
NOTE
(1) If the engine is cold, the diesel pre-
heat warning lamp is on for a longer
time.
(2) When the engine has not been started
within about 5 seconds after the die-
sel preheat warning lamp went out,
return the ignition key to the“LOCK”
position. Then, turn the key to the“ON”
position to preheat the engine again.
(3) When the engine is warm, the diesel
preheat warning lamp does not come
on even if the ignition key is placed in
the“ON”position.
Start the engine by turning the igni-
tion key right to the“START”position.
6. Operate the accelerator pedal as
described below in accordance with the
atmospheric temperature and/or engine
condition and then start the engine.
(1) When the atmospheric temperature is
moderate or the engine is warm, start
the engine without depressing the
accelerator pedal.
(2) When the atmospheric temperature is
low and the engine is cold, start the
engine following procedures:
2500 models: Without depressing the
accelerator pedal, start the
engine.
3200 models: While depressing the accel-
erator pedal about halfway,
start the engine.
I29A012A
Manual transmission
EI29A-M
The shift pattern is shown on the gear-
shift lever knob. Be sure to always fully
depress the clutch pedal before attempt-
ing to shift the lever.
CAUTION
(1) Do not move the gearshift lever
into reverse while the vehicle is
moving forward; doing so will
damage the transmission.
(2) Do not rest your foot on the
clutch pedal while driving as this
will cause premature clutch wear
or damage.
CAUTION
(3) If the clutch is engaged sud-
denly while the engine revolu-
tion is high, an extremely large
load will be applied instanta-
neously to the power train, pos-
sibly leading to the breakage of
that component. Please ensure,
therefore, that the clutch pedal is
always applied in a slow yet firm
manner.
The 3200models have a special
feature to protect the power train
from damage; the engine is con-
trolled in such a way that exces-
sive increase in engine
revolution is prevented in situa-
tions where the accelerator
pedal is depressed while the
gearshift lever is in the 1st posi-
tion and the clutch pedal has
been depressed.
NOTE
(1) If it is hard to shift into 1st, depress the
clutch pedal again; the shift will then be
easier to make.
(2) To shift into reverse from 5th gear,
move the gearshift lever to the“N”
(Neutral) position, and then shift it into
reverse.
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I04A206A
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4
positions, and is equipped with a lock but-
ton (A) to avoid inadvertent selection of the
wrong gear.
I04A294A
Button must be pushed while the
brake pedal is depressed to move
the lever.Button must be pushed to move the
lever.Button need not be pushed to move
the lever.
WARNING
(1) If the button is always depressed
to operate the selector lever, the
lever may be shifted acciden-
tally into the“P”or“R”posi-
tion.
Be sure not to depress the but-
ton when performing the opera-
tions indicated by“
”in the
illustration.
(2) Always depress the brake pedal
when shifting the selector lever
into a gear from the“P”(PARK)
or“N”(NEUTRAL) position.
When beginning to drive, do not
shift the selector lever from the
“P”(PARK) or“N”(NEUTRAL)
position while depressing the
accelerator pedal, doing so is
dangerous because the vehicle
will“jump”forward or back-
ward.
NOTE
If the brake pedal is not depressed and
held, the shift-lock device activates to pre-
vent the selector lever from being moved
from the“P”(PARK) position to another
position.
Starting and driving
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WARNING
(1) Never move the selector lever to
the“N”(NEUTRAL) position
while driving. A serious acci-
dent could occur since you
could accidentally move the
lever into the“P”(PARK) or“R”
(REVERSE) position and engine
braking would not be provided.
(2) On a slope the engine should be
started in the“P”(PARK) posi-
tion, not in the“N”(NEUTRAL)
position to avoid the vehicle
from rolling.
(3) Always keep your right foot on
the brake pedal when the vehicle
is in“N”(NEUTRAL), or when
shifting into or out of“N”
(NEUTRAL), to mininize the risk
of loss of control.D - DRIVE
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear for your speed and accelera-
tion.
Engine braking is automatically applied
when necessary, depending on road con-
ditions.
Please refer to“Uphill/downhill driving”on
page 5-22.
NOTE
For information on manual gate opera-
tion, please refer to“Sports mode”on page
5-20.
Sports mode
EI04S-Jb
Whether the vehicle is stationary or in
motion, sports mode is selected by push-
ing the selector lever from the“D”(DRIVE)
position into the manual gate (A). To return
to“D”range operation, push the selector
lever back into the main gate (B).
