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DRIVING AND OPERATING 229
Automatic Transmission
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting the engine because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
{ Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into Park 0 222. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips 0 299.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. Fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press the shift lever button before shifting from P (Park) when the ignition is on. If you cannot shift out of P (Park), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push
the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting out of Park 0 223.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is moving forward could damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle is stopped.
At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse) can be used to rock the vehicle back and
forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging the transmission. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0 211.
restart the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only.
230 DRIVING AND OPERATING
You can also use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is being towed.
{ Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine running at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speed when shifting the
vehicle.
Caution
A transmission hot message may display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can damage the vehicle. Stop and idle the engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message
clears when the transmission fluid has cooled sufficiently.
press the accelerator pedal down.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding” under Loss of Control 0 207.
moving the shift lever from D (Drive) to M (Manual Mode). M (Manual
Mode) allows the driver to select gears appropriate for current driving
conditions. M (Manual Mode) can be exited by returning the shift lever to D (Drive). See Manual Mode (Gasoline Only) 0 231.
For PLUG-IN vehicles, see Regenerative Braking (PLUG-IN Only) 0 235.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission. The
repair will not be covered by the vehicle warranty. If the vehicle is
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
While in Sport Mode, the vehicle monitors driving behavior and
automatically enables performance
shift features when spirited driving is detected. These features maintain
lower transmission gears to increase available engine braking and improve
acceleration response. The vehicle will exit these features and return to
normal operation after a short period when no spirited driving is detected.
See Driver Mode Control (Gasoline Only)
0 239.
