Before Climbing A Steep Hill
As you approach a hill, consider its grade or steepness.
Determine if it is too steep. Look to see what the traction
is on the hill side trail. Is the trail straight up and down?
What is on top and the other side? Are there ruts, rocks,
branches or other obstacles on the path? Can you safely
recover the vehicle if something goes wrong? If every-
thing looks good and you feel confident, shift the trans-
mission into a lower gear with 4L (Low) engaged, and
proceed with caution, maintaining your momentum as
you climb the hill.
Driving Up Hill
Once you have determined your ability to proceed and
have shifted into the appropriate gear, line your vehicle
up for the straightest possible run. Accelerate with an
easy constant throttle and apply more power as you start
up the hill. Do not race forward into a steep grade; the
abrupt change of grade could cause you to lose control. If the front end begins to bounce, ease off the throttle
slightly to bring all four tires back on the ground. As you
approach the crest of the hill, ease off the throttle and
slowly proceed over the top. If the wheels start to slip as
you approach the crest of a hill, ease off the accelerator
and maintain headway by turning the steering wheel no
more than a 1/4 turn quickly back and forth. This will
provide a fresh bite into the surface and will usually
provide enough traction to complete the climb. If you do
not make it to the top, place the vehicle in REVERSE and
back straight down the grade using engine resistance
along with the vehicle brakes.
WARNING!Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn
around on a steep grade. Driving across an incline
increases the risk of a rollover, which may result in
severe injury.444 STARTING AND OPERATING
Driving Downhill
Before driving down a steep hill, you need to determine
if it is too steep for a safe descent. What is the surface
traction? Is the grade too steep to maintain a slow,
controlled descent? Are there obstacles? Is it a straight
descent? Is there plenty of distance at the base of the hill
to regain control if the vehicle descends to fast? If you feel
confident in your ability to proceed, then make sure you
are in 4L (Low) and proceed with caution. Allow engine
braking to control the descent and apply your brakes, if
necessary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use
vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine braking.
Descending a grade too fast could cause you to lose
control and be seriously injured. Driving Across An Incline
If at all possible, avoid driving across an incline. If it is
necessary, know your vehicle’s abilities. Driving across
an incline places more weight on the downhill wheels,
which increases the possibilities of a downhill slide or
rollover. Make sure the surface has good traction with
firm and stable soils. If possible, transverse the incline at
an angle heading slightly up or down.
WARNING!Driving across an incline increases the risk of a
rollover , which may result in severe injury.
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If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway
If you stall or begin to lose headway while climbing a
steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and
immediately apply the brake. Restart the engine and shift
into REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing
engine braking to control the descent and apply your
brakes, if necessary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
WARNING!If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot
make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never attempt
to turn around. To do so may result in tipping and
rolling the vehicle, which may result in severe injury.
Always back carefully straight down a hill in RE-
VERSE. Never back down a hill in NEUTRAL using
only the vehicle brakes. Never drive diagonally across
a hill, always drive straight up or down. Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type of water.
Water crossings should be avoided, if possible, and only
be attempted when necessary in a safe, responsible
manner. You should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
avoid damage to the environment. You should know
your vehicle’s abilities and be able to recover it if
something goes wrong. You should never stop or shut a
vehicle off when crossing deep water unless you ingested
water into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls, do
not attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested
water first. The key to any crossing is low and slow. Shift
into first gear (manual transmission), or DRIVE (auto-
matic transmission), with the transfer case in the 4L
(Low) position and proceed very slowly with a constant
slow speed {3 to 5 mph (5 to 8 km/h) maximum} and
light throttle. Keep the vehicle moving; do not try to446 STARTING AND OPERATING
accelerate through the crossing. After crossing any water
higher than the bottom of the axle differentials, you
should inspect all of the vehicle fluids for signs of water
ingestion.
CAUTION!• Water ingestion into the axles, transmission, trans-
fer case, engine or vehicle interior can occur if you
drive too fast or through too deep of water. Water
can cause permanent damage to engine, driveline
or other vehicle components, and your brakes will
be less effective once wet and/or muddy.
• This vehicle is capable of crossing through water at
a depth of 30 inches (76 cm) at speeds no greater
than 5 mph (8 km/h). Water ingestion can occur
causing damage to your vehicle. Before You Cross Any Type Of Water
As you approach any type of water, you need to deter-
mine if you can cross it safely and responsibly. If neces-
sary, get out and walk through the water or probe it with
a stick. You need to be sure of its depth, approach angle,
current and bottom condition. Be careful of murky or
muddy waters; check for hidden obstacles. Make sure
you will not be intruding on any wildlife, and you can
recover the vehicle if necessary. The key to a safe crossing
is the water depth, current and bottom conditions. On
soft bottoms, the vehicle will sink in, effectively increas-
ing the water level on the vehicle. Be sure to consider this
when determining the depth and the ability to safely
cross.
