A WORD ABOUT YOUR
KEYS
The authorized dealer that sold you
your vehicle has the key code num-
bers for your vehicle locks. These
numbers can be used to order dupli-
cate keys from your authorized dealer.
Ask your authorized dealer for these
numbers and keep them in a safe
place.
You can insert the double-sided keys
into the locks with either side up.
IGNITION KEY REMOVAL
Automatic Transaxle
Place the shift lever in PARK. Turn
the ignition switch to the ACC posi-
tion, push the key and cylinder in-
ward, rotate the key to the LOCK
position, and remove the key.NOTE:
If you try to remove the key be-
fore you place the shift lever in
PARK, the key may become
trapped temporarily in the igni-
tion switch lock cylinder. If this
occurs, rotate the key to the right
slightly, then remove the key as
described. If a malfunction oc-
curs, the system will trap the key
in the ignition switch lock cylin-
der to warn you that this safety
feature is inoperable. The en-
gine can be started and stopped,
but the key cannot be removed
until you obtain service. The power window switches, ra-
dio, hands–free system , and
power outlets will remain active
for up to 10 minutes after the
ignition switch is turned to the
LOCK position. Opening either
front door will cancel this fea-
ture. The time for this feature is
programmable. Refer to “Elec-
tronic Vehicle Information Cen-
ter (EVIC)/Personal Settings
(Customer-Programmable Fea-
tures)” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further
information.
WARNING!
Before exiting a vehicle, alwaysapply the parking brake, shift the
transmission into PARK, and re-
move the key fob from the igni-
tion. When leaving the vehicle, al-
ways lock your vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a
vehicle, or with access to an un-
locked vehicle.
(Continued)
Vehicle Key
Ignition Switch Positions
1 — LOCK 3 — ON/RUN
2 — ACC (AC-
CESSORY)4 — START
12
dual brake system is indicated by the
Brake Warning Light which will turn
on when the brake fluid level in the
master cylinder has dropped below a
specified level.
The light will remain on until the
cause is corrected.
NOTE:
The light may flash momentarily
during sharp cornering maneuvers
which change fluid level condi-
tions. The vehicle should have ser-
vice performed, and the brake
fluid level checked.
If brake failure is indicated, immedi-
ate repair is necessary.WARNING!
Driving a vehicle with the brake
light on is dangerous. Part of the
brake system may have failed. It will
take longer to stop the vehicle. You
could have a collision. Have the ve-
hicle checked immediately.Vehicles equipped with Anti-Lock
brakes (ABS), are also equipped with
Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD). In the event of an EBD failure,
the Brake Warning Light will turn on
along with the ABS Light. Immediate
repair to the ABS system is required.
The operation of the Brake Warning
Light can be checked by turning the
ignition switch from the OFF position
to the ON/RUN position. The light
should illuminate for approximately
three seconds. The light should then
turn off unless the parking brake is
applied or a brake fault is detected. If
the light does not illuminate, have the
light inspected by an authorized
dealer.
The light also will turn on when the
parking brake is applied with the ig-
nition switch in the ON/RUN posi-
tion.
NOTE:
This light shows only that the
parking brake is applied. It does
not show the degree of brake ap-
plication. 12. Tachometer
The silver area of the scale shows the
permissible engine revolutions-per-
minute (RPM x 1000) for each gear
range. Before reaching the red area,
ease up on the accelerator to prevent
engine damage.
13. Shift Lever Indicator
The Shift Lever Indicator is self-
contained within the instrument clus-
ter. It displays the gear position of the
automatic transmission.
NOTE:
You must apply the brakes before
shifting from PARK.
14. Odometer Display/Trip
Odometer Display
The odometer display shows the total
distance the vehicle has been driven.
The two trip odometers show indi-
vidual trip mileage. To switch from
odometer to trip odometers, press and
release the Trip Odometer button. To
reset a trip odometer, display the de-
sired trip odometer to be reset then
push and hold the button until the
display resets (approximately 2 sec-
onds). Refer to “Trip Odometer But-
ton” for additional information.
