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3-138
Convenient features of your vehicle
For maximum defrosting, set the temperature control to the extreme
right/hot position and the fan speed
control to the highest speed.
If warm air to the floor is desired while defrosting or defogging, set the
mode to the floor-defrost position.
Before driving, clear all snow and ice from the windshield, rear win-
dow, side view mirrors, and all side
windows.
Clear all snow and ice from the hood and air inlet in the cowl grill to
improve heater and defroster effi-
ciency and to reduce the probability
of fogging up the inside of the wind-
shield.
If the engine temperature is still
cold after starting, then a brief
engine warm up period may be
required for the vented air flow to
become warm or hot.
To defog inside windshield
1. Set the fan speed to the desired position.
2. Select desired temperature.
3. Press the defroster button ( ).
4. The air conditioning will turn on according to the detected ambient
temperature and outside (fresh)
air position will be selected auto-
matically.
If the air conditioning and outside
(fresh) air position are not selected
automatically, adjust the correspon-
ding button manually. If the posi-
tion is selected, lower fan speed is
adjusted to a higher fan speed.
NOTICE
Windshield heating
Do not use the or posi-
tion during cooling operation in
extremely humid weather. The
difference between the temper-
ature of the outside air and that
of the windshield could cause
the outer surface of the wind-
shield to fog up, causing loss of
visibility could cause an acci-
dent resulting in serious injury
or death. In this case, set the
mode selection knob or button
to the position and fan
speed control knob or button to
a lower speed.
WARNING
OHI046335N
5-6
Driving your vehicleTo reduce the risk of SERIOUS
INJURY or DEATH, take the fol-
lowing precautions:
• ALWAYS wear your seat belt. All passengers must be prop-
erly belted whenever the vehi-
cle is moving. For more infor-
mation, refer to "Seat Belts" in
chapter 2.
Always drive defensively. Assume other drivers or pedes-
trians may be careless and
make mistakes.
Stay focused on the task of driving. Driver distraction can
cause accidents.
Leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of
you.
WARNING
NEVER drink or take drugs and
drive.
Drinking or taking drugs and
driving is dangerous and may
result in an accident and SERI-
OUS INJURY or DEATH.
Drunk driving is the number
one contributor to the highway
death toll each year. Even a
small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, percep-
tions and judgment. Just one
drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions
and emergencies and your reac-
tion time gets worse with each
additional drink.
Driving while under the influ-
ence of drugs is as dangerous
or more dangerous than driving
under the influence of alcohol.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink or take drugs and drive. If
you are drinking or taking
drugs, don't drive. Do not ride
with a driver who has been
drinking or taking drugs.
Choose a designated driver or
call a taxi.
WARNING
5-12
Driving your vehicle
Transmission ranges
The indicator in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position
when the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park).
To shift the gear from R (Reverse), N
(Neutral), D (Drive) or Manual mode
to P (Park), press the [P] button.
If you turn off the engine in D (Drive),
R (Reverse) or Manual mode the
shifting automatically changes to P
(Park).
When you park the vehicle, press the
[P] button while depressing the brake
pedal and then apply the parking
brake.
To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death:
ALWAYS check the surround-
ing areas near your vehicle for
people, especially children,
before shifting a vehicle into
D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
Before leaving the driver's seat, always make sure the
shift lever is in the P (Park)
position, then set the parking
brake, and place the Engine
Start/Stop button in the OFF
position. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed.
When using the paddle shifter (manual mode), do not use
engine braking (shifting from
a high gear to lower gear) rap-
idly on slippery roads. The
vehicle may slip causing an
accident.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while thevehicle is in motion may
cause you to lose control of
the vehicle.
After the vehicle has stopped, always make sure the shift
lever is in P (Park), apply the
parking brake, and turn the
engine off.
Do not use the P (Park) posi- tion in place of the parking
brake.
WARNING
OHI056011L
5-19
05
Good Driving Practices
Never move the shift lever from P(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other
position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Never move the shift lever into P (Park) when the vehicle is in
motion.
Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you attempt to shift
into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
Do not move the shift lever to N (Neutral) when driving. Doing so
may result in an accident because
of a loss of engine braking and the
transmission could be damaged.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the brake pedal. Even light, but
consistent pedal pressure can
result in the brakes overheating,
brake wear and possibly even
brake failure.
When driving in Manual mode with the paddle shifter, slow down
before shifting to a lower gear.
Otherwise, the lower gear may not
be engaged if the engine rpms are
outside of the allowable range.
Depressing both accelerator and brake pedals at the same time can
trigger logic for engine power
reduction to assure vehicle decel-
eration. Vehicle acceleration will
resume after the brake pedal is
released.
Always apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle. Do not
depend on placing the transmis-
sion in P (Park) to keep the vehicle
from moving. Exercise extreme caution when
driving on a slippery surface. Be
especially careful when braking,
accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change
in vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
may cause loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator.
5-35
05
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
ABS is an electronic braking system
that helps prevent a braking skid.
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time.
Using ABS
To obtain the maximum benefit from
your ABS in an emergency situation,
do not attempt to modulate your
brake pressure and do not try to
pump your brakes. Depress your
brake pedal as hard as possible.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the
wheels, you may hear sounds from
the brakes, or feel a corresponding
sensation in the brake pedal. This is
normal and it means your ABS is
active.
ABS does not reduce the time or dis-
tance it takes to stop the vehicle.
Always maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front of you.
