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WARNING
∙ The air conditioner cooling functionoperates only when the engine is
running.
∙ Do not leave children or adults who would normally require the assis-
tance of others alone in your vehicle.
Pets should also not be lef t alone.
They could accidentally injure them-
selves or others through inadvertent
operation of the vehicle. Also, on hot,
sunny days, temperatures in a closed
vehicle could quickly become high
enough to cause severe or possibly
fatal injuries to people or animals.
∙ Do not use the recirculation mode for long periods as it may cause the inte-
rior air to become stale and the win-
dows to fog up. NOTE:
∙ Odors from inside and outside the ve-
hicle can build up in the air condi-
tioner unit. Odor can enter the pas-
senger compartment through the
vents.
∙ When parking, set the heater and air
conditioner controls to turn off air re-
circulation to allow fresh air into the
passenger compartment. This should
help reduce odors inside the vehicle.
HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER
(manual) (if so equipped)
4-20Heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems
Page 180 of 346
When installing a CB, ham radio or car
phone in your vehicle, be sure to observe
the following precautions; otherwise, the
new equipment may adversely affect the
engine control system and other electronic
parts.
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∙ Make sure the area around the vehicle isclear.
∙ Check fluid levels such as engine oil, coolant, brake and clutch fluid (if so
equipped), and windshield-washer fluid
as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
∙ Check that all windows and lights are clean.
∙ Visually inspect tires for their appear- ance and condition. Also check tires for
proper inflation.
∙ Lock all doors.
∙ Position seat and adjust head re- straints.
∙ Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
∙ Fasten seat belts and ask all passen- gers to do likewise.
∙ Check the operation of warning lights when the key is turned to the ON posi-
tion. For additional information, refer to
“Warning lights, indicator lights and au-
dible reminders” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2.
Automatic transmission:
Move the shif t lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). P (Park) is recommended.
The shif t lever cannot be moved out
of the P (Park) position and into any
of the other gear positions if the ig-
nition switch is placed in the OFF po-
sition or if the key is removed from
the ignition switch.
The starter is designed not to oper-
ate if the shif t lever is in any of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the shif t lever to N (Neutral). De-
press the clutch pedal to the floor
while cranking the engine.
3. Crank the engine with your foot off
the accelerator pedal by placing the
ignition switch in the START position.
Release the key when the engine
starts. If the engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat the above procedure.
∙ If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to the floor) and hold it and then crank the
engine. Release the key and the ac-
celerator pedal when the engine
starts.
∙ If the engine is very hard to start be- cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Crank the engine for
5-6 seconds. Af ter cranking the en-
gine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off
the accelerator pedal by placing the
ignition in the START position. Re-
lease the key when the engine starts.
If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.
Page 208 of 346
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery dis-
charge and potential no-start conditions
such as:1. Installation or extended use of elec-
tronic accessories that consume bat-
tery power when the engine is not
running (phone chargers, GPS, DVD
players, etc.).
2. The vehicle is not driven regularly
and/or only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to
be charged to maintain battery health.AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (A/T)
(if so equipped)
The A/T in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures
for this transmission are shown on the fol-
lowing pages. Follow these procedures for
maximum vehicle performance and driv-
ing enjoyment.
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∙ Keep the engine at idling speed whileshif ting from the N (Neutral) position
to any driving position.
∙ To avoid possible damage to your ve- hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this
purpose.
Starting the vehicle
1. Af ter starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the
shif t lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shif t lever to a drive po-
sition.
3. Release the parking brake, the foot brake pedal, and then gradually start
the vehicle in motion.
The automatic transmission is designed
so the foot brake pedal MUST be de-
pressed before shif ting from P (Park) to
any drive position while the ignition
switch is in the ON position. The shif t lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park) and into any of the other gear po-
sitions if the ignition switch is turned to
the LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the
keyisremoved.
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WARNING
∙ Do not stop or park the vehicle overflammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire. ∙ Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park) for
automatic transmission models or in
an appropriate gear for manual trans-
mission models. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpect-
edly or roll away and result in an acci-
dent. Make sure the shif t lever has
been pushed as far forward as it can
go and cannot be moved without de-
pressing the foot brake pedal.
∙ Never leave the engine running while the vehicle is unattended. ∙ Do not leave children unattended in-
side the vehicle. They could unknow-
ingly activate switches or controls or
make the vehicle move. Unattended
children could become involved in se-
rious accidents.
∙ To help avoid risk of injury or death through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require the
assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Manual transmission models:
Place the shif t lever in the R (Reverse)
position. When parking on an uphill
grade, place the shif t lever in 1st gear.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the shif t lever to the P (Park) po-
sition.
Page 222 of 346
The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you
can stop the vehicle by depressing the
brake pedal. However, greater foot pres-
sure on the brake pedal will be required to
stop the vehicle and stopping distance will
be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce speed
and downshif t to a lower gear before going
down a slope or long grade. Overheated
brakes may reduce braking performance
and could result in loss of vehicle control.
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WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. It is the
driver’s responsibility to stay alert, drive
safely and be in control of the vehicle at
all times.The VDC system uses various sensors to
monitor driver inputs and vehicle motion.
Under certain driving conditions, the VDC
system helps to perform the following
functions:
∙ Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel slip on one slipping drive wheel
so power is transferred to a non slipping
drive wheel on the same axle.
∙ Controls brake pressure and engine output to reduce drive wheel slip based
on vehicle speed (traction control func-
tion).
∙ Controls brake pressure at individual wheels and engine output to help the
driver maintain control of the vehicle in
the following conditions:
– Understeer (vehicle tends to not fol- low the steered path despite in-
creased steering input)
– Oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving conditions)
The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it can-
not prevent loss of vehicle control in all driv-
ing situations. When the VDC system operates, the