418
Winter driving
easily. The exhaust system is very hot while the engine is running and right after the engine stops. This could create a fire hazard.
Precautions when driving under especially dangerous situations:
. If you must rock the vehicle to free it from sand or mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly and move the select lever back and forth between“ D” and“ R” repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the best possible traction, avoid spinning the wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
. When the road surface is extremely slippery, you can obtain better traction by starting the vehicle with the transmission in 2nd than 1st. Refer to“ Selection of manual mode” FP354.
& After driving
S08AH11
. Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do this by driving slowly and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat that process several times to dry out the brake discs and brake pads.
. After driving through tall grass, mud, rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones, sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a mechanical breakdown or fire could occur.
. Wash the vehicle’ s underbody after offroad driving. Suspension components are particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they need to be washed thoroughly.
8-10. Winter driving
S08AI
& Operation during cold weather
S08AI01
! Maintenance
S08AI0105
Carry some emergency equipment, such as a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold temperatures reduce battery capacity. The battery must be in good condition to provide enough power for cold winter starts.
It normally takes longer to start the engine in very cold weather conditions. Use an engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil will make it harder to start the engine.
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or separate the rubber weather strips around the door. If the door is frozen, use hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an antifreeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or other substitutes because they may damage the paint of