CAUTION!(Continued)
NEUTRAL can cause severe transmission
damage. Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” and “Towing A Dis-
abled Vehicle” in “What To Do In Emergen-
cies” for further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and
highway driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. The DRIVE position provides opti-
mum driving characteristics under all normal
operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs
(such as when operating the vehicle under
heavy loading conditions, in hilly terrain, travel-
ing into strong head winds, or while towing
heavy trailers), use the AutoStick shift control (if
equipped, refer to"AutoStick (CVT)"in this
section for further information) to select a lower
gear ratio. Under these conditions, using a
lower gear ratio will improve performance and
extend transmission life by reducing excessive
shifting and heat buildup.During sustained high speed driv-
ing or trailer towing up long grades
on hot days, the automatic trans-
mission oil may become too hot. If
this happens, the transmission
overheat indicator light will come on, and the
vehicle will slow slightly until the transmission
cools down enough to allow a return to the
requested speed. This is done to prevent trans-
mission damage due to overheating. If the high
speed is maintained, the overheating may reoc-
cur, as before, in a cyclic fashion.
LOW (L) — If Equipped
Use this range for engine braking when de-
scending very steep grades. In this range, the
transmission will downshift for maximum engine
braking, and upshifts will occur only to prevent
engine overspeed.
AUTOSTICK
AutoStick (Six-Speed Automatic
Transmission) — If Equipped
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission
feature providing manual shift control, givingyou more control of the vehicle. AutoStick al-
lows you to maximize engine braking, eliminate
undesirable upshifts and downshifts, and im-
prove overall vehicle performance. This system
can also provide you with more control during
passing, city driving, cold slippery conditions,
mountain driving, trailer towing, and many other
situations.
Operation
When the gear selector is in the DRIVE position,
the transmission will operate automatically,
shifting between the six available gears. To
engage AutoStick, simply tap the gear selector
to the right or left (+/-) while in the DRIVE
position. Tapping (-) to enter AutoStick mode will
downshift the transmission to the next lower
gear, while using (+) to enter AutoStick mode
will retain the current gear. When AutoStick is
active, the current transmission gear is dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
In AutoStick mode, the transmission will shift up
or down when the driver moves the gear selec-
tor to the right (+) or left (-), unless an engine
lugging or overspeed condition would result. It
176
Hill Descent Control (HDC) — If
Equipped
This system maintains vehicle speed while de-
scending hills during off-road driving situations.
HDC will automatically apply the brakes to
control downhill speed to between 4 mph
(7 km/h) and 6 mph (9 km/h) depending on
terrain. The system is activated by placing the
vehicle in “Off-Road” mode and placing the gear
selector in LOW or REVERSE. Refer to “Off-
Road Driving Tips” in “Starting And Operating”
for further information.
When HDC is properly enabled,
the “Hill Decent Control Light” in
the instrument cluster will be
illuminated.
HDC has the capability to sense terrain and will
only activate when the vehicle is descending a
hill. It will not activate on level ground. If desired,
HDC can be fully deactivated by putting the
vehicle into ESC “Full Off” mode. This is done
by pushing and holding the “ESC Off” button for
five seconds. Refer to “Electronic Stability Con-
trol (ESC)” in this section of the manual.HDC operation can be overridden with brake
application to slow the vehicle down below the
HDC control speed. Conversely, if more speed
is desired during HDC control, the accelerator
pedal will increase vehicle speed like normal.
When either the brake or the accelerator is
released, HDC will control the vehicle back to
the original set speed.
HDC is only intended for low speed off-road
driving. At vehicle speeds above 31 mph (50
km/h), HDC will no longer function. If the “HDC
Indicator Light” begins to flash, this indicates
that the brakes are getting too hot and the
vehicle should be stopped to allow the brakes to
cool.
WARNING!
HDC is only intended to assist the driver in
controlling vehicle speed when descending
hills. The driver must remain attentive to the
driving conditions and is responsible for
maintaining a safe vehicle speed.
TIRES — GENERAL
INFORMATION
Tire PressureProper tire inflation pressure is essential to the
safe and satisfactory operation of your vehicle.
Four primary areas are affected by improper tire
pressure:
•Safety and Vehicle Stability
•Economy
•Tread Wear
•Ride Comfort
Safety
WARNING!
•Improperly inflated tires are dangerous
and can cause collisions.
•Underinflation increases tire flexing and
can result in overheating and tire failure.
