
PARK BRAKE
Electric Park Brake (EPB)
Your vehicle is equipped with a new Electric
Park Brake System (EPB) that offers greater
convenience. The park brake switch is lo-
cated in the center console.
To apply the park brake manually, pull up on
the switch momentarily. The BRAKE warning
lamp in the instrument cluster and an indi-
cator on the switch will illuminate.To release the park brake manually, the igni-
tion switch must be in RUN. Then put your
foot on the brake pedal and push the park
brake switch down momentarily. Once the
park brake is fully disengaged, the BRAKE
warning lamp and the switch indicator will
extinguish.
The park brake can also be automatically
released. With the engine running and the
transmission in gear, release the brake pedal
and depress the throttle pedal. For safety
reasons, your seat belt must also be fastened.
NOTE:
• You may hear a slight whirring sound from
the back of the vehicle while the parking
brake engages or disengages.
• If your foot is on the brake pedal while you
are engaging or disengaging the parking
brake, you may notice a small amount of
brake pedal movement.
• The new Auto Park Brake feature can be
used to apply the park brake automatically
every time you park the vehicle. Auto Park
Brake can be enabled and disabled in the
Settings menu in Uconnect.• The parking brake can be engaged even
when the ignition switch is OFF, however, it
can only be disengaged when the ignition
switch is in the ON/RUN position.
• If exceptional circumstances should make
it necessary to engage the park brake while
the vehicle is in motion, maintain upward
pressure on the electric park brake switch
for as long as engagement is desired. The
BRAKE warning lamp will illuminate, and a
continuous chime will sound. The rear stop
lamps will also be illuminated automati-
cally while the vehicle remains in motion.
• SafeHold a new feature that will automati-
cally apply the park brake under certain
conditions. The EPB monitors the status of
the driver’s seat belt, driver’s door and
pedal positions to determine if the driver
may have exited while the vehicle is still
capable of moving and will then automati-
cally apply the park brake to prevent the
vehicle from rolling.
• The EPB fault lamp will illuminate if the
EPB switch is held for longer than 20 sec-
onds in either the released or applied posi-
tion. The light will extinguish upon releas-
ing the switch.
Parking Brake Switch
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• Refer to the Starting And Operating section
of your vehicle’s Owner’s Manual.
WARNING!
• Do not rely on the parking brake to
operate effectively if the rear brakes
have been immersed in water or mud.
• Never use the PARK position as a sub-
stitute for the parking brake. Always
apply the parking brake fully when
parked to guard against vehicle move-
ment and possible injury or damage.
• When exiting the vehicle, always make
sure the ignition is in the OFF mode,
remove the key fob from the vehicle, 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 un-
attended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seri-
ously or fatally injured. Children should
be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission
gear selector.
WARNING!
• 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.
• Be sure the parking brake is fully disen-
gaged before driving; failure to do so can
lead to brake failure and a collision.
• Always fully apply the parking brake
when leaving your vehicle, or it may roll
and cause damage or injury. Also be
certain to leave the transmission in
PARK. Failure to do so may allow the
vehicle to roll and cause damage or
injury.
• Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake engaged, or repeated use of the
parking brake to slow the vehicle may
cause serious damage to the brake sys-
tem.
CAUTION!
If the Brake System Warning Light remains
on with the parking brake released, a brake
system malfunction is indicated. Have the
brake system serviced by an authorized
dealer immediately.
Auto Park Brake
The EPB can be programmed to be applied
automatically whenever the vehicle speed is
below 1.9 mph (3 km/h) and the automatic
transmission is placed in PARK, or with a
manual transmission, whenever the ignition
switch is in the OFF position. Auto Park
Brake is enabled and disabled by customer
selection through the Customer Program-
mable Features section of the Uconnect Set-
tings.
Any single Auto Park Brake application can
be bypassed by pushing the EPB switch to
the release position while the transmission is
placed in PARK (automatic transmission)
and the ignition is in the ON/RUN position.
STARTING AND OPERATING
146

SafeHold
SafeHold is a safety feature of the EPB sys-
tem that will engage the park brake automati-
cally if the vehicle is left unsecured while the
ignition switch is in ON/RUN.
For automatic transmissions, the EPB will
automatically engage if all of the following
conditions are met:
• Vehicle speed is below 1.9 mph (3 km/h).
• There is no attempt to depress the brake
pedal or accelerator pedal.
• The seat belt is unbuckled.
• The driver door is open.
• The vehicle is not in the PARK position.For manual transmissions, the EPB will auto-
matically engage if all of the following condi-
tions are met:
• Vehicle speed is below 1.9 mph (3 km/h).
