Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel
economy has been included in the au-
tomatic transmission on your vehicle.
A clutch within the torque converter
engages automatically at calibrated
speeds. This may result in a slightly
different feeling or response during
normal operation in the upper gears.
When the vehicle speed drops or dur-
ing some accelerations, the clutch au-
tomatically disengages.
NOTE: The torque converter
clutch will not engage until the
transmission fluid and engine
coolant are warm [usually after 2
to 5 km of driving]. Because the
engine speed is higher when the
torque converter clutch is not en-
gaged, it may seem as if the trans-
mission is not shifting into Over-
drive when cold. This is normal.
Using the Electronic Range Select
(ERS) shift control, when the
transmission is sufficiently warm,
will demonstrate that the trans-
mission is able to shift into and out
of Overdrive.DRIVING ON SLIPPERY
SURFACES
ACCELERATION
Rapid acceleration on snow covered,
wet, or other slippery surfaces may
cause the driving wheels to pull errati-
cally to the right or left. This phenom-
enon occurs when there is a difference
in the surface traction under the front
(driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery sur-
faces is dangerous. Unequal trac-
tion can cause sudden pulling of the
front wheels. You could lose control
of the vehicle and possibly have a
collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to
be poor traction (ice, snow, wet,
mud, loose sand, etc.).
TRACTION
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
it is possible for a layer of water to
build up between the tire and road surface. This is known as hydroplan-
ing and may cause partial or complete
loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the
following precautions should be ob-
served:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or
when roads are slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing
water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear
indicators first become visible.
4. Keep the tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance be-
tween your vehicle and the vehicle in
front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
DRIVING THROUGH
WATER
Driving through water more than a
few centimeters deep will require ex-
tra caution to ensure safety and pre-
vent damage to your vehicle.
238
FLOWING/RISING WATERWARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or
path where water is flowing and/or
rising (as in storm run-off). Flow-
ing water can wear away the road
or path's surface and cause your
vehicle to sink into deeper water.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising
water can carry your vehicle away
swiftly. Failure to follow this warn-
ing may result in injuries that are
serious or fatal to you, your passen-
gers, and others around you.
SHALLOW STANDING
WATER
Although your vehicle is capable of
driving through shallow standing wa-
ter, consider the following Caution
and Warning before doing so.
CAUTION!
Always check the depth of the
standing water before driving
through it. Never drive through
standing water that is deeper than
the bottom of the tire rims mounted
on the vehicle.
Determine the condition of the road
or the path that is under water and
if there are any obstacles in the way
before driving through the standing
water.
Do not exceed 8 km/h when driving
through standing water. This will
minimize wave effects. (Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
Driving through standing water
may cause damage to your vehicle’s
drivetrain components. Always in-
spect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., en-
gine oil, transmission, axle, etc.) for
signs of contamination (i.e., fluid
that is milky or foamy in appear-
ance) after driving through stand-
ing water. Do not continue to oper-
ate the vehicle if any fluid appears
contaminated, as this may result in
further damage. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Getting water inside your vehicle’s
engine can cause it to lock up and
stall out, and cause serious internal
damage to the engine. Such dam-
age is not covered by the New Ve-
hicle Limited Warranty.
239
WARNING!
Driving through standing waterlimits your vehicle’s traction ca-
pabilities. Do not exceed 8 km/h
when driving through standing
water.
Driving through standing water
limits your vehicle’s braking ca-
pabilities, which increases stop-
ping distances. Therefore, after
driving through standing water,
drive slowly and lightly press on
the brake pedal several times to
dry the brakes.
Getting water inside your vehi-
cle’s engine can cause it to lock up
and stall out, and leave you
stranded.
Failure to follow these warnings may result in injuries that are se-
rious or fatal to you, your passen-
gers, and others around you. POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system
will give you good vehicle response
and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will pro-
vide mechanical steering capability if
power assist is lost.
If for some reason the power assist is
interrupted, it will still be possible to
steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial
increase in steering effort, especially
at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.
NOTE:
Increased noise levels at the end
of the steering wheel travel are
considered normal and do not
indicate that there is a problem
with the power steering system.
Upon initial start-up in cold weather, the power steering
pump may make noise for a
short amount of time. This is due
to the cold, thick fluid in the
steering system. This noise
should be considered normal, and it does not in any way dam-
age the steering system.
WARNING!
Continued operation with reduced
power steering assist could pose a
safety risk to yourself and others.
Service should be obtained as soon
as possible.CAUTION!
Prolonged operation of the steering
system at the end of the steering
wheel travel will increase the steer-
ing fluid temperature and it should
be avoided when possible. Damage
to the power steering pump may
occur.