In sports mode, gear shifts can be made
rapidly, simply by moving the selector lever
backwards and forward. In contrast to a
manual transmission, the sports mode
allows gear shifts with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
I04S046A
+ (UP) :Push the lever forward once to shift
up one gear.
—(DOWN) :Pull the lever backwards once
to shift down one gear.
Starting and driving
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I34C014A
Examples of incorrect use of the
rear differential lock
EI34C-Ba
WARNING
If the“4L”,“4LLc”or“4HLc”is
selected and it runs with the state of
the rear differential lock, the follow-
ing phenomena appear and it is very
dangerous.
Please be sure to release the rear dif-
ferential lock on normal roads.
(1)If the rear differential lock is used
by mistake when driving on a
paved road: With the rear differ-
ential lock on, the power to drive
the vehicle straight ahead
becomes very strong, which may
make it difficult to turn the steer-
ing wheel.
I34C015A
WARNING
(2) If the rear differential lock is used
by mistake when turning a curve
or making a right or left turn at
a crossing or the like: The
vehicle is unable to make a turn
and may go straight ahead.
I34C016A
WARNING
(3) If the rear differential lock is used
by mistake except when mak-
ing an emergency escape on
snow or frozen road:
It becomes difficult to make a
steady turn.
(4) In the case where the condition
of the road is different for the
right tyre to drive from the left
tyre (such as one tyre on a
paved road and the other on
ice), direction of the vehicle may
change abruptly when engine
braking or accelerating.
Do not use the rear differential
lock except when making an
emergency escape on a snow or
frozen road, but drive with 4WD.
Starting and driving
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CAUTION
(1) Do not force the vehicle or drive
recklessly on sandy surfaces. In
comparison with normal road
surfaces, the engine and other
drive-system components are
put under excessive strain when
driving on such a surface, and
this could lead to accidents.
(2) If any of following conditions
occur while the vehicle is being
driven, immediately park your
vehicle in a safe place and fol-
low these procedures:
•The needle in the tempera-
ture gauge approaches the
overheating zone.
Refer to the“Engine
overheating”on page 8-21.
•A/T fluid temperature warning
lamp illuminates.
Refer to the“A/T fluid tempera-
ture warning lamp”on page
4-11.
WARNING
When attempting to rock your vehicle
out of a stuck position, be sure that
the area around the vehicle is clear of
people and physical objects. The
rocking motion may cause the
vehicle to suddenly launch forward
or backward, causing injury or dam-
age to nearby people or objects.
NOTE
(1) Avoid sudden braking, acceleration, and
turning; such operations could result in
the vehicle becoming stuck.
(2) If the vehicle becomes stuck in sandy
or muddy roads, it can often be moved
a rocking motion. Move the selector
lever rhythmically between the“D”
(DRIVE) and“R”(REVERSE) posi-
tion (with manual transmission,
between 1st and Reverse), while apply-
ing slight pressure to the accelerator
pedal.
(3) It is recommended to start the vehicle
with parking brake partially, but not
completely, applied by slightly pulling
the parking brake lever.
After the vehicle has become free, do
not forget to release the parking brake.NOTE
(4) If it is necessary to drive in extremely
muddy conditions, the use of tyre
chains is recommended. Because the
extent of muddy conditions is difficult to
judge and the vehicle could become
bogged down very deeply, operation
should be at a low speed. If possible,
get out of the vehicle and check the
conditions ahead before proceeding.
(5) Driving over roads in coastal areas or
roads on which anti-skid preparations
have been spread can cause rust on
the vehicle; wash the vehicle thor-
oughly as soon as possible after such
use.
Climbing sharp gradesSet the transfer shift lever to“4L”(part time
4WD) or“4LLc”(super select 4WD II) to
maximize the engine torque.
WARNING
(1) Go straight up. Do not try to
traverse across a steep slope.
(2) If you begin to lose traction, ease
off the accelerator pedal and
gently turn the steering wheel
alternatively left and right to
regain adequate traction again.
Starting and driving
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NOTE
(1) Choose a slope as smooth as pos-
sible with few stones or other
obstacles.
(2) Before attempting to drive up the slope,
walk it up to confirm that the vehicle
can handle the grade.Descending sharp gradesSet the transfer shift lever to“4L”(part time
4WD) or“4LLc”(super select 4WD II), use
the engine brake (downshifting) and
descend slowly.
