Starting and driving -> Precautions when starting and driving for Your Nissan Qashqai SUV 2020

PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING  
AND DRIVING  
oxide is dangerous. It can cause  
unconsciousness or death.  
If you suspect that exhaust fumes  
are entering the vehicle, drive  
with all windows fully open, and  
have the vehicle inspected imme-  
diately.  
refrigerators, heaters, etc. may  
also generate carbon monoxide.)  
The exhaust system and body  
should be inspected by a quali-  
fied mechanic whenever:  
WARNING  
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Do not leave children or adults  
who would normally require the  
support of others alone in your  
vehicle. Pets should not be left  
alone either. They could acciden-  
tally injure themselves or others  
through inadvertent operation of  
the vehicle. Also, on hot, sunny  
days, temperatures in a closed  
vehicle could quickly become  
high enough to cause severe or  
possibly fatal injuries to people or  
animals.  
Properly secure all cargo with  
ropes or straps to help prevent it  
from sliding or shifting. Do not  
place cargo higher than the seat-  
backs. In a sudden stop or colli-  
sion, unsecured cargo could  
cause personal injury.  
— Your vehicle is raised while  
being serviced.  
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Do not run the engine in closed  
— You suspect that exhaust  
fumes are entering into the  
passenger compartment.  
— You notice a change in the  
sound of the exhaust system.  
— You have had an accident  
involving damage to the ex-  
haust system, underbody, or  
rear of the vehicle.  
spaces such as a garage.  
Do not park the vehicle with the  
engine running for an extended  
period of time.  
Keep the liftgate closed while  
driving, otherwise exhaust gas  
could be drawn into the passen-  
ger compartment. If you must  
drive with the liftgate open, fol-  
low these precautions:  
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THREE-WAY CATALYST  
— Open all the windows.  
The three-way catalyst is an emission  
control device installed in the exhaust  
system. Exhaust gases in the three-way  
catalyst are burned at high temperatures  
to help reduce pollutants.  
— Turn the air recirculation  
mode off and set the fan  
speed control to the highest  
level to circulate the air.  
If a special body or other equip-  
ment is added for recreational or  
other usage, follow the manufac-  
turer’s recommendation to pre-  
vent carbon monoxide entry into  
the vehicle. (Some recreational  
vehicle appliances such as stoves,  
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)  
.
WARNING  
WARNING  
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The exhaust gas and the exhaust  
system are very hot. Keep people,  
animals and flammable materials  
.
Do not breathe exhaust gas; it  
contains colorless and odorless  
carbon monoxide. Carbon mon-  
5-4 Starting and driving  
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-  
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect  
the vehicle’s handling and stopping abil-  
ity.  
away from the exhaust system  
components.  
Do not stop or park the vehicle  
over flammable materials such as  
dry grass, wastepaper or rags.  
They may ignite and cause a fire.  
damaging the three-way catalyst.  
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Do not race the engine while  
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warming it up.  
Do not push or tow your vehicle  
to start the engine.  
Please note that the TPMS is not  
a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,  
and it is the driver’s responsibility to  
maintain correct tire pressure, even if  
under-inflation has not reached the level  
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low  
tire pressure telltale.  
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYS-  
TEM (TPMS)  
CAUTION  
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),  
should be checked monthly when cold  
and inflated to the inflation pressure  
recommended by the vehicle manufac-  
turer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-  
tion pressure label. (If your vehicle has  
tires of a different size than the size  
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire  
inflation pressure label, you should deter-  
mine the proper tire inflation pressure for  
those tires.)  
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Do not use leaded gasoline. De-  
posits from leaded gasoline will  
seriously reduce the three-way  
catalyst’s ability to help reduce  
exhaust pollutants.  
