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Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position f or more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds bef ore trying again.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Starting the Engine
268
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page .The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
101
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These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shif t
lever is in.The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it f lashes while driving (in
any shif t position), it indicates a
possible problem in the transmission.
If the malf unction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicator, there is a problem with the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration, and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
To shif t f rom Park to any position,
pressfirmlyonthebrakepedal,and
pull the shif t lever toward you. You
cannot shif t out of Park when the
ignition switch is in the LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I) position.
When the ‘‘D’’ indicator warns of a
possible problem with the
transmission, you will see a ‘‘CHECK
TRANSMISSION’’ message on the
multi-information display (see
page
).
91
CONT INUED
On models with navigation system
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Automatic Transmission
269
SHIFT LEVER
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µµThis position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal. Pull the shift lever
towards you, then move it out
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
You must also pull the shif t lever
towards you to shift into Park. To
avoid transmission damage, come to
a complete stop bef ore shif ting into
Park. The shif t lever must be in Park
for you to remove the key from the
ignition switch. Press the brake
pedal and pull the shift lever towards
you to shift from Park to reverse. To
shift from reverse to neutral, come
to a complete stop, and then shift.
Pull the shift lever towards you
before shifting into reverse
273
To shift from: PtoR
RtoP
NtoR Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoN
NtoD RtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
pull the shift lever towards
you.
Pull the shift lever towards
you.
Move the shift lever.
Automatic Transmission
Park (P)
Shif t L ock Release Reverse (R)
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Driving
of Park.
from neutral.
Page 276 of 422

µ
µ
CONT INUED
Press the D3 switch on the end of
the shif t lever to turn this mode on
or of f ; the D3 indicator comes on
whenever D3 is selected.
TheD3switchcanbeoperatedonly
when the ignition switch is in the ON
(II) position and the shif t lever is in
the D position.
Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) f or your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shif ting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up f aster.
Af ter you stop in D, 2, 1, N, or R
position with the ignition switch in
the ACCESSORY (I) position f or an
extended period, you may not be
able to move the shift lever from
neutral to reverse or Park. In this
case, press the brake pedal, and turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, then shif t out of neutral. Use neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from neutral to
another gear.
Automatic Transmission
D3Drive (D)
Neutral (N)
271
D3 SWITCH
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µTo shif t f rom second to
first, pull the shift lever towards you,
then shif t to the lower gear. This
position locks the transmission in
f irst gear. By upshif ting and
downshif ting through 1, 2, and D,
you can operate the transmission
much like a manual transmission
without a clutch pedal.
If you shif t into f irst position when
the vehicle speed is above 28 mph
(45 km/h), the transmission shif ts
into second gear first to avoid
sudden engine braking. If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
rpm below the red zone.
This allows you to move the shif t
lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pulling the shif t lever does
not work.
Set the parking brake.
Make sure the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) position.
Putaclothonthenotchof the
shif t lock release slot cover to
prevent scratches. Using a small
f lat-tip screwdriver or a metal
f ingernail f ile, caref ully pry on the
notch of the cover to remove it.
1.
2.
3.
CONT INUED
First (1)
Engine Speed Limiter Shift Lock Release
Automatic Transmission
273
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Page 279 of 422
Insert the built-in key into the shift
lock release slot.
Push down on the key while you
pull the shif t lever towards you,
and move it out of Park to neutral.Remove the key from the shift
lock release slot, then reinstall the
cover. Make sure the notch on the
cover is on the instrument panel
side. Insert the key into the
ignition switch, press the brake
pedal, and restart the engine.Your vehicle is equipped with a
Variable Torque Management
4-wheel-drive system (VTM-4)that
distributes engine torque to the
appropriate drive axle depending on
the available traction conditions. The
system is completely automatic,
always active, and does not require
any driver interaction.
If you need to use the shif t lock
release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer. 6.
4.
5.
Automatic Transmission, VTM-4System
VTM-4System
274
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
COVER
VTM-4 LOCK BUTTON
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This device complies with the
appropriate requirements or the
required standards. See page f or
more inf ormation.Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly, or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.Set the parking brake bef ore you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission.
400
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Parking
Parking
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Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes.
Make sure the moonroof (if
equipped) and the
windows are closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.
in the cargo area in your vehicle or
the In-Bed Trunk, or take them
with you.
Lock the doors.
Check the indicator on the driver’s
door to verify that the security
system is set.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.If the vehicle is facing uphill,
turn the front wheels away
from the curb.
If the vehicle is facing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward
the curb.
On vehicles with security system
Parking
Parking T ips
285
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