2010 HONDA FIT ECO mode

Fuel Economy Factors
The following factors can lower your
vehicle's fuel economy:● Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
● Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traffic
● Cold engine operation (engines
are more efficient when warmedup)
● Driving with a heavy load or the air
conditioner running
● Improperly inflated tires Improving Fuel Economy
Vehicle Maintenance
A properly maintained vehicle
maximizes fuel economy. Poor
maintenance can significantly reduce
fuel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the
information display (see
Owner's
Maintenance Checks on page 250).
For example:
● Use the recommended viscosity
motor oil, displaying the API
Certification Seal (see page253).
● Maintain proper tire inflation －
An under-inflated tire increases‘‘ rolling resistance, ’’which reduces
fuel economy.
● Avoid carrying excess weight in
your vehicle －It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing fuel consumption. ●
Keep your vehicle clean －In
particular, a build-up of snow or
mud on your vehicle's underside
adds weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your fueleconomy.
Drive Efficiently● Drive moderately －Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering, and
hard braking increase fuelconsumption.
● Observe the speed limit －
Aerodynamic drag has a big effect
on fuel mileage at speeds above 45
mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
● Always drive in the highest gearpossible －If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your fuel economy by up
shifting as early as possible.
Fuel Economy
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Shift Lever Position Indicators
These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shift
lever is in. The‘‘D ’’indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. If it
flashes while driving (in any shift
position), it indicates a possible
problem in the transmission.
If the malfunction 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. Shifting
To shift from Park to any position,
press firmly on the brake pedal and
press the release button on the front
of the shift lever, then pull the lever.
You cannot shift out of Park when
the ignition switch is in the LOCK
(0) or the ACCESSORY (I) position.
U.S. Sport model
All models except U.S. Sport
U.S. Sport model is shown
RELEASE
BUTTON SHIFT LEVER
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Automatic Transmission
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Reverse (R)－Press the brake
pedal and press the release button on
the front of the shift lever to shift
from Park to reverse. To shift from
reverse to neutral, come to a
complete stop, and then shift. Press
the release button before shifting
into reverse from neutral.
Neutral (N) －Use neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with the
engine idling. Shift 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. Drive (D)
－Use this position for
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) for your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shifting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up faster.
All models except U.S. Sport
Drive (D 3) － This position is similar
to D, except only the first three gears
are selected. Use D 3to provide
engine braking when going down a
steep hill. D 3can also keep the
transmission from cycling between
third and fourth gears in stop-and-godriving.
All models except U.S. Sport
Second (2) －To shift to second,
press the release button on the front
of the shift lever. This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshift to first gear when
you come to a stop.
Use second gear:
● For more power when climbing.
● To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
● For starting out on a slippery
surface or in deep snow.
● To help reduce wheel spin.
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Automatic Transmission
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All models except U.S. Sport
First (1)－To shift from second to
first, press the release button on the
front of the shift lever. This position
locks the transmission in first gear.
By upshifting and downshifting
through 1, 2, D 3, and D, you can
operate the transmission much like a
manual transmission without a clutchpedal.
U.S. Sport model
S position (S) －To shift into the S
position, press the release button on
the front of the shift lever, and move
the lever to S. This position is similar
to D, except only first to fourth gears
are selected and fifth gear is no
longer available. However, during
most driving conditions, only first
through third gears are used.
With the shift lever in D or S, you
can also use the paddle shifters to
shift the transmission up or down.
With the paddle shifters, you can
operate the transmission much like a
manual transmission without a clutch
pedal. For more information on
driving with the paddle shifters, see
page 224. Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
you may feel the engine cut in and
out. This is caused by a limiter in the
engine's computer controls. The
engine will run normally when you
reduce the rpm below the red zone.
Automatic Transmission
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Downshifting with the paddle shifter
allows you to increase the engine
braking when going down steep or
long hills, and provides more power
when climbing uphills. You can
upshift the transmission manually to
reduce the rpm. Driving in the
higher gear helps fuel economy.
