The Basics Of Off-Road Driving

You will encounter many types of terrain driving offroad.

You should be familiar with the terrain and area before proceeding. There are many types of surface conditions: hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow and ice. Every surface has a different effect on your vehicle’s steering, handling and traction. Controlling your vehicle is one of the keys to successful off-road driving, so always keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and maintain a good driving posture. Avoid sudden accelerations, turns or braking. In most cases, there are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. Therefore, you will need to use your own good judgment on what is safe and what is not. When on a trail, you should always be looking ahead for surface obstacles and changes in terrain. The key is to plan your future driving route while remembering what you are currently driving over.

CAUTION!
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other combustible materials. The heat from your vehicle exhaust system could cause a fire.

WARNING!
Always wear your seat belt and firmly tie down cargo. Unsecured cargo can become projectiles in an off-road situation.

    See also:

    Interior Lights
    Courtesy and dome lights are turned on when the front doors are opened, when the dimmer control (rotating wheel on the right side of the headlight switch) is rotated to the its farthest upward p ...

    Driver Memory Seat — If Equipped
    This feature allows the driver to store up to two different memory profiles, for easy recall through a memory switch. Each memory profile contains desired position settings for the driver seat a ...

    Compass Display / ECO (Fuel Saver Mode) — If Equipped
    The compass readings indicate the direction the vehicle is facing. Press and release the COMPASS button to display one of eight compass headings, the outside temperature/ ECO if the EVIC display i ...