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.
Apply the parking brake before plac-
ing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking
mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK. The
parking brake should always be ap-
plied whenever the driver is not in the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Never use the PARK position as asubstitute for the parking brake.
Always apply the parking brake
fully when parked to guard
against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key fob from the igni-
tion and lock your vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Never leave children alone in avehicle, or with access to an un-
locked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of rea-
sons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the shift lever.
Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in a location acces-
sible to children), and do not
leave the ignition of a vehicle
equipped with Keyless Enter-N-
Go™ in the ACC or ON/RUN
mode. A child could operate
power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged before driving; failure
to do so can lead to brake failure
and a collision.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Always fully apply the parkingbrake when leaving your vehicle,
or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also be certain to leave
the transmission in PARK. Fail-
ure to do so may allow the vehicle
to roll and cause damage or in-
jury.
CAUTION!
If the “Brake Warning Light” re-
mains on with the parking brake
released, a brake system malfunc-
tion is indicated. Have the brake
system serviced by an authorized
dealer immediately.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
provides increased vehicle stability
and brake performance under most
braking conditions. The system auto-
matically “pumps” the brakes during
severe braking conditions to prevent
wheel lock-up.
217
The Electronic Brake Force Distribu-
tion (EBD) prevents the rear wheels
from over-braking and provides
greater control of available braking
forces applied to the rear axle.
When the vehicle is driven over
11 km/h, you may also hear a slight
clicking sound as well as some related
motor noises. These noises are the sys-
tem performing its self check cycle to
ensure that the ABS is working prop-
erly. This self check occurs each time
the vehicle is started and accelerated
past 11 km/h.
ABS is activated during braking un-
der certain road or stopping condi-
tions. ABS-inducing conditions can
include ice, snow, gravel, bumps, rail-
road tracks, loose debris, or panic
stops.
You also may experience the following
when the brake system goes into Anti-
Lock:
The ABS motor running (it maycontinue to run for a short time
after the stop), The clicking sound of solenoid
valves,
Brake pedal pulsations, and
A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of
ABS.
WARNING!
The ABS contains sophisticated electronic equipment that may be
susceptible to interference caused
by improperly installed or high
output radio transmitting equip-
ment. This interference can cause
possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such
equipment should be performed
by qualified professionals.
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their effectiveness
and may lead to a collision.
Pumping makes the stopping dis-
tance longer. Just press firmly on
your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
The ABS cannot prevent thenatural laws of physics from act-
ing on the vehicle, nor can it in-
crease braking or steering effi-
ciency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle
brakes and tires or the traction
afforded.
The ABS cannot prevent colli- sions, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner that could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of
others.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be
the same size and type and tires must
be properly inflated to produce accu-
rate signals for the computer.
218
ELECTRONIC BRAKE
CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an ad-
vanced electronic brake control sys-
tem that include Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), Traction Control Sys-
tem (TCS), Brake Assist System
(BAS), and the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC). All four of these sys-
tems work together to enhance vehicle
stability and control in various driv-
ing conditions.
Also, your vehicle may be equipped
with Hill Start Assist (HSA), Ready
Alert Braking, and Rain Brake Sup-
port.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM (ABS)
This system aids the driver in main-
taining vehicle control under adverse
braking conditions by controlling hy-
draulic brake pressure. This prevents
wheel lock-up to help avoid skidding
on slippery surfaces during braking.
Refer to “Anti-Lock Brake System” in
“Starting and Operating” for further
information.
WARNING!
The ABS cannot prevent the natu-
ral laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. The ABS cannot
prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery sur-
faces, or hydroplaning. The capa-
bilities of an ABS-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner that
could jeopardize the user's safety or
the safety of others.
TRACTION CONTROL
SYSTEM (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of
wheel spin of each driven wheel. If
wheel spin is detected, brake pressure
is applied to the slipping wheel(s) and
engine power is reduced to provide
enhanced acceleration and stability.
A feature of the TCS system, Brake
Lock Differential (BLD), controls the
wheel spin across a driven axle. If one
wheel on a driven axle is spinningfaster than the other, the system will
apply the brake of the spinning wheel.
This will allow more engine torque to
be applied to the wheel that is not
spinning. This feature remains active
even if TCS and ESC are in the “Par-
tial Off” mode. Refer to “Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)” in this sec-
tion for more information.
BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM
(BAS)
This system complements the ABS by
optimizing the vehicle braking capa-
bility during emergency brake ma-
neuvers. This system detects an emer-
gency braking situation by sensing
the rate and amount of brake applica-
tion and then applies optimum pres-
sure to the brakes. This can help re-
duce braking distances.
