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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING:Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
the gearshift is latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the off
position and remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
WARNING:Do not apply the brake pedal and accelerator pedal
simultaneously. Applying both pedals simultaneously for more
than three seconds will limit engine rpm, which may result in difficulty
maintaining speed in traffic and could lead to serious injury.
PowerShift Six-Speed Automatic Transmission
Your vehicle has been designed to improve fuel economy by reducing
fuel usage while compared to a traditional automatic transmission. When
you take your foot off the accelerator pedal and the vehicle begins to
slow down you may perceive a light to medium braking sensation as the
transmissions makes adjustments.
P (Park)
This position locks the transmission
and prevents the front wheels from
turning.
To put your vehicle in gear:
•Press the brake pedal
•Move the gearshift lever into the
desired gear
To put your vehicle in P (Park):
•Come to a complete stop
•Move the gearshift lever and securely latch it in P (Park)
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever in R (Reverse), the vehicle will move backward.
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into and out of R (Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in N (Neutral), the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.
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D (Drive)
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through six.
D (Drive) with Overdrive Cancel/Grade Assist
Pressing the transmission control
switch on the side of the gearshift
lever activates overdrive cancel and
grade assist.
Overdrive cancel/grade assist
•Overdrive is deactivated.
•The transmission operates in gears one through five.
•The grade assist lamp in the instrument cluster is illuminated.
•Improves driving experience in hilly terrain or mountainous areas by
providing additional grade (engine) braking and extends lower gear
operation on uphill climbs.
•Provides additional engine braking through the automatic transmission
shift strategy which reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle acceleration,
accelerator pedal, brake pedal and vehicle speed).
•Allows the transmission to select gears that will provide the desired
engine braking based on the vehicle inputs mentioned above. This will
increase engine RPM during engine braking.
Overdrive cancel with grade assist is designed to provide optimal gear
selection in hilly terrain or mountainous areas. It is recommended that
you return to D (Drive) on flat terrain to provide the best fuel economy
and transmission function.
To return to D (Drive), press the transmission control switch again.
•The grade assist lamp in the instrument cluster will not be illuminated.
•The transmission will operate in gears one through six.
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L (Low)
This position:
•Provides maximum engine braking.
•Will downshift to the lowest available gear for the current vehicle
speed; allows for first gear when vehicle reaches slower speeds.
•Is not intended for use under extended or normal driving conditions
and results in lower fuel economy.
S (Sport) (If Equipped)
Moving the gearshift lever to S (Sport):
•Provides additional grade (engine) braking and extends lower gear
operation to enhance performance for uphill climbs, hilly terrain or
mountainous areas. This will increase engine RPM during engine
braking.
•Provides additional lower gear operation through the automatic
transmission shift strategy which reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle
acceleration, accelerator pedal, brake pedal and vehicle speed).
•Gears are selected more quickly and at higher engine speeds.
Understanding Your SelectShift Automatic® Transmission
(If Equipped)
Note:Your transmission must be in S (Sport) for SelectShift to operate
properly.
Your SelectShift automatic transmission gives you the ability to manually
change gears if you’d like. To use SelectShift, move the gearshift lever
into S (Sport). Now you can use the thumb toggle on the side of your
gearshift lever to select gears.
When using the toggle for manual
shifting:
•Press (+) on the toggle to
upshift.
•Press (–) on the toggle to
downshift.
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Upshift to the recommended shift speeds according to the following chart.
Upshifts when accelerating (recommended for best fuel
economy)
Shift from:
1 - 2 15 mph (24 km/h)
2 - 3 25 mph (40 km/h)
3 - 4 40 mph (64 km/h)
4 - 5 45 mph (72 km/h)
5 - 6 50 mph (80 km/h)
The instrument cluster will show the current selected gear you are in.
SelectShift will automatically make some downshifts for you if it has
determined that you have not downshifted in time. Although SelectShift
will make some downshifts for you, it will still allow you to downshift at
any time as long as SelectShift determines that the engine will not be
damaged from over-revving.
Note:If manual control is no longer desired, return the gear shift lever
from S (Sport) to D (Drive).
Note:Engine damage may occur if excessive engine revving is held
without shifting.
Brake-Shift Interlock
WARNING:Do not drive your vehicle until you verify that the
brake lamps are working.
