Driving Your Vehicle
6-38
For safe AWD operation
Before driving
• Make sure all passengers are wearing
seat belts.
• Sit upright and closer to the steering
wheel than usual. Adjust the steering
wheel to a position comfortable for
you to drive.
Driving on snow-covered or icy roads
• Start off slowly by applying the
accelerator pedal gently.
• Use snow tires or tire chains.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Apply engine braking during
deceleration by using the paddle
shifter (manual shift mode) and
manually selecting a lower gear.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent skids.
Driving in sand or mud
• Maintain slow and constant speed.
• Use tire chains driving in mud if
necessary.
• Keep sufficient distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
• Reduce vehicle speed and always
check the road condition.
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and sharp
turns to prevent getting stuck.
NOTICE
When the vehicle is stuck in snow, sand
or mud, place a nonslip material under
the drive wheels to provide traction
OR slowly spin the wheels in forward
and reverse directions which causes
a rocking motion that may free the
vehicle.
However, avoid running the engine
continuously at high rpm, doing so may
damage the AWD system.
Information
• When using Snow Tires, mount them
on all four wheels.
• When using Snow Tires, mount them
on all four wheels.
• When using AutoSock
®
(fabric snow
chain), install them on the rear tires.
For more information on Snow Tires and
Tire Chains, refer to "Winter Driving" in
this chapter.
Driving up or down hills
• Driving uphill
- Before starting off, check if it is
possible to drive uphill.
- Drive as straight as possible.
• Driving downhill
- Do not change gear while driving
downhill. Select gear before driving
downhill.
- Drive slowly using engine braking
while driving downhill.
- Drive straight as possible.
WARNING
Exercise extreme caution driving up or
down steep hills. The vehicle may flip
over depending on the grade, terrain,
water and mud conditions.