KEY IGNITION PARK
INTERLOCK
This vehicle is equipped with a Key
Ignition Park Interlock which re-
quires the shift lever to be placed in
PARK before the engine can be turned
off. This helps the driver avoid inad-
vertently leaving the vehicle without
placing the transmission in PARK.
This system also locks the shift lever
in PARK whenever the ignition switch
is in the OFF position.
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 run-
ning or not) and the brake pedal must
be pressed.EIGHT-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION –
3.6L ENGINE
Your vehicle is equipped with a state of
the art, fuel efficient eight-speed
transmission. The electronic shift lever
in this vehicle does not slide like a
conventional shifter. Instead, the shift
lever is spring loaded and moves for-
ward and rearward, always returning
to the center position after each gear is
selected. The transmission gear Park,
Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low
(PRNDL) is displayed both on the shift
lever and in the Electronic Vehicle In-
formation Center (EVIC). To select a
gear range, press the lock button on
the shift lever and move the lever rear-
ward or forward. You must also press
the brake pedal to shift the transmis-
sion out of the PARK position (refer to
“Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock
System” in this section). To shift past
multiple gear ranges at once (such as
PARK to DRIVE), move the lever past
the first (or second) detent. Select the
DRIVE range for normal driving.
The electronically-controlled trans-
mission provides a precise shift sched-
ule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few
shifts on a new vehicle may be some-
what abrupt. This is a normal condi-
tion, and precision shifts will develop
within a few hundred kilometers.Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or
REVERSE when the accelerator
pedal is released and the vehicle is
stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on
the brake pedal when shifting be-
tween these gears.
Standard Shifter
The standard shift lever has PARK,
REVERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and
LOW shift positions. Using the LOW
position manually downshifts the
transmission to a lower gear based on
vehicle speed.
Optional Shifter With AutoStick®
The optional shift lever (with
AutoStick® shift paddles mounted on
the steering wheel) provides PARK,
REVERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and
200
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or
driving for any other reason with
the transmission in NEUTRAL can
cause severe transmission damage.
Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” and
“Towing A Disabled Vehicle” in
“What To Do In Emergencies” for
further information.
DRIVE
This range should be used for most
city and highway driving. It provides
the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The
transmission automatically upshifts
through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum
driving characteristics under all nor-
mal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting
occurs (such as when operating the
vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into
strong head winds, or while towing heavy trailers), use the AutoStick®
shift control (if equipped) to select a
lower gear. Under these conditions,
using a lower gear will improve per-
formance and extend transmission life
by reducing excessive shifting and
heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures
(30°C or below), transmission op-
eration may be modified depending
on engine and transmission tempera-
ture as well as vehicle speed. Normal
operation will resume once the trans-
mission temperature has risen to a
suitable level.
SPORT (for versions/markets,
where provided)
This mode alters the transmission's
automatic shift schedule for sportier
driving. Upshift speeds are increased
to make full use of available engine
power. To switch between DRIVE and
SPORT modes, tap the shift lever
rearward. SPORT mode is only acces-
sible from DRIVE.
LOW
Use this range for engine braking
when descending very steep grades. In
this range, the transmission will
downshift for increased engine brak-
ing. To switch between DRIVE and
LOW modes, tap the shift lever rear-
ward. LOW mode is only accessible
from DRIVE.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored
electronically for abnormal condi-
tions. If a condition is detected that
could result in transmission damage,
Transmission Limp Home Mode is ac-
tivated. In this mode, the transmis-
sion may operate only in certain
gears, or may not shift at all. Vehicle
performance may be severely de-
graded and the engine may stall. In
some situations, the transmission may
not re-engage if the engine is turned
off and restarted. The Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL) may be illumi-
nated. A message in the instrument
cluster will inform the driver of the
more serious conditions, and indicate
what actions may be necessary.
203
In the event of a momentary problem,
the transmission can be reset to regain
all forward gears by performing the
following steps.
NOTE:
In cases where the instru-
ment cluster message indicates the
transmission may not re-engage af-
ter engine shutdown, perform this
procedure only in a desired loca-
tion (preferably, at your authorized
dealer).
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK,
if possible.
3. Turn the engine OFF.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range.
If the problem is no longer detected,
the transmission will return to normal
operation.
NOTE: Even if the transmission
can be reset, we recommend that
you visit your authorized dealer at your earliest possible conve-
nience. Your authorized dealer has
diagnostic equipment to deter-
mine if the problem could recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset,
authorized dealer service is required.
FIVE-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION –
3.0L DIESEL ENGINE
The shift lever position display (lo-
cated in the instrument cluster) indi-
cates the transmission gear range. You
must press the brake pedal to move
the shift lever out of PARK (refer to
“Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock
System” in this section). To drive,
move the shift lever from PARK or
NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
The electronically-controlled trans-
mission provides a precise shift sched-
ule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few
shifts on a new vehicle may be some-
what abrupt. This is a normal condi-
tion, and precision shifts will develop
within a few hundred kilometers.
Only shifting from DRIVE to PARK or
REVERSE when the accelerator
pedal is released and the vehicle is
stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on
the brake pedal when shifting be-
tween these gears.
