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VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) OFF
SWITCH (P. 173)PARKING BRAKE
(P. 94) AUDIO SYSTEM
(P. 109)
HEATING/COOLING
CONTROLS
(P. 104)
Ex model is shown. POWER DOOR
LOCK SWITCH
(P. 80)
MIRROR CONTROLS
(P. 93)
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
(P. 92) INSTRUMENT PANEL (P. 57)
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
(P. 144) GAUGES (P. 64)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (P. 161)
Control Locations5610/08/06 08:34:41 11 ELEMENT MMC North America Owner's Man 50 31SCV680 enu
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The heating and air conditioning
system in your vehicle provides a
comfortable driving environment in
all weather conditions.
The standard audio system has many
features. This section describes
those features and how to use them.
(If you have an optional audio
system, refer to the operating
instructions that came with it.)On EX modelYour vehicle has an anti-theft audio
system that requires a code number
to enable it.Vents, Heating, and A/C
.............
104
Air Flow Controls
....................
105
Ventilation
...............................
106
Using the Heater
.....................
106
Using the A/C
.........................
106
Dehumidify the Interior
..........
107
To Defog and Defrost
..............
107
To Remove Exterior Frost or Ice From the Windows
........
108
To Turn Everything Off
...........
108
Audio System
..............................
109
Playing the AM/FM Radio
..........
110
Playing the XM
®Radio
................
113
Playing a Disc
.............................
119
Disc Player Error Messages
.......
125
Disc Changer Error Messages
................................
126
Protecting Your Discs
.................
127
FM/AM Radio Reception
............
130
Radio Theft Protection
................
132
Setting the Clock
.........................
133
Remote Audio Controls
...............
135
Auxiliary Input Jack
....................
136
Cruise Control
............................
137
Features
103
Features
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FAN CONTROL DIAL TEMPERATURECONTROL DIALMODE CONTROL DIAL
DEFROST POSITION
REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
BUTTON
MAX A/C POSITION
A/C (AIR CONDITIONING)
BUTTON
RECIRCULATION BUTTON
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Air Flow Controls
Fan Control Dial
Turn this dial clockwise to increase
the fan speed and airflow.
Temperature Control Dial
Turning this dial clockwise increases
the temperature of the airflow.
Air Conditioning (A/C) Button
This button turns the air
conditioning on and off. The
indicator in the button is on when the
A/C is on.
Recirculation ButtonWhen the recirculation indicator is
on, air from the vehicle's interior is
sent throughout the system again.
When the indicator is off, air is
brought in from the outside of the
vehicle (fresh air mode).The outside air intakes for the
heating and cooling system are at the
base of the windshield. Keep this
area clear of leaves and other debris.
The system should be left in fresh air
mode under almost all conditions.
Keeping the system in recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C off,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to recirculation mode when
driving through dusty or smoky
conditions, then return to fresh air
mode.
Rear Window Defogger Button
This button turns the rear window
defogger on and off (see page 74).
Mode Control Dial
Use the mode control dial to select
the vents the air flows from. Some air
will flow from the dashboard vents in
all modes.
The system automatically turns
on the A/C and switches to
recirculation mode. Air flows from
the center and side vents in the
dashboard (see page 106).Air flows from the center and
corner vents in the dashboard.Airflow is divided between the
vents in the dashboard and the floor
vents.Air flows from the floor vents.
When you select
, the system
automatically switches to fresh air
mode.
Airflow is divided between the
floor vents and the defroster vents at
the base of the windshield.
CONTINUED
Vents, Heating, and A/C
105
Features
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