4-18 Starting and driving
4Starting
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Tips for starting●Do not operate the starter motor continuously for anything
longer than 10 seconds; doing so could run down the bat-
tery. If the engine does not start, turn the ignition switch
back to “LOCK”, wait a few seconds, and then try again.
Trying repeatedly with the starter motor still turning will
damage the starter mechanism.
●If the engine cannot be started because the battery is weak
or dead, refer to the “Emergency starting” section for
instructions on starting the engine.
●The engine is well warmed up if the coolant temperature
gauge needle starts to move (the engine speed decreases).
Extended warming-up operation will result in excessive
fuel consumption.
WARNING
!●Never run the engine in a closed or poorly ventilated
area any longer than is needed to move your vehicle
in or out of the area. Carbon monoxide gases are
odourless and can be fatal.
CAUTION
!●Never attempt to start the engine by pushing or pull-
ing the vehicle. Especially in the A/T, since the struc-
ture is different from a M/T, it is not possible to start
the engine by using this technique. Never attempt
this or it could damage the A/T.●Do not run the engine at high rpm or drive the vehi-
cle at high speed until the engine has had a chance to
warm up.●Release the ignition key as soon as the engine starts
to avoid damaging the starter motor.●If your vehicle is equipped with a turbocharger, do
not stop the engine immediately after high-speed or
uphill driving. First allow the engine to idle to give
the turbocharger a chance to cool down.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 18 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM
Starting and driving
4-29
4
Selector lever positions (Main gate)
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“P” PARKThis position locks the transmission to prevent the vehicle
from moving. The engine can be started in this position.“R” REVERSEMove the lever to this position only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop.“N” NEUTRALAt this position the transmission is disengaged. It is the same as
the neutral position on a M/T, and should be used when the
vehicle is stationary for an extended length of time during driv-
ing, such as in a traffic jam.
CAUTION
!●If a malfunction occurs in the A/T while driving, the
“N” indication lamp will blink.
In this case, immediately park your vehicle in a safe
place and follow these procedure:
(The “N” indication lamp warning function does not
operate with the selector lever in the “P” (PARK),
“R” (REVERSE) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.)
[The “N” indication lamp blinks rapidly (twice per
second)]
The automatic transmission fluid is overheating.
Park your vehicle in a safe place but do not turn off
the engine. Move the selector lever to the
“P” (PARK) position and open the bonnet. Keep the
engine idling.
After a while, move the selector lever to the
“D” (DRIVE) position and confirm that the
“N” indication lamp stops blinking. It is safe to con-
tinue driving if the “N” indication lamp no longer
blinks.
If the “N” indication lamp continues blinking or
blinks intermittently, we recommend you to have
your vehicle inspected.
[The “N” indication lamp blinks slowly (once per
second)]
The A/T safety device may be operating due to a
malfunction.
We recommend you to have your vehicle inspected
as soon as possible.
CAUTION
!●Never shift into the “P” (PARK) or “R”
(REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in motion.
If the lever is shifted into the “P” (PARK) or “R”
(REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in motion,
the transmission may be damaged.
WARNING
!●Never move the selector lever to the “N” (NEU-
TRAL) position while driving. A serious accident
could occur since you could accidentally move the
lever into the “P” (PARK) or “R” (REVERSE) posi-
tion or you will lose engine braking.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 29 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM
Starting and driving
4-31
4
NOTE●In sports mode, only the 4 forward gears can be selected.
To reverse or park the vehicle, move the selector lever to
the “R” (REVERSE) or “P” (PARK) position as required.
●To maintain good running performance, the transmission
may refuse to perform an upshift when the selector lever
is moved to the “+ (SHIFT UP)” position at certain vehi-
cle speeds. Also, to prevent over-revving of the engine,
the transmission may refuse to perform a downshift when
the lever is moved to the “– (SHIFT DOWN)” position at
certain vehicle speeds.
●In sports mode, downward shifts are made automatically
when the vehicle slows down. When the vehicle stops,
1st gear is automatically selected.
●When driving away on a slippery road, push the selector
lever forward into the “+ (SHIFT UP)” position. This
causes the transmission to shift into the 2nd gear which is
better for smooth driving away on a slippery road. Push
the selector lever to the “– (SHIFT DOWN)” side to shift
back to the 1st gear.
●Move the selector lever gently between the manual and
main gates and between positions in the manual gate.
Undue force could damage the selector lever.
CAUTION
!●In sports mode, the upward shift from the 1st to 2nd
gear is made automatically while the upward shifts
to the 3rd and 4th gears are made by the driver. The
driver must execute upward shifts in accordance
with prevailing road conditions, taking care to keep
the engine speed below the red zone.●By rapidly moving the selector lever backwards
(SHIFT DOWN) twice, it is possible to skip one gear,
i.e., 3rd to 1st or 4th to 2nd. Since sudden engine
braking and/or rapid acceleration can cause loss of
traction, however, downshifts must be made care-
fully in accordance with the vehicle’s speed.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 31 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM
Starting and driving
4-33
4
Passing acceleration
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To gain extra acceleration in “D” (DRIVE) position (when
passing another vehicle) push the accelerator to the floor. The
A/T will automatically downshift.NOTE●In sports mode, downshifts do not take place when the
accelerator is depressed all the way to the floor.Uphill/downhill driving
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DRIVING UPHILL
The transmission may not upshift to a higher gear if the com-
puter determines the current speed cannot be maintained once a
higher gear is engaged.
