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Features and controls
3-29
3
To releaseHold the brake pedal (A) down with your right foot.
Depress the parking brake pedal (B) by your left foot again
until you hear it “click”.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake and turn the
front wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade, away from
the curb on an uphill grade.
Steering wheel tilt lock lever
N00511500097
To adjust the steering wheel height, release the tilt lock lever
while holding the steering wheel by hand, and raise or lower
the steering wheel to the desired height.
After adjustment, securely lock the lever by pulling it down-
ward.
CAUTION
!Before driving, be sure that the parking brake is
fully released and brake warning light is off.
If a vehicle is driven without releasing the parking
brake, the brakes will be overheated, resulting in
ineffective braking and possible brake failure.
1- Locked
2- Released
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Features and controls
3-35
3
To remove the key
N00550900012
First set the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position, and then
turn the key to the “LOCK” position and remove it.NOTEThe key cannot be removed unless the selector lever is set
in the “P” (PARK) position.
Key reminder buzzer
N00551000065
If the driver’s door is opened while the ignition key is in the
“LOCK” or “ACC” position, a tone will sound.
CAUTION
!If the engine is turned off while driving, the power
brake booster will stop functioning and braking effi-
ciency will be reduced. Also, the power steering sys-
tem will not function and it will require greater
effort to manually steer the vehicle.
Do not leave the key in the “ON” position for a long
time when the engine is not running. This will cause
the battery to run down. Do not turn the key to the “START” position when
the engine is running. It will damage the starter
motor.
CAUTION
!
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Features and controls
3-37
3 Starting
N00512600590
Tips for starting Do not operate the starter motor continuously for longer
than 15 seconds as this could run the battery down or
damage the starter motor. If the engine does not start, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK” position, wait a
few seconds, and then try again. Trying repeatedly with
the engine or starter motor still turning will damage the
starter mechanism.
If the engine will not start because the battery is weak or
discharged, refer to “Jump-starting the engine” (on page
6-2) for instructions.
The engine is warmed up enough for driving when the
coolant temperature gauge indicator starts to move. A
longer warm up period will only consume extra fuel.
Starting the engineYour vehicle is equipped with an electronically controlled fuel
injection system, which automatically controls the release of
fuel. There is usually no need to depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
The starter should not be run for more than 15 seconds at a
time.
To prevent battery drain, wait a few seconds between attempts
to restart the engine. Normal conditionsTo start your vehicle:
Make sure all occupants are properly seated with seat belts fas-
tened.
1. Insert the ignition key.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.
3. Make sure the selector lever is in the “P” (PARK) posi-
tion.
4. Turn the ignition key to the “ON” position and make cer-
tain that all warning lights are functioning properly before
starting the engine.
5. Turn the ignition key to the “START” position without
pressing the accelerator pedal. Release the key when the
engine starts.
WA R N I N G
!Never run the engine in a closed or poorly ventilated
area any longer than is needed to move your vehicle
out of the area. Carbon monoxide gas, which is
odorless and extremely poisonous, could build up
and cause serious injury or death.
CAUTION
!Do not push-start the vehicle.Do not run the engine at high rpms or drive at high
speeds until the engine has had a chance to warm
up.
Release the ignition key as soon as the engine starts.
Otherwise, the starter motor will be damaged.
CAUTION
!
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3-38 Features and controls
3
NOTEMinor noises may be heard on engine start-up. These will
disappear as the engine warms up. At extremely cold ambient temperatureIf the engine won’t start, press the accelerator pedal about half-
way down while cranking the engine. Release the accelerator
pedal when the engine starts. Startability of automatic transaxle vehicle with ambient
temperature of -31
°F (-35
°C) or lower
When the ambient temperature is -31 °F (-35 °C) or lower, it
may not be possible to start from a standstill even with the
selector lever in the “D” (DRIVE) position.
This phenomenon occurs because the transaxle has not warmed
up sufficiently; it does not indicate a problem. If it occurs,
place the selector lever in the “P” (PARK) position and let the
engine idle for at least 10 minutes.
The transaxle will warm up, and you will be able to start nor-
mally.
Do not leave the vehicle during warm-up operation.
Flooded engineIf the engine has flooded during starting, first run the starter for
5 to 6 seconds while holding down the accelerator pedal.
Release the ignition key (return to “ON” position) and the
accelerator pedal. Wait a moment, then without depressing the
accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to the “START” posi-
tion for another 5 to 6 seconds. Release the ignition key if the
engine starts. Repeat as necessary if the engine fails to start, or
contact your local Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility
of your choice for assistance.
