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CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with the transmission in NEU-
TRAL can cause severe transmission dam-
age. Refer to "Recreational Towing" in
"Starting And Operating" and "Towing A Dis-
abled Vehicle" in "In Case Of Emergency" for
further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and
highway driving. It provides the smoothest
upshifts and downshifts, and the best fuel
economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through all forward gears. The DRIVE
position provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating
conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs
(such as when operating the vehicle under
heavy loading conditions, in hilly terrain,
traveling into strong head winds or while towing
a heavy trailer), use the AutoStick shift control
(refer to "AutoStick" in this section for further
information) to select a lower gear. Under these
conditions, using a lower gear will improve
performance and extend transmission life by
reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds
normal operating limits, the transmission
controller may modify the transmission shift
schedule, reduce engine torque, and/or expand
the range of torque converter clutch
engagement. This is done to prevent
transmission damage due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot, the
"Transmission Temperature Warning Light"
may illuminate and the transmission may
operate differently until the transmission cools
down.
During cold temperatures, transmission
operation may be modified depending on
engine and transmission temperature as well
as vehicle speed. This feature improves warm
up time of the engine and transmission to
achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of
the torque converter clutch, and shifts into 8th
or 9th gear, are inhibited until the transmission
fluid is warm. Normal operation will resume
once the transmission temperature has risen to
a suitable level.
STARTING AND OPERATING
AutoStick
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission
feature providing manual shift control, giving
you more control of the vehicle. AutoStick
allows you to maximize engine braking,
eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
and improve overall vehicle performance. This
system can also provide you with more control
during passing, city driving, cold slippery
conditions, mountain driving, trailer towing and
many other situations.
Operation
When the gear selector is in the AutoStick
position (beside the DRIVE position), it can be
moved forward and rearward. This allows the
driver to manually select the transmission gear
being used. Moving the gear selector forward (-)
triggers a downshift, and rearward (+) an
upshift. The current gear is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
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