2008 MITSUBISHI COLT light

4-2 Starting and driving
4Economical driving
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For economical driving, there ar
e some technical requirements
that have to be met. The prerequisite for low fuel consumption
is a properly adjusted engine. In order to achieve longer life of
the vehicle and the most economical operation, we recommend
that you to have the vehicle checked at regular intervals in
accordance with the service standards.
Fuel economy and generation of exhaust gas and noise are
greatly influenced by personal driving habits as well as the par-
ticular operating conditions. The following points should be
observed in order to minimize w ear of brakes, tyres and engine
as well as to reduce environmental pollution.
Starting
Avoid rapid acceleration and sudden starts; such operation will
result in higher fuel consumption.
Shifting
Shift only at an appropriate speed and engine speed. Always
use the highest gear possible.
City traffic
Frequent starting and stopping increases the average fuel con-
sumption. Use roads with smooth traffic flow whenever possi-
ble. When driving on congested roads, avoid use of a low gear
at high engine speeds.
Idling
The vehicle consumes fuel even when idling. Avoid extended
idling whenever possible.
Speed
The higher the vehicle speed, the more fuel is consumed. Avoid
driving at full speed. Even a slight release of the accelerator
pedal will save a significant amount of fuel.
Tyre inflation pressure
Check the tyre inflation pressure s at regular intervals. Low tyre
inflation pressure increases ro ad resistance and fuel consump-
tion. In addition, low tyre pres sures adversely affect tyre wear
and driving stability.
Load
Do not drive with unnecessary articles in the luggage compart-
ment. Especially during city dr iving, where frequent starting
and stopping is necessary, the increased weight of the vehicle
will greatly affect fuel consum ption. Avoid driving with unnec-
essary luggage, etc., on the ro of; the increased air resistance
will increase fuel consumption.
Cold engine starting
Starting a cold engine consumes more fuel.
Unnecessary fuel consumption is also caused by keeping a hot
engine running. After the engine has started, commence driv-
ing as soon as possible.
Air conditioning*
The use of the air conditioning will increase fuel consumption.

Starting and driving4-7
4
To r e l e a s e
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake and turn the
front wheels towards the kerb on a downhill grade, away from
the kerb on an uphill grade.
1- Pull the lever up slightly.
2- Push the button at the end of the hand grip.
3- Push the lever downward.
CAUTION!
● Before driving, be sure that the parking brake is
fully released and brake warning lamp is off.
If a vehicle is driven wi thout releasing the parking
brake, the brake will be overheated, resulting in
ineffective brak ing and possible brake failure.
●When you intend to apply the parking brake, firmly
press the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a com-
plete stop before pullin g the parking brake lever.
Pulling the parking brake lever with the vehicle
moving could make the rear wheels lock up, thereby
making the vehicle unstable.
● If the brake warning lamp does not extinguish when
the parking brake is fully released, the brake system
may be abnormal. For details, refer to “Brake warn-
ing lamp” on page 3-9.
CAUTION!

Starting and driving4-15
4
Steering wheel lock
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To l o c k
Remove the key at the “LOCK” position.
Turn the steering wheel until it is locked.
To unlock
Turn the key to the “ACC” position while moving the steering
wheel slightly.
CAUTION!
●
Do not remove the ignition key from the ignition
switch while driving. The steering wheel will locked,
causing loss of control.
●If the engine is stopped while driving, the brake ser-
vomechanism will cease to function and braking
efficiency will deteriorat e. Also, the power steering
system will not function and it will require greater
manual effort to operate the steering.
● Do not leave the key in the “ON” position for a long
time when the engine is no t running, as doing so will
cause the battery to be discharged.
●Do not turn the key to the “START” position when
the engine is running, as doing so could damage the
starter motor.
CAUTION!
●Remove the key when leaving the vehicle.

Starting and driving4-35
4
Braking
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All parts of the brake system ar
e critical for safety. We recom-
mend that you have the vehicl e checked at regular intervals
according to the service booklet.
Brake system
The service brake is divided into two brake circuits so that if
one brake circuit fails, the othe r one is available to stop the
vehicle. In this situation, ev en if the brake pedal moves down
to the very end of its possible stroke, keep it pressed down
hard; stop driving as soon as possible and have the brake sys-
tem repaired.
Power brakes
Your vehicle is equipped with power brakes for more braking
force with less brake pedal effort.
Your brakes are designed to oper ate at full capacity, even if the
power assist is not being used.
If the power assist is not being used, the effort needed to press
the brake pedal is greater.
If you should loose the power assist for some reason, the
brakes will still work. If the power brake unit or either
of the two brake hydraulic sys-
tems stops working properly, the rest of the brake system will
still work, but the vehicle will not slow down as quickly.
You will know this has happened if you find you need to press
the brake down further or harder when slowing down or stop-
ping, or if the brake warning lamp comes on.
Wa r n i n g l a m p
The brake warning lamp will illuminate to indicate a fault in
the braking system. Read “Brake warning lamp” on page 3-9.
When brakes are wet
Check the brake system while dr iving at a low speed immedi-
ately after starting, especially wh en the brakes are wet, to con-
firm they work normally.
A film of water can be formed on the brake discs or brake
drums and prevent normal braki ng after driving in heavy rain
or through large puddles, or after the vehicle has been washed.
If this occurs, dry the brakes out by driving slowly while
lightly depressing the brake pedal.
CAUTION!
● Avoid driving habits that cause heavy braking and
never “ride” the brakes by resting your foot on the
brake pedal while driving.
This causes brake overheating and fade.WARNING!
● Never coast downhill with the engine OFF. Keep the
engine running whenever your vehicle is in motion.
If you turn off the engine while driving, the power
brake booster will stop working and your brakes
will not work as well.
● If the power assist is lost or if either brake hydraulic
system stops working properly, have your vehicle
checked immediately.

