STARTING AND DRIVING
5-18
Operation of the automatic
transmission
EI04D-Cg
CAUTION(1) Before selecting a gear with the
engine running and the vehicle
stationary, fully depress the
brake pedal to prevent the vehi-
cle from creeping.
The vehicle will begin to move as
soon as the gear is engaged, es-
pecially when the engine speed
is high, at fast idle or the air con-
ditioning operating, the brakes
should only be released when
you are ready to drive away.
(2) Depress the brake pedal with the
right foot at all times.
Using the left foot could cause
driver movement delay in case
of an emergency.
(3) To prevent sudden acceleration,
never race the engine when
shifting from the “P” (PARK) or
“N” (NEUTRAL).
(4) Operating the accelerator pedal
while the other foot is resting on
the brake pedal will affect brak-
ing efficiency and may cause
premature wear of brake pads.
Do not race the engine with
brake pedal pressed.
This can damage the transmis-
sion.
Overdrive control switchEI04C-Bc
During ordinary driving, the overdrive
switch should be left in the pressed-in po-
sition (the indicator lamp in the instrument
panel is not illuminated).
Automatic shifting will be performed in the
range from 1st gear through 4th gear if the
selector lever is set at “D”.
When you need quick acceleration or en-
gine braking power on a downhill grade, or
when you are going to go up a long hill,
press the overdrive switch once again to
cancel the overdrive function.The indicator lamp in the instrument panel
illuminates and automatic shifting will be
performed in the range from 1st gear
through 3rd gear only.
I04C033I04C034
05engL2_240082_4 22-01-2004 13:05 Page 5-18
STARTING AND DRIVING
5-33 Brake pads and linings
(1) With new brake pads or linings, avoid
where possible sudden full applica-
tion of the brakes for the first 200 km
(125 miles) of driving.
(2) The disc brakes are provided with a
warning device which emits a shriek-
ing metallic sound while braking if the
brake pads have reached their limit.
If you hear this sound, have the brake
pads replaced by your MITSUBISHI
dealer.
CAUTION(1) Do not leave any objects or
place a thick floor mat around
the brake pedal; doing so could
prevent the full pedal stroke that
would be necessary in an emer-
gency. Make sure that the pedal
can be operated freely at all
times.
(2) Avoid driving habits that may
lead to sudden braking and
never “ride” the brakes by rest-
ing your foot on the brake pedal
while driving.
It causes brake overheating and
fade.
• Driving on gravel or snow-covered
roads.
• Driving with tyre chains installed.
• Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
• Driving on bumpy roads or other
poor driving surfaces.
(3) Operation of the ABS is not restricted
to situations where brakes are applied
suddenly. This system may also oper-
ate to prevent wheel lock when you
are driving over manholes, steel road-
work plates, or the vehicle is driven
over steps or level differences in the
road, road markings, or other sur-
faces which are difficult for the wheels
to grip.
(4) When the ABS is activated, you may
feel the brake pedal pulsating and
hear a characteristic noise. Also at
this time, it may feel as if the pedal at-
tempts to resist being depressed.
In this situation, to let the ABS
work for you, just hold the brake
pedal down more firmly. Do not
pump the brake. This will result in
reduced braking performance.Anti-lock brake system
(ABS)*
EI24APD
Environmental conditions can have an ef-
fect on braking. During sudden braking
when there is snow, ice, oil, water etc; on
the road surface, a skid may occur. In this
situation, steering control and braking ef-
fectiveness is reduced and the stopping
distance is increased. The vehicle may
also go into an uncontrolled spin.
The ABS helps prevent the wheels from
locking during braking, thus maintaining
directional stability, ensuring controllabi-
lity, and providing optimum braking force.
Driving hints
(1) With ABS fitted, steering during sud-
den braking (when the ABS functions)
differs slightly from when the brakes
are not being applied.
Steer the vehicle carefully in these
conditions.
(2) Always maintain the same distance
from the vehicle in front of you as you
would for a vehicle not equipped with
an ABS.