The transmission shift lever has only
PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, and
DRIVE shift positions. Manual shifts
can be made using the “AutoStick®”
shift control (for versions/markets,
where provided; refer to
“AutoStick®” in this section). Mov-
ing the shift lever to the left or right
(-/+) while in the DRIVE position, or
tapping one of the steering wheel-
mounted shift paddles (-/+) (for
versions/markets, where provided),
will manually select the transmission
gear, and will display that gear in the
instrument cluster as 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Shift Lever
204
DRIVE
This range should be used for most
city and highway driving. It provides
the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The
transmission automatically upshifts
through underdrive first, second, and
third gears, direct fourth gear and
overdrive fifth gear. The DRIVE posi-
tion provides optimum driving char-
acteristics under all normal operating
conditions.When frequent transmission shifting
occurs (such as when operating the ve-
hicle under heavy loading conditions,
in hilly terrain, traveling into strong
head winds, or while towing heavy
trailers), use the “AutoStick®” shift
control (for versions/markets, where
provided; refer to “AutoStick®” in this
section) to select a lower gear. Under
these conditions, using a lower gear
will improve performance and extend
transmission life by reducing excessive
shifting and heat buildup.
Transmission Limp Home ModeTransmission function is monitored
electronically for abnormal conditions.
If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Trans-
mission Limp Home Mode is activated.
In this mode, the transmission remains
in the current gear until the vehicle is
brought to a stop. After the vehicle has
stopped, the transmission will remain
in second gear regardless of which for-
ward gear is selected. PARK, RE-
VERSE, and NEUTRAL will continue
to operate. The Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) may be illuminated. Limp
Home Mode allows the vehicle to be
driven to an authorized dealer for
service without damaging the trans-
mission.In the event of a momentary problem,
the transmission can be reset to regain
all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the engine OFF.
4.
Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6.
Shift into the desired gear range.
If the problem is no longer detected, the
transmission will return to normal op-
eration.
NOTE:
Even if the transmission
can be reset, we recommend that
you visit your authorized dealer at
your earliest possible convenience.
Your authorized dealer has diag-
nostic equipment to determine if
the problem could recur. If the
transmission cannot be reset, au-
thorized dealer service is required.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes
an electronically controlled Overdrive
(fifth gear). The transmission will au-
tomatically shift into Overdrive if the
following conditions are present:
the shift lever is in the DRIVE po- sition,
vehicle speed is sufficiently high, and
the driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
207
AUTOSTICK®
(for versions/markets,
where provided)AutoStick® is a driver-interactive
transmission feature providing manual
shift control, giving you more control of
the vehicle. AutoStick® allows you to
maximize engine braking, eliminate un-
desirable upshifts and downshifts, and
improve overall vehicle performance.This system can also provide you with
more control during passing, city driv-
ing, cold slippery conditions, mountain
driving, trailer towing, and many other
situations.OPERATION – 3.6L ENGINEWhen the transmission is in DRIVE or
SPORT mode, it will operate automati-
cally, shifting between the eight avail-
able gears. To engage AutoStick® (for
versions/markets, where provided),
simply tap one of the steering wheel-
mounted shift paddles (+/-) while in
DRIVE or SPORT mode (for versions/markets, where provided). Tapping (-)
to enter AutoStick® mode will down-
shift the transmission to the next lower
gear, while using (+) to enter
AutoStick® mode will retain the cur-
rent gear. When AutoStick® is active,
the current transmission gear is dis-
played in the instrument cluster. In
AutoStick® mode, the transmission
will only shift up or down when (+/-) is
manually selected by the driver, unless
an engine lugging or overspeed condi-
tion would result. It will remain in the
selected gear until another upshift or
downshift is chosen, except as de-
scribed below.
If AutoStick® is engaged while in
DRIVE mode, the transmission will
automatically shift up when maxi-
mum engine speed is reached. If the
accelerator is fully pressed, the
transmission will downshift when
possible (based on current vehicle
speed and gear). Lack of accelera-
tor pedal activity will cause the
transmission to revert to automatic
operation. If AutoStick® is engaged while in
SPORT mode, manual gear selec-
tion will be maintained until either
SPORT mode is exited or as de-
scribed below. The transmission
will not upshift automatically at
redline in this mode, nor will down-
shifts be obtained if the accelerator
pedal is pressed to the floor.
In either DRIVE or SPORT mode, the transmission will automatically
downshift as the vehicle slows to a
stop (to prevent engine lugging)
and will display the current gear.
Tapping the (+) paddle (at a stop)
will allow starting in second gear.
After a stop, the driver should
manually upshift (+) the transmis-
sion as the vehicle accelerates.
If a requested downshift would cause the engine to over-speed, that
shift will not occur.
The system will ignore attempts to
upshift at too low of a vehicle speed.
208
To disengage AutoStick® mode, press
and hold the (+) shift paddle until
“D” or “S” is once again displayed in
the instrument cluster. You can shift
in or out of the AutoStick® mode at
any time without taking your foot off
the accelerator pedal.WARNING!Do not downshift for additional en-
gine braking on a slippery surface.
