STARTING AND OPERATING 183
Perform the maintenance listed in the
“Maintenance Plan”. Refer to “Scheduled
Servicing” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
further information. When towing a trailer,
never exceed the GAWR, or GCWR, ratings.
Towing Requirements — Tires
Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire.
Do not drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h)
wh
en towing while using a full size spare tire.
Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to
the safe and satisfactory operation of your
vehicle. Refer to “Tires” in “Servicing And Mainte -
nance” for proper tire inflation procedures.
Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation
pressures before trailer usage.
Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire
damage before towing a trailer. Refer to
“Tires” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for
the proper inspection procedure.
When replacing tires, refer to “Tires” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for the proper
tire replacement procedures. Replacing tires
with a higher load carrying capacity will not
increase the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake
system or vacuum system of your vehicle
with that of the trailer. This could cause inad -
equate braking and possible personal injury.
An electronically actuated trailer brake
controller is required when towing a trailer
with electronically actuated brakes. When
towing a trailer equipped with a hydraulic
surge actuated brake system, an electronic
brake controller is not required.
Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers
over 1,000 lbs (453 kg) and required for
trailers in excess of 2,000 lbs (907 kg).
CAUTION!
Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is
d r
iven. The engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km)
th
at a trailer is towed, do not drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts
a t
full throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your
vehicle's hydraulic brake lines. It can over -
load your brake system and cause it to fail.
Y o
u might not have brakes when you need
them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stop -
ping distance. When towing, you should
a l
low for additional space between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Failure to do so could result in an accident.
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) loaded, it should have its own
b r
akes and they should be of adequate
capacity. Failure to do this could lead to
accelerated brake lining wear, higher brake
pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 187
DRIVING TIPS
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or
other slippery surfaces may cause the driving
wheels to pull erratically to the right or left. This
phenomenon occurs when there is a difference
in the surface traction under the front (driving)
wheels.
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 become 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 prevent damage to your
vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
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 carefully
whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
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.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can
carry your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to
follow this warning may result in injuries that
are serious or fatal to you, your passengers,
and others around you.
5
200 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
SPARE TIRE LOCATION AND REMOVAL
The spare tire is stowed underneath the rear of
the vehicle and is held in place by means of a
cable winch mechanism.
Spare Tire Location
Spare Tire Removal
NOTE:
On seven-passenger models, fold the third-row
p a
ssenger seats flat. This will provide more
space when accessing the jacking tools and
when operating the winch mechanism.
1. Remove the jack-handle components 1, 2 a
nd 3 from storage and assemble them.
Lowering/Raising Spare Tire
Winch Drive Nut
NOTE:
Assemble components 2 and 3 by seating the
s m
all ball at the end of component 2 in the
s m
all hole at the end of component 3. This will
lock these components together. Assemble
components 1 and 2 so that the wheel nut
socket at the end of component 1 faces upward
when seated on component 2. This will make it
easier to rotate the assembly when operating
the winch mechanism.
Lowering The Spare Tire
2. F it the assembled jack-handle over the
w
inch drive nut located in the jack storage
area. Rotate the jack-handle assembly
counterclockwise until the spare tire is on
the ground with enough cable slack to allow
you to pull the spare tire out from
underneath the vehicle.
1 — Component 1
2 — Component 2
3 — Component 3
202 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
Jack Warning Label
Jacking Locations
1. R
emove the spare tire, jack, and
j
ack-handle from stowage.
2. Lo osen, but do not remove, the wheel nuts
o
n the wheel with the flat tire. Turn the
wheel nuts counterclockwise one turn while
the wheel is still on the ground.
3. Place the jack in the notches underneath the l
ift area that is closest to the flat tire. Center
the jack saddle between the drain flute
formations on the sill flange. Turn the jack
screw clockwise to firmly engage the jack
saddle with the lift area of the sill flange.
Front Lifting Point
Block the wheel diagonally opposite the
wheel to be raised.
Never start or run the engine with the
vehicle on a jack.
Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it
is on a jack.
Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a
jack. If you need to get under a raised
vehicle, take it to a service center where it
can be raised on a lift.
Only use the jack in the positions indicated
and for lifting this vehicle during a tire
change.
If working on or near a roadway, be
extremely careful of motor traffic.
To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated,
are securely stowed, spares must be
stowed with the valve stem facing the
ground.
WARNING! (Continued)
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to raise the vehicle by jacking
on locations other than those indicated in the
Jacking Instructions for this vehicle.
204 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
NOTE:
For vehicles so equipped, do not attempt to
install a center cap or wheel cover on the
compact spare.
Refer to “Compact Spare Tire” and to
“Limited Use Spare” under “Tires” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for additional
warnings, cautions, and information about
the spare tire, its use, and operation.
7. I nstall the wheel nuts with the cone-shaped
e
nd of the nut toward the wheel. Lightly
tighten the wheel nuts.
8. Lo wer the vehicle by turning the jack screw
c
ounterclockwise with the jack handle.
