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The heater acts as a starting aid by warming
the engine coolant. This allows the climate
control system to respond quickly. The
equipment includes a heater element
(installed in the engine block) and a wire
harness. You can connect the system to a
grounded 120-volt AC electrical source.
We recommend that you do the following for
a safe and correct operation:
• Use a 16-gauge outdoor extension cord
that is product certified by Underwriter’s
Laboratory (UL) or Canadian Standards
Association (CSA). This extension cord
must be suitable for use outdoors, in cold
temperatures, and be clearly marked
Suitable for Use with Outdoor
Appliances. Do not use an indoor
extension cord outdoors. This could
result in an electric shock or become a
fire hazard.
• Use as short an extension cord as
possible.
• Do not use multiple extension cords.• Make sure that when in operation, the
extension cord plug and heater cord plug
connections are free and clear of water.
This could cause an electric shock or fire.
• Make sure your vehicle is parked in a
clean area, clear of combustibles.
• Make sure the heater, heater cord and
extension cord are firmly connected.
• Check for heat anywhere in the electrical
hookup once the system has been
operating for approximately 30 minutes.
• Make sure the system is unplugged and
properly stowed before starting and
driving your vehicle. Make sure the
protective cover seals the prongs of the
block heater cord plug when not in use.
• Make sure the heater system is checked
for proper operation before winter.
Using the Engine Block Heater
The engine block heater receptacle terminals
are located on the left side of the engine
compartment.Make sure the receptacle terminals are clean
and dry prior to use. Clean them with a dry
cloth if necessary.
The heater uses 0.4 to 1.0 kilowatt-hours of
energy per hour of use. The system does not
have a thermostat. It achieves maximum
temperature after approximately three hours
of operation. Using the heater longer than
three hours does not improve system
performance and unnecessarily uses
electricity.
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Starting and Stopping the Engine
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AUTO-START-STOP - EXCLUDING:
PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC
VEHICLE (PHEV)
The system helps reduce fuel consumption
by automatically stopping and restarting the
engine when your vehicle has stopped. The
engine restarts automatically when you
release the brake pedal.
In some situations, your vehicle may restart
automatically, for example:
• To maintain interior comfort.
• To recharge the battery.
Note:Power assist steering turns off when
the engine is off.
Note:If your vehicle is flex fuel capable,
Auto-Start-Stop will be inhibited for a short
time after a refuel event while the system is
verifying the fuel type being used.
WARNING: Apply the parking brake,
shift into park (P), switch the ignition off
and remove the key before you leave your
vehicle. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Apply the parking brake,
shift into park (P), switch the ignition off
and remove the key before you open the
hood or have any service or repair work
completed. If you do not switch the ignition
off, the engine could restart at any time.
Failure to follow this instruction could result
in personal injury or death.
WARNING: The system may require
the engine to automatically restart when
the auto-start-stop indicator illuminates
green or flashes amber. Failure to follow
this instruction could result in personal
injury.
The Auto-Start-Stop system status is
available at a glance within the information
display. See Information Displays (page
136).
Enabling Auto-Start-Stop
The system automatically enables every time
you start your vehicle if:
• Your vehicle exceeds an initial speed of
3 mph (5 km/h) after you have initially
started your vehicle.
• You have stopped your vehicle.
• Your foot is on the brake pedal.
• The driver door is closed.
• The interior compartment has cooled or
warmed to an acceptable level.
• The front windshield defroster is off.
• You have not turned the steering wheel
rapidly or you do not have it at a sharp
angle.
• The vehicle is not on a steep road grade.
• The battery is within optimal operating
conditions (battery state of charge and
temperature in range).
• The engine coolant is near operating
temperature.
• Elevation is below about 12,000 ft
(3,650 m).
• Ambient temperature is moderate.
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• The trailer is not connected.
• If you select Normal, Conserve, or
Slippery.
• You are not in 4H or 4L.
• You have not selected Manual shift
mode.
• Hill descent control is not active.
• You have not selected Tow haul, Excite,
Deep, or Slow Climb.
Note:When in Excite mode, Start/Stop can
be enabled by pressing the Auto-Start-Stop
button.
E121377
The green Auto-Start-Stop
indicator light on the instrument
cluster will illuminate to indicate
when the automatic engine stop occurs.
