24Safe Driving
For Safe DrivingThe following pages explain your vehicle's safety features and how to use them
properly. The safety precautions below are ones that we consider to be among the
most important.Important Safety Precautions■
Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of collisions. Airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. So even though your vehicle is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and your passengers always wear your seat belts, and
wear them properly.
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Restrain all children
Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in a back seat, not the
front seat. Infants and small children should be restrained in a child seat. Larger
children should use a booster seat and a lap/shoulder seat belt until they can use the
belt properly with out a booster seat.
■
Be aware of airbag hazards
While airbags can save lives, they can cause serious or fatal injuries to occupants
who sit too close to them, or are no t properly restrained. Infants, young children,
and short adults are at the greatest risk. Be sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
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Don't drink and drive
Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to respond to
changing conditions, and your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink.
So don't drink and drive, and don't let your friends drink and drive, either.
1 Important Safety Precautions
Some states, provinces and territories prohibit the use
of cell phones other than hands-free devices by the
driver while driving.
152Controls
Climate Control SystemUsing Automatic Climate ControlThe automatic climate control system maintains the interior temperature you select.
The system also selects the proper mix of heated or cooled air that will as quickly as
possible, raise or lower the interior temperature to your preference.
Use the system when the engine is running.
1.Press the AUTO button.
2. Adjust the interior temperature using the driver's side or passenger's side control
dial.
3. Press the button to cancel.■
Switching between the recircu lation and fresh air modes
Press the button and switch the mode depending on environmental conditions.
Recirculation Mode (indicator on): Recirculates air from the vehicle’s interior through
the system.
Fresh Air Mode (indicator off): Maintains outside ventilation. Keep the system in
fresh air mode in normal situations.
1 Using Automatic Climate Control
If any buttons are pressed while using the climate
control system in AUTO, the function of the button
that was pressed will take priority.
The AUTO indicator will go off, but functions
unrelated to the button that was pressed will be
controlled automatically.
To prevent cold air from blowing in from outside, the
fan may not start immediately when the AUTO
button is pressed.
If the interior is very warm, you can cool it down
more rapidly by partially opening the windows,
turning the system on AUTO, and setting the
temperature to low. Change the fresh mode to
recirculation mode until the temperature cools down.
When you set the temperature to the lower or upper
limit, Lo or Hi is displayed.
Pressing the button switches the climate
control system between on and off. When turned on,
the system returns to your last selection.
Floor and
defroster vents
Floor vents
Dashboard and
floor vents
Dashboard vents
AUTO Button
Driver's Side
Temperature
Control Dial Passenger's Side
Temperature
Control Dial
/ (Fan Control) Buttons
(Recirculation) Button
A/C (Air Conditioning) Button
251
uuWhen Driving uVSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Continued
Driving
VSA® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), SystemVSA ® helps to stabilize the vehicle during cornering if the vehicle turns more or less
than what was intended. It also assists in maintaining traction on slippery surfaces.
It does so by regulating engine output and selectively applying the brakes.
When VSA® activates, you may notice that the
engine does not respond to the accelerator.
You may also no tice some noise from the
hydraulic system. You will also see the
indicator blink.■
VSA ® Operation
1 VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
The VSA ® may not function properly if tire type and
size are mixed. Make sure to use the same size and
type of tire, and the air pressures as specified.
When the VSA ® indicator comes on and stays on
while driving, there may be a problem with the
system. While this may not interfere with normal
driving, have your vehicle checked by a dealer
immediately.
VSA ® cannot enhance stability in all driving situations
and does not control the entire braking system. You
still need to drive and corner at speeds appropriate
for the conditions and always leave a sufficient
margin of safety.
The main function of the VSA ® system is generally
known as Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The
system also includes a traction control function.
VSA ® System
Indicator
253
uuWhen Driving uAWD (All-Wheel Drive) with Intelligent Control System
*
Continued
Driving
AWD (All-Wheel Drive) with Intelligent Control System
*
Your vehicle is equipped with the AWD with intelligent control system. When the
system senses a loss of front wheel traction, it automatically transfers some power
to the rear wheels. This allows you to utilize all available traction and may increase
mobility.
You still need to exercise the same care when accelerating, steering, and braking
that you would in a two wheel drive vehicle.
If you excessively spin all four wheels and overheat the AWD with intelligent control
system, only the front wheels receive power. Stop until the system cools down.TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)
Monitors the tire pressure while you are
driving. If your vehicle's tire pressure becomes
significantly low, the low tire pressure/TPMS
indicator comes on and a message appears on
the multi-information display.
1AWD (All-Wheel Drive) with Intelligent Control System
*
NOTICEDo not continuously spin the front tires of your
vehicle. Continuously spinning the front tires can
cause transmission or rear differential damage.
The AWD with intelligent control system may not
function properly if tire type and size are mixed.
Make sure to use the same size and type of tire, and
the air pressures as specified.
2 Tire and Wheel Replacement P. 3071TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)
Conditions such as low ambient temperature and
altitude change directly affect tire pressure and can
trigger the low tire pressure/TPMS indicator to come
on.
2 If the Low Tire Pressure/TPMS Indicator
Comes On or Blinks P. 336
Tire pressure checked and inflated in:•Warm weather can become under-inflated in
colder weather.•Cold weather can become over-inflated in warmer
weather.
The low tire pressure/TPMS indicator will not come
on as a result of over inflation.
* Not available on all models
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Continued
Maintenance
CleaningInterior CareUse a damp cloth with a mixture of mild detergent and warm water to remove dirt.
Use a clean cloth to remove detergent residue.
Use a soft brush with a mixture of mild soap and warm water to clean the seat belts.
Let the belts air dry. Wipe the openings of the seat belt anchors using a clean cloth.■
Cleaning Seat Belts
1Interior Care
Do not spill liquids inside the vehicle.
Electrical devices and systems may malfunction if
liquids are splashed on them.
Do not use silicone based sprays on electrical devices
such as audio devices and switches.
Doing so may cause the items to malfunction or a fire
inside the vehicle.
If a silicone based spray is inadvertently used on
electrical devices, consult a dealer.
Depending on their composition, chemicals and
liquid aromatics may cause discoloration, wrinkles,
and cracking to resin-based parts and textiles.
Do not use alkali solvents or organic solvents such as
benzene or gasoline.
After using chemicals, make sure to gently wipe them
off using a dry cloth.
Do not place used cloths on top of resin based parts
or textiles for long periods of time without washing.
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