NOTE:Refer to the transmission range position displayed
in the instrument cluster and verify that it indicates the
PARK position.
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
park brake. Always apply the park brake fully when
exiting the vehicle to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if
it is not in PARK. Check by trying to move the gear
selector out of PARK with the brake pedal released.
Make sure the transmission is in PARK before exit-
ing the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL 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 the transmission
into gear when 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
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WARNING! (Continued)
should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running or the propulsion system is active. Before
exiting a vehicle, always come to a complete stop,
then apply the park brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, turn the ignition OFF, and remove the key
fob. 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 remove the igni-
tion key and lock your vehicle.
• 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 range buttons.
• Do not leave the ignition key in or near the vehicle
(or in a location accessible to children). A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
160 STARTING AND OPERATING
REVERSE (R)
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into
REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete
stop.
NEUTRAL (N)
The vehicle may be started in this gear. Apply the parking
brake and place the transmission into PARK if you must
exit the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
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CAUTION!(Continued)
Disabled Vehicle” in “In Case Of Emergency” for
further information.
DRIVE (D)
Use this gear for all city and highway driving.
Auto Park
The Auto Park feature automatically places the transmis-
sion into PARK if there is any indication that the driver
may exit the vehicle while the transmission is in D
(DRIVE), N (NEUTRAL) or R (REVERSE).
Auto Park is enabled under the following conditions:
•Key On (12 Volt ON and High Voltage OFF) or READY
mode (12 Volt ON and High Voltage ON).
• Vehicle speed is below 2 mph (3 km/h).
NOTE:
• Auto Park is enabled (only once) at the beginning of
each key cycle and is re-enabled each time the vehicle
speed exceeds 8 mph (13 km/h).
• Auto Park is disabled above 2 mph (3 km/h) and
transmission range will be maintained.6
STARTING AND OPERATING 161
Audible And Visual Signals Supplied By The Rear Park Assist System
SIGNALMEANING INDICATION
Obstacle Distance An obstacle is present within the
sensors’ field of view Audible Signal
(dashboard loudspeaker)
• Sound pulses emitted at a rate that increases as the dis-
tance decreases.
• Emits continuous tone at 12 inches (30 cm).
• Adjustable volume level. (Refer to “Instrument Cluster
Display” in “Getting To Know Your Instrument Panel” for further information).
Failure Sensor or System failures Visual Signal(instrument panel)
• Icon appears on display.
• Message is displayed on the instrument cluster display
(if equipped).
While audible signals are emitted, the audio system is not
muted.
The audible signal is turned off immediately if the distance
increases. The tone cycle remains constant if the distance
measured by the inner sensors is constant. If this condition
occurs for the external sensors, the signal is turned off after
3 seconds (stopping warnings during maneuvers parallel
to walls).
Failure Indications
A malfunction of the Rear Park Assist sensors or system is
indicated, during REVERSE gear engagement, by the in-
strument panel warning icon and message appearing on
the instrument cluster display. The warning icon is illuminated and a message
appears on the instrument cluster display. Refer
toInstrument Cluster Display in “Getting To
Know Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 167
WARNING!(Continued)
and blind spots before backing up. You are respon-
sible for safety and must continue to pay attention to
your surroundings. Failure to do so can result in
serious injury or death.
• Before using ParkSense, it is strongly recommended
that the ball mount and hitch ball assembly is
disconnected from the vehicle when the vehicle is
not used for towing. Failure to do so can result in
injury or damage to vehicles or obstacles because the
hitch ball will be much closer to the obstacle than the
rear fascia when the loudspeaker sounds the con-
tinuous tone. Also, the sensors could detect the ball
mount and hitch ball assembly, depending on its size
and shape, giving a false indication that an obstacle
is behind the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•ParkSense is only a parking aid and it is unable to
recognize every obstacle, including small obstacles.
Parking curbs might be temporarily detected or not
detected at all. Obstacles located above or below the
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CAUTION! (Continued)
sensors will not be detected when they are in close
proximity.
• The vehicle must be driven slowly when using
ParkSense in order to be able to stop in time when an
obstacle is detected. It is recommended that the
driver looks over his/her shoulder when using
ParkSense.
