
47
Driving your vehicle
Transmission ranges
P (park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P. This position locks the
transmission and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
R (reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even on
the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or service brakes are applied.
D (drive)
This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transmission will automatically
shift through a 4-gear sequence, provid-
ing the best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the trans-
mission will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
(Continued)
• Before leaving the driver’s seat,
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
vehicle movement can occur if
you do not follow these precau-
tions in the order specified.
• Never leave a child unattended in
a vehicle.
WARNING-Automatic
transmission
• Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle 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) position
in place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
so that it cannot be moved unless
the lock release button is pushed
in, AND set the parking brake
fully.
(Continued)
CAUTION
The transmission may be damaged
if you shift into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transmission if you shift into R
while the vehicle is in motion.

49
Driving your vehicle
Moving up a steep grade from a
standing start
To move up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start, depress the brake pedal, shift
the shift lever to D (Drive). Select the
appropriate gear depending on load
weight and steepness of the grade, and
release the parking brake. Depress the
accelerator gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a ten-
dency to roll backwards. Shifting the
shift lever into 2 (Second Gear) while
in Sport mode will help prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards.
Shift lock system
For your safety, the Automatic
Transmission has a shift lock system
which prevents shifting the transmission
out of P (Park) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift the transmission out of P (Park):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition to
the ACC or ON position.
3. Depress the lock release button and
move the shift lever.
When the ignition switch is in the LOCK
position, the transmission cannot be
shifted from P (Park).
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chattering
noise near the shift lever may be heard.
This is a normal condition.
Ignition key interlock system
The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P (Park)
position. If the ignition switch is in any
other position, the key cannot be
removed.

Driving your vehicle
18 4
• For speedometer test or inspection/
maintenance (I/M) program of full-time
4WD vehicle, use a four wheel chassis
dynamometer.• A 4WD vehicle should not be tested on
a 2WD drive roll tester. If a 2WD roll
tester must be used, perform the fol-
lowing:
1. Check the tire pressures recommend-
ed for your vehicle.
2. Place the rear wheels on the roll tester
for speedometer test as shown in the
illustration.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Place the front wheels on the tempo-
rary free roller as shown in the illustra-
tion.
E5BLA401 Roll tester (speedometer)Temporary free roller
CAUTION
Never engage the parking brake
while performing these tests.
CAUTION
While the full-time 4WD vehicle is
being raised on a jack, never start
the engine or cause the tires to
rotate.
There is the danger that rotating
tires touching the ground could
cause the vehicle to go off the jack
and to jump forward.
If one of the front or rear wheels
begins to spin in mud,snow, etc.
the vehicle can sometimes be driv-
en out by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal further; however avoid
running the engine continuously at
high rpm because doing so could
damage the 4WD system.
WARNING
Keep away from the front of the
vehicle while inspecting. This is
very dangerous as the vehicle can
jump forward and cause serious
injury or death.

Driving your vehicle
20 4
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a stalled
engine or some other reason, you can
still stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than you nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, will be somewhat longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces.
In the event of brake failure
If service brakes fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an
emergency stop with the parking brake.
The stopping distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING -Brakes
• Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
• When descending a long or steep
hill,shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
• Wet brakes may result in the vehi-
cle not slowing down at the usual
rate and pulling to one side when
the brakes are applied. After
going through water, apply the
brakes lightly to regain smooth
braking performance.
WARNING- Parking brake
Operating the parking brake while
the vehicle is moving at normal
speeds can cause a sudden loss of
control of the vehicle. If you must
use the parking brake to stop the
vehicle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.

421
Driving your vehicle
Disc brakes wear indicator
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and it's
time for new pads, you will hear a high-
pitched warning sound from your front
brakes or rear brakes (if equipped). You
may hear this sound come and go or it
may occur whenever you depress the
brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.
✽
NOTICE
To avoid costly brake repairs, do not
continue to drive with worn brake pads.
Parking brake
To apply the parking brake, pull the park-
ing brake handle fully and firmly upward
while applying the service brake.
WARNING - Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs service.
If you ignore this audible warning,
you will eventually lose braking per-
formance, which could lead to a
serious accident.
CAUTION
Always replace brake pads as com-
plete front or rear axle sets to
ensure smooth brake performance.
E2BLA416Z
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause excessive brake
pad and brake rotor wear.