5 STARTING AND OPERATING 447
WARNING!
Fluid level should be checked on a level surface and
with the engine off to prevent injury from moving
parts and to ensure accurate fluid level reading. Do
not overfill. Use only manufacturer’s recommended
power steering fluid.
If necessary, add fluid to restore to the proper indicated
level. With a clean cloth, wipe any spilled fluid from all
surfaces. Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts”
in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further information.
PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied. Also, be certain to leave an
automatic transmission in PARK, or manual transmission
in REVERSE or first gear.The parking brake lever is located in the center console.
To apply the parking brake, pull the lever up as firmly as
possible. To release the parking brake, pull the lever up
slightly, press the center button, then lower the lever
completely.
Parking Brake
452 STARTING AND OPERATING
, Q I R U P D W L R Q 3 U R Y L G H G E \
WARNING!The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) cannot prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on the ve-
hicle, nor can they increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. The ABS cannot prevent
collisions, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. The capabilities of an ABS-equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or
dangerous manner which could jeopardize the user’s
safety or the safety of others.
Traction Control System (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of wheel spin of each of
the driven wheels. If wheel spin is detected, brake
pressure is applied to the slipping wheel(s) to provide
enhanced acceleration and stability. A feature of the TCS system functions similar to a limited slip differential and
controls the wheel spin across a driven axle. If one wheel
on a driven axle is spinning faster than the other, the
system will apply the brake of the spinning wheel. This
will allow more engine torque to be applied to the wheel
that is not spinning. This feature remains active even if
TCS and ESC are in either the “Partial Off” or “Full Off”
modes. Refer to “Electronic Stability Control (ESC)” in
this section for further information.
Brake Assist System (BAS)
The BAS is designed to optimize the vehicle’s braking
capability during emergency braking maneuvers. The
system detects an emergency braking situation by sens-
ing the rate and amount of brake application and then
applies optimum pressure to the brakes. This can help
reduce braking distances. The BAS complements the
anti-lock brake system (ABS). Applying the brakes very
quickly results in the best BAS assistance. To receive the
5 STARTING AND OPERATING 457
WARNING! (Continued)• HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
Failure to follow these warnings may cause the
vehicle to roll down the incline and could collide
with another vehicle, object or person, and cause
serious or fatal injury. Always remember to use the
parking brake while parking on a hill and that the
driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
NOTE: The HSA system may also be turned on and off if
the vehicle is equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC). Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your Instru-
ment Panel” for further information. HSA Off
If you wish to turn off the HSA system, follow this
procedure:
1. Start with the engine off and vehicle in PARK (auto-
matic transmission) or NEUTRAL with clutch out
(manual transmission) with wheels straight. Apply
parking brake on manual transmission vehicle.
2. Start the engine.
3. With the engine running, the brake applied, and the
clutch out, rotate the steering wheel 180° counterclock-
wise from center.
4. Press the ESC OFF switch four times within twenty
seconds.
5. Rotate the steering wheel 360° clockwise (180° clock-
wise from center).
5 STARTING AND OPERATING 461
6. Cycle ignition switch OFF then ON.
7. If the sequence was completed properly, the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” will blink
several times to confirm HSA is off.
Steps 1-7 must be completed within 90 seconds to turn off
HSA. Repeat steps 1-7 to re-enable HSA functionality.
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
This system anticipates the potential for wheel lift by
monitoring the driver ’s steering wheel input and the
speed of the vehicle. When ERM determines that the rate
of change of the steering wheel angle and vehicle’s speed
are sufficient to potentially cause wheel lift, it applies the
appropriate brake and may reduce engine power to
lessen the chance that wheel lift will occur. ERM will only
intervene during very severe or evasive driving maneu-
vers. Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) can only reduce the
chance of wheel lift occurring during severe or evasive
driving maneuvers. It cannot prevent wheel lift due to
other factors such as road conditions, leaving the road-
way or striking objects or other vehicles.
NOTE: Anytime the ESC system is in the “Full Off”
mode, ERM is disabled. Refer to Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) for a complete explanation of the available
ESC modes.
WARNING!Many factors, such as vehicle loading, road condi-
tions and driving conditions, influence the chance
that wheel lift or rollover may occur. Electronic Roll
Mitigation (ERM) cannot prevent all wheel lift or
rollovers, especially those that involve leaving the
roadway or striking objects or other vehicles. The (Continued)462 STARTING AND OPERATING