
STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust the
inside and outside mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and if
present, instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat
belts.
WARNING!
•When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF position, remove the Key Fob
from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Leaving children in
a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seriously or
fatally injured. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the trans-
mission gear selector.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible 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.
Automatic Transmission
The shift lever must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting into any driving gear.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 421

CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above
idle speed.
•Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
•Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the vehicle
has come to a complete stop and the engine is at
idle speed.
•Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal.
Keyless Enter-N-Go™
This feature allows the driver to oper-
ate the ignition switch with the push
of a button, as long as the Remote
Start/Keyless Enter-N-Go™ Key Fob
is in the passenger compartment.
Normal Starting
Using The ENGINE START/STOP Button
1. The transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pushing the
ENGINE START/STOP button once.
3. The system takes over and attempts to start the
vehicle. If the vehicle fails to start, the starter will
disengage automatically after 10 seconds.
422 STARTING AND OPERATING

4. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine prior to
the engine starting, push the button again.
NOTE:Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine
is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button
1. Place the shift lever/gear selector in PARK, then push
and release the ENGINE START/STOP button.
2. The ignition switch will return to the OFF position.
3. If the shift lever/gear selector is not in PARK, the
ENGINE START/STOP button must be held for two
seconds or three short pushes in a row with the vehicle
speed above 5 mph (8 km/h) before the engine will
shut off. The ignition switch position will remain in
the ACC position until the shift lever/gear selector is
in PARK and the button is pushed twice to the OFF
position. If the shift lever/gear selector is not in PARK
and the ENGINE START/STOP button is pushed
once, the Driver Information Display (DID) will dis-
play a “Vehicle Not In Park” message and the engine
will remain running. Never leave a vehicle out of the
PARK position, or it could roll.
NOTE:If the ignition switch is left in the ACC or RUN
(engine not running) position and the transmission is in
PARK, the system will automatically time out after 30
minutes of inactivity and the ignition will switch to the
OFF position.
ENGINE START/STOP Button Functions — With
Driver ’s Foot OFF The Brake Pedal (In PARK Or
NEUTRAL Position)
The ENGINE START/STOP button operates similar to an
ignition switch. It has four positions, OFF, ACC, RUN
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STARTING AND OPERATING 423

After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a
grounded, three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate warming effect on the engine.
The engine block heater cord is located:
•3.6L Engine — Coiled and strapped to the engine oil
dipstick tube.
•5.7L Engine — Bundled and fastened to the injector
harness.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater
cord before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt
electrical cord could cause electrocution.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
•It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
(Continued)
426 STARTING AND OPERATING

•The torque converter clutch may engage at lower
engine speeds and remain on longer.
•The overall driving performance will be more conser-
vative.
•Vehicles with Quadra-Lift™ air suspension will oper-
ate in#Aero#mode over a broader speed range. Refer
to#Quadra-Lift™#in#Starting and Operating#for
further information.
•Some ECO mode functions may be temporarily inhib-
ited based on temperature and other factors.
Active Noise Cancellation — Summit Models Only
Your vehicle is equipped with an Active Noise Cancella-
tion System. This system uses four microphones embed-
ded in the headliner to detect undesirable exhaust noise.
An onboard frequency generator creates counteracting
sound waves through the audio system to help keep the
vehicle quiet.
Eight–Speed Automatic Transmission
The electronic shift lever in this vehicle does not slide like
a conventional shifter. Instead, the shift lever is spring
loaded and moves forward and rearward, always return-
ing to the center position after each gear is selected. The
transmission gear (PRND) is displayed both on the shift
lever and in the Driver Information Display (DID). To
select a gear range, press the lock button on the shift lever
and move the lever rearward or forward. You must also
press the brake pedal to shift the transmission out of
PARK, or to shift from NEUTRAL into DRIVE or RE-
VERSE when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low
speeds (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock Sys-
tem” in this section). To shift past multiple gear ranges at
once (such as PARK to DRIVE), move the lever past the
first (or second) detent. Select the DRIVE range for
normal driving.
430 STARTING AND OPERATING

DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or
while towing heavy trailers), use the Paddle Shift
switches (refer to#Paddle Shift Mode#in this section for
further information) to select a lower gear. Under these
conditions, using a lower gear will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shift-
ing and heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or
below), transmission operation may be modified depend-
ing on engine and transmission temperature as well as
vehicle speed. Normal operation will resume once the
transmission temperature has risen to a suitable level.
SPORT (S)
This mode alters the transmission’s automatic shift
schedule for sportier driving. Upshift speeds are in-
creased to make full use of available engine power. To
switch between DRIVE and SPORT modes, tap the shift
lever rearward. SPORT mode is only accessible from
DRIVE.
NOTE:When Sport Mode is enabled, vehicles with the
Quadra-Lift™ air suspension system will operate in
“Aero” Mode. Please refer to#Quadra-Lift™#in#Starting
and Operating#for further information.
436 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has
diagnostic equipment to determine if the problem could
recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Paddle Shift Mode
Paddle Shift mode is a driver-interactive transmission
feature providing manual shift control, giving you more
control of the vehicle. Paddle Shift allows you to maxi-
mize engine braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and
downshifts, and improve overall vehicle performance.
This system can also provide you with more control
during passing, city driving, cold slippery conditions,
mountain driving, trailer towing, and many other situa-
tions.
Operation
When the transmission is in DRIVE or SPORT mode, it
will operate automatically, shifting between the eight
available gears. To activate Paddle Shift mode, simply tap
one of the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles (+/-)
while in DRIVE or SPORT mode. Tapping (-) to enter
Paddle Shift mode will downshift the transmission to the
next lower gear, while using (+) to enter Paddle Shift
mode will retain the current gear. When Paddle Shift
mode is active, the current transmission gear is displayed
in the instrument cluster.
In Paddle Shift mode, the transmission will shift up or
down when (+/-) is manually selected by the driver,
unless an engine lugging or overspeed condition would
result. It will remain in the selected gear until another
upshift or downshift is chosen, except as described
below.
438 STARTING AND OPERATING

•The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging) and will
display the current gear.
•The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
•You can start out, from a stop, in first or second gear
(or third gear, in 4LO range, Snow mode, or Sand
mode). Tapping (+) (at a stop) will allow starting in
second gear. Starting out in second gear can be helpful
in snowy or icy conditions.
•If a requested downshift would cause the engine to
over-speed, that shift will not occur.
•The system will ignore attempts to upshift at too low
of a vehicle speed.
•Holding the (-) paddle depressed will downshift the
transmission to the lowest gear possible at the current
speed.
•Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
Paddle Shift mode is enabled.
•The system may revert to automatic shift mode if a
fault or overheat condition is detected.
NOTE:When Selec-Speed or Hill Descent Control is
enabled, Paddle Shift mode is not active. Pushing the
(+/-) shift paddles in Selec-Speed or Hill Descent Control
simply limits the highest allowed gear. Shifts below and
up to that gear will occur automatically.
To disengage Paddle Shift mode, push and hold the (+)
shift paddle until#D#or#S#is once again indicated in the
instrument cluster. You can shift in or out of Paddle Shift
mode at any time without taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 439