109
bel. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your ve-
hicle has been equipped with a Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Ac-
cordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop
and check your tires as soon as pos-
sible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stop-
ping ability.Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if
under-inflation has not reached thelevel to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not oper-
ating properly. The TPMS malfunc-
tion indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the tell-
tale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will con-
tinue upon subsequent vehicle start-
ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is il-
luminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale
after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle, to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for
the original equipment tires and
wheels. TPMS pressures and warn-
ing have been established for the tire
size equipped on your vehicle. Un-
desirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of
the same size, type, and/or style.
Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor
damage. Do not use tire sealant from
a can or balance beads if your ve-
hicle is equipped with a TPMS, as
damage to the sensors may result.
26. Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) The Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) is part of an on-
board diagnostic system
called OBD that monitors
emissions, engine, and automatic
transmission control systems. The
light will illuminate when the key is in
the ON/RUN position before engine
start. If the bulb does not come on
when turning the key from LOCK to
ON/RUN, have the condition checked
promptly.
113
5
STARTING AND OPERATING
STARTING PROCEDURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
NORMAL STARTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
IF ENGINE FAILS TO START . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
AFTER STARTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IGNITIONINTERLOCK SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
KEY IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK . . . . . . . . 136
BRAKE/TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
SIX-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION . . 137
GEAR RANGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
AUTOSTICK® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
GENERAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES . . . . . . . . . 142 ACCELERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
TRACTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
DRIVING THROUGH WATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 FLOWING/RISING WATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
131
STARTING
PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust
your seat, adjust the inside and out-
side mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and
if present, instruct all other occupants
to buckle their seat belts.WARNING!
When leaving the vehicle, alwaysremove the key fob from the igni-
tion and lock your vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a
vehicle, or with access to an un-
locked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of rea-
sons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the shift lever.
Do not leave the key fob in or near
the vehicle, and do not leave the
ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN
position. A child could operate
power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle. AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
The shift lever must be in the PARK or
NEUTRAL position before you can
start the engine. Apply the brakes be-
fore shifting to any driving gear.
NOTE:
The ignition switch must be in the
ON position, and you must press
the brake pedal before shifting out
of PARK.
NORMAL STARTING
NOTE:
Normal starting of either a cold or
a warm engine is obtained without
pumping or pressing the accelera-
tor pedal.
Turn the ignition switch to the START
position and release it as soon as the
starter engages. The starter motor will
continue to run, and it will disengage
automatically when the engine is run-
ning. If the engine fails to start, the
starter will disengage automatically in
10 seconds. If this occurs, turn the
ignition switch to the LOCK position,
wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the
“Normal Starting” procedure. IF ENGINE FAILS TO
START
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flam-
mable liquids into the throttle
body air inlet opening in an at-
tempt to start the vehicle. This
could result in a flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
Do not attempt to push or tow
your vehicle to get it started. Un-
burned fuel could enter the cata-
lytic converter and once the en-
gine has started, ignite and
damage the converter and vehicle.
If the vehicle has a discharged
battery, booster cables may be
used to obtain a start from a
booster battery or the battery in
another vehicle. This type of start
can be dangerous if done improp-
erly. Refer to “Jump Starting” in
“What To Do In Emergencies” for
further information.
134
If the engine fails to start after you
have followed the “Normal Starting”
procedure, it may be flooded. To clear
any excess fuel, push the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold
it. Then, turn the ignition switch to
the START position and release it as
soon as the starter engages. The
starter motor will disengage auto-
matically in 10 seconds. Once this
occurs, release the accelerator pedal,
turn the ignition switch to the LOCK
position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then
repeat the “Normal Starting” proce-
dure.CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter,
wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying
again.
AFTER STARTING
The idle speed will automatically de-
crease as the engine warms up. AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may oc-
cur if the following precautions are
not observed:
Shift into PARK only after the ve-
hicle has come to a complete stop.
Shift into or out of REVERSE
only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop and the engine is
at idle speed.
Do not shift between PARK, RE-
VERSE, NEUTRAL, or DRIVE
when the engine is above idle
speed.
