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Knowing your vehicle
How car audio worksAM and FM radio signals are broad-
cast from transmitter towers located
around your city. They are intercept-
ed by the radio antenna on your car.
This signal is then received by the
radio and sent to your car speakers.
When a strong radio signal has
reached your vehicle, the precise
engineering of your audio system
ensures the best possible quality
reproduction.However, in some cases the signal
coming to your vehicle may not be
strong and clear. This can be due to
factors such as the distance from the
radio station, closeness of other
strong radio stations or the presence
of buildings, bridges or other large
obstructions in the area.
AM broadcasts can be received at
greater distances than FM broad-
casts. This is because AM radio
waves are transmitted at low fre-
quencies. These long, low frequency
radio waves can follow the curvature
of the earth rather than travelling
straight out into the atmosphere. In
addition, they curve around obstruc-
tions so that they can provide better
signal coverage.AUDIO SYSTEM
¢¢¢
JBM001
¢¢¢
¢¢¢JBM002
FM reception AM reception
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Ignition switch / 4-2
Starting the engine / 4-4
Manual transaxle / 4-5
Automatic transaxle / 4-6
Brake system / 4-12
Steering wheel / 4-18
Cruise control / 4-21
Traction control system / 4-25
Instrument cluster / 4-28
Gauges / 4-29
Warnings and indicators / 4-31
Lighting / 4-39
Wipers and washers / 4-43
Defroster / 4-45
Hazard warning flasher / 4-46
Manual climate control system / 4-47
Windshield defrosting and defogging / 4-56
Theft-alarm system / 4-58
Driving your vehicle
10
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Illuminated ignition switchWhenever a door is opened, the igni-
tion switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition
switch is not in the ON position. The
light will go off approximately 30 sec-
onds after closing the door or when
the ignition switch is turned on.
Ignition switch and anti-theft
steering column lock Ignition switch positionLOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to
the LOCK position, push the key
inward at the ACC position and turn
the key toward the LOCK position.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and
electrical accessories are operative.ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is
the normal running position after the
engine is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if
the engine is not running to preventbattery discharge.START
Turn the ignition key to the START
position to start the engine. The
engine will crank until you release
the key; then it returns to the ON
position. The brake warning lamp
can be checked in this position.✽ ✽ NOTICEIf difficulty is experienced in turn-
ing the ignition key to the START
position, turn the steering wheel
right and left to release resistance
and then turn the key.
IGNITION SWITCH
1LDA3012
OUN036002
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Driving your vehicle
WARNING -
Ignition key
• Never turn the ignition switch to LOCK or ACC while the
vehicle is moving. This would
result in loss of directional
control and braking function,
which could cause an immedi-
ate accident.
The anti-theft steering column lock is not a substitute for the
parking brake. Before leaving
the driver’s seat, always make
sure the shift lever is engaged
in P (Park), set the parking
brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement
may occur if these precau-
tions are not taken.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Never reach for the ignitionswitch, or any other controls
through the steering wheel
while the vehicle is in motion.
The presence of your hand or
arm in this area could cause a
loss of vehicle control, an
accident and serious bodily
injury or death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver’s
seat as they may move while
driving, interfere with the driv-
er and lead to an accident.
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1. Make sure the parking brake isapplied.
2. Manual Transaxle - Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the
clutch pedal depressed while turn-
ing the ignition switch to the start
position. The starter will not oper-
ate if the clutch pedal is not fully
depressed.
Automatic Transaxle - Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine when the shift lever is in the N(Neutral) position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to START and hold it there until the engine
starts (a maximum of 10 seconds),
then release the key.
4. In extremely cold weather (below -18°C / 0°F) or after the vehicle
has not been operated for several
days, let the engine warm up with-
out depressing the accelerator.Whether the engine is cold or warm,it should be started withoutdepressing the accelerator.
The starter will not operate if:
Manual Transaxle - the clutch
pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic Transaxle - the shift
lever is NOT in the P (Park) or N
(Neutral) position.
STARTING THE ENGINE
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while you are in motion, do not attempt tomove the shift lever to the P(Park) position. If traffic androad conditions permit, you mayput the shift lever in the N(Neutral) position while thevehicle is still moving and turnthe ignition switch to the STARTposition in an attempt to restartthe engine.
WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels,
ski boots,etc.) may interfere
with your ability to use the
brake and accelerator pedal,
and the clutch (if equipped).
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter formore than 10 seconds. If theengine stalls or fails to start,wait 5 to 10 seconds before re-engaging the starter. Improperuse of the starter may damageit.
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Driving your vehicle
Manual Transaxle OperationThe manual transaxle has five for-
ward gears.
Press the clutch pedal down fully
while shifting, then release it slowly.
A special safety feature prevents
inadvertent shifting from 5 (Fifth) to
R (Reverse). The gearshift lever must
be returned to the neutral position
before shifting into R (Reverse).Make sure the vehicle is completelystopped before shifting into R(Reverse).
Never operate the engine with thetachometer (rpm) in the red zone. Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or while driving up steep hills,
downshift before the engine starts to
“labor’’. Downshifting reduces the
chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you again need to
increase your speed. When the vehi-
cle is traveling down steep hills,
downshifting helps maintain safe
speed and prolongs brake life.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
OLD046003N
WARNING
- Manual
transaxle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
Then make sure the transaxle is
shifted into 1st gear on level or
uphill ground or into R
(Reverse) gear on downhill
ground. Unexpected and sud-
den vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are
not followed in the order identi-
fied.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutchpedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle stopped onan upgrade, while waiting for atraffic light, etc.
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Automatic transaxle operationAll normal forward driving is done
with the shift lever in the D (Drive)
position.
To move the shift lever from the P
(Park) position, the brake pedal must
be depressed and the lock release
button must be depressed.
For smooth operation, depress thebrake pedal when shifting from N(Neutral) to a forward or reversegear.
WARNING
- Automatic
transaxle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (PARK) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the engine off. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order
identified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your transaxle, do not acceleratethe engine in R (Reverse) orany forward gear position withthe brakes on.
When stopped on an upgrade, do not hold the vehicle sta-tionary with engine power.Use the service brake or theparking brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R(Reverse) when the engine isabove idle speed.
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Transaxle rangesP (park)This position locks the transaxle and
prevents the front wheels from rotat-
ing. Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into this position.
R (reverse)Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.N (neutral)With the gearshift in the N position,
the wheels and transaxle are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or service brakes
are applied.
(Continued)
Before leaving the driver’sseat, always make sure the
shift lever is in the P (PARK)
position. Set the parking
brake fully, shut the engine off
and take the key with you.
Unexpected and sudden vehi-
cle movement can occur if you
do not follow these precau-
tions in the order specified.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while thevehicle is in motion will cause
the drive wheels to lock which
will cause you to lose control
of the vehicle.
Do not use the P (Park) posi- tion in place of the parking
brake. Always make sure the
shift lever is latched in the P
(Park) position so that it can-
not be moved unless the lock
release button is pushed in,
AND set the parking brake
fully.
(Continued)
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into Rwhile the vehicle is in motion,except as explained in “Rockingthe Vehicle”, in this manual.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damagedif you shift into P (Park) whilethe vehicle is in motion.