E146361
If the instrument cluster is
equipped with a grey
Auto-Start-Stop indicator light, it
illuminates when automatic engine stop is
not available due to one of the above noted
conditions not being met.Automatic Engine Restart
Any of the following conditions will result in
an automatic restart of the engine:
• You have removed your foot from the
brake pedal.
• You press the accelerator pedal.
• You press the accelerator and the brake
pedal at the same time.
• The driver safety belt becomes
unfastened or the driver door is ajar.
• Your vehicle is moving.
• The interior compartment does not meet
customer comfort when air conditioning
or heat is on.
• Fogging of the windows could occur and
the air conditioning is on.
• The battery is not within optimal
operating conditions.
• You have exceeded the maximum engine
off time.
• When you press the Auto-Start-Stop
button with the engine automatically
stopped.• The front defroster is turned to the Max
setting.
• When you shift into park (P), the engine
will restart.
Any of the following conditions may result in
an automatic restart of the engine:
• You have increased the blower fan speed
or changed the climate control
temperature.
• You have an electrical accessory turned
on or plugged in.
Note:You may notice that the climate seat
fan fluctuates during an automatic restart.
Disabling Auto-Start-Stop
E287975
Press the button on the instrument
panel to access the
Auto-Start-Stop feature on the
touchscreen. Use the touchscreen to
deactivate the feature.
Deactivating the feature lasts only 1 key
cycle. Use the touchscreen to restore
Auto-Start-Stop function.
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Note:If the Shift to park (P), Restart Engine
message appears and the amber
Auto-Start-Stop indicator light flashes in the
instrument cluster. This indicates automatic
restart is unavailable. You must restart the
vehicle manually. See Information Displays
(page 136).
If your vehicle is in an engine off
Auto-Start-Stop, shifting from drive (D) to
reverse (R) will not cause a restart if you do
not press the brake pedal. The message
Auto-Start-Stop Press Brake to Start Engine
appears. You must press the brake pedal
within 60 seconds or the system requires
you to shift into park (P) and manually restart
your vehicle.
HYBRID VEHICLE OPERATION
This hybrid vehicle combines electric and
gasoline propulsion to provide breakthrough
performance and improved efficiency.
Familiarizing yourself with these unique
characteristics provides an optimal driving
experience from your vehicle.
Starting
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When you start your vehicle, a
green READY indicator light
appears in the instrument cluster
letting you know that your vehicle is ready
for driving.
The engine may not start because your
vehicle has a silent key start feature. This
fuel saving feature allows your vehicle to be
ready to drive without requiring the gas
engine to be running. The indicator remains
on when your vehicle is on, whether the
engine is running or not, to indicate your
vehicle is capable of movement using the
electric motor, gas engine or both. Typically,
the engine does not start unless the vehicle
is cold, a climate control change is requested
or you press the accelerator pedal.
Driving
The gas engine automatically starts and
stops to provide power when needed and
to save fuel when not needed. When
coasting at low speeds, coming to a stop, or
standing, the gas engine normally shuts
down and your vehicle operates in
electric-only mode.
Conditions that may cause the engine to start
up or remain running include:
• Considerable vehicle acceleration.
• Climbing a hill.
• Charge level of high voltage battery is
low.
• High or low outside temperatures in
order to provide system heating or
cooling.
• Engine not warm enough to provide
passenger requested cabin temperature.
• Towing a trailer.
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• Selectable drive modes: Certain
selectable drive modes may cause the
engine to run. See What Is Drive Mode
Control (page 343).
• Live in Drive: Use of the paddle shifters
while in drive (D) may cause the engine
to run. See Automatic Transmission
(page 259).
Stopping
The gas engine may shut off to conserve fuel
as you come to a stop. Restarting your
vehicle is not required. Simply step on the
accelerator when you are ready to drive.
Transmission Operation
The engine and electric motor together
propel the vehicle through the automatic
transmission. This is normal hybrid operating
and helps deliver fuel efficiency and
performance.
Battery
Your hybrid is equipped with a high voltage
battery. A cool battery maintains battery life
and provides the best possible performance.
The high voltage battery is cooled by the
vehicle's air conditioning system. When the
air conditioning system is on, you may notice
a slight increase in air temperature coming
from the climate control vents while the
battery is cooling. You may also notice cool
air flowing from the vents when the air
conditioning or blower is off.
Braking
Your hybrid is equipped with standard
hydraulic braking and regenerative braking.