Applying the brakes very quickly re-
sults in the best BAS assistance. To
receive the benefits of this system, you
must apply continuous brake pedal
pressure during the stopping se-
quence. Do not reduce brake pedal
pressure unless braking is no longer
219
desired. Once the brake pedal is re-
leased, the BAS is deactivated.
WARNING!
The BAS cannot prevent the natu-
ral laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. The BAS cannot
prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery sur-
faces, or hydroplaning. The capa-
bilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner that
could jeopardize the user's safety or
the safety of others.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY
CONTROL (ESC)
This system enhances directional con-
trol and stability of the vehicle under
various driving conditions. The ESC
corrects for oversteering and under-
steering the vehicle by applying the
brake of the appropriate wheel. En-
gine power may also be reduced to
assist in counteracting the condition
of oversteer or understeer and help
the vehicle maintain the desired path.
The ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to
determine the path that the driver
intends to steer the vehicle and com-
pares it to the actual path of the ve-
hicle. When the actual path does not
match the intended path, the ESC
applies the brake of the appropriate
wheel to assist in counteracting the
condition of oversteer or understeer.
Oversteer - when the vehicle isturning 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 all
accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, driv-
ing on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. ESC also cannot
prevent collisions 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.
ESC Operating Modes
The ESC system has two or three
available operating modes:
ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for
the ESC. Whenever the vehicle is
220
WARNING!
In the ESC “Full Off” mode, the
engine torque reduction and stabil-
ity features are disabled. In an
emergency evasive maneuver, the
ESC system will not engage to assist
in maintaining stability. “ESC Off”
mode is intended for off-highway
or off-road use only.
HILL START ASSIST (HSA)
The HSA system is designed to assist
the driver when starting a vehicle
from a stop on a hill. HSA will main-
tain the level of brake pressure the
driver applied for a short period of
time after the driver takes their foot
off of the brake pedal. If the driver
does not apply the throttle during this
short period of time, the system will
release brake pressure and the vehicle
will roll down the hill. The system will
release brake pressure in proportion
to the amount of throttle applied as
the vehicle starts to move in the in-
tended direction of travel.HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in
order for HSA to activate:
Vehicle must be stopped.
Vehicle must be on a 6% (approxi-
mate) grade or greater hill.
Gear selection matches vehicle up- hill direction (i.e., vehicle facing
uphill is in forward gear; vehicle
backing uphill is in REVERSE
gear).
HSA will work in REVERSE and all
forward gears when the activation cri-
teria have been met. The system will
not activate if the vehicle is placed in
NEUTRAL or PARK.
WARNING!
There may be situations on minor
hills with a loaded vehicle, or while
pulling a trailer, when the system
will not activate and slight rolling
may occur. This could cause a col-
lision with another vehicle or ob-
ject. Always remember the driver is
responsible for braking the vehicle. Towing With HSA
HSA will provide assistance when
starting on a grade when pulling a
trailer.
WARNING!
If you use a trailer brake control-
ler with your trailer, your trailer
brakes may be activated and de-
activated with the brake switch.
If so, when the brake pedal is
released there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold the vehicle
and trailer on a hill and this could
cause a collision with another ve-
hicle or object behind you. In or-
der to avoid rolling down the hill
while resuming acceleration,
manually activate the trailer
brake prior to releasing the brake
pedal. Always remember the
driver is responsible for braking
the vehicle.
(Continued)
222
WARNING!(Continued)
HSA is not a parking brake. Al-ways apply the parking brake
fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave the trans-
mission in PARK.
Failure to follow these warnings may cause the vehicle to roll
down the incline and could col-
lide with another vehicle, object
or person, and cause serious or
fatal injury. Always remember to
use the parking brake while park-
ing on a hill and that the driver is
responsible for braking the ve-
hicle.
NOTE: The HSA system may also
be turned on and off if the vehicle
is equipped with the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC). Refer to “Electronic Ve-
hicle Information Center (EVIC)”
in “Understanding Your Instru-
ment Panel” for further informa-
tion. HSA Off
If you wish to turn off the HSA sys-
tem, it can be done using the Cus-
tomer Programmable Features in the
Uconnect® System. Refer to
“Uconnect® SETTINGS” in “Under-
standing Your Instrument Panel” for
further information.
READY ALERT BRAKING
Ready Alert Braking may reduce the
time required to reach full braking
during emergency braking situations.
