2008 MITSUBISHI COLT Owner's Manual (in English)

For emergencies6-39
6
2. Press by hand the side of the cover (A) that has a “ ”mark, then remove the cover. 3. Use the wheel nut wrench (B
) to securely mount the tow-
ing hook (C).
If your vehicle does not have a wheel nut wrench,
securely tighten the towing hook (C) by hand.
3-door models
5-door models
3-door models

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6
4. Secure the tow rope to the front towing hook.
NOTE●To avoid deforming or otherwise damaging the vehicle
body when hooking the rope onto the towing hook,
observe the following instructions:
• Mount the towing hook securely.
• Do not attach the rope to any part of the vehicle other
than the towing hook.
• Do not drive in a way that subjects the towing hook to significant physical shock. 5. Keep the engine running.
If the engine is not running, turn the ignition key to the
“ACC” or “ON” position to unlock the steering wheel.
6. Place the gearshift lever (m anual transmission) or the
allshift lever (automated manual transmission) in the “N”
(Neutral) position.
With a vehicle that has an automated manual transmis-
sion, confirm that the transmi ssion is in the “N” (Neutral)
position by checking that “N ” is shown by the allshift
indicator display and by pushing the vehicle.
If, with a vehicle that has an automated manual transmis-
sion, the engine will not start and the transmission is not
in the “N” (Neutral) position, press the brake pedal, turn
the ignition switch to the “ON” position, and move the
allshift lever to the “N” (Neutral) position.
7. Turn on the hazard warning lamps if required by law. (Follow the local driving laws and regulations.)
CAUTION!
● Do not tow the vehicle with the rope at an excessive
diagonal angle.
5-door models
CAUTION!
● When the engine is not running, the brake booster
and power steering do no t operate. This means
higher brake depression force and higher steering
effort are required. Therefore, vehicle operation is
more difficult than usual.
● Do not leave the key in the “LOCK” position or do
not remove the ignition key from the ignition switch
while driving. The steering wheel will lock, causing
loss of control.

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6
8. During towing make sure that close contact is maintainedbetween the drivers of both ve hicles, and that the vehicles
travel at a low speed.
9. When towing is finished, remove the towing hook and store it in the specified location. (Refer to “Tools, jack and
tyre repair kit” on page 6-10.)
When installing the cover on the bumper, align the tab (D)
with the hole in the vehicle body and press the cover
securely into place.
WARNING!
● To prevent entry of exhaust gas from the towing
vehicle, set your air selection switch to the recircula-
tion position.
CAUTION!
●The person in the vehicle being towed must pay
attention to the brake lamps of the towing vehicle
and make sure the rope never becomes slack.
●Avoid sudden braking, sudden acceleration and
sharp turning; such opera tion could cause damage
to the towing hooks or the tow rope.
People in the vicinity coul d be injured as a result.
●When towing or being towed down a long slope, the
brakes may overheat reducing their effectiveness. In
this situation, have your vehicle transported by a
tow truck.
3-door models
5-door models

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If your vehicle tows another vehicle
The rear towing hook (A) is located as shown in the illustra-
tion. Secure the tow rope to the rear towing hook.
NOTE●Using any part other than the designated towing hook (A)
could result in damage to the vehicle body.
NOTE●Your vehicle should only be used to tow another vehicle if
the weight of the other vehicle is less than your vehicle.
WARNING!
●Do not use the rear towing hook as a jacking point.
AA0027481

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Operation under adve
rse driving conditions
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If your vehicle becomes stuck in sand, mud or
snow
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand, or mud, it can often
be moved by a rocking motion. Fo r vehicles with manual trans-
mission, move the gearshift leve r alternately between 1st and
Reverse, while applying slight pressure to the accelerator
pedal.
With an automated manual transmission vehicle, place the
allshift lever in the “A” (automatic mode) position to select
automatic mode or select 1st or 2nd gear in the manual mode or
place the allshift lever in th e “R” (Reverse) position for
reverse. Confirm that there is an “A”, “1”, “2” or “R” in the
allshift indicator display, then gently press the accelerator
pedal. Do not press the acceler ator pedal while moving the
allshift lever.
Avoid racing the engine or spinning the wheels. Prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicl e may result in overheating and
transmission failure. Allow the engine to idle for a few minutes
to let the transmission cool between rocking attempts.
If the vehicle remains stuck afte r several rocking attempts, seek
other assistance.
WARNING!
● When attempting to rock your vehicle out of a stuck
position, be sure that the area around the vehicle is
clear of people and physic al objects. The rocking
motion may cause the vehicle to suddenly launch
forward or backward, causing injury or damage to
nearby people or objects.

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On a flooded road
●Avoid flooded roads. Water could enter the brake discs,
resulting in temporarily ineff ective brakes. In such cases,
lightly depress the brake pedal to see if the brakes are
operating properly. If they are not, lightly depress the
pedal several times while driving in order to dry the brake
pads.
● When driving in rain or on a road with many puddles, a
layer of water may form between the tyres and the road
surface.
This reduces a tyre’s frictional resistance on the road,
resulting in loss of steering stability and braking capabil-
ity.
To cope with this, observe the following:
On a snow-covered or frozen road
●When driving on a snow-covered or frozen road, it is rec-
ommended that you use snow tyres or tyre chains.
Refer to the “Snow tyres” and “Tyre chains” sections.
● Avoid high-speed operation, sudden acceleration, abrupt
brake application and sharp cornering.
● Depressing the brake pedal during travel on snowy or icy
roads may cause tyre slippage and skidding. When trac-
tion between the tyres and the road is reduced, the wheels
may skid and the vehicle cannot readily be brought to a
stop by conventional braking techniques. Braking will dif-
fer, depending upon whether you have anti-lock brakes
(ABS). As your vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes
(ABS), brake by pressing th e brake pedal hard, and keep-
ing it pressed.
● Allow extra distance between yo ur vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you, and avoid sudden braking.
On a bumpy or rutted road
Drive as slow as possible when driving on bumpy or rutted
roads.
(a) Drive your vehicle at a slow speed.
(b) Do not drive on worn tyres. Always maintain the specified tyre inflation pressures.
CAUTION!
●The impact on tyres and/ or wheels when driving on
a bumpy or rutted road can damage the tyre and/or
wheel.

7
Vehicle care
Vehicle care precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 2
Cleaning the interior of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . .7- 3
Cleaning the exterior of your vehicle. . . . . . . . . . .7- 4

7-2 Vehicle care
7Vehicle care precautions
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In order to maintain the value of your vehicle, it is necessary to
perform regular maintenance using the proper procedures.
Always maintain your vehicle
in compliance with any environ-
mental pollution control regulations. Carefully select the mate-
rials used for washing, etc., to be sure that they do not contain
corrosives. If in doubt, we reco mmend you to consult a special-
ist for selection of these materials.
CAUTION!
● Cleaning products can be dangerous. Some are poi-
sonous. Others can burst into flame if you strike a
match or drop them on a hot part of the vehicle.
Some are dangerous if you breathe in their fumes in
an enclosed space. When you use anything in a con-
tainer to clean your vehi cle, always follow the
instructions and always open your vehicle doors or
windows when you’re cleani ng the inside. Never use
the following to clean your vehicle:
• Gasoline
• Paint Thinner
• Benzine
• Turpentine
• Naphtha
• Lacquer Thinner
• Carbon Tetrachloride
• Nail Polish Remover
• Acetone
● These are all dangerous and can damage your
vehicle.