2008 HONDA FIT lock

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Raising your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components, with
non-Honda components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Lowering the vehicle with a non-
Honda suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Herearesomeexamples:
Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components and will not be
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) .
Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
safety features can make the
systems inef f ective.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer. : If equipped
A ccessories and Modif ications
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Bef ore Driving
145
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Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.If youfoldtherearseatsupor
down, tie down items that could be
thrown about the vehicle during a
crash or sudden stop. Also, keep
all cargo below the bottom of the
windows. If it is higher, it could
interf ere with the proper operation
of thesidecurtainairbags.Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If it is open, a passenger
could injure their knees during a
crash or sudden stop.
Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
underneath and interf ere with the
proper operation of the seats, the
sensors under the seats, or the
driver’s ability to operate the
pedals. Do not stack items higher than the
back of the rear seats. They can
block your view and be thrown
around the vehicle during a crash.
If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
tailgate, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of
, f ollow the instructions
on page . 53
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
Carrying Cargo in the Passenger
Compartment
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
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This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
the braking system, and the tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) .........................
Driving Guidelines .152
........................
Preparing to Drive .153
.......................
Starting the Engine .154
...................
Manual Transmission .155
..............
Automatic Transmission .157
Driving with the Paddle
.................
Shif ters (Sport only) .162
...........................................
Parking .166
.............................
Braking System .167
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .168
Tire Pressure Monitoring
......................
System (TPMS) .170
...........................
Towing a Trailer .173
: If equipped
Driving
Driving
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Check the seat adjustment (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Make sure the doors and the
tailgate are securely closed and
locked.
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.
Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page ).
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely.
1.
2.
10.14
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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75
59
209 86
Preparing to Drive
Driving
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Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission 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.’’
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. When shif ting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch pedal
down all the way, shift 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 the clutch to wear out
f aster. When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom 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.
Manual T ransmission
Driving
155
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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These indicators on the instrument
panel 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 the ON (II)
position. 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 with 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 Park to any position,
press firmly on the brake pedal and
pressthereleasebuttononthefront
of the shif t lever, then pull the lever.
YoucannotshiftoutofParkwhen
the ignition switch is in the LOCK
(0) or the ACCESSORY (I) position.
CONT INUED
Shif t L ever Position Indicators Shif ting
Automatic Transmission
Driving
157
SHIFT LEVER
RELEASE BUTTON
Sport model All models except Sport Sport model is shown
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µThis 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
buttononthefrontof theshiftlever
to move it.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
To avoid transmission damage, come
to a complete stop bef ore shif ting
into Park. You must also press the
release button to shift into Park. The
shif t lever must be in Park bef ore
you can remove the key f rom the
ignition switch. 161To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR DtoS
StoD
DtoN
NtoD RtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the shift lever release
button.
Press the shift lever release
button.
Move the shift lever.
Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
press the shift lever release
button.
Press the shift lever release
button.
Move the shift lever.
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoD DtoN
DtoD NtoDRtoN
3
3
3
3
All models except Sport Sport modelPark (P)
Shif t L ock Release
Automatic Transmission
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µ
µ µ
µ µ
CONT INUED
Press the brake
pedal and press the release button
on the f ront of the shif t lever to shif t
f rom Park to reverse. To shif t f rom
reverse to neutral, come to a
completestop,andthenshift.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. 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 first three
gears are selected. Use D 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,
pressthereleasebuttononthefront
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.
Use second gear:
For more power when climbing.
To help reduce wheel spin.
For starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow.
To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
3
3
All models except Sport All models except Sport
Automatic Transmission
Reverse (R)
Neutral (N)
Drive (D)
Drive (D )Second (2)
3Driving
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