(Continued)
195
Towing TipsBefore setting out on a trip, practice turning,
stopping and backing the trailer in an area away
from heavy traffic.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
If using a manual transmission vehicle for trailer
towing, all starts must be in first gear to avoid
excessive clutch slippage.
Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
The DRIVE range can be selected when towing.
However, if frequent shifting or changes in
engine speed occur while in DRIVE, use the
AutoStick shift control to manually select a
lower gear ratio.
NOTE:
Using a lower gear ratio while operating the
vehicle under heavy loading conditions, will
improve performance and extend transmis-
sion life by reducing excessive shifting and
heat buildup. This action will also provide
better engine braking.
If you REGULARLY tow a trailer for more than
45 minutes of continuous operation, then
change the transmission fluid and filter asspecified for"police, taxi, fleet, or frequent
trailer towing."Refer to the “Maintenance
Schedule” for the proper maintenance intervals.
AutoStick
•When using the AutoStick shift control, select
the highest gear that allows for adequate
performance and avoids frequent downshifts.
For example, choose"4"if the desired speed
can be maintained. Choose"3"or"2"if
needed to maintain the desired speed.
•To prevent excess heat generation, avoid
continuous driving at high RPM. Reduce
vehicle speed as necessary to avoid ex-
tended driving at high RPM. Return to a
higher gear or vehicle speed when grade and
road conditions allow.
Electronic Speed Control — If Equipped
•Do not use in hilly terrain or with heavy loads.
•When using the speed control, if you experi-
ence speed drops greater than 10 mph
(16 km/h), disengage until you can get back
to cruising speed.•Use speed control in flat terrain and with light
loads to maximize fuel efficiency.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission
overheating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the
transmission into NEUTRAL and increase en-
gine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
222
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located
on the instrument panel below the climate
controls.
Push the switch to turn on the Hazard
Warning flasher. When the switch is
activated, all directional turn signals
will flash on and off to warn oncoming traffic of
an emergency. Push the switch a second time
to turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it
should not be used when the vehicle is in
motion. Use it when your vehicle is disabled and
it is creating a safety hazard for other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assis-
tance, the Hazard Warning flashers will con-
tinue to operate even though the ignition is
placed in the OFF position.
NOTE:
With extended use the Hazard Warning
flashers may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can
reduce the potential for overheating by taking
the appropriate action.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, place the
transmission in NEUTRAL, but do not in-
crease engine idle speed.
NOTE:
There are steps that you can take to slow
down an impending overheat condition:
•If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it
off. The A/C system adds heat to the
engine cooling system and turning the
A/C off can help remove this heat.
•You can also turn the temperature control
to maximum heat, the mode control to
floor and the blower control to high. This
allows the heater core to act as a supple-
ment to the radiator and aids in removing
heat from the engine cooling system.CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could dam-
age your vehicle. If the pointer rises to the
H(red) mark, the instrument cluster will
sound a chime. When safe, pull over and
stop the vehicle with the engine at idle. Turn
off the air conditioning and wait until the
pointer drops back into the normal range. If
the pointer remains on theH(red) mark for
more than a minute, turn the engine off
immediately and call for service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam com-
ing from under the hood, do not open the
hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never try to open a cooling system pressure
cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
227
WARNING!(Continued)
the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury. Only use the specific ground
point, do not use any other exposed metal
parts.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the
booster battery, let the engine idle a few
minutes, and then start the engine in the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
6. Once the engine is started, remove the
jumper cables in the reverse sequence:
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1. Disconnect the negative(-)end of the
jumper cable from the engine ground of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
2. Disconnect the opposite end of the negative
(-)jumper cable from the negative(-)post of
the booster battery.3. Disconnect the positive(+)end of the jumper
cable from the positive(+)post of the
booster battery.
4. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive
(+)jumper cable from the positive(+)post of
the vehicle with the discharged battery.
5. Reinstall the air intake duct.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your
vehicle you should have the battery and charg-
ing system inspected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power
outlets draw power from the vehicle’s bat-
tery, even when not in use (i.e., cellular
devices, etc.). Eventually, if plugged in long
enough without engine operation, the vehi-
cle’s battery will discharge sufficiently to de-
grade battery life and/or prevent the engine
from starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or
snow, it can often be moved using a rocking
motion. Turn the steering wheel right and left to
clear the area around the front wheels. Then
shift back and forth between DRIVE and RE-
VERSE (with automatic transmission) or 2nd
gear and REVERSE (with manual transmis-
sion), while gently pressing the accelerator. Use
the least amount of accelerator pedal pressure
that will maintain the rocking motion, without
spinning the wheels, or racing the engine.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels
may lead to transmission overheating and
failure. Allow the engine to idle with the
transmission in NEUTRAL for at least one
minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and
reduce the risk of clutch or transmission
failure during prolonged efforts to free a
stuck vehicle.