Regenerative braking is performed by your
transmission and it captures brake energy
and stores it in the high voltage battery.You may also notice during extending
downhill driving that your engine continues
to run instead of shutting off. During this
engine braking, the engine stays on, but it is
not using any fuel. You may also hear a slight
whine or whistle when operating your
vehicle. This is the normal operation of the
electric motor in the hybrid system.
Driving to Optimize Fuel Economy
Note:Having your engine running is not
always an indication of inefficiency. In some
cases, it is actually more efficient than
driving in electric mode.
Your fuel economy should improve
throughout your hybrid's break-in period. As
with any vehicle, your driving habits and
accessory usage can significantly impact
your fuel economy. For best results, keep
these tips in mind:
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• Keep the tires properly inflated and only
use the recommended size.
• Aggressive driving increases the amount
of energy required to move your vehicle.
In general, you can achieve better fuel
economy with mild to moderate
acceleration and deceleration. Moderate
braking is particularly important since it
allows you to maximize the energy
captured by the regenerative braking
system.
Additional Tips:
• Do not carry extra loads.
• Be mindful of adding external
accessories that may increase
aerodynamic drag.
• Observe posted speed limits.
• Perform all scheduled maintenance.
• There is no need to wait for your engine
to warm up. The vehicle is ready to drive
immediately after starting.PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE
OPERATION
Regularly plug in your vehicle to get optimal
electric-only range capability from the high
voltage battery. Charging your vehicle adds
electrical energy. This energy propels the
vehicle.
Estimated electric-only driving range shows
in blue next to the gasoline range on the
information display.
The system maximizes the use of
electric-only operation in normal drive mode.
System conditions could require the engine
to operate, however, the system uses the
available electric range whenever possible.
In Pure EV drive mode, your vehicle only
uses electric power unless you enable the
engine, or system conditions require the
engine to operate.Preserve EV drive mode saves the electric
range for later use. If you select this mode
and the battery is at full or near full charge,
it uses some electric-only range to discharge
the battery. This allows the regenerative
braking system to fully operate. If the battery
charge is low when selecting Preserve EV
mode, the engine charges the high voltage
battery to a minimum level. This provides
additional electric driving range. When the
battery charges to this level, Preserve EV
saves the electric range for later use.
Other drive modes appropriately make use
of electric power to help deliver the selected
drive mode experience. It could use available
electric-only range, if needed. See What Is
Drive Mode Control (page 343).
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When the electric-only range reaches zero,
the powertrain system switches to hybrid
operation. This means the energy you gain
from plugging in and charging your vehicle
is now gone. Both the gasoline engine and
electric motor power your vehicle and
maximize fuel economy during hybrid
operation. Hybrid operation provides some
electric-only driving as the powertrain system
maintains the high voltage battery charge
level within functional limits.Low Engine Use
The low engine use mode properly lubricates
the engine at sufficient temperature and
activates when you drive your vehicle with
limited engine operation. When in low engine
use mode, your vehicle runs the engine as
necessary. When low engine use mode
begins, a message appears in the information
display. If low engine use mode does not
complete before you switch your vehicle off,
it continues the next time you start your
vehicle and the message reappears. See
Information Messages (page 142).Pure EV mode is not available during low
engine use mode.
Note:Cold temperatures affect the engine
warm up time and the low engine use mode
could operate more frequently.
Note:An oil change is not required but gives
you the option of not running a low engine
use cycle. Resetting the oil life monitoring
system suspends the low engine use mode.
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HYBRID VEHICLE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Answer Question
The high voltage battery is electrically isolated from the rest of the
vehicle when the ignition is off. When you switch the ignition on, the
high voltage contacts inside the battery are closed. This makes the
electricity available to the motor and generator and allows your vehicle
to proceed. The clicks are the sound of these contacts as they close
and open during start up and shut down. What are the series of clicks from the cargo area when I switch the
ignition on?
The vehicle's computer determines if an engine start is required at
key-on. Silent key starts the engine if it is necessary for cabin heating,
windshield defrost, or if the outside temperature is low. Why does the engine sometimes start at key-on?
There are several reasons the engine stays on for an extended amount
of time when you first start it. One common reason is to make sure
that the emission's components are warm enough to minimize tailpipe
emissions. As the climate gets cooler, this engine-on time is extended. Why does it take a long time before the engine shuts down?
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