Your vehicle has also been equipped with  
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate  
when the system is not operating prop-  
erly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is  
combined with the low tire pressure tell-  
tale. When the system detects a malfunc-  
tion, the telltale will flash for  
approximately one minute and then re-  
main continuously illuminated. This se-  
quence will continue upon subsequent  
vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunc-  
tion exists. When the malfunction indica-  
tor is illuminated, the system may not be  
able to detect or signal low tire pressure  
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may  
occur for a variety of reasons, including  
the installation of replacement or alter-  
nate tires or wheels on the vehicle that  
prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-  
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction  
telltale after replacing one or more tires  
Keep your engine tuned up. Mal-  
functions in the ignition, fuel in-  
jection, or electrical systems can  
cause overrich fuel flow into the  
three-way catalyst, causing it to  
overheat. Do not keep driving if  
the engine misfires, or if notice-  
able loss of performance or other  
unusual operating conditions are  
detected. Have the vehicle in-  
spected. It is recommended you  
As an added safety feature, your vehicle  
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure  
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illumi-  
nates a low tire pressure telltale when  
one or more of your tires is significantly  
under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low  
tire pressure telltale illuminates, you  
should stop and check your tires as soon  
as possible, and inflate them to the  
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly  
under-inflated tire causes the tire to  
overheat and can lead to tire failure.  
visit  
a NISSAN dealer for this  
service.  
.
Avoid driving with an extremely  
low fuel level. Running out of fuel  
could cause the engine to misfire,  
Starting and driving 5-5  
or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that  
the replacement or alternate tires and  
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to  
function properly.  
warning light turns off.  
vehicle as soon as possible. Driv-  
ing with under-inflated tires may  
permanently damage the tires  
and increase the likelihood of tire  
failure. Serious vehicle damage  
could occur and may lead to an  
accident and could result in ser-  
ious personal injury. Check the  
tire pressure for all four tires.  
Adjust the tire pressure to the  
recommended COLD tire pressure  
shown on the Tire and Loading  
Information label to turn the low  
tire pressure warning light OFF. If  
you have a flat tire, replace it with  
a spare tire (if so equipped) or  
repair it using the emergency tire  
puncture repair kit (if so  
equipped) as soon as possible.  
(See “Flat tire” (P.6-3) for chan-  
ging a flat tire.)  
Since the spare tire (if so  
equipped) is not equipped with  
the TPMS, when a spare tire is  
mounted or a wheel is replaced,  
the TPMS will not function and  
the low tire pressure warning  
light will flash for approximately  
1 minute. The light will remain on  
after 1 minute. Have your tires  
replaced and/or TPMS system  
reset as soon as possible. It is  
The “Tire Pressure Low - Add Air”  
warning does not appear if the low  
tire pressure warning light illuminates  
to indicate a TPMS malfunction.  
Additional information  
.
Tire pressure rises and falls depending  
on the heat caused by the vehicle’s  
operation and the outside tempera-  
ture. Do not reduce the tire pressure  
after driving because the tire pressure  
rises after driving. Low outside tem-  
perature can lower the temperature  
of the air inside the tire which can  
cause a lower tire inflation pressure.  
This may cause the low tire pressure  
warning light to illuminate. If the  
warning light illuminates in low ambi-  
ent temperature, check the tire pres-  
sure for all four tires.  
.
Since the spare tire (if so equipped) is  
not equipped with the TPMS, the TPMS  
does not monitor the tire pressure of  
the spare tire.  
The TPMS will activate only when the  
vehicle is driven at speeds above 16  
MPH (25 km/h). Also, this system may  
not detect a sudden drop in tire  
pressure (for example a flat tire while  
driving).  
The low tire pressure warning light  
does not automatically turn off when  
the tire pressure is adjusted. After the  
tire is inflated to the recommended  
pressure, the vehicle must be driven at  
speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h) to  
activate the TPMS and turn off the low  
tire pressure warning light. Use a tire  
pressure gauge to check the tire  
pressure.  
The “Tire Pressure Low - Add Air”  
warning appears in the vehicle infor-  
mation display when the low tire  
pressure warning light is illuminated  
and low tire pressure is detected. The  
“Tire Pressure Low - Add Air” warning  
turns off when the low tire pressure  
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For additional information, see “Low tire  
pressure warning light” (P.2-13) and “Tire  
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)” (P.6-  
3).  