POWER STEERING FLUID
CHECK
Checking the power steering fluid
level at a defined service interval is
not required. The fluid should only be
checked if a leak is suspected, abnor-
mal noises are apparent, and/or the
system is not functioning as antici-
pated. Coordinate inspection efforts
through an authorized dealer.
240
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your
power steering system as the
chemicals can damage your power
steering components. Such damage
is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.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, Lubri-
cants, and Genuine Parts” in “Main-
taining Your Vehicle” for further in-
formation. PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure
that the parking brake is fully applied
and place the shift lever in the PARK
position.
The foot operated parking brake is
positioned below the lower left corner
of the instrument panel. To apply the
park brake, firmly push the park
brake pedal fully. To release the park-
ing brake, press the park brake pedal
a second time and let your foot up as
you feel the brake disengage.
When the parking brake is applied
with the ignition switch in the ON
position, the “Brake Warning Light”
in the instrument cluster will illumi-
nate.NOTE:
When the parking brake is ap-
plied and the automatic trans-
mission is placed in gear, the
“Brake Warning Light” will
flash. If vehicle speed is de-
tected, 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 ap-
plication.
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 transmis-
sion locking mechanism may make it
difficult to move the shift lever out of
PARK. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied whenever the driver
is not in the vehicle.
Parking Brake
241
WARNING!
The BAS cannot prevent thenatural laws of physics from act-
ing on the vehicle, nor can it in-
crease the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions.
The BAS cannot prevent colli-
sions, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns,
driving on very slippery surfaces,
or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of a BAS- equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopar-
dize the user's safety or the safety
of others. ELECTRONIC STABILITY
CONTROL (ESC)
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
enhances directional control and sta-
bility of the vehicle under various driv-
ing conditions. ESC corrects for over/
under steering of the vehicle by
applying the brake of the appropriate
wheel to assist in counteracting the
over/under steer condition. Engine
power may also be reduced to help the
vehicle maintain the desired path.ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to
determine the vehicle path intended
by the driver and compares it to the
actual path of the vehicle. When the
actual path does not match the in-
tended path, ESC applies the brake of
the appropriate wheel to assist in
counteracting the oversteer or under-
steer condition.
Oversteer - when the vehicle is
turning more than appropriate for
the steering wheel position.
Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than appropriate for
the steering wheel position.
WARNING!
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) cannot prevent the natural
laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the trac-
tion afforded by prevailing road
conditions. ESC cannot prevent ac-
cidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, driv-
ing on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. ESC also cannot
prevent accidents resulting from
loss of vehicle control due to inap-
propriate driver input for the con-
ditions. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ESC
equipped vehicle must never be ex-
ploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.WARNING!
In partial ESC mode, the engine
power reduction feature of ESC is
disabled. Therefore, enhanced ve-
hicle stability offered by the ESC
system is reduced.
245
ESC Operating ModesThe “ESC Off” switch is lo-
cated in the center switch
bank, next to the hazard
flasher switch.
ESC On
This mode is the normal operating
mode for ESC on two-wheel drive ve-
hicles. Whenever the vehicle is
started, the ESC system will be in this
mode. This mode should be used for
most driving situations. ESC should
only be turned off for specific reasons
as noted below.
ESC Partial Off
This mode is entered by momentarily
pressing the “ESC Off” switch.
When in the “Partial Off” mode, the
TCS portion of ESC, except for the
“limited slip” feature described in the
TCS section, has been disabled and
the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will be
illuminated. When in the “Partial
Off” mode, ESC will operate without
engine torque management. This mode is intended to be used if the
vehicle is in deep snow, sand or gravel
conditions and more wheel spin than
ESC would normally allow is required
to gain traction. To turn ESC on
again, momentarily press the “ESC
Off” switch. This will restore the nor-
mal “ESC On” mode of operation.
NOTE: To improve the vehicle's
traction when driving with snow
chains, or starting off in deep
snow, sand or gravel, it may be
desirable to switch to the “Partial
Off” mode by pressing the “ESC
Off” switch. Once the situation re-
quiring ESC to be switched to the
“Partial Off” mode is overcome,
turn ESC back on by momentarily
pressing the “ESC Off” switch.
This may be done while the vehicle
is in motion.
WARNING!
In partial ESC mode, the engine
power reduction feature of ESC is
disabled. Therefore, enhanced ve-
hicle stability offered by the ESC
system is reduced.
ESC Activation/Malfunction
Indicator Light And ESC OFF
Indicator Light
The “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator
Light” in the instrument
cluster will come on when
the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position. It should turn off with the
engine running. If the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” comes on continuously with
the engine running, a malfunction has
been detected in the ESC system. If
this light remains on after several ig-
nition cycles, and the vehicle has been
driven several kilometers at speeds
greater than 48 km/h, see your autho-
rized dealer as soon as possible to
have the problem diagnosed and
corrected.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction In-
dicator Light” (located in the instru-
ment cluster) starts to flash as soon as
the tires lose traction and the ESC sys-
tem becomes active. The “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” also flashes when TCS is active.
