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If your RKE transmitter fails to operate from a normal
distance, check for these two conditions:
1. A weak battery in the transmitter. The expected life ofthe battery is a minimum of three years.
2. Closeness to a radio transmitter such as a radio station tower, airport transmitter, and some mobile or CB
radios.
DOOR LOCKS
Press the central LOCK/UNLOCK button located on the
instrument panel, in the switch bank below the radio.
The button has an LED that indicates whether the doors
are locked or unlocked.
•LED ON: doors locked. Pressing the central LOCK/
UNLOCK button once will unlock all doors. The LED
will switch off once the doors are unlocked. •
LED OFF: doors unlocked. Pressing the central
LOCK/UNLOCK button once will lock all doors. The
LED will switch on once the doors are locked.
Central LOCK/UNLOCK Button
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 21
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Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the
vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken,
damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open
seams or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes
to seep into the passenger compartment. In addition,
inspect the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically, checking for
cuts, frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be
replaced immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the
system.Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor,
torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question regarding seat
belt or retractor condition, replace the seat belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for four
to eight seconds as a bulb check when the
ignition switch is first turned ON. If the light is
not lit during starting, see your authorized
dealer. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes on while
driving, have the system checked by an authorized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83
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The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tempera-
ture when driving in hot weather, or up mountain
grades. It should not be allowed to exceed the upper
limits of the normal operating range.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If all the segments of the temperature
gauge are lit, pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the
vehicle with the air conditioner turned off until the
pointer drops back into the normal range. If you hear
continuous chimes, turn the engine off immediately and
call an authorized dealer for service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer
for service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to
look under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your
Vehicle.” Follow the warnings under the “Cooling
System Pressure Cap” paragraph.
12. Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine condition. The
engine coolant temperature indicator will illuminate and
a single chime will sound after reaching a set threshold.
If the light turns on while driving, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on, turn it off. Also,
shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the ve-
hicle. If the temperature reading does not return to
normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service. Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in “What To
Do In Emergencies” for further information.
160 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
Page 188 of 409
NOTE:If you experience difficulty in playing a particular
disc, it may be damaged (i.e., scratched, reflective coating
removed, a hair, moisture or dew on the disc) oversized,
or have protection encoding. Try a known good disc
before considering disc player service.
RADIO OPERATION AND MOBILE PHONES
Under certain conditions, the mobile phone being on in
your vehicle can cause erratic or noisy performance from
your radio. This condition may be lessened or eliminated
by relocating the mobile phone antenna. This condition is
not harmful to the radio. If your radio performance does
not satisfactorily “clear” by the repositioning of the
antenna, it is recommended that the radio volume be
turned down or off during mobile phone operation.
CLIMATE CONTROLS
Manual Climate Control System
Controls
The Manual Climate controls consist of a series of rotary
dials, an inner push knob and two push buttons.
Manual Temperature Control (MTC)
186 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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1. Temperature Control
Rotate this control to regulate the temperature of the air
inside the passenger compartment. Rotating the dial to
the left into the blue area of the scale indicates cooler
temperatures, while rotating to the right into the red area
indicates warmer temperatures.
2. Recirculation Control
Push this control button to change the system between
recirculation mode and outside air mode. Recirculation
can be used when outside conditions such as smoke,
odors, dust, or high humidity are present.NOTE:
•Continuous use of the Recirculation mode may make
the inside air stuffy and window fogging may occur.
Extended use of this mode is not recommended.
• The use of the Recirculation mode in cold or damp
weather could cause windows to fog on the inside,
because of moisture buildup inside the vehicle. Se-
lect the outside air position for maximum defogging.
• Recirculation can be used in all modes except for
Defrost.
• The A/C can be deselected manually without dis-
turbing the mode control selection.
3. Blower Control
Rotate this control to regulate the amount of air forced
through the ventilation system in any mode. The blower
speed increases as you move the control to the right from
the “0” (OFF) position. There are four blower speeds.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 187
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4. A/C Button
Press this button to engage the Air Conditioning. A light
will illuminate when the Air Conditioning system is
engaged.
MAX A/C
For maximum cooling, use the A/C and recirculation
modes at the same time.
ECONOMY MODE
If economy mode is desired, press the A/C button to turn
OFF the indicator light and the A/C compressor. Then,
move the temperature control to the desired temperature.
5. Rear Defrost Control
Press and release the Rear Defrost Control button to turn
ON the rear window defroster and the heated outside
mirrors (if equipped). An indicator will illuminate whenthe rear window defroster is ON. The rear window
defroster automatically turns OFF after 20 minutes.
6. Mode Control
Rotate this control to change the system between Modes
(Panel, Bi-Level, Floor, Mix, Defrost).
•
Panel
Air is directed through the outlets in the instru-
ment panel. These outlets can be adjusted to direct
airflow.
NOTE: The center instrument panel outlets can be aimed
so that they are directed toward the rear seat passengers
for maximum airflow to the rear.
• Bi-Level
Air is directed through the panel and floor outlets.
188 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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•Floor
Air is directed through the floor outlets with a
small amount flowing through the defrost and
side window demister outlets.
• Mix
Air is directed through the floor, defrost, and side
window demister outlets. This setting works best
in cold or snowy conditions that require extra heat
to the windshield. This setting is good for maintaining
comfort while reducing moisture on the windshield.
• Defrost
Air is directed through the windshield and side
window demister outlets. Use this mode with
maximum blower and temperature settings for best
windshield and side window defrosting. NOTE:
The air conditioning compressor operates in Mix
or Defrost, even if the Air Conditioning (A/C) button is
not pressed. This dehumidifies the air to help dry the
windshield. To improve fuel economy, use these modes
only when necessary.
Rear Window Defrosting
Press, and release the rear window defrost button to turn
the function on/off.
The activation of the function is indicated by the rear
defrost warning light on the instrument panel switching
on. The function is automatically deactivated after 20
minutes.
If equipped, press the rear defrost button to activate
defrosting of door mirrors and heated rear window.4
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NOTE:Do not affix stickers to the inside of the heated
rear window over the heating filaments, to avoid damage
that might cause them to stop working properly.
Air Recirculation
Press and release the Air Recirculation button, so that the
LED on the button switch is on, to enter recirculation
mode. It is advisable to switch internal air recirculation
on while standing in traffic or in tunnels to prevent the
introduction of polluted air.
Do not use the function for a long time, particularly if
there are many passengers on board, to prevent the
windows from misting up.
NOTE: Internal air recirculation makes it possible to
reach the required heating or cooling conditions more
quickly depending on the mode selected. Do not use the
internal air recirculation function on rainy/cold days as it
would considerably increase the possibility of the win-
dows misting.
Air Distribution Selection
Rotate the Mode Control knob to manually select one of
the five possible air distribution settings in the passenger
compartment:
Air flow to the front windshield, front side win-
dow and front/rear footwell diffusers.
Air flow to the front/rear footwell diffusers. This
air distribution allows the passenger compart-
ment to be heated quickly.
Air flow distributed between central and side
dashboard vents and front/rear footwell vents.
Air flow to central/side dashboard vents (passen-
ger ’s body).
190 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL