STARTING AND DRIVING
tion settings or components, altering
emission system components or location
or removing components, and/or repeated
use of leaded fuel.
Emission controls
Overheating of engine and
transmission
In certain driving conditions, such as driving
in mountainous areas or hot weather, there is
a risk of the engine or transmission overheat-
ing, especially when carrying heavy loads.
Three-way catalytic converter
Keep your engine properly tuned. Certain
engine malfunctions, particularly involving
the electrical, fuel or distributor ignition
systems, may cause unusually high three-
way catalytic converter temperatures. Do
not continue to operate your vehicle if you
detect engine misfire, noticeable loss of
power or other unusual operating condi-
tions, such as engine overheating or back-
firing. A properly tuned engine will help
avoid malfunctions that could damage the
three-way catalytic converter.
•
NOTE
Engine power may be temporarily limited.
•
Unleaded fuel is required for vehicles with
three-way catalytic converters.
Remove any auxiliary lights mounted in
front of the grille when driving in hot
weather.
•
Heated oxygen sensors
If the temperature in the engine's cooling
system becomes too high, a warning sym-
bol will appear in the instrument panel
along with the message Engine
temperature High temperature Stop
safely. Pull over to a safe location and let
the engine idle for a few minutes to cool
down.
•
The heated oxygen sensors monitor the oxy-
gen content of the exhaust gases. Readings
are fed into a control module that continuously
monitors engine functions and controls fuel
injection. The ratio of fuel to air into the engine
is continuously adjusted for efficient combus-
tion to help reduce harmful emissions.
Do not park your vehicle over combustible
materials, such as grass or leaves, which
can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system and cause such materials
to ignite under certain wind and weather
conditions.
•
Related information
If the message Engine temperature
High temperature Turn off engine or
Engine coolant Level low, turn off
engine is displayed, stop the vehicle and
turn off the engine.
•
•
Octane rating (p. 418)
•
Fuel (p. 417)
•
Excessive starter cranking (in excess of
one minute), or an intermittently firing or
flooded engine can cause three-way cata-
lytic converter or exhaust system over-
heating.
•
•
If the transmission begins to overheat, an
alternative gear shifting program will be
selected. An integrated protective function
will also be activated, the warning symbol
will illuminate and the message
Remember that tampering or unauthor-
ized modifications to the engine, the
Engine Control Module, or the vehicle may
be illegal and can cause three-way cata-
lytic converter or exhaust system over-
heating. This includes: altering fuel injec-
Transmission warm Reduce speed to
lower temperature or Transmission hot
Stop safely, wait for cooling will be dis-
420
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