Page 386 of 616
NOTE:
•Your vehicle is equipped with a transmission reverse
inhibitor system. When vehicle speed is greater than
3 mph (5 km/h), the reverse inhibitor activates to help
prevent shifts into REVERSE. When at a complete stop,
you may notice lighter shift efforts into REVERSE with
the ignition switch in the ON position (RUN position
for Keyless Enter-N-Go) as compared to the LOCK
position (OFF position for Keyless Enter-N-Go). This is
normal operation of the transmission reverse inhibitor
system.
• Due to the high performance nature of your drivetrain,
you may hear your transmission. This can be most
noticeable when the vehicle is idling in NEUTRAL
with the clutch engaged (clutch pedal released), but it
may also be heard when driving at low engine RPM.
Manual Shifter
384 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 387 of 616

Also, this may be more noticeable when the transmis-
sion is warm. This is a normal condition and is not an
indication of a problem with your clutch or transmis-
sion.
Shifting
Fully press the clutch pedal and lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal before shifting gears. As you release the
clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator pedal. Damage
to the transmission or clutch may occur if you do not
fully press the clutch pedal and lift off of the accelerator
pedal when shifting.
The six-speed manual transmission has a spring that
centers the gear selector near third and fourth gear. This
spring helps you know which gear you are in when you
are shifting. Be careful when shifting from first to second
or downshifting from sixth to fifth.The spring will try to pull the gear selector toward third
and fourth gear. Make sure you move the gear selector
into second or fifth gear. If you let the gear selector move
in the direction of the pulling, you may end shifting from
first to fourth or from sixth to third gear.CAUTION!
Always make sure the vehicle comes to a complete
stop before shifting into REVERSE. Failure to do so
may result in transmission damage.
You must always use first gear (or REVERSE) when
starting from a standing position.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 385
Page 388 of 616
Recommended Shift Speeds
To utilize your manual transmission efficiently for fuel
economy, it should be upshifted as listed in recom-
mended shift speed chart.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION RECOMMENDED SHIFT SPEEDS
Engine 1-44-5 5-6
6.2L Supercharged mph2025 42
(km/h) (32)(40) (67)
6.4L mph 2037 48
(km/h) (32)(59) (77)
Earlier upshifts during cruise conditions (relatively
steady speeds) may result in increased fuel economy.
Higher upshift speeds may be used to obtain a desired
acceleration rate.
1–4 Skip Shift
There are times when you must shift the transmission
directly from first gear to fourth gear instead of from first
gear to second gear. This is to help you get the best
possible fuel economy from your vehicle. This occurs
when the engine coolant (antifreeze) is higher than 106°F
386 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 390 of 616

WARNING!(Continued)
someone or something. Only shift into gear when
the engine is idling normally and your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always shift the
into PARK or the manual transmission into FIRST
gear or REVERSE, apply the parking brake, turn
the engine OFF, remove the key fob from the
vehicle and lock your vehicle. When the ignition is
in the OFF mode, the automatic transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against un-
wanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF mode, remove the Key Fob
from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be 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 transmission gear selector.
• Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A
child could operate power windows, other controls,
or move the vehicle.
388 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 393 of 616

Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
The transmission gear selector has PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and MANUAL (Autostick) shift po-
sitions. Manual shifts can be made using the Autostick
shift control (refer to “AutoStick” in this section for
further information). Toggling the gear selector forward
(-) or rearward (+) while in the MANUAL (AutoStick)
position (beside the DRIVE position) will manually select
the transmission gear, and will display the current gear in
the instrument cluster as M1, M2, M3, etc.NOTE:
If the gear selector cannot be moved to the PARK,
REVERSE, or NEUTRAL position (when pushed for-
ward) it is probably in the MANUAL (AutoStick, +/-)
position (beside the DRIVE position). In MANUAL
(AutoStick) mode, the transmission gear is displayed in
the instrument cluster (as M1, M2, M3, etc.). Move the
gear selector to the right (into the DRIVE [D] position) for
access to PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE: After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerating.
This is especially important when the engine is cold.
PARK (P)
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 391
Page 395 of 616

WARNING!(Continued)
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always shift an
automatic transmission into PARK, or a manual
transmission into FIRST gear or REVERSE, turn
the engine OFF, apply the parking brake, and
remove the ignition key. Always make sure the
keyless ignition node is in “OFF” mode. When the
ignition is in the OFF mode, an automatic transmis-
sion is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob and lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the transmission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
• Before moving the gear selector out of PARK, you
must start the engine and also press the brake
pedal. Otherwise, damage to the gear selector could
result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this
can damage the drivetrain.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 393
Page 397 of 616

CAUTION!(Continued)
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergencies”
for further information.
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 or traveling into strong head winds),
use the AutoStick shift control (refer to AutoStickin 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 shifting 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.
MANUAL (M)
The MANUAL (M, +/-) position (beside the DRIVE
position) enables full manual control of transmission
shifting (also known as AutoStick mode; refer to
“AutoStick” in this section for further information). Tog-
gling the gear selector forward (-) or rearward (+) while
in the MANUAL (AutoStick) position will manually
select the transmission gear, and will display the current
gear in the instrument cluster as M1, M2, M3, etc.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 395
Page 399 of 616
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.
AUTOSTICK
Steering Wheel Mounted Paddle Shifters Or
Console Mounted Shifter
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission feature
providing manual shift control, giving you more control
of the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize 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, and many other situations.
Paddle Shifters
1 — (–) Shift Paddle
2 — (+) Shift Paddle
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 397