Special Driving Conditions

Hazardous Driving Conditions

When driving in hazardous conditions such as water, snow, ice, mud, and sand, follow the suggestions below:

• Drive carefully and keep a longer braking distance.
• Avoid sudden braking or steering.
• If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow, mud, or sand, use second gear. Accelerate slowly to avoid unnecessary wheel spin.
• Place sand, rock salt, anti-skid chains, or other non-slip materials under the wheels to provide additional traction when the vehicle is stuck in ice, snow, or mud.

WARNING

Shifting a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to a lower gear while driving on slippery surfaces may cause an accident. A sudden change in engine speed may cause the tires to slip. Be careful when downshifting on slippery surfaces.

Rocking the Vehicle

If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area around the front wheels. Then shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a forward gear.

Try to avoid wheel spin and do not race the engine.

To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator pedal while shifting, and lightly depress the accelerator pedal when the gear is engaged. Slowly rocking the wheels forward and backward creates a rocking motion that may free the vehicle.

WARNING

If the vehicle is stuck and excessive wheel spin occurs, tire temperature may increase very quickly. If the tires are damaged, the tire may explode or burst. This condition is dangerous, and you or others may be injured. Do not attempt this procedure if people or objects are in any location near the vehicle.

If you attempt to free the vehicle, it may overheat quickly, possibly causing an engine compartment fire or other damage. Avoid wheel spin as much as possible to prevent overheating of the tires or engine. DO NOT allow the vehicle to spin the wheels above 35 mph (56 km/h).

Information

The ESC system must be turned OFF before rocking the vehicle.

NOTICE

If you are still stuck after rocking the vehicle several times, have the vehicle towed out by a tow truck to avoid engine overheating, possible transmission damage, and tire damage. See "Towing" in chapter 7.

Cornering Smoothly

Avoid braking or shifting gears in corners, especially when the road is wet. Ideally, corners should always be taken with smooth acceleration.

Night Driving

Night driving presents more hazards than driving during daytime. Here are some important tips to remember:

• Slow down and keep a greater distance between you and other vehicles, as it may be more difficult to see at night, especially in areas where there may be no street lights.
• Adjust the mirrors to reduce glare from the headlights of other vehicles.
• Keep the headlights clean and properly aimed. Dirty or improperly aimed headlights will make it much more difficult to see at night.
• Try not to look directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles. You may be temporarily blinded, and your eyes will need a few seconds to adjust to the darkness.

Driving in the Rain

Rain and wet roads can make driving hazardous. Here are some things to consider when driving in rain or on slippery pavement:

• Slow down and allow a greater following distance. Heavy rain makes it harder to see and increases the distance needed to stop your vehicle.
• Turn off cruise control.
• Replace the windshield wiper blades when they show signs of streaking or when there are missing areas on the windshield.
• Tires should be properly maintained with at least 2/32 inch tread depth. If your tires do not have sufficient tread, sudden braking on wet pavement may cause skidding and possibly lead to an accident. See "Tire Tread" in chapter 8.
• Turn on the headlights to make it easier for others to see you.
• Driving too fast through large puddles may affect your brakes. If you must drive through puddles, try to drive through them slowly.
• If you believe your brakes may be wet, lightly apply them while driving until normal braking performance returns.

Hydroplaning

If the road is wet enough and you are traveling fast enough, your vehicle may practically lose contact with the road surface and actually hydroplane. The best advice is to SLOW DOWN when the road is wet.

The risk of hydroplaning increases as tire tread depth decreases. See "Tire Tread" in chapter 8.

Driving in Flooded Areas

Avoid driving through flooded areas unless you are sure the water is not higher than the bottom of the wheel hub. Drive slowly through any water. Allow adequate braking distance, as braking efficiency may be reduced.

After driving through water, dry the brakes by applying them lightly several times while driving slowly.

Highway Driving

Tires

Adjust tire pressure as specified. Insufficient pressure may cause tire overheating or damage.

Do not install worn or damaged tires, as they may reduce traction or adversely affect vehicle handling. This may cause sudden tire failure, which may result in loss of vehicle control and an accident.

Information

Never inflate tires above the maximum inflation pressure indicated on the tire.

Fuel, Engine Coolant, and Engine Oil

Driving at higher highway speeds consumes more fuel and is less efficient than driving at a slower, moderate speed. Maintain a moderate speed on the highway to save fuel.

Be sure to check the engine coolant level and engine oil level before driving.

Drive Belt

A loose or damaged drive belt may cause the engine to overheat.