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STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
•Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking
brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re-
move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving
the vehicle, always 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. Chil-
dren 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. A
child could operate power windows, other controls,
or move the vehicle.
Manual Transmission – If Equipped
Before starting the engine fully apply the parking brake,
press the clutch pedal to the floor, and place the shift
lever in NEUTRAL.
NOTE:
• The engine will not start unless the clutch pedal is
pressed to the floor.
• If the key will not turn and the steering wheel is
locked, rotate the wheel in either direction to relieve
pressure on the locking mechanism and then turn the
key.
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WARNING!
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
another vehicle. This type of start can be dangerous if
done improperly, so follow the procedure carefully.
Refer to “Jump Starting” in “What To Do In Emer-
gencies” for further information.
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
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” and “Extreme Cold Weather” proce-
dures, it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all
the way to the floor and hold it there. Crank the engine
for no more than 15 seconds. This should clear any excess
fuel in case the engine is flooded. Leave the ignition key
in the ON position, release the accelerator pedal and
repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
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.
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
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.
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 re-
move the ignition key. Once the key is removed,
the shift lever is locked in PARK, securing the
vehicle against unwanted movement When leaving
the vehicle, always remove the ignition key and
lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
(Continued)
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WARNING! (Continued)
•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. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
• Do not leave the ignition key in or near the vehicle.
A child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
before the ignition switch can be turned to the OFF
position. The key fob can only be removed from the
ignition when the ignition is in the OFF position, and the
shift lever is locked in PARK whenever the ignition
switch is in the OFF position. NOTE:
If a malfunction occurs, the system will trap the
key in the ignition switch to warn you that this safety
feature is inoperable. The engine can be started and
stopped but the key cannot be removed until you obtain
service.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock system (BTSI) that holds the shift lever in PARK
unless the brakes are applied. To move the shift lever out
of PARK, the ignition switch must be turned to the
ON/RUN position (engine running or not) and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
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WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake
fully when parked to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever rearward (with the brake pedal
released) after you have placed it in PARK. Make
sure the transmission is in PARK before leaving
the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
• 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 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 engine is idling normally and
your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• 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 remove the ignition key. Once the key is
removed, the shift lever is locked in PARK, secur-
ing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
(Continued)
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WARNING! (Continued)
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the igni-
tion key 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. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
• Do not leave the ignition key in or near the vehicle.
A child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
• Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you
must turn the ignition switch from the LOCK/OFF
position to the ON/RUN position, and also press
the brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the shift
lever could result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this
can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that
you have engaged the shift lever into the PARK position:
• When shifting into PARK, firmly move the shift lever
all the way forward and to the left until it stops and is
fully seated.
• Look at the shift lever position display and verify that
it indicates the PARK position.
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NOTE:
•When the parking brake is applied and the automatic
transmission is placed in gear, the “Brake Warning
Light” will flash. If vehicle speed is detected, a chime
will sound to alert the driver. Fully release the parking
brake before attempting to move the vehicle.
•
This light only shows that the parking brake is applied.
It does not show the degree of brake application.
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. For vehicles equipped
with an automatic transmission, 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. The parking
brake should always be applied whenever the driver is
not in the vehicle.
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. 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. A
child could operate power windows, other controls,
or move the vehicle.
• Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to brake
failure and a collision.
(Continued)
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•Four Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors
• Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure Warnings
The Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will illumi-
nate in the instrument cluster, a LOW TIRE message will
be displayed for a minimum of five seconds, and an
audible chime will be activated when one or more of the
four active road tire pressures are low. Should this occur,
you should stop as soon as possible, check the inflation
pressure of each tire on your vehicle, and inflate each tire
to the vehicle’s recommended cold placard pressure
value. The system will automatically update and the Tire
Pressure Monitoring Light will extinguish and the LOW
TIRE message will turn off once the updated tire pres-
sures have been received. The vehicle may need to be
driven for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h) to
receive this information.
Check TPMS Warnings
The Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will flash on
and off for 75 seconds and remain on solid when a system
fault is detected. The system fault will also sound a
chime. If the ignition key is cycled, this sequence will
repeat providing the system fault still exists. The Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will turn off when the
fault condition no longer exists. A system fault can occur
with any of the following scenarios:
1. Jamming due to electronic devices or driving next to
facilities emitting the same radio frequencies as the
TPM sensors.
2. Installing some form of aftermarket window tinting that affects radio wave signals.
3. Snow or ice around the wheels or wheel housings.
4. Using tire chains on the vehicle.
374 STARTING AND OPERATING