4-36 Starting and driving
4
When driving downhill
It is important to take advantage of engine braking by shifting
to a lower shift position while driving on steep downhill roads
in order to prevent the brakes from overheating.
Brake pads and linings
●With new brake pads or linings, avoid where possible sud-
den full application of the brakes for the first 200 km (120
miles) of driving.
● The disc brakes are fitted with a warning device which
emits a shrieking metallic sound while braking if the
brake pads have reached their limit.
If you hear this sound, have the brake pads replaced.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
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Environmental conditions can ha ve an effect on braking. Dur-
ing 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 effectivenes s is reduced and the stopping
distance is increased. The vehicl e may also go into an uncon-
trolled spin.
The ABS helps prevent the wheel s from locking during brak-
ing, thus maintaining directional stability, ensuring controlla-
bility and providing optimum braking force.
Driving hints
● When using the anti-lock brak e system (sudden braking),
steering is slightly different from normal driving condi-
tions. Use the steering wheel carefully.
● Always maintain the same di stance from the vehicle in
front of you as you would for a vehicle not equipped with
ABS.
Compared with vehicles not fitted with ABS, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping distance in the following
cases:
• Driving on gravel or snow-covered roads.
• Driving with tyre chains installed.
• Driving on roads where the road surface is pitted or has
other differences in surface height.
• Driving on bumpy roads or other poor driving surfaces.
WARNING!
●Do not leave any objects ne ar the brake pedal or let
a floor mat slide under it; doing so could prevent the
full pedal stroke that woul d be necessary in an emer-
gency. Make sure that the pedal can be operated
freely at all times. Make sure the floor mat is
securely held in place.
WARNING!
● Driving with worn brake pads will make it harder to
stop, and can cause an accident.

4-38 Starting and driving
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ABS warning lampE00607200718
The ABS warning lamp comes on and a buzzer sounds in the
event of a malfunction in the anti-lock brake system. It will
also come on as a self-check for a few seconds when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position. The lamp goes out
after a few seconds. Always make sure that the lamp goes out
before starting to drive.
If the warning lamp illuminates while drivingE00607300881
If only the ABS warning lamp illuminates
● Avoid hard braking and high-speed driving. Stop the vehi-
cle in a safe place.
Restart the engine and check to see if the lamp goes out
after a few minutes of driving; if it remains off during
driving, there is no problem.
However, if the lamp does not go out, or if it lights up
again when the vehicle is dr iven, we recommend that you
consult a MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized Service
Point.
● The ABS warning lamp can illuminate if there is insuffi-
cient battery voltage when the engine is started. In this
case, it does not indicate an ABS fault.
Charge the battery by allowing the engine to idle for a
while.
If the battery has been charged but the ABS warning lamp
continues to illuminate or illuminates intermittently, we
recommend that you cons ult a MITSUBISHI MOTORS
Authorized Service Point.
If the ABS warning lamp and brake warning lamp
illuminate at the same time
● The brake force distribution function may not work, so
hard braking could make the vehicle unstable.
Avoid hard braking and high-speed driving. Stop the vehi-
cle in a safe place and we recommend that you consult a
MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized Service Point.CAUTION!
●If the warning lamp stays on or does not illuminate
when you start the vehicle, it indicates that the ABS
is not functioning and that only the standard brake
system is in operation. (I n this condition the stand-
ard hydraulic brake system will still function.) We
recommend that you consult a MITSUBISHI
MOTORS Authorized Service Point.

Starting and driving4-49
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Operating hints
●Do not let the clutch slip and do not increase the engine
speed more than necessary when starting.
● Be sure that the driving speed does not exceed the 100
km/h (62 mph) for trailer operation.
It is also recommended that you comply with the local
regulations if the driving speed with a trailer is limited to
less than 100 km/h (62 mph).
● To prevent shocks from an overrun brake, depress the
brake pedal lightly at first and then more strongly.
● To make full use of engine braking, change to a lower
gear before descending a slope.
● The body, brakes, clutch, and chassis will be under addi-
tional strain when towing a trailer.
● The heavier weight and high er rolling and air resistance
will increase fuel consumption.

For pleasant driving5-11
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Combination of unheated air and heated airE00702000132
Select the mode selection dial to the position shown in the
illustration and set the air selection switch (A) to the outside
position.
The air flow will be directed to the leg area and the upper part
of the passenger compartment. Select desired blower speed.
Warm air flows to the leg area and unheated or slightly warm
air (depending upon temperature setting) flows to the upper
part of the passenger compartment.
Demisting of the windscreen and door windowsE00702100609
To remove frost or mist from the windscreen and door win-
dows, use the mode selection dial. (Foot / Demister position or
Demister position)
CAUTION!
● For reasons of safety, make sure you have a clear
view through all the windows.