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STARTING AND OPERATING
CONTENTS
STARTING PROCEDURES ................391
▫ Automatic Transmission ................391
▫ Keyless Enter-N-Go™ ..................392
▫ Normal Starting ...................... .392
▫ Extreme Cold Weather
(Below –20°F Or 29°C) ................394
▫ If Engine Fails To Start .................394
▫ After Starting ....................... .395
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED . . .396
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ............396▫
Key Ignition Park Interlock ...............398
▫ Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . .398
▫ Five-Speed Automatic Transmission ........398
AUTOSTICK® ........................ .405
▫ Steering Wheel Mounted Paddle Shifters Or
Console Mounted Shifter ................405
SPORT MODE ........................ .408
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES .........409
▫ Acceleration ........................ .409
▫ Traction ........................... .410
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DRIVING THROUGH WATER .............410
▫ Flowing/Rising Water ..................410
▫ Shallow Standing Water .................411
POWER STEERING .....................412
FUEL SAVER TECHNOLOGY —
IF EQUIPPED ......................... .413
PARKING BRAKE ..................... .413
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM .............416
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .418
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............418
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ............418
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) ...............419
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........419▫
Hill Start Assist (HSA) .................423
▫ Ready Alert Braking ...................425
▫ Rain Brake Support ....................425
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC OFF Indicator Light ............426
▫ Synchronizing ESC ....................427
TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............427
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .427
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........431
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........432
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........434
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ........438
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .438
388 STARTING AND OPERATING
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STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust the
inside and outside mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and if
present, instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat
belts.
WARNING!
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob from the ignition and lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended 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 (or
in a location accessible to children), 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
The shift lever must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting into any driving gear.
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CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
• Shift into PARK only after the vehicle 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.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
Keyless Enter-N-Go™
This feature allows the driver to oper-
ate the ignition switch with the push
of a button, as long as the Remote
Start/Keyless Enter-N-Go™ FOBIK is
in the passenger compartment.
Normal Starting
Using The ENGINE START/STOP Button
1. The transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button once.
392 STARTING AND OPERATING
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ENGINE START/STOP Button Functions – With
Driver ’s Foot OFF The Brake Pedal (In PARK Or
NEUTRAL Position)
The ENGINE START/STOP button operates similar to an
ignition switch. It has four positions, OFF, ACC, RUN
and START. To change the ignition switch positions
without starting the vehicle and use the accessories
follow these steps.
1. Starting with the ignition switch in the OFF position:
2. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button once tochange the ignition switch to the ACC position (EVIC
displays “ACC”),
3. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button a second time to change the ignition switch to the RUN position
(EVIC displays “RUN”),
4. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button a third time to return the ignition switch to the OFF position (EVIC
displays “OFF”).
Extreme Cold Weather (Below –20°F Or 29°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of
an externally powered electric engine block heater (avail-
able from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
•Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
(Continued)
394 STARTING AND OPERATING
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine 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 improperly. Refer
to “Jump Starting” in “What To Do In Emergen-
cies” for further information.
Clearing A Flooded Engine (Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button)
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weather proce-
dures, it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel:
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Press the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and
hold it.
3. Press and release the ENGINE START/STOP button once.
The starter motor will engage automatically, run for
10 seconds, and then disengage. Once this occurs, release
the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, wait 10 to 15
seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
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ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
The engine block heater cord is routed under the hood on
the driver side of the vehicle. It has a removable cap that
is located on the driver side of the Integrated Power
Module.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle 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, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
396 STARTING AND OPERATING
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WARNING!
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you
should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and
turn the engine OFF. When the ignition is in the
LOCK/OFF position, the shift lever is locked in
PARK, securing the vehicle against unwanted move-
ment.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob and lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended 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 park-
ing brake, brake pedal or the shift lever. Do not
leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in a
location accessible to children), and do not leave
Keyless Enter-N-Go™ in the ACC or ON/RUN
position. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 397