Special Driving Conditions

Hazardous Driving Conditions

If you encounter hazardous driving conditions such as water, snow, ice, mud, or sand:

Drive carefully and allow extra stopping distance.

Avoid sudden braking or steering.

If you are stuck in snow, mud, or sand, use second gear. Accelerate slowly to prevent the drive wheels from spinning.

WARNING

Shifting to a lower gear with an automatic transmission on slippery surfaces may cause an accident. A sudden change in engine speed may cause the tires to skid. Be careful when shifting to a lower gear on slippery surfaces.

If the vehicle is stuck in ice, snow or mud, use sand, rock salt or other non-slip material under the drive wheels to provide traction.

Rocking the Vehicle

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

Avoid wheel spin and do not over-rev the engine.

To avoid transmission damage, wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator pedal when shifting, and lightly depress the accelerator pedal with the gear engaged. Slowly rotating the wheels forward and in reverse causes rocking, which may free the vehicle.

NOTICE

If the tires spin at high speed, they may explode and you or others may be injured. Do not attempt this procedure if people or objects are nearby the vehicle.

The vehicle may overheat, causing an engine compartment fire or other damage. Turn the wheels as little as possible and avoid spinning the wheels at speeds over 35 mph (56 km/h), as shown on the speedometer.

NOTICE

If you are still stuck after rocking the vehicle several times, have the vehicle towed to avoid engine overheating, possible transmission damage, and tire damage. See "Towing" in chapter 6.

To prevent damage to the transmission, turn off ESC before towing the vehicle.

Cornering Smoothly

Avoid braking or shifting gears in turns, especially on wet roads. Ideally, turns should always be taken with gentle acceleration.

Night Driving

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

• Reduce speed and keep more distance between you and other vehicles, as it may be more difficult to see at night, especially in areas where there may not be any 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.
• 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:

• Reduce speed and allow extra distance. Heavy precipitation makes it harder to see and increases the distance required to stop the vehicle.
• Turn off Cruise Control (if equipped).
• Replace the windshield wiper blades when streaks appear or when areas of the windshield are not wiped clean.
• Make sure your tires have adequate tread depth. If your tires have insufficient tread depth, sudden braking on wet roads may cause a skid and possibly an accident. See "Tire Tread" in chapter 7.
• Turn on the headlights so that others can see you more easily.
• Driving too fast through large puddles may affect brake performance. If you must drive through puddles, 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 driving fast enough, your vehicle may have virtually no contact with the road surface and effectively hydroplane on the water. 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 7.)

Driving in Flooded Areas

Avoid driving through flooded areas unless you are sure the water level is no higher than the bottom of the wheel hub. Drive slowly through any water. Allow adequate stopping distance, as braking effectiveness may be reduced.

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