It anticipates when an emergency
braking situation may occur by moni-
toring how fast the throttle is released
by the driver. When the throttle is
released very quickly, Ready Alert
Braking applies a small amount of
brake pressure. This brake pressure
will not be noticed by the driver. The
brake system uses this brake pressure
to allow a fast brake response if the
driver applies the brakes.
RAIN BRAKE SUPPORT
Rain Brake Support may improve
braking performance in wet condi-
tions. It will periodically apply a smallamount of brake pressure to remove
any water buildup on the front brake
rotors. It only functions when the
windshield wipers are in the LO or HI
mode, it does not function in the in-
termittent mode. When Rain Brake
Support is active, there is no notifica-
tion to the driver and no driver inter-
action is required.
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 go out 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
223
in its "loaded and ready for opera-
tion" condition. The recommended
way to measure GTW is to put your
fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
The entire weight of the trailer must
be supported by the scale.
Gross Combination Weight Rating
(GCWR)
The GCWR is the total permissible
weight of your vehicle and trailer
when weighed in combination.
NOTE: The GCWR rating in-
cludes a 68 kg allowance for the
presence of a driver.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity
of the front and rear axles. Distribute
the load over the front and rear axles
evenly. Make sure that you do not
exceed either front or rear GAWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle
Certification Label” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.WARNING!
It is important that you do not ex-
ceed the maximum front or rear
GAWR. A dangerous driving condi-
tion can result if either rating is
exceeded. You could lose control of
the vehicle and have a collision.
Tongue Weight (TW)
The tongue weight is the downward
force exerted on the hitch ball by the
trailer. In most cases, it should not be
less than 7% or more than 10% of the
trailer load. Tongue weight must not
exceed the lesser of either the hitch
certification rating, or the trailer
tongue chassis rating. It should never
be less than 4% of the trailer load, and
not less than 25 kg. You must consider
tongue load as part of the load on your
vehicle and its GAWR.
Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum
height multiplied by the maximum
width of the front of a trailer. Trailer Sway Control
The trailer sway control can be a me-
chanical telescoping link that can be
installed between the hitch receiver
and the trailer tongue that typically
provides adjustable friction associ-
ated with the telescoping motion to
dampen any unwanted trailer sway-
ing motions while traveling.
If equipped, the electronic Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) recognizes a
swaying trailer and automatically ap-
plies individual wheel brakes and/or
reduces engine power to attempt to
eliminate the trailer sway.
Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the
trailer tongue weight, just as if it were
luggage located at a hitch ball or some
other connecting point of the vehicle.
These kinds of hitches are the most
popular on the market today and they
are commonly used to tow small and
medium sized trailers.
241
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing system works
by applying leverage through spring
(load) bars. They are typically used
for heavier loads to distribute trailer
tongue weight to the tow vehicle's
front axle and the trailer axle(s).
When used in accordance with the
manufacturer's directions, it provides
for a more level ride, offering more
consistent steering and brake control
thereby enhancing towing safety. The
addition of a friction / hydraulic sway
control also dampens sway caused by
traffic and crosswinds and contrib-
utes positively to tow vehicle and
trailer stability. Trailer sway control
and a weight distributing (load equal-
izing) hitch are recommended for
heavier Tongue Weights (TW) and
may be required depending on vehicle
and trailer configuration / loading to
comply with Gross Axle Weight Rat-
ing (GAWR) requirements. Weight
Distribution hitched are recom-
mended for loads in excess 2,268 kg.WARNING!
An improperly adjusted WeightDistributing Hitch system may
reduce handling, stability, brak-
ing performance, and could result
in a collision.
Weight Distributing Systems may not be compatible with Surge
Brake Couplers. Consult with
your hitch and trailer manufac-
turer or a reputable Recreational
Vehicle dealer for additional in-
formation.
BREAKAWAY CABLE
ATTACHMENT
European braking regulations for
braked trailers up to 3,500 kg require
trailers to be fitted with either a sec-
ondary coupling or breakaway cable.
The recommended location for at-
taching the normal trailer's break-
away cable is in the stamped slot lo-
cated on the sidewall of the hitch
receiver. With Attachment Point
For detachable tow bar, pass the
cable through the attachment point
and clip it back onto itself.
For fixed ball tow bar, attach the clip directly to the designated
point. This alternative must be spe-
cifically permitted by the trailer
manufacturer since the clip may
not be sufficiently strong for use in
the way.
Detachable Ball Clip Loop Method
Fixed Ball Clip Loop Method
242