▫Premium System ...................... .376
▫ General Information .....................380
FUEL REQUIREMENTS ...................380
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ..................380
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ...............381
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .........381
▫ CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications ......382
▫ MMT In Gasoline ...................... .382
▫ Materials Added To Fuel .................382
▫ Fuel System Cautions ....................383
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ...............383
FLEXIBLE FUEL (3.6L ENGINE ONLY) — IF
EQUIPPED ........................... .384
▫ E-85 General Information .................384
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ..................... .384
▫ Fuel Requirements .....................384
▫ Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles ..............385▫
Starting ............................ .385
▫ Cruising Range ....................... .385
▫ Replacement Parts ..................... .385
▫ Maintenance ......................... .386
ADDING FUEL ........................ .386
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) .................386
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message .............387
VEHICLE LOADING .....................387
▫ Vehicle Certification Label ................388
▫ Gr
oss Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) ........388
▫ Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) ..........388
▫ Overloading ......................... .388
▫ Loading ............................ .389
TRAILER TOWING ..................... .389
▫ Common Towing Definitions ...............389
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ................392
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 323
STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust the
inside and outside mirrors, fasten your seat belt, and if
present, instruct all other occupants to buckle their seat
belts.
WARNING!
•Before exiting a vehicle, always shift the automatic
transmission into PARK and apply the parking
brake. Always make sure the keyless ignition node is
in the “OFF” mode, remove the key fob from the
vehicle and lock the vehicle.
•
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with access
to an unlocked vehicle. Leaving children 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 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 of a vehicle equipped with Keyless Enter-N-Go
in the ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child could operate
power windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
Automatic Transmission
The gear selector must be in the NEUTRAL or PARK
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting into any driving gear.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
• Do not shift from REVERSE, PARK, or NEUTRAL
into any forward gear when the engine is above idle
speed.
• Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
• Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the vehicle
has come to a complete stop and the engine is at idle
speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 325
Keyless Enter-N-Go — Ignition
This feature allows the driver to operate
the ignition switch with the push of a
button, as long as the Remote Start/
Keyless Enter-N-Go key fob is in the
passenger compartment.
Normal Starting
To Turn On The Engine Using The ENGINE
START/STOP Button
1. The transmission must be in PARK or NEUTRAL.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal while pushing theENGINE START/STOP button once.
3. The system takes over and attempts to start the vehicle. If the vehicle fails to start, the starter will disengage
automatically after 10 seconds.
4. If you wish to stop the cranking of the engine prior to the engine starting, push the button again.
NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm engine
is obtained without pumping or pressing the accelerator
pedal.
To Turn Off The Engine Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button
1. Place the gear selector in PARK, then push and release the ENGINE START/STOP button.
2. The ignition will return to the OFF position.
3. If the gear selector is not in PARK, the ENGINE START/ STOP button must be held for two seconds or three short
pushes in a row with the vehicle speed above 5 mph
(8 km/h) before the engine will shut off. The ignition
switch position will remain in the ACC position until the
gear selector is in PARK and the button is pushed twice
to the OFF position. If the gear selector is not in PARK
and the ENGINE START/STOP button is pushed once,
the instrument cluster display will display a “Vehicle
Not In Park” message and the engine will remain
running. Never leave a vehicle out of the PARK position,
or it could roll.
4. If the gear selector is in Neutral, push and release the ENGINE START/STOP button with the vehicle speed
below 5 mph (8 km/h) before the engine will shut off.
The ignition will remain in the ACC position.
326 STARTING AND OPERATING
NOTE:If the ignition is left in the ACC or RUN (engine not
running) position and the transmission is in PARK, the
system will automatically time out after 30 minutes of
inactivity and the ignition will switch to the OFF position.
ENGINE START/STOP Button Functions — With
Driver ’s Foot OFF The Brake Pedal (In PARK Or
NEUTRAL Position)
The ENGINE START/STOP button operates similar to an
ignition switch. It has four positions, OFF, ACC, RUN and
START. To change the ignition positions without starting
the vehicle and use the accessories, follow these steps:
• Starting with the ignition in the OFF position.
