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Driving and Operating 267
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. StabiliTrak/ESC
selectively applies braking
pressure at any one of the
vehicle's brakes to help steer
the vehicle in the direction
which you are steering.
If cruise control is being used
and traction control or
StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control willdisengage. Cruise control may
be turned back on when road
conditions allow. TCS and
StabiliTrak/ESC will
automatically turn on when
cruise control is set.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle
is started and begins to move.
The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating
or while performing diagnostic
checks. This is normal and
does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave
both systems on for normal
driving conditions, but it may
be necessary to turn TCS off
if the vehicle gets stuck in
sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If
the Vehicle Is Stuck
0241 and
“Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
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Driving and Operating 317
The vehicle can tow in
D (Drive). Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/
or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher
altitudes, engine coolant will
boil at a lower temperature
than at lower altitudes. If the
engine is turned off
immediately after towing at
high altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle could show
signs similar to engine
overheating. To avoid this, let
the engine run, preferably on
level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a
few minutes before turning
the engine off. If the overheat
warning comes on, see Engine
Overheating0342.Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or
death, always park your
vehicle and trailer on a level
surface when possible.
When parking your vehicle and
your trailer on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park)
yet. Turn the wheels into
the curb if facing downhill
or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually
release the brake pedal to
allow the chocks to absorb
the load of the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking
brake and shift into
P (Park). 5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake
pedal.
.Start the engine.
.Shift into the
desired gear.
.Release the parking
brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service
more often when used to tow
trailers. See Maintenance
Schedule 0425. It is especially
important to check the
automatic transmission fluid,
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
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318 Driving and Operating
cooling system, and brake
system before and during
each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts
and bolts on the trailer hitch
are tight.
Engine Cooling When
Trailer Towing
The cooling system may
temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions.
See Engine Overheating0342.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly
can damage the vehicle and
result in costly repairs not
covered by the vehicle
warranty. To tow a trailer
correctly, follow the
directions in this section and
see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the
vehicle. Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering
takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
The following information has
many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important
for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this
section carefully before pulling
a trailer.Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing
capacity for your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires
monitoring the weight, speed,
altitude, road grades, outside
temperature, dimensions of
the front of the trailer, and
how frequently the vehicle is
used to tow a trailer.
Trailer Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the
combined weight of the
vehicle, vehicle contents,
trailer, and trailer contents
must be below all of the
maximum weight ratings for
the vehicle including:
.Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR)
.Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR)
.Maximum Trailer Weight
Rating
.Gross Axle Weight
Rating-Rear (GAWR-RR)
.Maximum Trailer Tongue
Weight Rating
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324 Driving and Operating
Control (TSC) feature. Trailer
sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer
while towing. If the vehicle is
towing a trailer and the TSC
detects that sway is
increasing, the vehicle brakes
are selectively applied at each
wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway.
If equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the
trailer has an electric brake
system, StabiliTrak/ESC may
also apply the trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak/ESC warning light
will flash on the instrument
cluster. Reduce vehicle speed
by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator.If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak/ESC can reduce
engine torque to help slow the
vehicle. TSC will not function if
StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off.
See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control
0
267.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a
crash and in serious injury or
death, even if the vehicle is
equipped with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway,
reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot
from the accelerator. Then
pull over to check the trailer
and vehicle to help correct
possible causes, including an
improperly or overloaded
trailer, unrestrained cargo,
improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
or trailer tires. See Towing
Equipment0322 for trailer
ratings and hitch setup
recommendations.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ
from vehicle tires. Trailer tires
are designed with stiff
sidewalls to help prevent sway
and to support heavy loads.
These features can make it
difficult to determine if the
trailer tire pressures are low
only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip
when the tires are cool. Low
trailer tire pressure is a
leading cause of trailer tire
blow-outs.
Trailer tires deteriorate over
time. The trailer tire sidewall
will show the week and year
the tire was manufactured.
Many trailer tire
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Driving and Operating 325
manufacturers recommend
replacing tires more than six
years old.
Overloading is another leading
cause of trailer tire blow-outs.
Never load your trailer with
more weight than the tires are
designed to support. The load
rating is located on the trailer
tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum
speed rating for the trailer
tires before driving. This may
be significantly lower than the
vehicle tire speed rating. The
speed rating may be on the
trailer tire sidewall. If the
speed rating is not shown, the
default trailer tire speed rating
is 105 km/h (65 mph).Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector
(DLC) is used for vehicle
service and Emission
Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light)0126. A device
connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet
or driver-behavior tracking
device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could
affect vehicle operation and
cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information
stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment
can damage the vehicle or
cause components to not
work and would not be
covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always check with
your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain
the vehicle's 12-volt battery,
even if the vehicle is not
operating.
The vehicle has an airbag
system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to the
vehicle, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 076
and Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 077.
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326 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . 327
California PerchlorateMaterials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Oil Life System . . . 335
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Engine Air Cleaner/ Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Engine Overheating . . . . . . 342
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 Battery - North
America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . 347
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . 350
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Front Turn SignalLamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . 367
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . 369
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . 383
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . 387
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
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332 Vehicle Care
1. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter0337.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0332.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0332.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0338.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0345.
6. Battery - North America 0346.
7. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0338.
8. Positive (+) Battery Terminal (Under Cover).
See Jump Starting - North
America 0404.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0343.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0354. 11. Remote Negative (-)
Battery Terminal. See
Jump Starting - North
America 0404.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life,
careful attention must be paid
to engine oil. Following these
simple, but important steps
will help protect your
investment:
.Use engine oil approved to
the proper specification and
of the proper viscosity
grade. See “Selecting the
Right Engine Oil” in this
section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See
“Checking Engine Oil” and
“When to Add Engine Oil” in
this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine
Oil Life System 0335.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do
with Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level
regularly, every 650 km
(400 mi), especially prior to a
long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment
Overview0331 for the
location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick
handle may be hot; it could
burn you. Use a towel or
glove to touch the dipstick
handle.
If a low oil Driver Information
Center (DIC) message displays,
check the oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading,
park the vehicle on level
ground. Check the engine oil
level after the engine has
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Vehicle Care 333
been off for at least two
hours. Checking the engine
oil level on steep grades or
too soon after engine
shutoff can result in
incorrect readings. Accuracy
improves when checking a
cold engine prior to starting.
Remove the dipstick and
check the level.
.If unable to wait two hours,
the engine must be off for at
least 15 minutes if the
engine is warm, or at least
30 minutes if the engine is
not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then
push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the
tip down, and check the
level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the
cross-hatched area at the tip
of the dipstick and the engine
has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then
recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right Engine
Oil”later in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil
to use. For engine oil
crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications
0 433.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
harmful to the engine. If the
oil level is above the
operating range (i.e., the
engine has so much oil that
the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that
shows the proper operating
range), the engine could be
damaged. Drain the excess
oil or limit driving of the
vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess oil.
See Engine Compartment
Overview 0331 for the
location of the engine oil
fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper
operating range. Push the
dipstick all the way back in
when through.