ABS will not prevent a skid that
results from sudden changes in
direction, such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe
speed for the road and weather con-
ditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of stabili-
ty. Always steer moderately when
braking hard. Severe or sharp steer-
ing wheel movement can still cause
your vehicle to veer into oncoming
traffic or off the road.
On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake sys-
tem may result in a longer stopping
distance than for vehicles equipped
with a conventional brake system.
An Anti-Lock Braking System
(ABS) or an Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system will not
prevent accidents due to
improper or dangerous driving
maneuvers. Even though vehi-
cle control is improved during
emergency braking, always
maintain a safe distance
between you and objects ahead
of you. Vehicle speeds should
always be reduced during
extreme road conditions. The
braking distance for cars
equipped with ABS or ESC may
be longer than for those without
these systems in the following
road conditions.
Drive your vehicle at reduced
speeds during the following
conditions:
Rough, gravel or snow-cov-
ered roads.
On roads where the road sur- face is pitted or has different
surface height.
Tire chains are installed on your vehicle.
The safety features of an ABS
or ESC equipped vehicle should
not be tested by high speed
driving or cornering. This could
endanger the safety of yourself
or others.
WARNING
5-37
05
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC)
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system helps to stabilize the
vehicle during cornering maneuvers.
ESC checks where you are steering
and where the vehicle is actually
going. ESC applies braking pressure
to any one of the vehicle's brakes
and intervenes in the engine man-
agement system to assist the driver
with keeping the vehicle on the
intended path. It is not a substitute
for safe driving practices. Always
adjust your speed and driving to the
road conditions.
ESC operation
ESC ON condition
When the ignition switch is in the ON
position, the ESC and the ESC OFF
indicator lights illuminate for approxi-
mately three seconds. After both
lights go off, the ESC is enabled.
When operating
When the ESC is in oper-
ation, the ESC indicator
light blinks:
When you apply your brakes under conditions which may lock the
wheels, you may hear sounds from
the brakes, or feel a corresponding
sensation in the brake pedal. This
is normal and it means your ESC is
active.
When the ESC activates, the engine may not respond to the
accelerator as it does under rou-
tine conditions.
If the Smart Cruise Control was in use when the ESC activates, the
Smart Cruise Control automatically
disengages. The Smart Cruise
Control can be reengaged when
the road conditions allow. See
"Smart Cruise Control System"
later in this chapter. (if equipped)
When moving out of the mud or driving on a slippery road, the
engine RPM (revolutions per
minute) may not increase even if
you press the accelerator pedal
deeply. This is to maintain the sta-
bility and traction of the vehicle and
does not indicate a problem.
Never drive too fast for the road
conditions or too quickly when
cornering. The ESC system will
not prevent accidents.
Excessive speed in turns, abrupt
maneuvers, and hydroplaning
on wet surfaces can result in
severe accidents.
WARNING
OHI056037
5-40
Driving your vehicle
Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM)
The Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM) is a function of the Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system. It
helps ensure the vehicle stays stable
when accelerating or braking sud-
denly on wet, slippery and rough
roads where traction over the four
tires can suddenly become uneven.
VSM operation
VSM ON condition
The VSM operates when:
The Electronic Stability Control(ESC) is on.
Vehicle speed is approximately above 9 mph (15 km/h) on curve
roads.
Vehicle speed is approximately above 12 mph (20 km/h) when the
vehicle is braking on rough roads.
When operating
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may activate the
ESC, you may hear sounds from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sen-
sation in the brake pedal. This is nor-
mal and it means your VSM is active.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on a banked road suchas gradient or incline.
Driving rearward.
ESC OFF indicator light is on.
MDPS (Motor-Driven Power Steering) warning light ( ) is
on or blinks.
NOTICE
Take the following precautions
when using the Vehicle Stability
Management (VSM):
ALWAYS check the speed andthe distance to the vehicle
ahead. The VSM is not a sub-
stitute for safe driving prac-
tices.
Never drive too fast for the road conditions. The VSM sys-
tem will not prevent acci-
dents. Excessive speed in bad
weather, slippery and uneven
roads can result in severe
accidents.
WARNING
5-48
Driving your vehicle
When ECO mode is activated:
The acceleration response may beslightly reduced if the accelerator
pedal is depressed moderately.
The air conditioner performance may be limited.
The shift pattern of the automatic transmission may change.
The engine noise may be louder at some automatic transmission
shifts as down-shift requires press-
ing down more on the accelerator.
The above situations are normal
conditions when ECO mode is acti-
vated to improve fuel efficiency.
Limitation of ECO mode operation:
If the following conditions occur while
ECO mode is operating, the system
operation is limited even though
there is no change in the ECO indi-
cator.
When the coolant temperature is low:
The system will be limited until
engine performance becomes nor-
mal.
When driving up a hill: The system will be limited to gain
power when driving uphill because
engine torque is restricted.
When driving the vehicle with the automatic transmission gear shift
lever in manual mode.
The system will be limited accord-
ing to the shift location.
INDIVIDUAL mode
In INDIVIDUAL mode, thedriver can select separate
modes and combine them
on the DIS Navigation
System screen.
- Engine/Transmission:
ECO/SMART
- Steering wheel:COMFORT/SPORT
- Suspension:COMFORT +/
COMFORT/SPORT
- All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system:
ECO/COMFORT/SPORT
For more information, refer to the
separately supplied DIS Navigation
System manual.
When INDIVIDUAL mode is select- ed by pressing the DRIVE MODE
button, the INDIVIDUAL mode indi-
cator (blue color) will illuminate.