AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
CAUTION! Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow- ing precautions are not observed:
• Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop.
• Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the engine is at idle speed.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
• Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while shifting out of PARK.
WARNING!
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and remove the ignition key. Once the key is removed, the shift lever is locked in the PARK position, securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
• Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re- move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil- dren should be warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle. A child could operate power windows, other con- trols, or move the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift into gear when the engine is idling normally and your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter- lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK before the ignition switch can be turned to the LOCK/ OFF position. The key fob can only be removed from the ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position, and once removed, the shift lever is locked in PARK.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) that holds the shift lever in the PARK position unless the brakes are applied. To move the shift lever out of the PARK position, the ignition switch must be turned to the ON/RUN or START position (engine running or not) and the brake pedal must be pressed. The shift lever position display (located in the instrument panel cluster) indicates the transmission gear range. You must press the brake pedal to move the shift lever out of the PARK position (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift
Interlock System” in this section). To drive, move the shift lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
NOTE: The Continuously Variable Automatic Transmis- sion (CVT) changes ratios in a continuous manner. This may sometimes feel as if it is slipping, but this is normal and does not harm anything. Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be done only after the accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears. The transmission shift lever has PARK, REVERSE, NEU- TRAL, and DRIVE shift positions. Some models include a LOW position; in others, manual shifts are made using the AutoStick shift control (refer to “AutoStick” in this section). Moving the shift lever to the left or right (-/+) while in the DRIVE position (if equipped with AutoStick) will manually select from a set of predefined
transmission gear ratios, and will display the current gear in the instrument cluster as 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range.
Shift Lever
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the transmission. The engine can be started in this range. Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is in motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle in this range. When parking on a level surface, you may place the shift lever in the PARK position first, and then apply the parking brake. When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on the transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added precau- tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
WARNING!
• Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking brake fully when parked to guard against vehicle movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to move the shift lever rearward (with the brake pedal released) after you have placed it in PARK. Make sure the transmission is in PARK before leaving the vehicle.
• It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of PARK
or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift into gear when the engine is idling normally and your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles, you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and remove the ignition key. Once the key is removed, the shift lever is locked in the PARK position, securing the vehicle against unwanted movement.
• Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re- move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil- dren should be warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle. A child could operate power windows, other con- trols, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
• Before moving the shift lever out of PARK, you
must turn the ignition switch from the LOCK/OFF position to the ON/RUN position, and also press the brake pedal. Otherwise, damage to the shift lever could result.
• DO NOT race the engine when shifting from
PARK or NEUTRAL into another gear range, as this can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be used to ensure that you have engaged the shift lever into the PARK position: • When shifting into PARK, move the shift lever all the
way forward and to the left until it stops and is fully seated.
• Look at the shift lever position display and verify that it indicates the PARK position.
• With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever will not move out of PARK.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle backward. Shift into REVERSE only after the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged periods with the engine running. The engine may be started in this range. Set the parking brake and shift the transmission into PARK if you must leave the vehicle.
WARNING! Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices that limit your response to changing traffic or road conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and have a collision.
CAUTION! Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can result in severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recre- ational Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A Disabled Vehicle” in What To Do In Emergencies” for further information.
DRIVE
This range should be used for most city and highway driving. It provides the best fuel economy. The DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteristics under all normal operating conditions. When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when operating the vehicle under heavy loading condi- tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head winds, or while towing heavy trailers), use the AutoStick mode (if equipped) to select a lower gear. Under these conditions,
using a lower gear will improve performance and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup. During sustained high speed driving or trailer towing up long grades on hot days, the automatic transmission 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 transmission damage due to overheating. If the high speed is maintained, the overheating may reoccur, as before, in a cyclic fashion.
LOW – IF EQUIPPED
This range should be used for engine braking when descending very steep grades. In this range, the trans- mission will downshift for maximum engine braking, and upshifts will occur only to prevent engine overspeed.
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