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WARNING  
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If the low tire pressure warning  
light illuminates while driving,  
avoid sudden steering maneu-  
vers or abrupt braking, reduce  
vehicle speed, pull off the road  
to a safe location and stop the  
5-6 Starting and driving  
FCC Notice:  
For USA:  
recommended you visit a NISSAN  
dealer for these services.  
Replacing tires with those not  
originally specified by NISSAN  
could affect the proper operation  
of the TPMS.  
.
Do not place metalized film or  
any metal parts (antenna, etc.) on  
the windows. This may cause  
poor reception of the signals  
from the tire pressure sensors,  
and the TPMS will not function  
properly.  
This device complies with Part 15 of the  
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the  
following two conditions: (1) This device  
may not cause harmful interference,  
and (2) this device must accept any  
interference received, including inter-  
ference that may cause undesired op-  
eration.  
Note: Changes or modifications not  
expressly approved by the party re-  
sponsible for compliance could void  
the user’s authority to operate the  
equipment.  
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Do not inject any tire liquid or  
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,  
as this may cause a malfunction  
of the tire pressure sensors  
(models without emergency tire  
puncture repair kit).  
NISSAN recommends using only  
Genuine NISSAN Emergency Tire  
Sealant provided with your vehi-  
cle. Other tire sealants may da-  
mage the valve stem seal which  
can cause the tire to lose air  
pressure. Visit a NISSAN dealer  
as soon as possible after using  
tire repair sealant (models with  
emergency tire puncture repair  
kit).  
Some devices and transmitters may tem-  
porarily interfere with the operation of  
the TPMS and cause the low tire pressure  
warning light to illuminate. Some exam-  
ples are:  
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Facilities or electric devices using  
similar radio frequencies are near the  
vehicle.  
If a transmitter set to similar frequen-  
cies is being used in or near the  
vehicle.  
If a computer (or similar equipment) or  
a DC/AC converter is being used in or  
near the vehicle.  
For Canada:  
This device complies with Industry Ca-  
nada licence-exempt RSS standard(s).  
Operation is subject to the following  
two conditions: (1) this device may not  
cause interference, and (2) this device  
must accept any interference, including  
interference that may cause undesired  
operation of the device.  
Low tire pressure warning light may  
illuminate in the following cases.  
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If the vehicle is equipped with a wheel  
and tire without TPMS.  
CAUTION  
If the TPMS has been replaced and the  
ID has not been registered.  
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The TPMS may not function prop-  
erly when the wheels are  
equipped with tire chains or the  
wheels are buried in snow.  
If the wheel is not originally specified  
by NISSAN.  
Starting and driving 5-7  
pressure reaches the designated  
pressure, the horn beeps once.  
If the hazard indicator does not flash  
within approximately 15 seconds after  
starting to inflate the tire, it indicates  
that the TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert  
is not operating.  
TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert  
AVOIDING COLLISION AND ROLL-  
OVER  
When adding air to an under-inflated tire,  
the TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert provides  
visual and audible signals outside the  
vehicle to help you inflate the tires to  
the recommended COLD tire pressure.  
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WARNING  
Failure to operate this vehicle in a  
safe and prudent manner may result  
in loss of control or an accident.  
Vehicle set-up:  
The TPMS will not activate the Easy Fill  
Tire Alert under the following condi-  
tions:  
1. Park the vehicle in a safe and level  
place.  
— If there is interference from an  
2. Apply the parking brake and place the  
shift lever in the P (Park) position (CVT  
model) or N (Neutral) position (MT  
model).  
Be alert and drive defensively at all times.  