• There is no attempt to depress the brake
pedal or accelerator pedal.
• The clutch pedal is not pressed.
• The seat belt is unbuckled.
• The driver door is open.
SafeHold can be temporarily bypassed by
pushing the EPB Switch while the driver door
is open and the brake pedal is pressed. Once
manually bypassed, SafeHold will be enabled
again once the vehicle reaches 12 mph
(20 km/h) or the ignition is turned to the OFF
position and back to ON/RUN again.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION —
IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave
the vehicle unattended without having the
park brake fully applied. The park brake
should always be applied when the driver
is not in the vehicle, especially on an
incline.
CAUTION!
• Never drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal, or attempt to hold the
vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal
partially engaged, as this will cause ab-
normal wear on the clutch.
• Do not drive with your hand resting on
the gear selector as the force exerted,
even if slight, could lead over time to
premature wear of the gearbox internal
components.
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NOTE:
During cold weather, you may experience
increased effort in shifting until the transmis-
sion fluid warms up. This is normal.To shift the gears, fully press the clutch pedal
and place the gear selector into the desired
gear position (the diagram for the engage-
ment of the gears is displayed on the handle
of the selector).
To engage REVERSE gear from the NEUTRAL
position, lift the REVERSE ring, located be-
low the knob and move the gear selector all
the way left and then forward.
Shifting
Fully press the clutch pedal before shifting
gears. As you release the clutch pedal, lightly
press the accelerator pedal.
You should always use first gear when starting
from a standing position.
Recommended Vehicle Shift Speeds
To utilize your manual transmission effi-
ciently for fuel economy and performance, it
should be upshifted as listed in the recom-
mended shift speed chart. Shift at the ve-
hicle speeds listed for acceleration. When
heavily loaded or pulling a trailer, these rec-
ommended up-shift speeds may not apply.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
All EnginesGear Selection 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6
Accel. 24 (39) 34 (55) 47 (76) 56 (90)
Cruise 19 (31) 27 (43) 37 (60) 41 (66)
Gear Selector
STARTING AND OPERATING
148

Maximum Recommended Downshift Speeds
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the maximum recom-
mended downshifting speeds may cause
the engine to overspeed and/or damage
the clutch disc, even if the clutch pedal is
pressed.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
Gear Selection 6 to 5 5 to 4 4 to 3 3 to 2 2 to 1
Maximum Speed 80 (129) 70 (113) 50 (81) 30 (48) 15 (24)
CAUTION!
If you skip a gear while downshifting or
downshift at too high of a vehicle speed,
these conditions may cause the engine to
overspeed if too low of a gear is selected
and the clutch pedal is released. Damage
to the clutch and the transmission can
result from skipping a gear while down-
shifting or downshifting at too high of a
vehicle speed even if the clutch pedal is
held pressed (i.e., not released).
Parking
When parking and leaving the vehicle, pro-
ceed as follows:
• Engage a gear (first gear if facing uphill or
reverse if facing downhill) and leave the
wheels turned.
• Stop the engine and engage the park brake.
• Always remove the key fob.
• Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if
the vehicle is parked on a steep slope.NOTE:
NEVER leave the car with the gearbox in
neutral (or, if equipped with automatic trans-
mission, before placing the gear lever in
PARK).
WARNING!
Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. Always remove the key fob when
exiting the vehicle and take it with you.
STARTING AND OPERATING
150

NOTE:
In the event of a mismatch between the gear
selector position and the actual transmission
gear (for example, driver selects REVERSE
while driving forward), the position indicator
will blink continuously until the selector is
returned to the proper position, or the re-
quested shift can be completed.
The electronically-controlled transmission
adapts its shift schedule based on driver
inputs, along with environmental and road
conditions. 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).
The nine-speed transmission has been devel-
oped to meet the needs of current and future
FWD/AWD vehicles. Software and calibration
is refined to optimize the customer’s driving
experience and fuel economy. By design,
some vehicle and driveline combinations uti-
lize 9th gear only in very specific driving
situations and conditions.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 be-
tween these gears.
The transmission gear selector provides
PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and
AutoStick (+/-) shift positions. Manual shifts
can be made using the AutoStick shift con-
trol. Moving the gear selector into the
AutoStick (+/-) position (beside the DRIVE
position) activates AutoStick mode, providing
manual shift control and displaying the cur-
rent gear in the instrument cluster (as 1, 2, 3,
etc.). Toggling the gear selector forward (-) or
rearward (+) while in the AutoStick position
will manually select the transmission gear.