The drive wheels could lose their grip
and the vehicle could skid, causing a
collision or personal injury.OPERATION – 3.0L DIESEL
ENGINEWhen the shift lever is in the DRIVE
position, the transmission will operate
automatically, shifting between the five
available gears. To engage AutoStick®
(for versions/markets, where pro-
vided), simply tap the shift lever to the
right or left (+/-) while in the DRIVE
position, or tap one of the steering
wheel-mounted shift paddles (+/-), for
versions/markets, where provided.Tapping (-) to enter AutoStick® mode
will downshift the transmission to the
next lower gear, while using (+) to en-
ter AutoStick® mode will retain the
current gear. When AutoStick® is ac-
tive, the current transmission gear is
displayed in the instrument cluster. In
AutoStick® mode, the transmission
will shift up or down when (+/-) is
manually selected by the driver (using
the shift lever, or the shift paddles, for
versions/markets, where provided),
unless an engine lugging or overspeed
condition would result. It will remain
in the selected gear until another up-
shift or downshift is chosen, except as
described below.
The transmission will automati-
cally upshift when necessary to pre-
vent engine over-speed.
If the accelerator is fully pressed, the transmission will downshift
when possible (based on vehicle
speed and gear).
The transmission will automati- cally downshift as the vehicle slows
down (to prevent engine lugging)
and will display the current gear. The transmission will automati-
cally downshift to first gear when
coming to a stop. After a stop, the
driver should manually upshift (+)
the transmission as the vehicle is
accelerated.
You can start out from a stop, in first or second gear. Tapping (+) (at
a stop) will allow starting in second
gear. Starting out in second gear is
helpful in snowy or icy conditions.
The system will ignore attempts to upshift at too low of a vehicle speed.
Avoid using speed control when AutoStick® is engaged.
Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when AutoStick® is en-
gaged.
To disengage AutoStick® mode, hold
the shift lever to the right or press and
hold the (+) shift paddle (for versions/
markets, where provided) until “D” is
once again displayed in the instrument
cluster. You can shift in or out of the
AutoStick® mode at any time without
taking your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
209
TRAILER TOWING WEIGHTS (MAXIMUM TRAILER WEIGHT RATINGS)
The following chart provides the maximum trailer weight ratings towable for your given drivetrain.
Engine/TransmissionFrontal AreaMax. GTW
(Gross Trailer Wt.) Max. Tongue Wt.
(See Note)
3.6L Automatic 2.04 sq m 1 725 kg86 kg
3.0L Diesel Automatic 2.97 sq m 1 996 kg100 kg
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds
NOTE: The trailer tongue weight must be considered as part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo,
and it should never exceed the weight referenced on the “Tire and Loading Information” placard. Refer to
“Tire Safety Information” in “Starting and Operating” for further information.
TRAILER AND TONGUE
WEIGHT
Always load a trailer with 60% to
65% of the weight in the front of the
trailer. This places 5% of the Gross
Trailer Weight (GTW) on the tow
hitch of your vehicle. Loads balanced
over the wheels or heavier in the rear
can cause the trailer to sway severely
side to side which will cause loss of
control of the vehicle and trailer. Fail-
ure to load trailers heavier in front is
the cause of many trailer collisions.
Never exceed the maximum tongue
weight stamped on your bumper or
trailer hitch. Consider the following items when
computing the weight on the rear axle
of the vehicle:
The tongue weight of the trailer.
The weight of any other type of
cargo or equipment put in or on
your vehicle. The weight of the driver and all
passengers.
NOTE: Remember that every-
thing put into or on the trailer adds
to the load on your vehicle. Also,
additional factory-installed op-
tions or dealer-installed options
must be considered as part of the
total load on your vehicle. Refer to
the “Tire and Loading Informa-
tion” placard for the maximum
combined weight of occupants and
cargo for your vehicle.
245
TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of your
new vehicle drivetrain components
the following guidelines are recom-
mended:CAUTION!
Do not tow a trailer at all duringthe first 805 km the new vehicle is
driven. The engine, axle or other
parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 805 km
that a trailer is towed, do not
drive over 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.WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an in-
jury collision. Follow these guide-
lines to make your trailer towing as
safe as possible:
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Make certain that the load is se- cured in the trailer and it will not
shift during travel. When traile-
ring cargo that is not fully se-
cured, dynamic load shifts can
occur that may be 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 ve-
hicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor per-
formance, or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steer-
ing, suspension, chassis structure,
or tires.
Safety chains must always be used
between your vehicle and trailer.
Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the ve-
hicle hitch. Cross the chains under
the trailer tongue and allow
enough slack for turning corners.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. When
parking, apply the parking brake
on the tow vehicle. Put the tow
vehicle automatic transmission in
PARK. Always, block or "chock"
the trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
Total weight must be distrib-
uted between the tow vehicle
and the trailer such that the
following four ratings are not
exceeded:
1. Max loading as defined on the
“Tire and Loading Information”
placard.
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4.
Tongue weight rating for the
trailer hitch utilized. (This re-
quirement may limit the ability to
always achieve the 10% to 15%
range of tongue weight as a per-
centage of total trailer weight.)
246