Automatic Transmission Operation 3.4L V6 with 5-Speed

The shift lever is located on the center console. When you change gears, the different shift positions will display on the instrument panel cluster.

There are several different positions for the automatic transmission.

P (Park): This position locks the front wheels. It is the best position to use when you start the engine because the vehicle cannot move easily.

Caution: It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll.

Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into Park . If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer .

Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock control system. You must fully apply the brake pedal and then press the shift lever button before you can shift from P (Park) when the ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting Out of Park.

R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.

Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is moving forward could damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle is stopped.

To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging the transmission, see If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow.

N (Neutral):  In this position, the engine does not connect with the wheels. To restart the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only.

Caution: Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed.

Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with the engine running at high speed may damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.

Notice: Shifting to a drive gear from NEUTRAL (N) while the vehicle is moving could damage the transmission. Make sure the vehicle is stopped before shifting from NEUTRAL (N) into a drive gear.

D (Drive): This position is for normal driving with the automatic transmission. It provides the best fuel economy. If you need more power for passing, and you are:

Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions could result in skidding, see "Skidding" under Loss of Control.

I (Intermediate):  This position is also used for normal driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed without using the brakes for slight downgrades where the vehicle would otherwise accelerate due to steepness of grade. If constant upshifting or downshifting occurs while driving up steep hills, this position can be used to prevent repetitive types of shifts. You might choose I (Intermediate) instead of D (Drive) when driving on hilly, winding roads and when towing a trailer, so that there is less shifting between gears.

L (Low): This position reduces vehicle speed more than I (Intermediate) without actually using the brakes. You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is placed in L (Low), the transmission will not shift into L (Low) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.

Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. The repair will not be covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.

Transmission Overheating

If the transmission fluid temperature rises above 284°F (140°C) or rises rapidly, the Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light will flash. See Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light for more information. When the transmission overheats it will go into a protection mode and will default shift into fifth gear if in the D (Drive) position, or second gear if in the L (Low) position. Continue driving the vehicle in either position depending on the required vehicle speed and load. Once the fluid temperature lowers to the normal temperature range, the transmission will return to the normal shift patterns. Towing or driving on long hills can cause the transmission fluid temperature to be higher than normal. If the transmission fluid temperature will not cool, you may need to pull over and check the transmission fluid level. You should also check the engine coolant temperature. If it is hot, see Engine Overheating.

Automatic Transmission Operation 3.6L V6 with 6-Speed

The shift lever for the automatic transmission is located on the console between the seats.

Maximum engine speed is limited when the vehicle is in P (Park) or N (Neutral) to protect driveline components from improper operation.

There are several different positions for the shift lever. When using the MSM (Manual Shift Mode), a number indicating the gear selected will appear on the instrument cluster below the shift position display. For more information on the manual shift option see "Manual Shift Mode" in this section.

P (Park): This position locks the front wheels. It is the best position to use when the engine is started because the vehicle cannot move easily.

Caution: It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll.

Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into Park . If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer .

Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock control system. You must fully apply the brake pedal and then press the shift lever button, before you can shift from P (Park) when the ignition is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all way into P (Park) as you maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting Out of Park.

R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.

Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is moving forward could damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle is stopped.

To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging the transmission, see If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow.

N (Neutral): In this position, the engine does not connect with the wheels. To restart the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only.

Caution: Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed.

Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with the engine running at high speed may damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.

D (Drive): This position is for normal driving. It provides the best fuel economy. If the vehicle needs more power for passing, and it is:

Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions could result in skidding, see Skidding under Loss of Control.

Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. The repair will not be covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.

MSM (Manual Shift Mode): This position, available on the models with the MSM (Manual Shift Mode), allows you to change gears similar to a manual transmission. If the vehicle has this feature, see "MSM (Manual Shift Mode)".

MSM (Manual Shift Mode)

To use this feature, do the following:

1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) to the left into the manual gate.

While driving in manual shift mode, the transmission will remain in the driver gear selected. When coming to a stop in the manual position, the vehicle will automatically shift to 1 (First) gear.

2. Push the shift lever forward toward the plus (+) to upshift or rearward toward the minus (-) to downshift.

When using the MSM (Manual Shift Mode) the number of the gear selected will appear on the instrument cluster below the shift position display.

In manual shift mode all six forward gears can be selected.

While using the MSM (Manual Shift Mode) feature the vehicle will have operation similar to a manual transmission. You can use this for sport driving or when driving hilly roads to stay in gear longer or to downshift for more power or engine braking.

The transmission will only allow you to shift into gears appropriate for the vehicle speed:

If the vehicle does not respond to a gear change, or detects a problem with the transmission, the range of gears may be reduced and the Malfunction Indicator Lamp will come on. See Malfunction Indicator Lamp.

Transmission Overheating

If the transmission fluid temperature rises above 270°F (132°C) or rises rapidly, the Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light will flash. See Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light for more information. When the transmission overheats it will go into a protection mode and will default into a different shift sequence to help cool the transmission fluid. This shift sequence is the same for both D (Drive) position and manual mode. Continue driving the vehicle in either position depending on the required vehicle speed and load. Once the fluid temperature lowers to the normal temperature range, the transmission will return to the normal shift patterns. Towing or driving on long hills can cause the transmission fluid temperature to be higher than normal. If the transmission fluid temperature will not cool, you may need to pull over and check the transmission fluid level. You should also check the engine coolant temperature. If it is hot, see Engine Overheating.

2 (Second) and 3 (Third) Gear Start Feature

When accelerating the vehicle from a stop in snowy and icy conditions, you may want to select 2 (Second) and 3 (Third) gear. A higher gear, and light application of the gas pedal, may allow you to gain more traction on slippery surfaces.

With the MSM (Manual Shift Mode), the vehicle can accelerate from a stop in 2 (Second) or 3 (Third).

1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) into the manual gate.
2. With the vehicle stopped, move the shift lever forward to select 2 (Second) or 3 (Third). The vehicle will start from a stop position in 2 (Second) or 3 (Third).
3. Once the vehicle is moving select the desired drive gear or move the shift lever to the D (Drive) position.