246
WARNING!
High speed driving with your ve-
hicle under load is dangerous. The
added strain on your tires could
cause them to fail. You could have a
serious collision. Do not drive a ve-
hicle loaded to maximum capacity
at continuous speeds above
120 km/h.
RADIAL-PLY TIRESWARNING!
Combining radial ply tires with
other types of tires on your vehicle
will cause your vehicle to handle
poorly. The instability could cause
a collision. Always use radial ply
tires in sets of four. Never combine
them with other types of tires.
Cuts and punctures in radial tires are
repairable only in the tread area be-
cause of sidewall flexing. Consult
your authorized tire dealer for radial
tire repairs. SPARE TIRE MATCHING
ORIGINAL EQUIPPED
TIRE AND WHEEL (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
Your vehicle may be equivalent with a
spare tire and wheel in look and func-
tion as the original equipment tire and
wheel found on the front or rear axle
of your vehicle. This spare tire may be
used in the tire rotation for your ve-
hicle. If your vehicle has this option
refer to an authorized tire dealer for
the recommended tire rotation pat-
tern.
If your vehicle is not equipped with an
original equipment tire and wheel as a
spare, a non-matching temporary
emergency use spare may be equipped
with your vehicle. Temporary use
spares are engineered to be used only
with your vehicle. Your vehicle may
be equipped with one of the following
types of non-matching temporary use
spares; compact, full size, or limited-
use. Do not install more than one non-
matching temporary use spare tire/
wheel on the vehicle at any given time.
CAUTION!
Because of the reduced ground
clearance, do not take your vehicle
through an automatic car wash
with a compact, full size or limited-
use temporary spare installed.
Damage to the vehicle may result.
COMPACT SPARE TIRE (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
The compact spare is for temporary
emergency use only. You can identify
if your vehicle is equipped with a
compact spare by looking at the spare
tire description on the Tire and Load-
ing Information Placard located on
the driver’s side door opening or on
the sidewall of the tire. Compact spare
tire descriptions begin with the letter
“T” or “S” preceding the size desig-
nation. Example: T145/80D18
103M.
T, S = Temporary Spare Tire.
249
5. Once you repair or replace the
original road tire, and reinstall it on
the vehicle in place of the compact
spare, the TPMS will update auto-
matically. In addition, the “Tire Pres-
sure Monitoring Telltale Light” will
turn off and the graphic in the EVIC
will display a new pressure value in-
stead of dashes (- -), as long no tire
pressure is below the low pressure
warning limit in any of the four active
road tires.
NOTE: The vehicle may need to
be driven for up to 20 minutes
above 24 km/h in order for the
TPMS to receive this information.
TPMS DEACTIVATION AND
REACTIVATIONThe TPMS can be deactivated if replac-
ing all four wheel and tire assemblies
(road tires) with wheel and tire assem-
blies that do not have TPMS Sensors,
such as when installing winter wheel
and tire assemblies on your vehicle.To deactivate the TPMS, first, replace
all four wheel and tire assemblies
(road tires) with those not equippedwith TPM Sensors. Then, drive the
vehicle for at least 20 minutes above
24 km/h. The TPMS will chime and
the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light” will flash on and off for 75
seconds and then remain on solid. In
addition, the Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC) will display a
“SERVICE TPM SYSTEM” message,
and the graphic will display “- -“ in
place of four tire pressure values.
Upon the next ignition switch cycle,
the TPMS will no longer chime or turn
on the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Tell-
tale Light” or display the text message
in the EVIC. However, the graphic
will still display “- -.“
To reactivate the TPMS, first, replace
all four wheel and tire assemblies
(road tires) with those equipped with
TPM Sensors. Then, drive the vehicle
for up to 20 minutes above 24 km/h.
The TPMS will chime and the “Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light”
will flash on and off for 75 seconds,
the EVIC will display a “SERVICE
TPM SYSTEM” message, and the
graphic will display tire pressure val-
ues to show that the TPMS is receiving
sensor data.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
— GASOLINE ENGINE
All engines are designed to meet all
emissions regulations and provide ex-
cellent fuel economy and performance
when using high quality unleaded
gasoline with a minimum research oc-
tane rating of 91. The use of premium
gasoline is not recommended, as it
will not provide any benefit over regu-
lar gasoline in these engines.
Light spark knock at low engine
speeds is not harmful to your engine.
However, continued heavy spark
knock at high speeds can cause dam-
age and immediate service is required.
Poor quality gasoline can cause prob-
lems such as hard starting, stalling,
and hesitations. If you experience
these symptoms, try another brand of
gasoline before considering service for
the vehicle.
267