Driving your vehicle
22 4
To release the parking brake, pull the
handle up slightly and push the release
button, then lower the handle to the
released position while holding the but-
ton in.Check the brake warning light by turning
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). This light will be illuminated
when the parking brake is applied with
the ignition switch in the START or ON
position.
Before driving, be sure the parking brake
is fully released and the brake warning
light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on
after the parking brake is released, there
may be a malfunction in the brake sys-
tem. Immediate attention is necessary.
If at all possible, cease driving the vehi-
cle immediately. If that is not possible,
use extreme caution while operating the
vehicle and only continue to drive the
vehicle until you can reach a safe loca-
tion or repair shop.
WARNING- Parking brake
• To prevent unintentional move-
ment when stopped, do not use
just the gear shift lever to hold
the vehicle in position. Set the
parking brake AND make sure the
gearshift lever is securely posi-
tioned in 1st (First) gear or R
(Reverse) for manual transmis-
sion equipped vehicles and in P
(Park) for automatic transmission
equipped vehicles.
• Never allow a person who is unfa-
miliar with the vehicle or children
to touch the parking brake. If the
parking brake is released unin-
tentionally,serious injury may
occur.
E2BLA417W-75

423
Driving your vehicle
Parking on curbed streets
• When parking your vehicle on an uphill
grade, park as close to the curb as
possible and turn the front wheels
away from the curb so that the front
wheels will contact the curb if the vehi-
cle moves backward.
• When parking your vehicle on a down-
hill grade, park as close to the curb as
possible and turn the front wheels
toward the curb so that the front
wheels will contact the curb if the vehi-
cle moves forward.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if equipped)The ABS system continuously senses
the speed of the wheels. If the wheels are
going to lock, the ABS system repeated-
ly modulates the hydraulic brake pres-
sure to the wheels.
When you apply your brakes under con-
ditions which may lock the wheels, you
may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensation
in the brake pedal. This is normal and it
means your ABS system is active.
In order to obtain the maximum benefit
from your ABS system in an emergency
situation, do not attempt to modulate
your brake pressure and do not try to
pump your brakes. Press your brake
pedal as hard as possible or as hard as
the situation warrants and allow the ABS
system to control the force being deliv-
ered to the brakes.
WARNING- ABS Brakes
Your ABS is not a substitute for
good driving judgement. You can
still have an accident. In fact, your
ABS system will not be able to pre-
vent an accident. You must espe-
cially avoid:
• Dangerous driving,such as
neglecting safety precautions,
speeding, or driving too close to
the vehicle in front of you.
• Driving at high speed in situa-
tions providing considerably less
traction,such as wet conditions
where hydroplaning could occur.
• Driving too fast on poor road sur-
faces. The ABS is designed to
improve maximum braking effec-
tiveness on typical highways and
roads in good condition. On poor
road surfaces, the ABS may actu-
ally reduce braking effectiveness.

Driving your vehicle
34 4
Non-operational conditions of
rear parking assist system
Rear parking assist system may not
operate normally when:
1. Moisture is frozen to the sensor. (It will
operate normally when moisture
melts.)
2. Sensor is covered with foreign matter,
such as snow or water, or the sensor
cover is blocked. (It will operate nor-
mally when the material is removed or
the sensor is no longer blocked.)
3. Driving on uneven road surfaces
(unpaved roads, gravel, bumps, gradi-
ent).
4. Objects generating excessive noise
(vehicle horns, loud motorcycle
engines, or truck air brakes) are within
range of the sensor.
5. Heavy rain or water spray exists.
6. Wireless transmitters or mobile phones
are within range of the sensor.
7. Sensor is covered with snow.
8. Trailer towing
Detecting range may decrease when:
1. Sensor is coverd with foreign matter
such as snow or water. (Sensing range
will return to normal when removed.)
2. Outside air temperature is extremely
hot or cold.
Following objects may not be recog-
nized by the sensor:
1. Sharp or slim objects such as ropes,
chains or small poles.
2. Objects which tend to absorb sensor
frequency such as clothes, spongy
material or snow.
3. Undetectable objects smaller than 1 m
(40 in.) and narrower than 14 cm (6 in.)
in diameter.
CAUTION
1. The rear parking assist system
may not sound sequentially
depending on the speed and
shapes of the objects detected.
2. The rear parking assist system
may malfunction if the vehicle
bumper height or sensor installa-
tion has been modified or dam-
aged. Any non-factory installed
equipment or accessories may
also interfere with the sensor per-
formance.
3. Sensor may not recognize
objects less than 40 cm (15 in.)
from the sensor, or it may sense
an incorrect distance. Use cau-
tion.
4. When the sensor is covered with
snow, dirt or water,sensor may
be inoperative until the debris is
removed us
ing a soft cloth
5. Do not push,scratch or strike the
sensor. Sensor damage could
occur.