Exhaust Gas
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They contain carbon
monoxide (CO), which is colorless and odorless.
Breathing it can make you unconscious and can even-
tually poison you. To avoid breathing (CO), follow
these safety tips:
•Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in
confined areas any longer than needed to move your
vehicle in or out of the area.
• If you are required to drive with the trunk/liftgate/
rear doors open, make sure that all windows are
closed and the climate control BLOWER switch is set
at high speed. DO NOT use the recirculation mode.
• If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running, adjust your heating or cooling con-
trols to force outside air into the vehicle. Set the
blower at high speed.
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into the
vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the exhaust
system, when exhaust fumes can be detected inside the vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is
damaged, have a competent mechanic inspect the complete
exhaust system and adjacent body areas for broken, dam-
aged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open seams or
loose connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep into
the passenger compartment. In addition, inspect the ex-
haust system each time the vehicle is raised for lubrication
or oil change. Replace as required.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision.
Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision
if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc.). If there is any question regarding seat belt or
retractor condition, replace the seat belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The Air Bag warning lightwill turn on for four to
eight seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch
is first turned to ON/RUN. If the light is either not on
during starting, stays on, or turns on while driving, 5
SAFETY 285
have the system inspected at your authorized dealer as
soon as possible. After the bulb check, this light will
illuminate with a single chime when a fault with the Air
Bag System has been detected. It will stay on until the
fault is removed. If the light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving, have your authorized dealer
service the vehicle immediately.
Refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in “Safety” for
further information.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place the
blower control on high speed. You should be able to feel the
air directed against the windshield. See your authorized
dealer for service if your defroster is inoperable.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit your vehicle. Only
use a floor mat that does not interfere with the operation of
the accelerator, brake or clutch pedals. Only use a floor mat
that is securely attached using the floor mat fasteners so it
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the accelera-
tor, brake or clutch pedals or impair safe operation of your
vehicle in other ways.
WARNING!
An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or stacked
floor mat, or damaged floor mat fasteners may cause
your floor mat to interfere with the accelerator, brake,
or clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle control. To
prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:
•ALWAYS securely attach
your floor mat using the
floor mat fasteners. DO NOT install your floor mat
upside down or turn your floor mat over. Lightly pull
to confirm mat is secured using the floor mat fasten-
ers on a regular basis.
• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR MAT
FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing any other
floor mat. NEVER install or stack an additional floor
mat on top of an existing floor mat.
• ONLY install floor mats designed to fit your vehicle.
NEVER install a floor mat that cannot be properly
attached and secured to your vehicle. If a floor mat
needs to be replaced, only use a FCA approved floor
mat for the specific make, model, and year of your
vehicle.
• ONLY use the driver ’s side floor mat on the driver ’s
side floor area. To check for interference, with the
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286 SAFETY
WARNING!(Continued)
vehicle properly parked with the engine off, fully
depress the accelerator, the brake, and the clutch
pedal (if present) to check for interference. If your
floor mat interferes with the operation of any pedal,
or is not secure to the floor, remove the floor mat
from the vehicle and place the floor mat in your
trunk.
• ONLY use the passenger ’s side floor mat on the
passenger ’s side floor area.
• ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall or slide into
the driver ’s side floor area when the vehicle is
moving. Objects can become trapped under accelera-
tor, brake, or clutch pedals and could cause a loss of
vehicle control.
• NEVER place any objects under the floor mat (e.g.,
towels, keys, etc.). These objects could change the
position of the floor mat and may cause interference
with the accelerator, brake, or clutch pedals.
• If the vehicle carpet has been removed and re-
installed, always properly attach carpet to the floor
and check the floor mat fasteners are secure to the
vehicle carpet. Fully depress each pedal to check for
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
interference with the accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals then re-install the floor mats.
• It is recommended to only use mild soap and water
to clean your floor mats. After cleaning, always check
your floor mat has been properly installed and is
secured to your vehicle using the floor mat fasteners
by lightly pulling mat.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks, and bulges.
Check the wheel bolts for tightness. Check the tires (includ-
ing spare) for proper cold inflation pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
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SAFETY 287
NOTE:A new engine may consume some oil during its
first few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. This
should be considered a normal part of the break-in and not
interpreted as a problem. Please check your oil level with
the engine oil indicator often during the break in period.
Add oil as required.
PARKING BRAKE
Electric Park Brake (EPB)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Electric Park Brake
System (EPB) that offers simple operation, and some
additional features that make the parking brake more
convenient and useful.
The parking brake is primarily intended to prevent the
vehicle from rolling while parked. Before leaving the
vehicle, make sure that the park brake is applied. Also, be
certain to leave the transmission in PARK.
You can engage the park brake in two ways:
• Manually, by applying the park brake switch.
• Automatically, by enabling the Auto Park Brake feature
in the customer programmable features section of the
Uconnect settings. The park brake switch is located on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel (below the headlamp switch).