Compared with vehicles not fitted
with ABS, your vehicle may require a
longer stopping distance in the follow-
ing cases:
05engL2_240082_4 22-01-2004 13:05 Page 5-33
FOR EMERGENCIES
On a flooded road
(1) Avoid flooded roads. Water could
enter the brake discs, resulting in
temporarily ineffective brakes. In such
cases, lightly depress the brake pedal
to see if the brakes operate properly.
If they do not, lightly depress the
pedal several times while driving in
order to dry the brake pads.
(2) When driving in rain or on a road with
many puddles a layer of water may
form between the tyres and the road
surface.
This reduces a tyre’s frictional
resistance on the road, resulting in
loss of steering stability and braking
capability.
To cope with this, observe the follow-
ing items:
(a) Drive your vehicle at a slow speed.
(b) Do not drive on worn tyres. Always
maintain the specified tyre inflation
pressures.
Tools, jack and jack handle
EN01A-T
The storage location of the tools and jack
should be remembered in case of an
emergency.
Location
1 - Tools
2 - Jack
3 - Jack handle
On a snow-covered or frozen road
(1) When driving on a snow-covered or
frozen road, it is recommended that
you use snow tyres or tyre chains.
Refer to the “Snow tyres” and “Tyre
chains” sections.
(2) Avoid high-speed operation, sudden
acceleration, abrupt brake application
and sharp cornering.
(3) Depressing the brake pedal during
travel on such a road may cause tyre
slippage and skidding. When traction
between the tyres and the road is re-
duced the wheels may skid and the
vehicle cannot readily be brought to a
stop by conventional braking tech-
niques. Braking will differ, depending
upon whether you have anti-lock
brakes (ABS). If you do have ABS,
brake by pressing the brake pedal
hard, and keeping it pressed. If you
do not have ABS, pump the brake
pedal with short rapid jabs, each time
fully applying and fully releasing for
greatest effect.
(4) Allow extra distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you,
and avoid sudden braking.
8-3
N01A044
3
2
1
Single cab
08engL2_240082_4 22-01-2004 13:10 Page 8-3
MAINTENANCE
CAUTION(4) If the battery is to be quick-
charged, first disconnect the
battery cables.
(5) In order to prevent a short
circuit, be sure to disconnect the
negative (–) terminal first.
(6) Keep it out of the reach of
children.
NOTE
(1) Keep the terminals clean. After the
battery is connected, apply terminal
protection grease. To clean the ter-
minals, use lukewarm water.
(2) Check to see if the battery is securely
installed and cannot be moved during
travel. Also check each terminal for
tightness.
(3) When the vehicle is to be left unused
for a long period of time, remove the
battery and store it in a place where
the battery fluid will not freeze. The
battery should be stored only in a fully
charged condition.
Brake fluidEM08A-X
Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir.
The brake fluid level must be between the
specified limit. The fluid level falls slightly
with wear of the brake pads, but this does
not indicate any abnormality.
If the brake fluid level falls markedly in a
short length of time, it indicates leaks from
the brake system.
If this occurs, have the vehicle checked by
an authorized MITSUBISHI dealer.
Use brake fluid conforming to DOT 3 or
DOT 4. The brake fluid is hygroscopic.
Too much moisture in the brake fluid will
adversely affect the brake system, reduc-
ing the brake performance.In addition, the brake fluid reservoir is
equipped with a special cap to prevent the
entrance of air, and this cap should not be
removed.
On a vehicle with a brake fluid warning
lamp, the brake fluid level is monitored by
a float. When the brake fluid level falls
below the lower line, the brake fluid warn-
ing lamp lights up.
WARNING(1) Take care in handling brake fluid
as it is harmful to the eyes and
may also cause damage to
painted surfaces.
If fluid is spilt, wipe it up as soon
as possible.
(2) Use only the specified brake
fluid.
Also, the additives in different
brands may result in a chemical
reaction when mixed together,
so avoid mixing different brands
if possible.
(3) Normally, keep the reservoir
tank cap closed to prevent the
brake fluid from deteriorating.
9-8
M08A028
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