WARNING!
It is important that you do not exceed the
maximum front or rear GAWR. A dangerous
driving condition can result if either rating is
exceeded. You could lose control of the
vehicle and have an accident.
Trailer Tongue Weight (TW)
The TW is the downward force exerted on the
hitch ball by the trailer. In most cases it should
not be more than 5% of the trailer load. You
must consider this as part of the load on your
vehicle.
WARNING!
An improperly adjusted hitch system may
reduce handling, stability and braking perfor-
mance and could result in an accident. Con-
sult with your hitch and trailer manufacturer
or a reputable trailer/caravan dealer for ad-
ditional information. Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum height multi-
plied by the maximum width of the front of a
trailer.
Breakaway Cable AttachmentEuropean braking regulations for braked trailers
up to 7,700 lbs (3 500 kg), require trailers to be
fitted with either a secondary coupling or break-
away cable.
The recommended location for attaching the
normal trailer’s breakaway cable is in the
stamped slot located on the sidewall of the hitch
receiver.
With Attachment Point
•
For detachable tow bar pass the cable through
the attachment point and clip it back onto itself
or attach the clip directly to the designated
point.
Detachable Ball Clip Loop Method
279
NOTE:
Remember that everything put into or on the
trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also,
additional factory-installed options, or au-
thorized dealer-installed options, must be
considered as part of the total load on your
vehicle. Refer to the tire loading information
placard located on the drivers door pillar for
the maximum combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo for your vehicle.
Towing RequirementsTo promote proper break-in of your new vehicle
drivetrain components, the following guidelines
are recommended.
CAUTION!
•Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is
driven. The engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
•Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km)
that a trailer is towed, do not drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts
at full throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Perform the maintenance listed in the “Mainte-
nance Schedule.” Refer to “Maintenance Sched-
ule” for the proper maintenance intervals. When
towing a trailer, never exceed the GAWR or
GCWR ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to a collision. Fol-
low these guidelines to make your trailer
towing as safe as possible:
•Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and will not shift during travel. When
trailering cargo that is not fully secured,
dynamic load shifts can occur that may be
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
difficult for the driver to control. You could
lose control of your vehicle and have a
collision.
• When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Over-
loading can cause a loss of control, poor
performance or damage to brakes, axle,
engine, transmission, steering, suspen-
sion, chassis structure or tires.
• Safety chains must always be used be-
tween your vehicle and trailer. Always con-
nect the chains to the hook retainers of the
vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under the
trailer tongue and allow enough slack for
turning corners.
(Continued)
282
WARNING!(Continued)
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked
on a grade. When parking, apply the park-
ing brake on the tow vehicle. Put the tow
vehicle transmission in PARK. For four-
wheel drive vehicles, make sure the trans-
fer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always, block
or "chock" the trailer wheels.
• GCWR must not be exceeded.
• Total weight must be distributed be-
tween the tow vehicle and the trailer
such that the following four ratings are
not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch utilized . Towing Requirements – Tires
•
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential
to the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Refer to “Tires – General Informa-
tion” in “Starting and Operating” for proper
tire inflation procedures.
• Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
• Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire
damage before towing a trailer. Refer to
“Tires – General Information” in “Starting and
Operating” for proper inspection procedure.
• When replacing tires, refer to “Tires – Gen-
eral Information” in “Starting and Operating”
for proper tire replacement procedures. Re-
placing tires with a higher load carrying ca-
pacity will not increase the vehicle’s GVWR
and GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements – Trailer Brakes
• Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake sys-
tem or vacuum system of your vehicle with
that of the trailer. This could cause inad-
equate braking and possible personal injury. •
An electronically-actuated trailer brake con-
troller is required when towing a trailer with
electronically-actuated brakes. When towing
a trailer equipped with a hydraulic surge-
actuated brake system, an electronic brake
controller is not required.
• Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers
over 1,000 lbs (454 kg), and required for
trailers in excess of 1,654 lbs (750 kg).
WARNING!
•Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehi-
cle’s hydraulic brake lines. It can overload
your brake system and cause it to fail. You
might not have brakes when you need
them and could have an accident.
•
Towing any trailer will increase your stopping
distance. When towing, you should allow for
additional space between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you. Failure to do so
could result in an accident.
283
CAUTION!
•DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle. Inter-
nal damage to the transmission or transfer
case will occur if a dolly is used when
recreational towing.
• Tow only in a forward direction. Towing this
vehicle backwards can cause severe dam-
age to the transfer case.
• The transmission must be in PARK for
recreational towing.
• Before recreational towing, perform the
procedure outlined under “Shifting into
NEUTRAL (N)” to be certain that the trans-
fer case is fully in NEUTRAL (N). Other-
wise, internal damage will result.
• Failure to follow these procedures can
cause severe transmission and/or transfer
case damage. Damage from improper
towing is not covered under the New Ve-
hicle Limited Warranty.
• Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on
tow bar on your vehicle. The bumper face
bar will be damaged. Shifting Into NEUTRAL (N)
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you
leave the vehicle unattended with the trans-
fer case in the NEUTRAL (N) position with-
out first fully engaging the parking brake. The
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) position disen-
gages both the front and rear driveshafts
from the powertrain and will allow the vehicle
to move, even if the transmission is in PARK.
