WARNING!(Continued)
•Check mounting of mats on a regular basis. Always
properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have
been removed for cleaning.
• Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the
driver footwell while the vehicle is moving. Ob-
jects can become trapped under the brake pedal
and accelerator pedal causing a loss of vehicle
control.
• If required, mounting posts must be properly in-
stalled, if not equipped from the factory.
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or
mounting can cause interference with the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal operation causing loss of
control of the vehicle.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks, and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
122 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
Yellow TelltaleLight What It Means
Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
TPMS Failure
The warning light switches on when a failure is detected in the TPMS. In this case, contact a
authorized dealership as soon as possible. Should one or more wheels be fitted without sen-
sors, the display will show a warning message until initial conditions are restored.
IMPORTANT:
Do not continue driving with one or more flat tires as handling may be com-
promised. Stop the vehicle, avoiding sharp braking and steering. Repair immediately using
the dedicated tire repair kit and contact your authorized dealership as soon as possible.
Tire Pressure Low
The warning light switches on and a message is displayed to indicate that the tire pressure
is lower than the recommended value and/or that slow pressure loss is occurring. In these
cases, optimal tire duration and fuel consumption may not be guaranteed.
Should two or more tires be in the condition mentioned above, the display will show the
indications corresponding to each tire in sequence.
In any situation in which the message on the display is See manual, it is ESSENTIAL to
refer to the contents of the Wheelsparagraph in the Technical datachapter, strictly com-
plying with the indications that you find there.
332 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be
checked monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 333
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle, to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original equip-
ment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and warning
have been established for the tire size equipped on
your vehicle. Undesirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using replacement equip-
ment that is not of the same size, type, and/or style.
Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor damage. Using
aftermarket tire sealants may cause the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) sensor to become inoper-
able. After using an aftermarket tire sealant it is
recommended that you take your vehicle to an autho-
rized dealership to have your sensor function checked.
334 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
POWER STEERING .....................483
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ..............484
PARKING BRAKE ..................... .485
BRAKE SYSTEM ...................... .488
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .488
▫ Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) . . . .488
▫ Brake System Warning Light ..............489
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ............489
▫ Anti-Lock Brake Warning Light ............491
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) ...............491
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) .................492
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ............495
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........495▫
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) ...........499
▫ Trailer Sway Control (TSC) ..............500
TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............501
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .501
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........504
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........506
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........507
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ........512
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .512
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................513
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .515
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... .515
▫ Tire Types .......................... .516
462 STARTING AND OPERATING
▫Run Flat Tires — If Equipped .............518
▫ Spare Tires — If Equipped ...............518
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... .521
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................521
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ .522
▫ Replacement Tires .....................523
TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES) .......524
TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS .....526
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) . .527
▫ Base System ........................ .529
▫ Premium System — If Equipped ...........532
FUEL REQUIREMENTS ..................536
▫ 3.6L Engine ......................... .536▫
Reformulated Gasoline .................536
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............537
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .......537
▫ MMT In Gasoline .....................538
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ................538
▫ Fuel System Cautions ...................539
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings .............540
FLEXIBLE FUEL — IF EQUIPPED ...........540
▫ E-85 General Information ...............540
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ....................541
▫ Fuel Requirements ....................541
▫ Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles .............542
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 463
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the front (driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the
front wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
and possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads areslushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 481
WARNING!
•The ABS contains sophisticated electronic equip-
ment that may be susceptible to interference
caused by improperly installed or high output
radio transmitting equipment. This interference
can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking capa-
bility. 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 distance longer. Just
press firmly on your brake pedal when you need to
slow down or stop.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of phys-
ics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
braking or steering efficiency beyond that afforded
by the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or
the traction afforded.
• The ABS cannot prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, following
another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
• The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner that could jeopardize the user ’s safety or
the safety of others.
ABS is designed to function with the OEM tires. Modifi-
cation may result in degraded ABS performance.
490 STARTING AND OPERATING