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Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type of water.
Water crossings should be avoided, if possible, and only
be attempted when necessary in a safe, responsible
manner. You should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread lightly and
avoid damage to the environment. You should know
your vehicle’s abilities and be able to recover it if
something goes wrong. You should never stop or shut a
vehicle off when crossing deep water unless you ingested
water into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls, do
not attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested
water first. The key to any crossing is low and slow. Shift
into first gear (manual transmission), or DRIVE (auto-
matic transmission), with the transfer case in the 4L
(Low) position and proceed very slowly with a constant
slow speed {3 to 5 mph (5 to 8 km/h) maximum} and
light throttle. Keep the vehicle moving; do not try to
accelerate through the crossing. After crossing any water
higher than the bottom of the axle differentials, you
should inspect all of the vehicle fluids for signs of water
ingestion.
CAUTION!
•Water ingestion into the axles, transmission, trans-
fer case, engine or vehicle interior can occur if you
drive too fast or through too deep of water. Water
can cause permanent damage to engine, driveline
or other vehicle components, and your brakes will
be less effective once wet and/or muddy.
•This vehicle is capable of crossing through water at
a depth of 30 inches (76 cm) at speeds no greater
than 5 mph (8 km/h). Water ingestion can occur
causing damage to your vehicle.
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PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied. Also, be certain to leave an
automatic transmission in PARK, or manual transmission
in REVERSE or first gear.
The parking brake lever is located in the center console.
To apply the parking brake, pull the lever up as firmly as
possible. To release the parking brake, pull the lever up
slightly, press the center button, then lower the lever
completely.
When the parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch ON, the “Brake Warning Light” in the instrument
cluster will illuminate.
Parking Brake
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle, or
in a location accessible to children. 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.
•Always fully apply the parking brake when leav-
ing your vehicle or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also, be certain to leave an automatic trans-
mission in PARK, a manual transmission in RE-
VERSE or first gear. Failure to do so may cause the
vehicle to roll and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the “Brake Warning Light” remains on with the
parking brake released, a brake system malfunction
is indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an
authorized dealer immediately.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic
brake systems. If either of the two hydraulic
systems loses normal capability, the remaining
system will still function. There will be some
loss of overall braking effectiveness. This may be evident
by increased pedal travel during application, greater
pedal force required to slow or stop, and potential
activation of the “Brake Warning Light.”
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quickly results in the best BAS assistance. To receive the
benefit of the system, you must apply continuous brak-
ing pressure during the stopping sequence. Do not
reduce brake pedal pressure unless braking is no longer
desired. Once the brake pedal is released, the BAS is
deactivated.
WARNING!
The Brake Assist System (BAS) cannot prevent the
natural 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 surfaces, or hydro-
planing. The capabilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety or
the safety of others.
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 maintain
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
amount of throttle applied as the vehicle starts to move in
the intended direction of travel.
WARNING!
If the clutch pedal (manual transmission only) re-
mains pressed during the application of the throttle,
the HSA will disengage allowing the vehicle to roll
down the incline. This could cause a collision with
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
another vehicle or object. To avoid this, do not apply
throttle while pressing the clutch pedal until you are
ready to release the clutch. Always remember the
driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in order for HSA to
activate:
•Vehicle must be stopped
•Vehicle must be on an 8% (approximately) or greater
incline (approximately 3% for manual transmission
equipped vehicles)
•Gear selection matches vehicle uphill direction (i.e.,
vehicle facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle back-
ing uphill is in REVERSE gear).
WARNING!
There may be situations on minor hills with a loaded
vehicle, or while pulling a trailer where the system
will not activate and slight rolling may occur, which
could cause a collision with another vehicle or object.
Always remember the driver is responsible for brak-
ing the vehicle.
The system will only work if the intended direction of the
vehicle and vehicle gear match. For example, if the
intended direction is forward up a hill and the vehicle is
in DRIVE (automatic transmission equipped vehicle),
and the activation criteria are met, HSA will activate.
HSA On Automatic Transmission Vehicles
The system will work in REVERSE, and all forward gears
on vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission.
The system will not activate if the vehicle is placed in
NEUTRAL.
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HSA On Manual Transmission Vehicles
The system will work in REVERSE, forward gears, and
NEUTRAL on manual transmission equipped vehicles.
The system does not recognize NEUTRAL on manual
vehicles, thus it will hold the vehicle on an incline for a
short period while in NEUTRAL, regardless of clutch
position. If the vehicle is pointed down hill in NEUTRAL
and your foot is not on the clutch, it will roll down hill,
HSA will not hold you in this case. To prevent this, do not
attempt to roll down a hill simply by putting the trans-
mission in NEUTRAL and letting gravity act on the
vehicle. Instead, use the appropriate gear for moving in
the desired direction.
NOTE:
Towing With HSA
HSA will provide assistance when starting on a grade
when pulling a trailer.
WARNING!
•If you use a trailer brake controller with your
trailer, your trailer brakes may be activated and
deactivated 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
vehicle or object behind you. In order to avoid
rolling down the hill while resuming acceleration,
manually activate the trailer brake prior to releas-
ing the brake pedal. Always remember the driver is
responsible for braking the vehicle.
•HSA is not a parking brake. Always apply the
parking brake fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to follow these warnings may cause the
vehicle to roll down the incline and could collide
with another vehicle, object or person, and cause
serious or fatal injury. Always remember to use the
parking brake while parking on a hill and that the
driver is responsible for braking the vehicle.
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 Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)” in “Understanding Your
Instrument Panel” for further information.
HSA Off
If you wish to turn off the HSA system, follow this
procedure:
1. Start with the engine off and vehicle in PARK (auto-
matic transmission) or NEUTRAL with clutch out
(manual transmission) with wheels straight. Apply
parking brake on manual transmission vehicle.
2. Start the engine.
3. With the engine running, the brake applied, and the
clutch out, rotate the steering wheel 180° counterclock-
wise from center.
4. Press the ESC OFF switch four times within twenty
seconds.
5. Rotate the steering wheel 360° clockwise (180° clock-
wise from center).
6. Cycle ignition switch OFF then ON.
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Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer Weight Ratings)
The following chart provides the maximum trailer weight ratings towable for your given drivetrain.
Engine/
TransmissionAxle Model
GCWR
(Gross
Combined
Wt. Rating)
Frontal Area
Max. GTW
(Gross
Trailer Wt.)
Max. Trailer
Tongue Wt.
(See Note)
3.6L/Manual 3.21 Two–Door
Sport Model
(4WD)
6,311 lbs
(2 863 kg)
25 sq ft
(2.32 sq m)
2,000 lbs
(907 kg)
200 lbs
(91 kg)
3.6L/Manual 3.73 Two–Door
Sport Model
(4WD)
6,311 lbs
(2 863 kg)
25 sq ft
(2.32 sq m)
2,000 lbs
(907 kg)
200 lbs
(91 kg)
3.6L/
Automatic
3.21 Two–Door
Sport Model
(4WD)
6,340 lbs
(2 876 kg)
25 sq ft
(2.32 sq m)
2,000 lbs
(907 kg)
200 lbs
(91 kg)
538 STARTING AND OPERATING