For smoother vehicle performance, if you release the throttle
while climbing a steep grade, the transmission may not upshift.
This is normal, as the computer is temporarily preventing shift-
ing. After reaching the top of the hill, normal gear shift func-
tion will resume.
DRIVING DOWNHILL
When travelling down steep grades, the computer may auto-
matically select a lower gear. This function assists engine brak-
ing efforts, reducing the need for using the brakes.
Waiting
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For short waiting periods, such as at traffic signals the vehicle
can be left in gear and held stationary with the service brake.
For longer waiting periods with the engine running, the selec-
tor lever should be placed in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
CAUTION
!●Never hold the vehicle stationary while in gear on a
hill with the accelerator, always apply the parking
brake and/or service brake.●Unexpected acceleration may occur if the selector
lever is in a position other than “P” (PARK) or
“N” (NEUTRAL).
Prior to moving off after having stopped the vehicle,
make sure that the selector lever is in “D” (DRIVE)
or “Sports mode” position.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 33 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM
4-34 Starting and driving
4
Parking
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To park the vehicle, first bring it to a complete stop, fully
engage the parking brake, and then move the selector lever to
the “P” (PARK) position.
If you are going to leave the vehicle unattended, always switch
off the engine and remove the ignition key.NOTE●On a slope, be sure to apply the parking brake before
moving the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position. If
you move the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position
before applying the parking brake, it may be difficult to
disengage the selector lever from the “P” (PARK) position
when next you drive the vehicle, requiring application of a
strong force to the selector lever to move from the “P”
(PARK) position.
When the A/T makes no speed change
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If the transmission does not change speeds while driving, or
your vehicle does not pick up enough speed when starting on
an uphill slope, it may be that there is something unusual hap-
pening in the transmission, causing a safety device to activate.
We recommend you to have your vehicle checked as soon as
possible.
1. If your vehicle has difficulty moving uphill, shift the
selector lever into 2nd gear of the sports mode.
This method might not work depending on the type of
transmission malfunction.
2. Once the vehicle is moving on a level road, move the
selector lever back to “D” (DRIVE).NOTE●When the “N” indication lamp in the instrument panel
blinks, it means that there is an abnormal condition in the
transmission. Refer to “Selector lever position indication
lamps/“N” indication lamp” on page 4-28.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 34 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM
Starting and driving
4-35
4 Braking
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All the parts of the brake system are critical to safety. We rec-
ommend you to have the vehicle checked at regular intervals
according to the service booklet.Brake systemThe service brake is divided into two brake circuits so that
when one brake circuit fails, the other is available to stop the
vehicle. In this situation, even 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 brakesYour vehicle is equipped with power brakes for more braking
force with less brake pedal effort.
Your brakes are designed to operate 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 lose 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 pThe brake warning lamp illuminates to indicate a fault in the
braking system. Read “Brake warning lamp” on page 3-10.When brakes are wetCheck the brake system while driving at a low speed immedi-
ately after starting, especially when the brakes are wet, to con-
firm they work normally.
A film of water can be formed on the brake discs and prevent
normal braking after driving in heavy rain or through large
puddles, or after the vehicle is 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.
It 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.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 35 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM
4-36 Starting and driving
4
When driving downhillIt is important to take advantage of the engine braking by shift-
ing to a lower shift position while driving on steep downhill
roads in order to prevent the brakes from overheating.Brake pads●With new brake pads, avoid where possible sudden full
application of the brakes for the first 200 km (124 miles)
of driving.
●The disc brakes are provided 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 have 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 effectiveness is reduced and the stopping
distance is increased. The vehicle may also go into an uncon-
trolled spin.
The ABS helps prevent the wheels from locking during brak-
ing, thus maintaining directional stability, ensuring controlla-
bility and providing optimum braking force.Driving hints●With ABS fitted, steering during sudden braking (when
the ABS functions) differs slightly from when the brakes
are not being applied.
Steer the vehicle carefully in these conditions.
●Always maintain the same distance 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 near the brake pedal or let
a floor mat slide under it; doing so could prevent the
full pedal stroke that would 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.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 36 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM
4-38 Starting and driving
4
ABS warning lamp
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The ABS warning lamp should illuminate when the ignition
switch is turned “ON”, and should go off in a few seconds.
If the warning lamp illuminates while driving
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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 whether the lamp goes
out after a few minutes driving; if it then remains off dur-
ing driving, there is no problem.
However, if the lamp does not go out, or if it lights up
again when the vehicle is driven, we recommend you to
consult a MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized Service
Point.
●The ABS warning lamp can illuminate if the battery volt-
age is insufficient 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 you to consult a MITSUBISHI MOTORS
Authorized Service Point.If the ABS warning lamp and brake warning lamp illu-
minate at the same time●The ABS and 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 you to 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. (In this condition the stand-
ard hydraulic brake system will still function.)
We recommend you to consult a MITSUBISHI
MOTORS Authorized Service Point.
BK-XP08E1ENUK.en-uk.book Page 38 Monday, August 13, 2007 2:20 PM