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Route the tether strap over the seatback and attach the
hook to the tether anchor located on the back of the seat.
For the outboard seating positions, route the tether under
the head restraint, and attach the hook to the tether
anchor located on the back of the seat.
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could lead to
increased head motion and possible injury to the
child. Use only the anchor positions directly behind
the child seat to secure a child restraint top tether
strap.
Vehicles With Rear Web Buckles That May Need
To Be Twisted
•
In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path
opening on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate
from the buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt
several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into
the buckle with the release button facing out.
Tether Strap Mounting (Four-Door Models)
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83
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•If the belt still can’t be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the buckle
around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still can’t make the child restraint secure,
try a different seating position.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet will be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS
A long break-in period is not required for the engine and
drivetrain (transmission and axle) in your vehicle.Drive moderately during the first 500 miles (800 km).
After the initial 60 miles (100 km), speeds up to 50 or
55 mph (80 or 90 km/h) are desirable.
While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in.
Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detri-
mental and should be avoided. Trailer tow is not recom-
mended during break in period.
The engine oil installed in the engine at the factory is a
high-quality energy conserving type lubricant. Oil
changes should be consistent with anticipated climate
conditions under which vehicle operations will occur. For
the recommended viscosity and quality grades, refer to
“Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle”. NON-DETERGENT OR STRAIGHT MINERAL
OILS MUST NEVER BE USED.
84 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor,
torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question regarding belt
or retractor condition, replace the belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the light is not lit during starting, see yourauthorized dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes
on while driving, have the system checked by an autho-
rized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized dealer for service if your defroster is
inoperable.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 87
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WARNING!
Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of
vehicle control and increase the risk of serious per-
sonal injury.
•Always make sure that floor mats are properly
attached to the floor mat fasteners.
•Never place or install floor mats or other floor
coverings in the vehicle that cannot be properly
secured to prevent them from moving and inter-
fering with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
•Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on
top of already installed floor mats. Additional
floor mats and other coverings will reduce the size
of the pedal area and interfere with the pedals.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Al-
ways properly reinstall and secure floor mats that
have been removed for cleaning.
•Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver footwell while the vehicle is moving. Ob-
jects can become trapped under the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
•If required, mounting posts must be properly
installed, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss
of control of the vehicle.
88 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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To Raise The Rear Seat
Raise the seatback and lock it into place. If interference
from the cargo area prevents the seatback from fully
locking, you will have difficulty returning the seat to its
proper position.
NOTE:If the rear seatback is not fully latched, the
center shoulder belt will not be able to be extended for
use. If you cannot extend the center shoulder belt, make
sure your seatback is fully latched.
WARNING!
Be certain that the seatback is securely locked into
position. If the seatback in not securely locked into
position the seat will not provide the proper stability
for child seats and/or passengers. An improperly
latched seat could cause serious injury.
TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD
Release both the hood latches.
Raise the hood and locate the safety latch, located in the
middle of the hood opening. Push the latch to the left side
of the vehicle, to open the hood. You may have to push
down slightly on the hood before pushing the safety
latch. Insert the support rod into the slot on the hood.
Hood Latch
148 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
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To close the hood, remove the support rod from the hood
panel and place it in the retaining clip. Lower the hood
slowly. Secure both of the hood latches.
WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before driving your
vehicle. If the hood is not fully latched, it could open
when the vehicle is in motion and block your vision.
Failure to follow this warning could result in serious
injury or death.
LIGHTS
Multifunction Lever
The multifunction lever controls the operation of the
parking lights, headlights, headlight beam selection,
passing light, fog lights, instrument panel light dimming
and turn signals. The lever is located on the left side of
the steering column.
Multifunction Lever
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 149
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•Right and left quarter windows
•Rear window
•Two rear window roll up straps
•Two Sunridersecure straps (if equipped)
•Two rear swing gate brackets
2. Remove the hard top. Refer to “Freedom Top Three-
Piece Modular Hard Top — Front/Rear Panel Removal”
in this section.
3. Remove the soft top bow assembly pivot bracket
screws (two per side) using a #T30 Torx head driver.4. Disconnect the knuckles from the left and right metal
pivot brackets. Remove the soft top from the vehicle and
store in a clean, dry location.3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 171
Page 177 of 613
d. Screw the pivot screws back into place using a #T30
Torxhead driver. Secure them until they are snug,
being careful not to cross-thread the screws or over-
tighten.CAUTION!
Do not overtighten the screws. You can strip the
screws if they are overtightened.
5. Remove the swing gate bar (black metal bar for
bottom of rear window) and set aside.
NOTE: Be sure the wire harness in the left rear corner is
not tangled in the soft top bows before you lift the top.
6. Unsnap and remove the black boot cover. This cover
should be discarded. It was intended as a protective
cover for shipping only.
NOTE: A visual instruction sheet is enclosed in the dual
top wrap.
7. Put up the soft top. Refer to “Soft Top — Putting Up
The Soft Top” in this section.
3
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 175