243
NOTE:
Push theESC Offswitch, to place the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system in
Partial Offmode, before rocking the ve-
hicle. Refer to “Electronic Brake Control” in
“Starting And Operating” for further infor-
mation. Once the vehicle has been freed,
push theESC Offswitch again to restore
ESC Onmode.
CAUTION!
•
When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting
between DRIVE/2nd gear and REVERSE,
do not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph
(24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may result.
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels
too fast may lead to transmission over-
heating and failure. It can also damage the
tires. Do not spin the wheels above
30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no trans-
mission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous.
Forces generated by excessive wheel
speeds may cause damage, or even failure,
of the axle and tires. A tire could explode and
injure someone. Do not spin your vehicle’s
wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping when you are stuck and do not let
anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the gear selector
cannot be moved out of the PARK position, you
can use the following procedure to temporarily
move the gear selector:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.3. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool,
remove the gear selector override access
cover (located on the right side of the gear
selector housing).
4. Turn the ignition switch to the ACC or ON/
RUN position, but do not start the engine.
5. Press and maintain firm pressure on the
brake pedal.
6. Insert the screwdriver or similar tool into the
access port, and push and hold the override
release lever forward.Gear Selector Override Access Cover
244
NOTE:
Intentional tampering with emissions con-
trol systems can result in civil penalties
being assessed against you.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunc-
tioning engine operation, a scorching odor may
suggest severe and abnormal catalyst over-
heating. If this occurs, stop the vehicle, turn off
the engine and allow it to cool. Service, includ-
ing a tune-up to manufacturer’s specifications,
should be obtained immediately.
To minimize the possibility of catalytic converter
damage:
•Do not shut off the engine or interrupt the
ignition, when the transmission is in gear and
the vehicle is in motion.
•Do not try to start the engine by pushing or
towing the vehicle.
•Do not idle the engine with any spark plug
wires disconnected or removed, such as
when diagnostic testing, or for prolonged
periods during very rough idle or malfunction-
ing operating conditions.Cooling System
WARNING!
•When working near the radiator cooling
fan, disconnect the fan motor lead or turn
the ignition switch to the OFF position. The
fan is temperature controlled and can start
at any time the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
•You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam
coming from under the hood, do not open
the hood until the radiator has had time to
cool. Never try to open a cooling system
pressure cap when the radiator is hot.
Coolant Checks
Check engine coolant (antifreeze) protection
every 12 months (before the onset of freezing
weather, where applicable). If the engine cool-
ant (antifreeze) is dirty or rusty in appearance,
the system should be drained, flushed, and
refilled with fresh engine coolant (antifreeze).Check the front of the A/C condenser for any
accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean
by gently spraying water from a garden hose
vertically down the face of the condenser.
Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for
brittle rubber, cracking, tears, cuts, and tight-
ness of the connection at the bottle and radiator.
Inspect the entire system for leaks.
Cooling System – Drain, Flush, And Refill
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the
proper maintenance intervals.
If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty or
contains a considerable amount of sediment,
clean and flush with a reliable cooling system
cleaner. Follow with a thorough rinsing to re-
move all deposits and chemicals. Properly dis-
pose of old engine coolant (antifreeze).
Selection Of Coolant
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, And Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for further
information.
263
Cavity Cartridge Fuse Mini-Fuse Description
21 – 10 Amp Red Intrusion Module/Siren – If
Equipped
22 – 10 Amp Red Heating, AC/Compass
23 – 15 Amp Lt Blue Auto Shutdown Relay
24 – 15 Amp Lt Blue Power Sunroof – If Equipped
25 – 10 Amp Red Heated Mirror – If Equipped
26 – 15 Amp Lt Blue Auto Shutdown Relay
27 – 10 Amp Red Airbag Control Module
28 – 10 Amp Red Airbag Control Module/Occupant
Classification Module
29 – – Hot Vehicle (No Fuse Required)
30 – 20 Amp Yellow Heated Seat – If Equipped
31 – 10 Amp Red Headlamp Washer – If Equipped
32 30 Amp Pink – Auto Shutdown Relay
33 – 10 Amp Red J1962 Conn/Powertrain Control
Module
277