Special Driving Conditions

Hazardous Driving Conditions

When encountering hazardous conditions such as water, snow, ice, mud, or sand, take the following precautions:

• Drive carefully and allow 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

Downshifting with an automatic transmission on slippery surfaces may cause an accident. Abrupt changes 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 avoid damaging the transmission, wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator pedal when shifting, and lightly press the accelerator pedal with the gear engaged. Slowly rocking the wheels forward and reverse will create a rocking motion that may free the vehicle.

WARNING

If the vehicle is stuck and the wheel spins excessively, the tire temperature can increase very quickly. If the tires are damaged, the tire may burst or explode. This condition is dangerous - you and others may be injured. Do not attempt this procedure if people or objects are anywhere 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, the vehicle should be towed out to avoid engine overheating, possible transmission damage, and tire damage. See the "Towing" section in chapter 8.

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 other drivers' headlights.
• Keep the headlights clean and properly aimed. Dirty or improperly aimed headlights will make it much more difficult to see at night.
• Avoid looking directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles. You may be temporarily blinded, and it will take several seconds for your eyes 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 surfaces:

• 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 (if equipped).
• Replace the windshield wiper blades when they show signs of streaking or when there are missing areas on the windshield.
• Make sure your tires have sufficient tread depth. If your tires do not have sufficient tread depth, sudden braking on wet pavement may cause skidding and possibly result in an accident. See "Tire Tread" in chapter 9.
• 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.

Driving in Flooded Areas

Avoid driving through flooded areas unless you are certain the water is not higher than the bottom of the wheel hub. Drive slowly through any water and allow adequate braking distance, as braking effectiveness 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 this may reduce traction or impair braking performance.

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.

Reducing the Risk of Rollover

Your multipurpose passenger vehicle is classified as a sport utility vehicle (SUV). SUVs have higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make them capable of a wide variety of off-road applications. These design characteristics give them a higher center of gravity than conventional passenger vehicles, which increases the likelihood that they will roll over if you make sudden turns. SUVs have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. Because of this risk, the driver and passengers are strongly recommended to fasten their seat belts. In a rollover accident, an unbelted person has a significantly greater chance of dying than a person wearing a seat belt.

There are steps the driver can take to reduce the risk of rollover. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or sudden maneuvers, do not load the vehicle with heavy cargo on the roof, and never modify your vehicle in any way that raises its center of gravity.

WARNING

Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. To avoid rollover or loss of control:

• Take turns at a lower speed than you would in a passenger car.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers.
• Do not modify your vehicle in any way that raises its center of gravity.
• Keep tires properly inflated.
• Do not carry heavy loads on the roof.

WARNING

In a rollover accident, an unbelted person has a significantly greater chance of dying than a person wearing a seat belt. Make sure all passengers are seated and wearing their seat belts.