9. F
inish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on
t
he wrench while at the end of the handle for
increased leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in
a star pattern until each nut has been
t i
ghtened twice. For the correct lug nut
torque, refer to “Wheel And Tire Torque
Specifications” in “Technical Specifications”.
If in doubt about the correct tightness, have
them checked with a torque wrench by an
authorized dealer or service station.
10. Lo wer the jack to its fully closed position.
1
1. P lace the deflated (flat) tire in the cargo
a
rea. Do not stow the deflated tire in the
spare tire stowage location. Have the
deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced as
soon as possible.
12. T o stow the winch cable and retainer, fit the
a
ssembled jack-handle over the winch drive
nut. Rotate the jack-handle assembly clockwise
until you hear the winch mechanism click three
times. It cannot be over tightened.
Stowing The Winch Cable And Retainer
13. S tow the jack-handle and jack. Remove the
w
heel blocks from the vehicle and release
the park brake.
14. C heck the tire pressure as soon as possible.
A
djust the tire pressure as required.WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the
jack, do not tighten the wheel nuts fully until
the vehicle has been lowered. Failure to follow
this warning may result in serious injury.
214 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
Tow Eye Usage Precautions
Tow Eye Warning Label
Front Tow Eye Installation
The front tow eye receptacle is located behind a
door, located on the right front bumper fascia.
To install the tow eye, open the door using the
vehicle key or a small screwdriver, and thread
the tow eye into the receptacle.
Insert the flat end of the jack handle through
th
e eye and tighten, refer to “Jacking And Tire
Changing” in this chapter for further
information. The tow eye must be fully seated to
the attaching bracket through the lower front
fascia as shown. If the tow eye is not fully
seated to the attaching bracket, the vehicle
should not be towed.
Front Tow Eye Installed
CAUTION!
The tow eye must only be used for roadside
emergencies. Use with an appropriate
device in accordance with highway code
(a rigid bar or rope) to maneuver the vehicle
i n
preparation for transport via a tow truck.
The tow eye must not be used to move the
vehicle off the road or where there are
obstacles.
Do not use the tow eyes for tow truck
hookup or highway towing.
Do not use the tow eye to free a stuck
vehicle. Refer to the “Freeing A Stuck
Vehicle” section for further information.
Please refer to the “Towing A Disabled
Vehicle” section for detailed instructions.
D a
mage to your vehicle may occur if these
guidelines are not followed.
WARNING!
Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow
eyes.
Do not use a chain with a tow eye. Chains
may break, causing serious injury or death.
Do not use a tow strap with a tow eye. Tow
straps may break or become disengaged,
causing serious injury or death.
Failure to follow proper tow eye usage may
cause components to break resulting in
serious injury or death.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 215
Rear Tow Eye Installation
The rear tow eye receptacle is located behind a
door, located on the left rear bumper fascia.
To install the tow eye, open the door using the
ve
hicle key or a small screwdriver, and thread
the tow eye into the receptacle.
Insert the flat end of the jack handle through
t h
e eye and tighten, refer to “Jacking And Tire
Changing” in this section for further
information. The tow hook must be fully seated
to the attaching bracket through the lower front
fascia as shown. If the tow hook is not fully
seated to the attaching bracket, the vehicle
should not be towed.
Rear Tow Eye Installed
ENHANCED ACCIDENT RESPONSE
SYSTEM (EARS)
This vehicle is equipped with an Enhanced
Accident Response System.
Please refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in
“ S
afety” for further information on the
Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS)
function.
EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is
to record data that will assist in understanding
how a vehicle’s systems performed under
certain crash or near crash-like situations, such
as an air bag deployment or hitting a road
obstacle.
Please refer to “Occupant Restraint Systems” in
“ S
afety” for further information on the Event
Data Recorder (EDR).
6
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 237
Tire Identification Number (TIN)
The TIN may be found on one or both sides of the tire; however, the date code may only be on one side. Tires with white sidewalls will have the full TIN,
including the date code, located on the white sidewall side of the tire. Look for the TIN on the outboard side of black sidewall tires as mounted on the
vehicle. If the TIN is not found on the outboard side, then you will find it on the inboard side of the tire.H = Speed Symbol
A symbol indicating the range of speeds at which a tire can carry a load corresponding to its load index under certain operating conditions
The maximum speed corresponding to the speed symbol should only be achieved under specified operating conditions (i.e., tire pressure, vehicle
loading, road conditions, and posted speed limits)
Load Identification:
Absence of the following load identification symbols on the sidewall of the tire indicates a Standard Load (SL) tire:
XL = Extra load (or reinforced) tire, or
LL = Light load tire or
C, D, E, F, G = Load range associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at a specified pressure
Maximum Load –
Maximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is designed to carry
Maximum Pressure –
Maximum pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pressure for this tire
EXAMPLE:
DOT MA L9 ABCD 0301
DOT = Department of Transportation
This symbol certifies that the tire is in compliance with the US Department of Transportation tire safety standards and is approved for highway use
MA = Code representing the tire manufacturing location (two digits)
EXAMPLE:
7