CAUTION
!When starting the engine, make sure that you hold
the brake pedal down. During very cold weather, if
you start the engine with your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal, switch to the brake pedal as soon as the
engine has started.
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Features and controls
3-39
3 Engine block heater
(if so equipped)
N00551100079
The engine block heater warms the engine coolant to promote
engine startability in extremely cold weather. It also shortens
the engine’s warmup time, thus promoting fuel economy.To use the engine block heater1. Stop the engine.
2. The plug for the engine block heater is located in the front
bumper opening on the driver’s side. Open the cover (A)
and insert the plug in a grounded 110 V AC outlet.
Automatic transaxle
N00513200131
Designed for the most efficient control and equipped with self-
adapting capabilities, the electronically controlled transaxle
used in your vehicle selects the most favorable gear for each
type of driving and road condition.DRIVING UPHILLThe transaxle may not shift to a higher gear if the computer
determines your current speed would be affected.
For smoother operation, the transaxle may not shift if you
release the throttle while climbing a steep hill. This is normal
because the computer controls the shifting. After reaching the
top of the hill, your normal gear shift function will resume.DRIVING DOWNHILLWhen traveling down steep grades and using the brakes, the
computer may automatically select a lower gear. This helps
engine braking efforts, reducing your need to use the brakes.
WA R N I N G
!To prevent electrical shock, do not use the engine
block heater with an ungrounded electrical system
or two-pronged adapter.
CAUTION
!The electronically controlled transaxle system is
strictly intended to provide supplementary func-
tions. When driving downhill under certain condi-
tions, when the automatic transaxle is cold
immediately after starting, no automatic downshift
may be made. The driver should move the selector
lever to shift down to a lower gear (3rd gear or 2nd
gear), which will permit the engine to begin braking.
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3-40 Features and controls
3
NOTEDuring the break-in period or immediately after recon-
necting the battery, your vehicle may not shift smoothly.
This does not indicate a problem in the transaxle. Shifting
will become smoother once the transaxle has been shifted
several times by the electronic control system.Selector lever operation
N00513800283
As an additional safety precaution, models equipped with an
automatic transaxle have a shift-lock device that holds the
selector lever in the “P” (PARK) position. To move the selector
lever from the “P” (PARK) position to another position, follow
the steps below.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the selector lever to the desired position.NOTEThe selector lever cannot be moved from “P” (PARK) to
another position if the ignition key is at the “LOCK” posi-
tion, or has been removed, or if the brake pedal is not
pressed and held down.The transaxle has 4 forward gears and 1 reverse gear.
The individual gears are selected automatically, depending on
the position of the selector lever, the speed of the vehicle and
the position of the accelerator pedal.
The selector lever has 2 “gates”: the main gate (A) and the
manual gate (B).
NOTEFor information on manual gate operation, refer to “Sports
mode” on page 3-44.
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Features and controls
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3
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4 positions, and is
equipped with a lock button (C) to prevent inadvertent selec-
tion of the wrong gear.
The lock button must be pushed while the brake pedal is
depressed to move the selector lever.
The selector lever will move without pushing the lock
button.
The lock button must be pushed to move the selector
lever. WA R N I N G
!If the lock button is always pressed when using the
selector lever, the lever may be accidentally shifted
into the “P” (PARK) or “R” (REVERSE) position.
Do not press the lock button when making shifts
shown by in the illustration.
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3-42 Features and controls
3
NOTEIf the brake pedal is not depressed and held, the shift-lock
device activates to prevent the selector lever from being
moved from the “P” (PARK) position.
Selector lever position indicator/ “N” indicator
N00513900239
Always depress the brake pedal when shifting the
selector lever into a gear from the “N” (NEUTRAL)
position. When beginning to drive, do not shift the
selector lever from the “N” (NEUTRAL) position
while depressing the accelerator pedal. This will
cause the vehicle to “jump” forward or backward.
WA R N I N G
!
A- Selector lever position indicator
When the ignition key is turned to the “ON” position, the
indicator in the instrument cluster comes on to show the
position of the selector lever (i.e. “PARK”, “DRIVE”,
“REVERSE”, etc.).
B- “N” indicator
If the “N” indicator blinks with the “D” (DRIVE) position or
“Sports mode” being selected, the automatic transaxle may
be malfunctioning.
Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice as soon as
possible.
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