PARKVIEW REAR BACK UP CAMERA
Your vehicle is equipped with the ParkView Rear Back Up
Camera that allows you to see an on-screen image of the
rear surroundings of your vehicle whenever the gear
selector is put into REVERSE. The image will be displayed
in the touchscreen display along with a caution note to
“check entire surroundings” across the top of the screen.
After five seconds, this note will disappear. The ParkView
camera is located on the rear of the vehicle above the rear
license plate.
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE, the rear
camera mode is exited and the last selected touchscreen
appears again.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 169
If your vehicle is equipped with the Camera Delay feature
and it is turned on, the rear camera image will be displayed
for up to ten seconds after the vehicle is shifted out of
REVERSE unless one of the following conditions occurs:
•The vehicle speed exceeds 8 mph (13 km/h).
• The gear selector is moved to PARK.
• The soft button “Image defeat [X]” to disable the image
is pressed.
When enabled, active guidelines are overlaid on the image
to illustrate the width of the vehicle and its projected
backup path based on the steering wheel position. A
dashed center line overlay indicates the center of the
vehicle to assist with parking.
Different colored zones indicate the distance to the rear of
the vehicle.
The following table shows the approximate distances for
each zone:
Zone Distance To The Rear Of The Vehicle Red 0 - 1 ft (0 - 30 cm)
Yellow 1 ft - 3 ft (30 cm - 1 m)
Green 3 ft or greater (1 m or greater)
WARNING!
Drivers must be careful when backing up even when
using the ParkView Rear Back Up Camera. Always
check carefully behind your vehicle, and be sure to
check for pedestrians, animals, other vehicles, obstruc-
tions, or blind spots before backing up. You are re-
sponsible for the safety of your surroundings and must
continue to pay attention while backing up. Failure to
do so can result in serious injury or death.
CAUTION!
•To avoid vehicle damage, ParkView should only be
used as a parking aid. The ParkView camera is
unable to view every obstacle or object in your drive
path.
• To avoid vehicle damage, the vehicle must be driven
slowly when using ParkView to be able to stop in
time when an obstacle is seen. It is recommended
that the driver look frequently over his/her shoulder
when using ParkView.
NOTE: If snow, ice, mud, or any foreign substance builds
up on the camera lens, clean the lens, rinse with water, and
dry with a soft cloth. Do not cover the lens.
170 STARTING AND OPERATING
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 care-
fully 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:
•Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are
slushy.
• Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
• Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first be-
come visible.
• Keep tires properly inflated. •
Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
Driving Through Water
Driving through water more than a few inches/centimeters
deep will require extra caution to ensure safety and pre-
vent damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path where water is
flowing and/or rising (as in storm run-off). Flowing
water can wear away the road or path’s surface and
cause your vehicle to sink into deeper water. Further-
more, flowing and/or rising water can carry your ve-
hicle away swiftly. Failure to follow this warning may
result in injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
174 STARTING AND OPERATING
Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through shal-
low standing water, consider the following Caution and
Warning before doing so.
CAUTION!
•Always check the depth of the standing water before
driving through it. Never drive through standing
water that is deeper than the bottom of the tire rims
mounted on the vehicle.
• Determine the condition of the road or the path that
is under water and if there are any obstacles in the
way before driving through the standing water.
• Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through
standing water. This will minimize wave effects.
• Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always in-
spect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., transmission, coolant,
etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e., fluid that is
milky or foamy in appearance) after driving through
standing water. Do not continue to operate the ve-
hicle if any fluid appears contaminated, as this may
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CAUTION! (Continued)
result in further damage. Such damage is not covered
by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Driving through standing water limits your vehicle’s
traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h)
when driving through standing water.
• Driving through standing water limits your vehicle’s
braking capabilities, which increases stopping dis-
tances. Therefore, after driving through standing
water, drive slowly and lightly press on the brake
pedal several times to dry the brakes.
• Failure to follow these warnings may result in inju-
ries that are serious or fatal to you, your passengers,
and others around you.
EXTENDING YOUR DRIVING RANGE PER CHARGE
The drive system and cabin temperature management
features use the most energy from the high voltage battery.
Reducing energy draw from these features are the easiest
and most effective way to extend driving range.
The 500e uses high voltage components to heat and cool
the cabin, so when using automatic climate control, con-
sider setting temperatures a few degrees higher or lower
during hot and cold days. If your 500e has been soaking in
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STARTING AND OPERATING 175