The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right
side of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the
way as the air bags inflate to their full size. The Advanced
Front Air Bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. The air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occupants
for improved interaction with the Advanced Front Air Bags.
WARNING!
•Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Your vehicle is equipped with two types of side air bags:
1. Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs):
Located in the outboard side of the front seats. The
SABs are marked with a “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIR-
BAG” label sewn into the outboard side of the seats.
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65
Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
Yellow TelltaleLight What It Means
Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
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 one 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.
IMPORTANT: Do not continue driving with one or more
flat tires as handling may be compromised. 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.
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
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 235
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result when using re-
placement equipment 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 inoperable. After using an after-
market tire sealant it is recommended that you take
your vehicle to an authorized dealership to have your
sensor function checked.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 237
WARNING!
•The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions.
• ESC cannot prevent accidents, including those re-
sulting from excessive speed in turns, driving on
very slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC also
cannot prevent collisions resulting from loss of
vehicle control due to inappropriate driver input
for the conditions. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent collisions.
• The capabilities of an ESC-equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user ’s safety or
the safety of others
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly main-
tain your vehicle, may change the handling charac-
teristics of your vehicle, and may negatively affect
the performance of the ESC system. Changes to the
steering system, suspension, braking system, tire
type and size or wheel size may adversely affect ESC
performance. Improperly inflated and unevenly
worn tires may also degrade ESC performance. Any
vehicle modification or poor vehicle maintenance
that reduces the effectiveness of the ESC system can
increase the risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, personal injury and death.
ESC Operating Modes
The ESC system has three available operating modes for
four–wheel drive equipped vehicles and two available
operating modes for two–wheel drive equipped vehicles.
384 STARTING AND OPERATING
equipment tire and wheel found on the front or rear axle
of your vehicle. This spare tire may be used in the tire
rotation for your vehicle. If your vehicle has this option,
refer to an authorized tire dealer for the recommended
tire rotation pattern.
Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emergency use only.
You can identify if your vehicle is equipped with a
compact spare by looking at the spare tire description on
the Tire and Loading Information Placard located on the
driver ’s side door opening or on the sidewall of the tire.
Compact spare tire descriptions begin with the letter “T”
or “S” preceding the size designation. Example: T145/
80D18 103M.
T, S = Temporary Spare TireSince this tire has limited tread life, the original equip-
ment tire should be repaired (or replaced) and reinstalled
on your vehicle at the first opportunity.
Do not install a wheel cover or attempt to mount a
conventional tire on the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the compact spare tire.
Do not install more than one compact spare tire and
wheel on the vehicle at any given time.
WARNING!
Compact spares are for temporary emergency use
only. With these spares, do not drive more than
50 mph (80 km/h). Temporary use spares have limited
tread life. When the tread is worn to the tread wear
indicators, the temporary use spare tire needs to be
replaced. Be sure to follow the warnings, which
apply to your spare. Failure to do so could result in
spare tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 409
Full Size Spare — If Equipped
The full size spare is for temporary emergency use only.
This tire may look like the originally equipped tire on the
front or rear axle of your vehicle, but it is not. This spare
tire may have limited tread life. When the tread is worn
to the tread wear indicators, the temporary use full size
spare tire needs to be replaced. Since it is not the same as
your original equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall on the vehicle at the
first opportunity.
Limited-Use Spare — If Equipped
The limited-use spare tire is for temporary emergency
use only. This tire is identified by a label located on the
limited-use spare wheel. This label contains the driving
limitations for this spare. This tire may look like the
original equipped tire on the front or rear axle of your
vehicle, but it is not. Installation of this limited-use spare
tire affects vehicle handling. Since it is not the same asyour original equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall on the vehicle at the
first opportunity.
WARNING!
Limited-use spares are for emergency use only. In-
stallation of this limited-use spare tire affects vehicle
handling. With this tire, do not drive more than the
speed listed on the limit-use spare wheel. Keep
inflated to the cold tire inflation pressures listed on
your Tire and Loading Information Placard located
on the driver ’s side B-Pillar or the rear edge of the
driver ’s side door. Replace (or repair) the original
equipment tire at the first opportunity and reinstall it
on your vehicle. Failure to do so could result in loss
of vehicle control.
410 STARTING AND OPERATING
Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressures. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. Refer to the paragraph on
“Tread Wear Indicator”. Refer to the Tire and Loading
Information placard or the Vehicle Certification Label for
the size designation of your tire. The Load Index and
Speed Symbol for your tire will be found on the original
equipment tire sidewall. See the Tire Sizing Chart ex-
ample found in the “Tire Safety Information” section of
this manual for more information relating to the Load
Index and Speed Symbol of a tire.
It is recommended to replace the two front tires or two
rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire can seriouslyaffect your vehicle’s handling. If you ever replace a
wheel, make sure that the wheel’s specifications match
those of the original wheels.
It is recommended you contact your authorized tire
dealer or original equipment dealer with any questions
you may have on tire specifications or capability. Failure
to use equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect
the safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle.
WARNING!
•
Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combinations
of unapproved tires and wheels may change sus-
pension dimensions and performance characteris-
tics, resulting in changes to steering, handling, and
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 413
WARNING!(Continued)
braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredict-
able handling and stress to steering and suspen-
sion components. You could lose control and have
a collision resulting in serious injury or death. Use
only the tire and wheel sizes with load ratings
approved for your vehicle.
• Never use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity, other than what was originally equipped
on your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load
index could result in tire overloading and failure.
You could lose control and have a collision.
• Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer read-
ings.
TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES)
Due to limited clearance, tire chains or traction devices
are not recommended.
CAUTION!
Damage to the vehicle may result if tire chains are
used.
414 STARTING AND OPERATING