WARNING
Avoid snaking down a sharp grade.
Descend the grade as straight as
possible.NOTE
(1) When descending a sharp grade, if the
brakes are applied suddenly because
of an obstacle encountered, control of
the vehicle could be lost. Before
descending the slope, walk it down and
confirm the path.
(2) Before descending a grade, it is nec-
essary to choose the appropriate gear.
Avoid changing gears or depressing
the clutch while descending the grade.
(3) MITSUBISHI is not responsible to the
operator for any damage or injury
caused or liability incurred by the
improper and negligent operation of a
vehicle. All techniques of vehicle opera-
tion described herein depend on the
skill and experience of the operator and
other participating parties and any
deviation from the recommended
operation instructions above is at their
own risk.
Turning sharp cornersWhen turning a sharp corner in“4H”or“4L”
position (part time 4WD), or“4HLc”or
“4LLc”position (super select 4WD II) at low
speed, a slight difference in steering may
be experienced similar to as if the brakes
were applied. This is called tight corner
braking and results from each of the four
tyres being at a different distance from the
corner.
The phenomenon is peculiar to 4-wheel
drive vehicles. If this occurs, either
straighten the steering wheel, or change to
rear-wheel drive.
Starting and driving
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Cautions on handling of 4WD
vehicles
EI49A-Xa
Tyre and disc wheelsSince the driving torque can be applied to
the 4 wheels, the performance of the
vehicle when operating in 4WD is greatly
affected by the condition of the tyres.
Pay close attention to the tyres.
•Install specified tyres on all wheels. Refer
to“Tyre and wheels”on page 10-10.
•Be sure to equip the car with all four tyres
and wheels of the same size and type.
When replacement of any of the tyres or
wheels is necessary, replace all of them.
•All tyres should be rotated whenever the
wear difference between front and rear
tyres is recognizable.
Good vehicle performance cannot be
expected if there is a difference in wear
between tyres. Refer to the“Tyre rotation”
on page 9-15.
•Check the tyre inflation pressure regu-
larly.
CAUTION
Always use tyres of the same size,
same type, and same brand, which
have no wear differences.
Using the tyres of differ in size, type,
brand or a different degree of wear
will cause excessive loading, result-
ing in possible damage to the drive
system.Jacking up a 4-wheel drive vehicles
WARNING
Do not crank the engine while jack-
ing up the vehicle.
The tyre on the ground may turn and
the vehicle may roll off the jack.Operate clutch pedal slowly and
positivelyQuick or slight clutch engagement made
while the engine is running at high speed
will cause damage to the clutch and trans-
mission because the tractive force is very
great.
Operate the pedal slowly and positively.
I07A002A
1
Parking brake
EI07AAEd
To park the vehicle, first bring it to a com-
plete stop, fully engage the parking brake,
and then move the gearshift lever to 1st (on
an uphill) or Reverse (on a downhill) posi-
tion, for vehicles with a manual transmis-
sion or set the selector lever to“P”(PARK)
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.To apply1- Pull the lever up without pushing the
button at the end of the hand grip.
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I07A049A
To release
1- Pull the lever up slightly.
2- Push the button at the end of the hand
grip.
3- Push the lever downward.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking
brake and turn the front wheels towards the
kerb on a downhill grade, away from the
kerb on an uphill grade.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure that the park-
ing brake is fully released and the
brake warning lamp is off.
If a vehicle is driven without releas-
ing the parking brake, the brake will
be overheated, resulting in ineffec-
tive braking and possible brake fail-
ure.
Parking
EI22A-He
Parking on a slopeFully engage the parking brake, and then
move the gearshift lever to 1st (on an
uphill) or reverse (on a downhill) position on
manual transmission vehicle.
On automatic transmission vehicle, move
the selector lever to“P”(PARK) position.
When parking on a hill, apply chocks to
wheels for greater safety.Parking with the engine runningDo not keep the engine running in a closed
or poorly ventilated place. Carbon monox-
ide gas is odourless and extremely poison-
ous and dangerous.Where you parkDo not park in a place where there are
inflammable objects such as dry grass,
leaves, etc. because the exhaust system
produces very high temperatures. This may
cause a fire.When leaving the vehicleAlways remove the key from the ignition
switch and lock all doors when leaving the
vehicle unattended.
Always try to park your vehicle in a well lit
area.
Starting and driving
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