The parking brake should always be applied
when the driver is not in the vehicle.
Use the following procedure to prepare your
vehicle for recreational towing.
CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be
certain that the transfer case is fully in NEU-
TRAL (N) before recreational towing to pre-
vent damage to internal parts. 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop and shift
the transmission into PARK.
2. Turn the engine OFF.
3. For vehicles with Keyless Enter-N-Go™, re-
move the Keyless Enter-N-Go™ button and use
the key fob to complete this procedure. Refer to
“Installing and Removing the ENGINE START/
STOP Button/Keyless Enter-N-Go™” in “Start-
ing and Operating” how to remove the Keyless
Enter-N-Go™ button.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN po-
sition, but do not start the engine.
5. Press and hold the brake pedal.
6. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.
288
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
•HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ....................294
• IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS ....................294
• JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING ...................295
•Jack Location ............................. .295
• Spare Tire Stowage ......................... .295
• Preparations For Jacking ...................... .295
• Jacking Instructions ......................... .296
• Road Tire Installation ......................... .299
•JUMP-STARTING .............................300•Preparations For Jump-Start .................... .300
• Jump-Starting Procedure ...................... .301
•FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE .....................302
• TOW EYES .................................303
• SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE ........................304
• TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE ....................304
•Without The Key Fob ......................... .306
• Four-Wheel Drive Models ...................... .306
293
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located
on the switch bank just above the climate
controls.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard
Warning flasher. When the switch is
activated, all directional turn signals
will flash on and off to warn oncoming traffic of
an emergency. Press the switch a second time
to turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it
should not be used when the vehicle is in
motion. Use it when your vehicle is disabled and
it is creating a safety hazard for other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assis-
tance, the Hazard Warning flashers will con-
tinue to operate even though the ignition is
placed in the OFF position.
NOTE:
With extended use the Hazard Warning
flashers may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can
reduce the potential for overheating by taking
the appropriate action.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the
transmission in NEUTRAL, but do not in-
crease the engine idle speed.
NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow
down an impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it
off. The A/C system adds heat to the
engine cooling system and turning the
A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control
to maximum heat, the mode control to
floor and the blower control to high. This
allows the heater core to act as a supple-
ment to the radiator and aids in removing
heat from the engine cooling system.CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could dam-
age your vehicle. If the temperature gauge
reads HOT (H), pull over and stop the ve-
hicle. Idle the vehicle with the air conditioner
turned off until the pointer drops back into the
normal range. If the pointer remains on
HOT (H), and you hear continuous chimes,
turn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam com-
ing from under the hood, do not open the
hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never try to open a cooling system pressure
cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
294
JACKING AND TIRE
CHANGING
WARNING!
•Do not attempt to change a tire on the side
of the vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull
far enough off the road to avoid the danger
of being hit when operating the jack or
changing the wheel.
• Being under a jacked-up vehicle is danger-
ous. The vehicle could slip off the jack and
fall on you. You could be crushed. Never
put any part of your body under a vehicle
that is on a jack. If you need to get under a
raised vehicle, take it to a service center
where it can be raised on a lift.
• Never start or run the engine while the
vehicle is on a jack.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•The jack is designed to be used as a tool
for changing tires only. The jack should not
be used to lift the vehicle for service pur-
poses. The vehicle should be jacked on a
firm level surface only. Avoid ice or slippery
areas.
Jack LocationThe scissor-type jack and tire changing tools
are located in rear cargo area, below the load
floor.
Spare Tire StowageThe spare tire is stowed under the load floor in
the rear cargo area and is secured to the body
with a special wing nut.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level surface.
Avoid ice or slippery surfaces.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of
the vehicle closest to moving traffic, pull far
enough off the road to avoid being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.
2. Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Place the shift lever into PARK.
5. Turn the ignition OFF.
Jack Storage Location
295
6. Block both the front and rear of the wheeldiagonally opposite of
the jacking position. For
example, if changing the
right front tire, block the
left rear wheel.
NOTE:
Passengers should not remain in the vehicle
when the vehicle is being jacked.
7. For vehicles equipped with Quadra-Lift® re-
fer to “Quadra-Lift® — If Equipped” in “Starting
And Operating” for further information on dis-
abling automatic leveling.
Jacking Instructions
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings
to help prevent personal injury or damage to
your vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far
from the edge of the roadway as possible
before raising the vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the
wheel to be raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set an
automatic transmission in PARK.
• Never start or run the engine with the
vehicle on a jack.
• Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it
is on a jack.
• Do not get under the vehicle when it is on
a jack. If you need to get under a raised
vehicle, take it to a service center where it
can be raised on a lift.”
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Only use the jack in the positions indicated
and for lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
•If working on or near a roadway, be ex-
tremely careful of motor traffic.
•
To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are
securely stowed, spares must be stowed
with the valve stem facing the ground.
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking
on locations other than those indicated in the
Jacking Instructions for this vehicle.
Jack Warning Label
296