Before shifting into any gear,
make sure your foot is firmly
pressing on the brake pedal.
NOTE:
You MUST press and hold the
brake pedal while shifting out of
PARK.
WARNING!
It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK or NEUTRAL if
the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not
firmly pressing on the brake
pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle
and hit someone or something.
Only shift into gear when the en-
gine is idling normally and when
your foot is firmly pressing on the
brake pedal.
(Continued)
135
WARNING!(Continued)
Unintended movement of a ve-
hicle could injure those in and
near the vehicle. As with all ve-
hicles, you should never exit a ve-
hicle while the engine is running.
Before exiting a vehicle, always
apply the parking brake, shift the
transmission into PARK, and re-
move the ignition key. Once the
key is removed, the shift lever is
locked in the PARK position, se-
curing the vehicle against un-
wanted movement. Furthermore,
you should never leave children
alone in a vehicle, or with access
to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing
children to be in a vehicle unat-
tended is dangerous for a number
of reasons. A child or others could
be seriously or fatally injured.
Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the shift lever.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Do not leave the key fob in or near
the vehicle, and do not leave a
vehicle equipped with Keyless
Enter-N-Go in the ACC or ON/
RUN mode. A child could operate
power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION IGNITION
INTERLOCK SYSTEMS
These systems prevent the key fob
from being removed unless the shift
lever is in PARK. They also prevent
shifting out of PARK unless the igni-
tion switch is in the ON/RUN position
and the brake pedal is applied.
KEY IGNITION PARK
INTERLOCK
This vehicle is equipped with a Key
Ignition Park Interlock which re-
quires the shift lever to be placed in
PARK before the ignition switch can
be turned to the LOCK/OFF position.
The key fob can only be removed from
the ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position and once re-
moved the shift lever is locked in
PARK.
NOTE:
If a malfunction occurs, the system
will trap the key in the ignition
cylinder to warn you that this
safety feature is inoperable. The
engine can be started and stopped,
but the key cannot be removed un-
til you obtain service.
BRAKE/TRANSMISSION
INTERLOCK SYSTEM
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake
Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI)
that holds the shift lever in the PARK
position unless the brakes are applied.
To move the shift lever out of the
PARK position, the ignition switch
must be turned to the ON/RUN or
START position (engine running or
not) and the brake pedal must be
pressed.
136
SIX-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
The shift lever position display (lo-
cated in the instrument panel cluster)
indicates the transmission gear range.
You must press the brake pedal to
move the shift lever out of the PARK
position (refer to “Brake/
Transmission Shift Interlock System”
in this section). To drive, move the
shift lever from PARK or NEUTRAL
to the DRIVE position.
The electronically-controlled trans-
mission provides a precise shift sched-
ule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first
few shifts on a new vehicle may be
somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will de-
velop within a few hundred kilome-
ters.
Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or RE-
VERSE should be done only after the
accelerator pedal is released and the
vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep
your foot on the brake pedal when
moving the shift lever between these
gears.The transmission shift lever has
PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
DRIVE, and AutoStick® shift posi-
tions. Manual shifts can be made us-
ing the AutoStick® shift control (refer
to “AutoStick®” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information).
Moving the shift lever to the left or
right (-/+) while in the AutoStick®
position (below the Drive position)
will manually select the transmission
gear, and will display the current gear
in the instrument cluster as 6, 5, 4, 3,
2, 1.
GEAR RANGES
DO NOT race the engine when shift-
ing from PARK or NEUTRAL into
another gear range.
PARK
This range supplements the parking
brake by locking the transmission.
The engine can be started in this
range. Never attempt to use PARK
while the vehicle is in motion. Apply
the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you
may place the shift lever in the PARK
position first, and then apply the
parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the
parking brake before placing the shift
lever in PARK, otherwise the load on
the transmission locking mechanism
may make it difficult to move the shift
lever out of PARK. As an added pre-
caution, turn the front wheels toward
the curb on a downhill grade and
away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
Shift Lever
137