The transmission control system
monitors the accelerator pedal use
and your driving conditions. When
you press the accelerator pedal as in
normal driving, the system judges
that you are driving at a constant
cruising speed without using the
paddle shifters. Under these
conditions, D-paddle shift mode is
canceled, and the transmission
automatically returns to drive mode(D).The transmission remains in the
selected gear if you do notaccelerate.
Each time you pull either paddle
shifter, the transmission shifts one
gear up or down. If you want to shift
up or down more than two gears, pull
the paddle shifter twice, pause, and
then pull it again.
The automatic transmission will not
allow you to shift up or down if:
● You downshift before the engine
speed reaches the highest
threshold of the lower gear.
If you try to do this, the gear position
indicator will flash the number of the
lower gear several times, then return
to a higher gear. ●
You upshift before the engine
speed reaches the lowest
threshold of the higher gear.
● You pull both paddle shifters at the
same time.
The transmission downshifts to first
gear and returns to drive mode (D)
when the vehicle comes to a
complete stop or the vehicle speed is
about 6 mph (10 km/h).
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Driving with the Paddle Shifters (Sport only)
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If the vehicle speed decreases below
the redline of the selected lower gear
while the indicator is flashing, the
transmission downshifts, and the
indicator displays the selected gear.● You upshift before the engine
speed reaches the lowest
threshold of the higher gear.
● You pull both paddle shifters at the
same time.Starting in Second Gear
When you are in sequential shift
mode, and the vehicle is stopped,
pull the ＋(right) paddle shifter to
shift to second gear. You will see‘‘ M2 ’’in the display. Starting in
second gear helps to reduce
wheelspin in deep snow or on a
slippery surface. Recommended Shift Points
Drive in the highest gear that lets the
engine run and accelerate smoothly.
This will give you good fuel economy
and effective emissions control. The
following shift points are
recommended:
Shift up Normal acceleration
1st to 2nd 15 mph (24 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 25 mph (40 km/h)
3rd to 4th 40 mph (64 km/h)
4th to 5th 47 mph (76 km/h )
Driving with the Paddle Shifters (Sport only)
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Your vehicle is equipped with front
disc brakes. The brakes on the rear
wheels are drum. A power assist
helps reduce the effort needed on the
brake pedal. The anti-lock brake
system (ABS) helps you retain
steering control when braking veryhard.
Resting your foot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, and reduces their effectiveness
and reduces brake pad life. In
addition, fuel economy can be
reduced. It also keeps your brake
lights on all the time, confusing
drivers behind you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their
effectiveness. Use the engine to
assist the brakes by taking your foot
off the accelerator and downshifting
to a lower gear.Check your brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they feel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
frequently until they do. Be extra
cautious and alert in your driving.
Braking System Design
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the left-front brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Brake Pad Wear Indicators
If the front brake pads need
replacing, you will hear a distinctive,
metallic screeching sound when you
apply the brake pedal. If you do not
have the brake pads replaced, they
will screech all the time. It is normal
for the brakes to occasionally squeal
or squeak when you apply them.
Braking System
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U.S. models only
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.
Each tire has its own pressure sensor
(not including the spare tire). If the
air pressure of a tire becomes
significantly low, the sensor in that
tire immediately sends a signal that
causes the low tire pressure indicator
to come on.
Low Tire Pressure Indicator
When the low tire pressure indicator
is on, one or more of your tires is
significantly underinflated. You
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure as indicated on
the vehicle's tire information placard.
If you think you can safely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inflate the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver's doorjamb.
If the tire is flat, or if the tire pressure
is too low to continue driving, replace
the tire with the compact spare tire
(see page 284). If you cannot make the low tire
pressure indicator go out after
inflating the tires to the specified
values, have your dealer check the
system as soon as possible.
Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's handling and
stopping ability.
Because tire pressure varies by
temperature and other conditions,
the low tire pressure indicator may
come on unexpectedly.
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Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
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