Obey all traffic regulations. Avoid exces-  
sive speed, high speed cornering, or  
sudden steering maneuvers, because  
these driving practices could cause you  
to lose control of your vehicle. As with  
any vehicle, a loss of control could  
result in a collision with other vehicles  
or objects, or cause the vehicle to roll-  
over, particularly if the loss of control  
causes the vehicle to slide sideways. Be  
attentive at all times, and avoid driving  
when tired. Never drive when under the  
influence of alcohol or drugs (including  
prescription or over-the-counter drugs  
which may cause drowsiness). Always  
wear your seat belt as outlined in “Seat  
belts” (P.1-12) of this manual, and also  
instruct your passengers to do so.  
external device or transmitter  
— The air pressure from the inflation  
device such as those using a power  
socket is not sufficient to inflate the  
tire  
3. Place the ignition switch in the ON  
position. Do not start the engine.  
— If an electrical equipment is being  
Operation:  
1. Add air to the tire.  
used in or near the vehicle  
— There is a malfunction in the TPMS  
system  
2. After a few seconds, the hazard in-  
dicators will start flashing.  
— There is a malfunction in the horn  
or hazard indicators  
3. When the designated pressure is  
reached, the horn beeps once and  
the hazard indicators stop flashing.  
.
If the TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert  
does not operate due to TPMS inter-  
ference, move the vehicle about 3 ft  
(1m) backward or forward and try  
again.  
4. Perform the above steps for each tire.  
.
If the tire is over-inflated more than  
approximately 4 psi (30 kPa), the horn  
beeps and the hazard indicators flash  
3 times. To correct the pressure, push  
the core of the valve stem on the tire  
briefly to release pressure. When the  
If the TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert is not  
working, use a tire pressure gauge.  
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in  
collisions and rollovers. In a rollover  
crash, an unbelted or improperly belted  
5-8 Starting and driving  
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If you decide that it is not safe to  
return the vehicle to the road sur-  
face based on vehicle, road or  
traffic conditions, gradually slow  
the vehicle to a stop in a safe place  
off the road.  
person is significantly more likely to be  
injured or killed than a person properly  
wearing a seat belt.  
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD  
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS  
Utility vehicles have a significantly high-  
er rollover rate than other types of  
vehicles.  
Be sure to read “Driving safety precau-  
tions” (P.5-10).  
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY  
If the right side or left side wheels leave  
the road surface, maintain control of the  
vehicle by following the procedure below.  
Please note that this procedure is only a  
general guide. The vehicle must be driven  
as appropriate based on the conditions of  
the vehicle, road and traffic.  
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.  
2. Do not apply the brakes.  
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering  
wheel with both hands and try to hold  
a straight course.  
4. When appropriate, slowly release the  
accelerator pedal to gradually slow  
the vehicle.  
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the  
vehicle to follow the road while the  
vehicle speed is reduced. Do not  
attempt to drive the vehicle back onto  
the road surface until vehicle speed is  
reduced.  
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS  
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can  
occur if the tire is punctured or is  
damaged due to hitting a curb or pothole.  
Rapid air pressure loss can also be caused  
by driving on under-inflated tires.  
They have higher ground clearance than  
passenger cars to make them capable of  
performing in a variety of on-pavement  
and off-road applications. This gives them  
a higher center of gravity than ordinary  
cars. An advantage of higher ground  
clearance is a better view of the road,  
allowing you to anticipate problems.  
However, they are not designed for cor-  
nering at the same speeds as conven-  
tional passenger cars any more than low-  
slung sports cars are designed to perform  
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If  
at all possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt  
maneuvers, particularly at high speeds. As  
with other vehicles of this type, failure to  
operate this vehicle correctly may result  
in loss of control or vehicle rollover. Seat  
belts help reduce the risk of injury in  
collisions and rollovers. In a rollover crash,  
an unbelted or improperly belted person  
is significantly more likely to be injured or  
killed than a person properly wearing a  
seat belt.  
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the  
handling and stability of the vehicle,  
especially at highway speeds.  
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by  
maintaining the correct air pressure and  
visually inspect the tires for wear and  
damage. See “Wheels and tires” (P.8-29) of  
this manual.  