WARNING:When doing this procedure, you will be taking the
vehicle out of park which means the vehicle can roll freely. To
avoid unwanted vehicle movement, always fully set the parking brake
prior to doing this procedure. Use wheel chocks if appropriate.
WARNING:If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake
warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be
working properly. See your authorized dealer.
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Parking Your Vehicle
WARNING:Do not park your vehicle in Neutral, it may move
unexpectedly and injure someone. Use 1 (First) gear and set the
parking brake fully.
To park your vehicle:
1. Apply the brake and shift into the neutral position.
2. Fully apply the parking brake, hold the clutch pedal down, then shift
into position 1.
3. Turn the ignition off.
HILL START ASSIST (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING:The hill start assist feature does not replace the
parking brake. When you leave the vehicle, always apply the
parking brake and shift the transmission into P (Park) for automatic
transmission or 1st gear for manual transmissions.
WARNING:You must remain in the vehicle once you have
activated the hill start assist feature.
WARNING:During all times, you are responsible for controlling
the vehicle, supervising the hill start assist system and
intervening, if required.
WARNING:If the engine is revved excessively, or if a
malfunction is detected when the hill start assist feature is active,
the hill start assist feature will be deactivated.
This feature makes it easier to pull away when the vehicle is on a slope
without the need to use the parking brake. When this feature is active,
the vehicle will remain stationary on the slope for two to three seconds
after you release the brake pedal. This allows you time to move your
foot from the brake to the accelerator pedal. The brakes are released
automatically once the engine has developed sufficient drive to prevent
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the vehicle from rolling down the slope. This is an advantage when
pulling away on a slope, (for example from a car park ramp, traffic lights
or when reversing uphill into a parking space).
This feature is activated automatically on any slope that can result in
significant vehicle rollback.
Using Hill Start Assist
Note:If the engine is revved excessively, hill start assist will be
deactivated.
1. Press the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a complete standstill.
Keep the brake pedal pressed.
2. If the sensors detect that the vehicle is on a slope, the hill start assist
feature will be activated automatically.
3. When you remove your foot from the brake pedal, the vehicle will
remain on the slope without rolling away for approximately two or three
seconds. This hold time will automatically be extended if you are in the
process of driving off.
4. Drive off in the normal manner. The brakes will be released
automatically.
Note:Using the brakes and the hill start assist is the recommended
method of holding a position on a hill. It is not recommended to use the
accelerator pedal and engine torque to hold a hill position for an
extended period of time. Doing so will over heat the clutch in vehicles
equipped with a manual transmissions.
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Anti-Lock Brake System
This system helps you maintain steering control during emergency stops
by keeping the brakes from locking.
This lamp momentarily illuminates when you turn the ignition
on. If the light does not illuminate during start-up, remains on
or flashes, the anti-lock brake system may be disabled and may
need to be serviced.
If the anti-lock brake system is disabled, normal braking is still
effective. If the brake warning lamp illuminates with the parking
brake released, have your brake system serviced immediately.
HINTS ON DRIVING WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES
When the system is operating, the brake pedal will pulse and may travel
further. Maintain pressure on the brake pedal. You may also hear a noise
from the system. This is normal.
The anti-lock braking system will not eliminate the dangers inherent when:
•you drive too closely to the vehicle in front of you.
•your vehicle is hydroplaning.
•you take corners too fast.
•the road surface is poor.
PARKING BRAKE
WARNING:If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake
warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be
working properly. See your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING:Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
that the transmission selector lever is securely latched in position
P(automatic transmission) or position1(manual transmission).
To set the parking brake, pull the parking brake handle up as far as possible.
To release the parking brake:
1.
Press and hold the button located at the end of the parking brake handle.
2. Pull the handle up slightly, then push the handle down.
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The AdvanceTrac® system helps you keep control of your vehicle when
on a slippery surface. The electronic stability control portion of the system
helps avoid skids and lateral slides and the traction control system helps
avoid drive wheel spin and loss of traction. See theTraction Control
chapter for details on traction control system operation.
AVehicle without AdvanceTrac®
skidding off its intended route.
BVehicle with AdvanceTrac®
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.
USING ADVANCETRAC®
The system automatically activates when you start your engine.
The AdvanceTrac® system cannot be completely turned off, but the
electronic stability control portion of the system is disabled when the
transmission is in positionR.You can turn off the traction control
portion of the system independently. See theTraction Controlchapter.
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