Refer to "AutoStick" in this section for further
information.NOTE:
If the gear selector cannot be moved to the
PARK, REVERSE, or NEUTRAL position
(when pushed forward) it is probably in the
AutoStick (+/-) position (beside the DRIVE
position). In AutoStick mode, the transmis-
sion gear (1, 2, 3, etc.) is displayed in the
instrument cluster. Move the gear selector to
the right (into the DRIVE [D] position) for
access to PARK, REVERSE, and NEUTRAL.
Gear Selector
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CAUTION!
Refer to “Recreational Towing” in “Start-
ing And Operating” and “Towing A Dis-
abled Vehicle” in “In Case Of Emergency”
for further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and
highway driving. It provides the smoothest
upshifts and downshifts, and the best fuel
economy. The transmission automatically up-
shifts through all forward gears. The DRIVE
position provides optimum driving character-
istics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs
(such as when operating the vehicle under
heavy loading conditions, in hilly terrain,
traveling into strong head winds, or while
towing a heavy trailer), use the AutoStick
shift control to select a lower gear (refer to
"AutoStick" in this section for further infor-
mation). Under these conditions, using a
lower gear will improve performance and ex-
tend transmission life by reducing excessive
shifting and heat buildup.If the transmission temperature exceeds nor-
mal operating limits, the transmission con-
troller may modify the transmission shift
schedule, reduce engine torque, and/or ex-
pand the range of torque converter clutch
engagement. This is done to prevent trans-
mission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot,
the "Transmission Temperature Warning
Light" may illuminate, and the transmission
may operate differently until the transmis-
sion cools down.
During cold temperatures, transmission op-
eration may be modified depending on en-
gine and/or transmission temperature as well
as vehicle speed. This feature improves warm
up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of
the torque converter clutch (and, for the
nine-speed, shifts into 8th or 9th gear), are
inhibited until the engine and/or transmis-
sion is warm (refer to the “Note” under
“Torque Converter Clutch” in this section).
Normal operation will resume once the tem-
perature(s) have risen to a suitable level.AUTOSTICK
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission
feature providing manual shift control, giving
you more control of the vehicle. AutoStick
allows you to maximize engine braking, elimi-
nate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance.
This system can also provide you with more
control during passing, city driving, cold slip-
pery conditions, mountain driving, trailer
towing, and many other situations.
Operation
When the gear selector is in the AutoStick
position (beside the DRIVE position), it can
be moved forward and rearward. This allows
the driver to manually select the transmission
gear being used. Moving the gear selector
forward (-) triggers a downshift and rearward
(+) an upshift. The current gear is displayed
in the instrument cluster.
In AutoStick mode, the transmission will
shift up or down when the driver moves the
gear selector rearward (+) or forward (-), un-
less an engine lugging or overspeed condition
STARTING AND OPERATING
156

would result. It will remain in the selected
gear until another upshift or downshift is
chosen, except as described below.
• Six-speed transmissions will automatically
upshift when necessary to prevent engine
over-speed.
• The transmission will automatically down-
shift as the vehicle slows (to prevent engine
lugging) and will display the current gear.
• The transmission will automatically down-
shift to first gear when coming to a stop.
After a stop, the driver should manually
upshift (+) the transmission as the vehicle
is accelerated.
• You can start out, from a stop, in first or
second gear (or third gear, in six-speed
models, or in 4LO range, Snow mode, or
Sand mode, where available). Tapping (+)
(at a stop) will allow starting in second gear.
Starting out in second gear can be helpful
in snowy or icy conditions.
• If a requested downshift would cause the
engine to over-speed, that shift will not
occur.• The system will ignore attempts to upshift
at too low of a vehicle speed.
• Transmission shifting will be more notice-
able when AutoStick is enabled.
• The system may revert to automatic shift
mode if a fault or overheat condition is
detected.
NOTE:
When Selec-Speed or Hill Descent Control is
enabled, AutoStick is not active.
To disengage AutoStick, return the gear se-
lector to the DRIVE position. You can shift in
or out of the AutoStick position at any time
without taking your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine
braking on a slippery surface. The drive
wheels could lose their grip and the ve-
hicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electroni-
cally for abnormal conditions. If a condition
is detected that could result in transmission
damage, Transmission Limp Home Mode is
activated. In this mode, the transmission may
operate only in a fixed gear, or may remain in
NEUTRAL. The Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) may be illuminated. Limp Home Mode
may allow the vehicle to be driven to an
authorized dealer for service without damag-
ing the transmission.
In the event of a momentary problem, the
transmission can be reset to regain all for-
ward gears by performing the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK, if pos-
sible. If not, shift the transmission to
NEUTRAL.
3. Turn the ignition to the OFF position. On
vehicles with push button start, push and
hold the ignition until the engine turns
OFF.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
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