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DRIVING AND OPERATING 157
Safe driver behavior and
understanding of the environment can
help avoid a rollover crash in any type
of vehicle, including utility vehicles.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage.
Here are some driving tips to get the
best fuel economy possible.
.Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them off
when not required.
. On AWD vehicles, use Tour Mode
when conditions permit.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid abrupt
stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
. When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control. .
Always follow posted speed limits
or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
. Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with the
same TPC Spec number molded
into the tire's sidewall near
the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and
can take your focus from the task of
driving. Exercise good judgment and
do not let other activities divert your
attention away from the road. Many
local governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area. To avoid distracted driving, keep your
eyes on the road, keep your hands on
the steering wheel, and focus your
attention on driving.
.
Do not use a phone in demanding
driving situations. Use a
hands-free method to place or
receive necessary phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read, take
notes, or look up information on
phones or other electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat passenger
to handle potential distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings. Program
all trip information into any
navigation device prior to driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked to
retrieve items that have fallen to
the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate carrier
or restraint.
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162 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
.Heavy loads on the roof raise
the vehicle's center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll
over. You can be seriously or
fatally injured if the vehicle
rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on
the roof.
For more information about loading
the vehicle, see Vehicle Load Limits
0 168.
Environmental Concerns
.
Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
. Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb wildlife.
. Do not park over things that burn.
See Parking over Things That Burn
0 180.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep for
any vehicle. Driving up hills can
cause the vehicle to stall. Driving
down hills can cause loss of control.
Driving across hills can cause a
rollover. You could be injured or
killed. Do not drive on steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and obstructions.
If the terrain ahead cannot be seen,
get out of the vehicle and walk the hill
before driving further.
When driving on hills:
. Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill. .
Slow down when approaching the
top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause a crash. There
could be a drop-off, embankment,
cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or killed.
As you near the top of a hill, slow
down and stay alert.
. Never go downhill forward or
backward with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight down.
Use a low gear because the engine
will work with the brakes to slow
the vehicle and help keep the
vehicle under control.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 167
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use Roadside Service. SeeRoadside
Service 0340. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide
(CO), which cannot be seen or
smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side that
is away from the wind, to
bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set the
fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate Control
Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0181.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed. This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels
to free the vehicle when stuck in sand,
mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0191.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage.
Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 56 km/h
(35 mph).
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168 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode.
SeeDriver Mode Control 0193 and
All-Wheel Drive 0188.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. Turn off any traction system.
Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle 0309.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or
rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). This can cause
systems to break and change
the way the vehicle handles.
This could cause loss of control
and a crash. Overloading can
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
also reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information Label
Example Label
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar
(B-pillar). The tire and loading
information label shows the
number of occupant seating
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 169
positions (1), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (2) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading Information
label also shows the size of the
original equipment tires (3) and
the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures (4). For more
information on tires and inflation
seeTires 0272 and
Tire Pressure 0279.
There is also important loading
information on the vehicle
Certification/Tire label. It may
show the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for the
front and rear axle. See
“Certification/Tire Label” later in
this section.
“Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit–
1.
Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity. For
example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there
will be five 150 lb passengers
in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safelyexceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0233 for
important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 175
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may restart
and move unexpectedly. Always
shift to P (Park), and then turn the
ignition off before exiting the
vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the
vehicle is at a complete stop, the
engine may turn off. When stopped,
the tachometer displays AUTO STOP.
See Tachometer 0111. When the brake
pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pressed, the engine will
restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the engine
to automatically restart before the
brake pedal is released.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or Auto
Starts may occur because: .
The climate control settings
require the engine to be running
to cool or heat the vehicle interior.
. The vehicle battery charge is low.
. The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
. Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop.
. The accelerator pedal is pressed.
. The engine or transmission is not
at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not in
the required operating range.
. The vehicle is in any gear other
than D (Drive).
. Driver modes have been selected.
. The vehicle is on a steep hill or
grade.
. The driver door has been opened
or the driver seat belt has been
unbuckled.
. The hood has been opened. .
The Auto Stop has reached the
maximum allowed time.
Auto Stop Disable Switch
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature can be disabled and enabled
by pressing the switch with the
h
symbol. Auto Stop is enabled each
time you start the vehicle.
When
his illuminated, the system is
enabled.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 187
3. Press the controls on the back ofthe steering wheel to shift. Use
the left steering wheel control to
downshift, and the right control
to upshift. To shift to the lowest
available gear, press and hold the
left control.
To exit Permanent Tap Shift Mode: 1. To exit M (Manual Mode) and return to D (Drive), pull back on
the shift lever. The D in the shift
pattern will illuminate in red,
and the M will switch to white.
2. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the center position.
M (Manual Mode) can be exited to
return to D (Drive) at any speed by
pulling the lever rearward from the
center position. It is not necessary to
stop the vehicle or shift to N (Neutral)
or P (Park) prior to shifting back to
D (Drive).
Temporary Tap Manual Shift Mode
To enter Temporary Tap Shift Mode: 1. With the transmission in D (Drive) and not in Permanent
Tap Shift Mode, the Tap Shift controls will activate a
temporary tap manual shift
mode, allowing the transmission
to be manually shifted.
2. To shift to the lowest available gear, press and hold the left
control.
3. To deactivate, hold the right control briefly. Automatic shifts
return after no manual shifts
have been done for seven to
10 seconds.
While using Tap Shift, the vehicle will
have firmer, quicker shifting. This can
be used for sport driving or when
climbing or descending hills, to stay in
gear longer, or to downshift for more
power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow
shifting into gears appropriate for the
vehicle speed and engine revolutions
per minute (rpm). If shifting is
prevented for any reason, a SHIFT
DENIED message will be displayed in
the instrument cluster. The
transmission will not automatically
shift to the next higher gear if the
engine rpm is too high. It will only automatically shift to the next lower
gear if the engine rpm is much
too low.
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Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA feature.
HSA does not replace the need to
pay attention and drive safely. You
may not hear or feel alerts or
warnings provided by this system.
Failure to use proper care when
driving may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. SeeDefensive
Driving 0158.
When the vehicle is stopped on a
grade, Hill Start Assist (HSA) prevents
the vehicle from rolling in an
unintended direction during the
transition from brake pedal release to
accelerator pedal apply. The brakes
release when the accelerator pedal is
applied. If the accelerator pedal is not
applied within a few minutes, the
Electric Parking Brake will apply. The
brakes may also release under other
conditions. Do not rely on HSA to
hold the vehicle. HSA is available when the vehicle is
facing uphill in a forward gear,
or when facing downhill in
R (Reverse). The vehicle must come to
a complete stop on a grade for HSA to
activate.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any of
the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. On an
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicle in
AWD or Sport Mode, the system will
operate if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens, TCS
applies the brakes to the spinning
wheels and reduces engine power to
limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
system senses a discrepancy between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.