To apply the park brake manually, pull up on the switch
momentarily. You may hear a slight whirring sound from
the back of the vehicle while the park brake engages. Once
the park brake is fully engaged, the BRAKE telltale light in
the instrument cluster and an indicator on the switch will
illuminate. If your foot is on the brake pedal while you
apply the park brake, you may notice a small amount of
brake pedal movement. The park brake can be applied
even when the ignition switch is OFF but the BRAKE
Electric Park Brake Switch
300 STARTING AND OPERATING
telltale light will not illuminate, however, it can only be
released when the ignition is in the ON/RUN mode.
NOTE:The EPB fault light will illuminate if the EPB switch
is held for longer than 20 seconds in either the released or
applied position. The light will extinguish upon releasing
the switch.
If the Auto Park Brake feature is enabled, the parking brake
will automatically engage whenever the transmission is
placed into PARK. If your foot is on the brake pedal, you
may notice a small amount of brake pedal movement while
the park brake is engaging.
The park brake will release automatically when the igni-
tion is ON, the transmission is in DRIVE or REVERSE, the
driver seat belt is buckled, and an attempt is made to drive
away.
To release the park brake manually, the ignition switch
must be in the ON/RUN mode. Put your foot on the brake
pedal, then push the park brake switch down momentarily.
You may hear a slight whirring sound from the back of the
vehicle while the parking brake disengages. You may also
notice a small amount of movement in the brake pedal.
Once the park brake is fully disengaged, The BRAKE
telltale light in the instrument cluster and the LED indica-
tor on the switch will extinguish. NOTE:
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the
front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and
away from the curb on an uphill grade. Apply the park
brake before placing the gear selector in PARK, otherwise
the load on the transmission locking mechanism may make
it difficult to move the gear selector out of PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied whenever the
driver is not in the vehicle.
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully
when parked to guard against vehicle movement and
possible injury or damage.
• When exiting the vehicle, always remove the key fob
from the ignition 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 gear
selector.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 301
WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, or in
a location accessible to children, and do not leave 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.
• Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged 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.
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 au-
thorized dealer immediately.
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
telltale light will illuminate, and a continuous chime will
sound. The rear stop lamps will also be illuminated auto-
matically while the vehicle remains in motion.
To disengage the park brake while the vehicle is in motion,
release the switch. If the vehicle is brought to a complete
stop using the parking brake, when the vehicle reaches
approximately 3 mph, (5 km/h) the parking brake will
remain engaged.
WARNING!
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 system. Be sure
the parking brake is fully disengaged before driving;
failure to do so can lead to brake failure and a collision.
In the unlikely event of a malfunction of the Electric Park
Brake system, a yellow EPB fault light will illuminate. This
may be accompanied by the BRAKE telltale light flashing.
In this event, urgent service of the electric park brake
system is required. Do not rely on the parking brake to
hold the vehicle stationary.
302 STARTING AND OPERATING
these conditions, using a lower gear range will improve
performance and extend transmission life by reducing
excessive shifting and heat buildup.
During extremely cold temperatures (-22°F [-30°C] or be-
low), transmission operation may be modified depending
on engine and transmission temperature as well as vehicle
speed. Normal operation will resume once the transmis-
sion temperature has risen to a suitable level.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for ab-
normal 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 certain gears, or may not shift at all. Vehicle
performance may be severely degraded and the engine
may stall. In some situations, the transmission may not
re-engage if the engine is turned off and restarted. The
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may be illuminated. A
message in the instrument cluster will inform the driver of
the more serious conditions, and indicate what actions may
be necessary.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission can
be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:NOTE:
In cases where the instrument cluster message
indicates the transmission may not re-engage after engine
shutdown, perform this procedure only in a desired loca-
tion (preferably, at an authorized dealer).
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK, if possible. If not, shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
3. Push and hold the ignition switch until the engine turns OFF.
4. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no longer detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation.
NOTE: Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit an authorized dealer at your earliest
possible convenience. An authorized dealer has diagnostic
equipment to assess the condition of your transmission.
If the transmission cannot be reset, an authorized dealer
service is required.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 311
When to Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs,
push the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL
mode. This will improve performance and reduce the
potential for transmission overheating or failure due to
excessive shifting.The “TOW/HAUL Indicator Light” will illuminate in the
instrument cluster to indicate that TOW/HAUL mode has
been activated. Pushing the switch a second time restores
normal operation. Normal operation is always the default
at engine start-up. If TOW/HAUL mode is desired, the
switch must be pushed each time the engine is started.
WARNING!
Do not use the “TOW/HAUL” feature when driving in
icy or slippery conditions. The increased engine brak-
ing can cause the rear wheels to slide, and the vehicle
to swing around with the possible loss of vehicle
control, which may cause an accident possibly result-
ing in personal injury or death.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION — IF EQUIPPED
Four-wheel drive trucks are equipped with either a manu-
ally shifted transfer case or an electronically shifted trans-
fer case. Refer to the operating instructions for your
transfer case, located in this section for further information.
TOW/HAUL Switch
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