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The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse.
On vehicles with 6-speed manual
transmission, the lockout system
prevents you f rom shif ting directlyf rom Fif th to Reverse instead of
Sixth (see page ).
When shif ting up or down, make
sure you push the clutch pedal down
all the way, shif t to the next gear,
and let the pedal up gradually. When
you are not shif ting, do not rest your
f oot on the clutch pedal. This can
cause your clutch to wear out f aster.
Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage thetransmission by trying to shift into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
178
On all 4-cylinder models with 5-speed
manual transmission
On EX-V6 model with 6-speed manualtransmission
Manual T ransmission
176
5-speed M/T 6-speed M/T
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Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th
5th to 6th Normal acceleration
15 mph (24 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
40 mph (64 km/h)
47 mph (75 km/h)
52 mph (83 km/h)
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th Normal acceleration
15 mph (25 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
40 mph (65 km/h)
50 mph (80 km/h)
Your vehicle is equipped with an
aluminum shif t lever. If you leave the
vehicle parked outside f or a long
time on a hot day, be caref ul bef ore
moving the shift lever. Because of
the heat, the shift lever may be
extremely hot. If the outside
temperature is low, the shif t lever
f eels cold. Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you good
f uel economy and ef f ective
emissions control. The f ollowing
shif t points are recommended:
On EX-V6 model
With 5-speed manual transmissionWith 6-speed manual transmission
Recommended Shif t Points
Manual T ransmission
Driving
177
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
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If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.If you are still unable to shif t to
Reverse, apply the parking brake,
and turn the ignition key to
ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0).
With the clutch pedal still pressed,
start the engine.
The manual transmission has
lockout so you cannot accidentally
shift from Fifth to Reverse instead of
Sixth while the vehicle is moving. If
you cannot shif t to Reverse when the
vehicle is stopped:
With the clutch pedal pressed,
move the shift lever to the first/
second gear side of the Neutral
gate, then shif t to Reverse. Press the clutch pedal, and shif t to
Reverse.
If you need to use this procedure to
shif t to Reverse, your vehicle may be
developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your dealer.
1. 2. 3. 4.6-speed manual transmission only
Engine Speed L imiter Reverse L ockout
Manual T ransmission
178
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These indicators between the tacho-
meter and speedometer show which
position the shif t lever is in.The ‘‘D’’ indicator comes on f or a
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). If it
f lashes while driving (in any shif t
position), it indicates a possible
problem in the transmission.
If the malf unction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicator, there is a problem in the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration, and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
To shif t f rom any position, press
f irmly on the brake pedal and press
the release button on the side of the
shiftlever.Youcannotshiftoutof
Park when the ignition switch is in
the LOCK (0) or ACCESSORY (I)
position.
CONT INUED
Shif ting
Shif t L ever Position Indicators
Automatic Transmission
Driving
179
SHIFT LEVER
RELEASE BUTTON
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µµµTo shift from:PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoD DtoN
DtoD NtoDRtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal and
press the release button.
Press the release button.
Move the lever.
3
3
3
3
This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal. Press the release
button on the side of the shift lever
to move it.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
You must also press the release
button to shift into Park. To avoid
transmission damage, come to a
complete stop bef ore shif ting into
Park. The shif t lever must be in Park
bef ore you can remove the key f rom
the ignition switch. Press the brake
pedal and press the release button
on the side of the shif t lever to shif t
f rom Park to Reverse. To shif t f rom
Reverse to Neutral, come to a
completestopandthenshift.Press
the release button bef ore shif ting
into Reverse f rom Neutral.
Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from Neutral to
another gear.
182
Automatic Transmission
Park (P)
Shif t L ock Release Reverse (R)
Neutral (N)
180
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µµµ µ
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Use Second gear:
For more power when climbing.
To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
For starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow.
Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) f or your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shif ting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up f aster.
This position is
similar to D, except only the f irst
three gears are selected. Use D
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain,
or to provide engine braking when
going down a steep hill. D can also
keep the transmission f rom cycling
between third and f ourth gears in
stop-and-go driving.
To shif t to Second,
pressthereleasebuttonontheside
of the shif t lever. This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop. When driving downhill with a
trailer.
To help reduce wheel spin.
To shif t f rom Second to
First, press the release button on the
side of the shif t lever. This position
locks the transmission in f irst gear.
By upshif ting and downshif ting
through 1, 2, D , and D, you can
operate this transmission much like
a manual transmission without a
clutch pedal.
3
33
Automatic Transmission
Engine Speed L imiter
Drive (D)
Drive (D )
Second (2) First (1)
3Driving
181
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This allows you to move the shif t
lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pressing the release
button does not work.Set the parking brake.
Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
Push down on the key while you
pressthereleasebuttononthe
shif t lever and move the shif t lever
out of Park to Neutral.
Put a cloth on the edge of the shif t
lock release slot cover. Using a
small f lat-tipped screwdriver or a
metal f ingernail f ile, caref ully pry
on the edge of the cover to remove
it.
Insert the key in the shift lock
release slot.
Remove the key from the shift
lock release slot, then reinstall the
cover. Make sure the notch on the
cover is on the lef t side. Press the
brake pedal, and restart the engine.
If you need to use the shif t lock
release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer.
1. 2. 3.
4.5.6.
Shif t L ock Release
Automatic Transmission
182
COVER
RELEASE
BUTTON
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
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Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. Make sure
the parking brake is set f irmly or
your vehicle may roll if it is parked
on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission.If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in f irst gear.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb. If you have a manual
transmission, put it in reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the rear brakes.
Make sure the moonroof (if
equipped) and the windows are
closed.
Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors.
Check the indicator on the
instrument panel to verif y that the
security system is set.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The hot three way
catalytic converter could cause
these materials to catch on fire.
On vehicles with security system
Parking T ips
Parking
Driving
183
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