The shift lever is located on the center console between the front seats.

There are several different positions for the shift lever. When the position of the shift lever is changed, a message is shown in the Driver Information Center (DIC). The selected gear is magnified in the DIC, and changes according to the shift lever's movement. There are also messages for Sport Shift Mode, Normal Shift Mode and Driver Shift Control.

P (Park): This position locks the rear 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. Fully apply the brake pedal first and then press the shift lever button before shifting from P (Park) when the ignition key is in ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY. 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) while maintaining brake application. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting Out of Park.

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.

R (Reverse):  Use this gear to back up. At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse) can also be used 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 for additional information.

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 more power is needed for passing, and the vehicle 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. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.

Sport Shift Mode

The automatic transmission has a Sport Shift Mode. When you are in the Sport Shift Mode the vehicle will still shift automatically. The transmission may remain in a gear longer than it would in the normal driving mode based on braking, throttle input, and vehicle lateral acceleration. To use this feature, move the shift lever over from D (Drive) to the right quadrant. The Sport Shift message in the DIC displays. If the shift lever is not moved forward or rearward, the vehicle remains in sport mode.

Performance Mode Lift Foot Mode

Within Sport Shift Mode there is a further performance feature called Performance Mode Lift Foot (PMLF) Mode. The feature is activated automatically when sports oriented driving is detected, based on cornering and on/off throttle application. PMLF allows the transmission to hold the current gear instead of upshifting when the throttle is lifted.

Driver Shift Control (DSC)

Notice: If you drive your vehicle at high RPMs without upshifting while using Active Select Mode, you could damage the vehicle. Always upshift when necessary while using Active Select Mode.

The automatic transmission has a DSC mode that allows gear changes similar to a manual transmission. To use this feature:

1. Move the shift lever over from D (Drive) to the right quadrant. The Sport Shift message in the DIC displays.
2. To enter the DSC mode, press the shift lever forward to upshift or rearward to downshift. The Active Select On message in the DIC will come on.

The DIC will indicate the requested gear range when moving the shift lever forward or rearward.

While using the DSC mode, the vehicle has firmer shifting and increased performance. This can be used for sport driving or when climbing or descending hills, to stay in gear longer, or to down shift for more power or engine braking.

The transmission will only allow the driver to shift into gears appropriate for the vehicle speed and engine Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). The transmission will not automatically shift to the next lower gear if the engine RPM is too high.

If shifting is prevented for any reason, the currently selected gear will flash multiple times, indicating that the transmission has not shifted gears.

While in the DSC mode, the transmission automatically downshifts when the vehicle comes to a stop.

When accelerating the vehicle from a stop in snowy and icy conditions, 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear starts can be selected from a standing start. This is useful for gentle acceleration on slippery surfaces.

To return to Normal Shift mode, slide the shift lever over from the right quadrant to the left into D (Drive). A Normal Shift message will be displayed in the DIC.

Normal Shift Mode is recommended for normal or freeway driving, as it provides optimum fuel economy.

Powertrain Braking

For vehicles with a 6 speed automatic transmission, when driving on steep descents where frequent braking is required, the vehicle will automatically downshift to provide engine braking assistance. This feature also reduces brake temperatures and wear.

Downshifting will only occur when the driver's foot is applied to the brake. Active Select Mode can be switched on to override the feature and gain complete control of shifts if desired.