314 STARTING AND OPERATING(Continued)Shallow Standing WaterAlthough your vehicle is capable of drivingthrough shallow standing water, consider thefollowing Cautions and Warnings before doingso.Off-Road Driving TipsCare should be taken when attempting to climbsteep hills or driving diagonally across a hill orslope. If natural obstacles force you to traveldiagonally up or down a hill, choose a mild angleand keep as little side tilt as possible. Keep thevehicle moving and make turns slowly andcautiously.If you must back down a hill, back straight downusing REVERSE gear. Never back down inNEUTRAL or diagonally across the hill.When driving over sand, mud, and other softterrain, shift to low gear and drive steadily.Apply the accelerator slowly to avoid spinningthe wheels.Do not reduce the tire pressures for this type ofdriving.WARNING! Driving through standing water limits yourvehicle’s traction capabilities. Do notexceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when drivingthrough standing water. Driving through standing water limits yourvehicle’s braking capabilities, whichincreases stopping distances. Therefore,after driving through standing water, driveslowly and lightly press on the brake pedalseveral times to dry the brakes. Failure to follow these warnings may resultin injuries that are serious or fatal to you,your passengers, and others around you.CAUTION! Always check the depth of the standingwater before driving through it. Never drivethrough standing water that is deeper thanthe bottom of the tire rims mounted on thevehicle. Determine the condition of the road or thepath that is under water and if there are anyobstacles in the way before driving throughthe standing water. Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) whendriving through standing water. This willminimize wave effects. Driving through standing water may causedamage to your vehicle’s drivetrain compo-nents. Always inspect your vehicle’s fluids(i.e., engine oil, transmission, axle, etc.) forsigns of contamination (i.e., fluid that ismilky or foamy in appearance) after drivingthrough standing water. Do not continue tooperate the vehicle if any fluid appearscontaminated, as this may result in furtherdamage. Such damage is not covered bythe New Vehicle Limited Warranty. Getting water inside your vehicle’s enginecan cause it to lock up and stall out, andcause serious internal damage to theengine. Such damage is not covered by theNew Vehicle Limited Warranty.CAUTION! (Continued)