• Push the ENGINE START/STOP button once to place
the ignition to the ACC position (instrument cluster
display will display “ACC”).
• Push the ENGINE START/STOP button a second time to
place the ignition to the RUN position (instrument
cluster display will display “ON/RUN”).
• Push the ENGINE START/STOP button a third time to
return the ignition to the OFF position (instrument
cluster display will display “OFF”).
Extreme Cold Weather (Below –22°F Or 30°C)
To ensure reliable starting at these temperatures, use of an
externally powered electric engine block heater (available
from your authorized dealer) is recommended.
If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
• Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
• Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic trans-
mission cannot be started this way. Unburned fuel
could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle.
• If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster cables
may be used to obtain a start from a booster battery
or the battery in another vehicle. This type of start
can be dangerous if done improperly. Refer to
“Jump-Starting” in “What To Do In Emergencies” for
further information.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 327
Clearing A Flooded Engine (Using ENGINE
START/STOP Button)
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
“Normal Starting” or “Extreme Cold Weatherprocedures,
it may be flooded. To clear any excess fuel:
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Press the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
3. Push and release the ENGINE START/STOP button once.
The starter motor will engage automatically, run for 10
seconds, and then disengage. Once this occurs, release the
accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, wait 10 to 15
seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting” procedure.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically, and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER — IF EQUIPPED
The engine block heater warms the engine, and permits
quicker starts in cold weather. Connect the cord to a
standard 110-115 Volt AC electrical outlet with a grounded,
three-wire extension cord.
The engine block heater must be plugged in at least one
hour to have an adequate effect on the engine.
The engine block heater cord is bundled under the hood
between the headlight assembly and the Totally Integrated
Power Module (Fuse Box) on the driver’s side of the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Remember to disconnect the engine block heater cord
before driving. Damage to the 110-115 Volt electrical
cord could cause electrocution.
328 STARTING AND OPERATING
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
•It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL if
the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your
foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in re-
verse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
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 apply the
parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and
turn the ignition OFF. When the ignition is in the
OFF mode, the transmission is locked in PARK,
securing the vehicle against unwanted 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 trans-
mission 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.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
precautions are not observed:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop.
• Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL,
or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is
firmly pressing the brake pedal.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 329
NOTE:You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with an Ignition Park Interlock
which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the
engine can be turned OFF. This helps the driver avoid
inadvertently leaving the vehicle without placing the trans-
mission in PARK.
This system also locks the transmission in PARK whenever
the ignition is in the OFF position.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the transmission gear
selector in PARK unless the brakes are applied. To shift the
transmission out of PARK, the ignition must be turned to
the ON/RUN mode (engine running or not) and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
Four-Speed Or Six-Speed Automatic Transmission
The transmission gear position display (located in the
instrument cluster) indicates the transmission gear range.
You must press the brake pedal to move the gear selector
out of PARK (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System” in this section). To drive, move the gear selector
from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a pre-
cise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are self-
calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new vehicle
may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condition, and
precision shifts will develop within a few hundred miles
(kilometers).
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, NEU-
TRAL, DRIVE, and AutoStick (-/+) shift positions. Manual
shifts can be made using the AutoStick shift control (refer
to “AutoStick” in this section for further information).
Moving the gear selector into the AutoStick (-/+) position
(below the Drive position) activates Autostick mode, pro-
viding manual shift control and displaying the current gear
in the instrument cluster. In AutoStick mode, tapping the
gear selector left (-) or right (+) will manually select the
transmission gear.
330 STARTING AND OPERATING
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. Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in motion.
Apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this
range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
shifting the transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on
the transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult
to move the gear selector out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
When exiting the vehicle, always:
•
Apply the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the ignition OFF.
• Remove the key fob from the vehicle.
Gear Selector
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 331