If a tire rapidly loses air pressure or  
“blows-out” while driving, maintain con-  
trol of the vehicle by following the proce-  
dure below. Please note that this  
procedure is only a general guide. The  
vehicle must be driven as appropriate  
based on the conditions of the vehicle,  
road and traffic.  
6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn  
the steering wheel until both tires  
return to the road surface. When all  
tires are on the road surface, steer the  
vehicle to stay in the appropriate  
driving lane.  
Starting and driving 5-9  
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gra-  
dually stop the vehicle.  
be legally intoxicated, the fact is that  
alcohol affects all people differently and  
most people underestimate the effects of  
alcohol.  
Remember, drinking and driving don’t  
mix! And that is true for drugs, too (over-  
the-counter, prescription, and illegal  
drugs). Don’t drive if your ability to oper-  
ate your vehicle is impaired by alcohol,  
drugs, or some other physical condition.  
WARNING  
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers  
and either contact a roadside emer-  
gency service to change the tire or see  
“Changing a flat tire (models with  
spare tire)” (P.6-4) of this Owner’s  
Manual.  
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND  
DRIVING  
The following actions can increase  
the chance of losing control of the  
vehicle if there is a sudden loss of tire  
air pressure. Losing control of the  
vehicle may cause a collision and  
result in personal injury.  
.
The vehicle generally moves or  
pulls in the direction of the flat  
tire.  
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS  
Your vehicle is designed for both normal  
and off-road use. However, avoid driving  
in deep water or mud as your vehicle is  
mainly designed for leisure use, unlike a  
conventional off-road vehicle.  
WARNING  
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Do not rapidly apply the brakes.  
Do not rapidly release the accel-  
Never drive under the influence of  
alcohol or drugs. Alcohol in the  
bloodstream reduces coordination,  
delays reaction time and impairs  
judgement. Driving after drinking  
alcohol increases the likelihood of  
being involved in an accident injuring  
yourself and others. Additionally, if  
you are injured in an accident, alco-  
hol can increase the severity of the  
injury.  
erator pedal.  
.
Do not rapidly turn the steering  
wheel.  
Remember that Two-Wheel Drive (2WD)  
models are less capable than All-Wheel  
Drive (AWD) models for rough road driving  
and extrication when stuck in deep snow,  
mud, or the like.  
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.  
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering  
wheel with both hands and try to hold  
a straight course.  
3. When appropriate, slowly release the  
accelerator pedal to gradually slow  
the vehicle.  
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe  
location off the road and away from  
traffic if possible.  
Please observe the following precautions:  
WARNING  
NISSAN is committed to safe driving.  
However, you must choose not to drive  
under the influence of alcohol. Every year  
thousands of people are injured or killed  
in alcohol-related accidents. Although the  
local laws vary on what is considered to  
.
Drive carefully when off the road  
and avoid dangerous areas. Every  
person who drives or rides in this  
vehicle should be seated with  
their seat belt fastened. This will  
5-10 Starting and driving  
keep you and your passengers in  
position when driving over rough  
terrain.  
Do not drive across steep slopes.  
Instead drive either straight up or  
straight down the slopes. Off-  
road vehicles can tip over side-  
ways much more easily than they  
can forward or backward.  
Many hills are too steep for any  
vehicle. If you drive up them, you  
may stall. If you drive down them,  
you may not be able to control  
your speed. If you drive across  
them, you may roll over.  
Do not shift ranges while driving  
on downhill grades as this could  
cause loss of control of the vehi-  
cle.  
control.  
.
Before operating the vehicle, en-  
sure that the driver and all pas-  
sengers have their seat belts  
fastened.  
Always drive with the floor mats  
in place as the floor may became  
hot.  
Lower your speed when encoun-  
tering strong crosswinds. With a  
higher center of gravity, your  
vehicle is more affected by strong  
side winds. Slower speeds ensure  
better vehicle control.  
Do not drive beyond the perfor-  
mance capability of the tires,  
even with AWD engaged.  
