529
Driving your vehicle
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted
brakes that adjust automatically
through normal usage.
If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
You can still stop your vehicle by
applying greater force to the brake
pedal than typical. The stopping dis-
tance, however, will be longer than
with power brakes.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially
depleted each time the brake pedal
is applied. Do not pump the brake
pedal when the power assist has
been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery surfaces.
BRAKING SYSTEM
WARNING
Take the following precautions:
• Do not drive with your foot
resting on the brake pedal.
This will create abnormal high
brake temperatures, exces-
sive brake lining and pad
wear, and increased stopping
distances.
• When descending a long or
steep hill, shift to a lower gear
and avoid continuous applica-
tion of the brakes. Applying
the brakes continuously will
cause the brakes to overheat
and could result in a tempo-
rary loss of braking perform-
ance.
(Continued)
(Continued)
• Wet brakes may impair the
vehicle’s ability to safely slow
down; the vehicle may also
pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Applying
the brakes lightly will indicate
whether they have been
affected in this way. Always
test your brakes in this fash-
ion after driving through deep
water. To dry the brakes, light-
ly tap the brake pedal to heat
up the brakes while maintain-
ing a safe forward speed until
brake performance returns to
normal. Avoid driving at high
speeds until the brakes func-
tion correctly.
Snow or icy conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding,
rapid acceleration, sudden brake
applications, and sharp turns are
potentially very hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden
brake applications on snowy or icy
roads may cause skids to occur.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tires.
Always carry emergency equipment.
Some of the items you may want to
carry include, tow straps or chains, a
flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a
shovel, jumper cables, a window
scraper, gloves, ground cloth, cover-
alls, a blanket, etc.
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, make sure to use radial tires of
the same size and load range as the
original tires. Mount snow tires on all
four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
The traction provided by snow tires
on dry roads may not be as high as
your vehicle's original equipment
tires. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
✽NOTICE
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions
against their use.
Use high quality ethylene gly-
col coolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high
quality ethylene glycol coolant in the
cooling system. It is the only type of
coolant that should be used because
it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-
ing system, lubricates the water
pump and prevents freezing. Be sure
to replace or replenish your coolant
in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in section 7. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure
that its freezing point is sufficient for
the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.
WINTER DRIVING
553
Driving your vehicle
WARNING
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.
What to do in an emergency
32 6
BASIC TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Engine overheatingO
Low fuel levelOO
Fuel lines cloggedOO
Fuel pump defectiveOO
Strainer cloggedOO
Rich mixtureOOO
Water intrusion into fuelOOO
Coolant leakageO
High idle speedO
Engine oil insufficient or defectiveOO
Battery fluid shortageOO
Battery dischargedOOO
Battery terminal poor contactOO
Starter or ignition switch malfunctionO
Ignition timing incorrectOOO
Spark plugs deterioratedOO
Spark plugs defectiveO
Starter won't function
Engine turns over but
will not start
Engine misfires
Engine overheats
Engine stops while
driving
Fuel consumption is
excessive
Brake pedal is spongy
Braking power is
insufficient
Steering wheel is heavy
Steering wheel shakesSteering wheel pulls to
one side while drivingVehicle pulls to one
side while braking
Tire wear is abnormalCharge warning light\
comes on while drivingWipers, horn or lights
won't funciton
Battery discharge is
excessive
SYMPTOM
PROBABLE CAUSE
