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06
6-49
Information
The ESC system must be turned OFF
before rocking the vehicle.
NOTICE
If you are still stuck after rocking the
vehicle a few times, have the vehicle
pulled out by a tow vehicle to avoid
engine overheating, possible damage to
the transmission, and tire damage. See
“Towing” section in chapter 8.
Smooth Cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are wet.
Ideally, corners should always be taken
under gentle acceleration.
Driving at Night
Night driving presents more hazards than
driving in the daylight. Here are some
important tips to remember:
[ Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
[ Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare
from other drivers’ headlamps.
[ Keep your headlamps clean and
properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlamps will make it much
more difficult to see at night.
[ Avoid staring directly at the
headlamps of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your eyes
to readjust to the darkness.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous. Here are a few things to
consider when driving in the rain or on
slick pavement:
[ Slow down and allow extra following
distance. A heavy rainfall makes
it harder to see and increases the
distance needed to stop your vehicle.
[ Turn OFF your Cruise Control. (if
equipped)
[ Replace your windshield wiper blades
when they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
[ Be sure your tires have enough tread.
If your tires do not have enough depth
of tire tread, making a quick stop on
wet pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. See “Tire
Tread” section in chapter 9.
[ Turn on your headlamps to make it
easier for others to see you.
[ Driving too fast through large puddles
can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
[ If you believe your brakes may be wet,
apply them lightly while driving until
normal braking operation returns.
Hydroplaning
If the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough, your vehicle may
have little or no contact with the road
surface and actually ride on the water.
The best advice is SLOW DOWN when
the road is wet.
The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the depth of tire tread decreases, refer
to “Tire Tread” section in chapter 9.
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Driving Your Vehicle
6-50
Driving in Flooded Areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow
adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be reduced.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
Highway Driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation, as specified.
Under-inflation may overheat or damage
the tires.
Do not install worn-out or damaged tires,
which may reduce traction or fail the
braking operation.
Information
Never over-inflate your tires above the
maximum inflation pressure, as specified
on your tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
Driving at higher speeds on the highway
consumes more fuel and is less efficient
than driving at a slower, more moderate
speed. Maintain a moderate speed in
order to conserve fuel when driving on
the highway.
Be sure to check both the engine coolant
level and the engine oil before driving.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
overheat the engine.
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06
6-51
The severe weather conditions of winter quickly wear out tires and cause other
problems. To minimize winter driving problems, you should take the following
suggestions:
Snow or Icy Conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of
you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding, rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns are potentially very hazardous practices. During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden brake applications on snowy or icy roads may
cause the vehicle to skid.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may be necessary to use snow tires or to install
tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment. Some of the items you may want to carry include
tire chains, tow straps or chains, a flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a shovel, jumper
cables, a window scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
Snow tires
WARNING
Snow tires should be equivalent in size and type to the vehicle’s standard tires.
Otherwise, the safety and handling of your vehicle may be adversely affected.
We recommend that you use snow tires when road temperature is below 45°F (7°C).
Refer to the below chart, and mount the recommended snow tire for your vehicle.
Standard tire Recommended snow tire
Front Rear Front Rear
Tire sizeWheel
sizeTire sizeWheel
sizeTire sizeWheel
sizeTire sizeWheel
size
225/45R18 8.0Jx18 225/45R18 8.0Jx18225/45R18 8.0Jx18 225/45R18 8.0Jx18
225/40R19 8.0Jx19 255/35R19 8.5Jx19
225/40R19 8.0Jx19 255/35R19 8.5Jx19225/45R18 8.0Jx18 225/45R18 8.0Jx18
225/40R19 8.0Jx19 255/35R19 8.5Jx19
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle, make sure to use the same Inflation pressure
as the original tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions. The traction provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle’s original equipment tires. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommendations.
WINTER DRIVING
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