For AWD equipped vehicles, do  
not attempt to raise two wheels  
off the ground and shift the  
transmission to any drive or re-  
verse position with the engine  
running. Doing so may result in  
drivetrain damage or unexpected  
vehicle movement which could  
result in serious vehicle damage  
or personal injury.  
Do not attempt to test an AWD  
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel  
dynamometer (such as the dy-  
namometers used by some  
states for emissions testing), or  
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Heavy braking going down a hill  
could cause your brakes to over-  
heat and fade, resulting in loss of  
control and an accident. Apply  
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brakes lightly and use  
a low  
range to control your speed.  
Unsecured cargo can be thrown  
around when driving over rough  
terrain. Properly secure all cargo  
so it will not be thrown forward  
and cause injury to you or your  
passengers.  
To avoid raising the center of  
gravity excessively, do not exceed  
the rated capacity of the roof rack  
(if so equipped) and evenly dis-  
tribute the load. Secure heavy  
loads in the cargo area as far  
forward and as low as possible.  
Do not equip the vehicle with tires  
larger than specified in this man-  
ual. This could cause your vehicle  
to roll over.  
Do not grip the inside or spokes  
of the steering wheel when driv-  
ing off-road. The steering wheel  
could move suddenly and injure  
your hands. Instead drive with  
your fingers and thumbs on the  
outside of the rim.  
.
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Stay alert when driving to the top  
of a hill. At the top there could be  
a drop-off or other hazard that  
could cause an accident.  
If your engine stalls or you cannot  
make it to the top of a steep hill,  
never attempt to turn around.  
Your vehicle could tip or roll over.  
Always back straight down in R  
(Reverse) range. Never back down  
.
.
in  
N (Neutral), using only the  
brake, as this could cause loss of  
Starting and driving 5-11  
IGNITION SWITCH (models without  
Intelligent Key system)  
similar equipment even if the  
other two wheels are raised off  
the ground. Make sure you inform  
test facility personnel that your  
vehicle is equipped with AWD  
before it is placed on a dynam-  
ometer. Using the wrong test  
equipment may result in drive-  
train damage or unexpected ve-  
hicle movement which could  
result in serious vehicle damage  
or personal injury.  
When a wheel is off the ground  
due to an unlevel surface, do not  
spin the wheel excessively (AWD  
model).  
Accelerating quickly, sharp steer-  
ing maneuvers or sudden braking  
may cause loss of control.  
If at all possible, avoid sharp  
turning maneuvers, particularly  
at high speeds. Your vehicle has  
a higher center of gravity than a  
conventional passenger car. The  
vehicle is not designed for cor-  
nering at the same speeds as  
conventional passenger cars.  
Failure to operate this vehicle  
correctly could result in loss of  
control and/or a rollover acci-  
dent.  
.
Always use tires of the same type,  
size, brand, construction (bias,  
bias-belted or radial), and tread  
pattern on all four wheels. Install  
traction devices on the front  
wheels when driving on slippery  
roads and drive carefully.  
Be sure to check the brakes im-  
mediately after driving in mud or  
water. See “Brake system” (P.5-  
127) for wet brakes.  
Avoid parking your vehicle on  
steep hills. If you get out of the  
vehicle and it rolls forward, back-  
ward or sideways, you could be  
injured.  
Whenever you drive off-road  
through sand, mud or water as  
deep as the wheel hub, more  
frequent maintenance may be  
required. See the maintenance  
schedule shown in the “9. Main-  
tenance and schedules” section.  
WARNING  
Never remove the key or place the  
ignition switch in the LOCK position  
while driving. The steering wheel will  
lock and could cause the driver to  
lose control of the vehicle. This could  
result in serious vehicle damage or  
personal injury.  
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Spinning the front wheels on  
slippery surfaces may cause the  
AWD warning message to display  
and the AWD system to automa-  
tically switch from the AWD mode  
to the 2WD mode. This could  
reduce traction. (AWD models)  
5-12 Starting and driving