4-18 Driving safety
4
Trailer brakesMitsubishi recommends that any trailer having a total weight
of 1,500 lbs (680 kg) or more be equipped with its own electric
or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be sure they are electrically actu-
ated. Do not attempt to tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic sys-
tem. No matter how successful it may seem, any attempt to
attach trailer brakes to your vehicle’s hydraulic system will
lower braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard.Trailer lightsTrailer lights and equipment must comply with federal, state,
and local regulations. Check with your local recreational vehi-
cle dealer for the requirements in your area, and use only
equipment designed for your vehicle.
Since lighting and wiring vary by trailer type and brand, you
should have a qualified technician install a suitable connector
between the vehicle and the trailer. Improper equipment or
installation can cause damage to your vehicle’s electrical sys-
tem and affect your vehicle warranty.Additional trailer equipmentMany states and Canadian provinces require special outside
mirrors when towing a trailer. Even if they do not, you should
install special mirrors if you cannot clearly see behind you, or
if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your towing situation.
Operating hints
Driver preparationTowing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the feel of handling and
braking with the added weight of the trailer. And always keep
in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good deal
longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle is without a
trailer.
WA R N I N G
!If you have a rear window open and you tow a
trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide gas
which you cannot see or smell could come into your
vehicle. It can cause unconsciousness or death. Refer
to “Exhaust system” on page 7-34.
To maximize your safety when towing a trailer:
• Have your exhaust system inspected for leaks, and
make necessary repairs before starting on your
trip.
• Keep the rear windows closed.
• If exhaust does come into your vehicle through a
window or another opening, drive with your
front, main heating or cooling system on and with
the blower on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle. Do not use recircula-
tion because it only recirculates the air inside your
vehicle. Refer to “Air selection switch” on page
5-8, 5-19.
BK0102600US.book 18 ページ 2009年3月30日 月曜日 午後2時2分
Driving safety
4-19
4
Vehicle preparationBefore you start, check the trailer hitch, safety chains, tires and
mirror adjustment.TiresBe sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the cold inflation
pressure listed in the manual. You’ll find these numbers on the
tire and loading information placard at the sill of the driver’s
door.
Refer to “Tire inflation pressures” on page 7-24.Following distanceStay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would
when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you
avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns.PassingYou’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re tow-
ing a trailer. And, because the combined vehicle and trailer are
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the passed vehi-
cle before you can return to your lane.Backing upHold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to
move the trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left. To
move the trailer to the right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and, if possible, have someone guide
you.
Making turnsWhen you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than nor-
mal to help prevent the trailer from striking shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.OverheatingTowing a trailer puts additional burden on the engine and tran-
saxle, which may cause overheating. Following are some sug-
gestions to reduce overheating:
CAUTION
!Making sharp turns while towing a trailer could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle.
Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid making sharp
turns while towing a trailer. Overheating Situation
Solution
Air conditioning on Turn off
Highway speeds Reduce speed
Going up hills Select lower gear
Stop-and-go city traffic When stopped, shift transaxle to
neutral and idle engine at higher
speed
BK0102600US.book 19 ページ 2009年3月30日 月曜日 午後2時2分
4-20 Driving safety
4
When towing at high altitudes, engine coolant and automatic
transaxle fluid will overheat at a lower temperature than at nor-
mal altitudes.
If you turn your engine off immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked (preferably on level ground) with the automatic tran-
saxle in “P” (PARK) position for a few minutes before turning
the engine off.
If the needle in the engine coolant temperature gauge
approaches the overheating zone, refer to “Engine over-
heating” on page 6-5.
If the automatic transaxle fluid temperature warning light
illuminates, refer to “Automatic transaxle fluid tempera-
ture warning light” on page 3-43.Driving on hillsReduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a
long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, over using
the brakes can cause reduced brake efficiency.
You can tow in “D” (DRIVE) position. You may want to shift
the transaxle to 3rd gear or a lower gear, under heavy loads or
hilly conditions.
ParkingAlways place chocks or blocks under both the vehicle and
trailer wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
Move the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position. Avoid
parking on a hill with a trailer, but if it cannot be avoided, do so
only after performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
2. Have someone place chocks or blocks under both the
vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the chocks or blocks are in place, release your
brakes slowly until the chocks or blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Move the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position and
turn off the engine.
When restarting out after parking on a hill:
1. Make sure the selector lever is in the “P” (PARK) posi-
tion, and start the engine. Be sure to keep the brake pedal
depressed.
2. Move the selector lever to the 2nd gear, 1st gear or “R”
(REVERSE) position.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal and slowly pull
or back away from the chocks or blocks. Stop and apply
your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the chocks or blocks.
BK0102600US.book 20 ページ 2009年3月30日 月曜日 午後2時2分
5-10 Comfort controls
5
Operating the air conditioning system
N00731100176
Heating Set the mode selection dial to the “ ” position and set the air
selection switch (A) to the outside position.
Turn the temperature control dial clockwise or counterclock-
wise to the desired temperature. Select the desired blower
speed.
Cooling
N00731200281
For ordinary cooling
1. Set the mode selection dial to the “ ” position.
2. Set the air selection switch (A) to the outside position.
3. Push the air conditioning switch (B).
4. Change the temperature by turning the control dial clock-
wise or counterclockwise.
5. Select the desired blower speed.
BK0102600US.book 10 ページ 2009年3月30日 月曜日 午後2時2分
Comfort controls
5-23
5
NOTESet the temperature {at about 75 (Type 1) or 25 (Type 2)
under normal conditions}.
When the temperature is set to the highest or the lowest
setting under the AUTO operation, the air selection and
the air conditioning will be automatically changed as fol-
lows.
• Quick Heating (When the temperature is set to the high-
est setting)
Outside air will be introduced and the air conditioning
will stop.
• Quick Cooling (When the temperature is set to the low-
est setting)
Inside air will be recirculated and the air conditioning
will operate.
When the temperature is set to the highest setting, you can
turn the air conditioning on.
Operating the air conditioning system (manual
mode)
N00731800027
Blower speed and vent mode may be controlled manually by
setting the blower speed selection dial and the mode selection
dial to the desired positions. To return to automatic operation,
set the dials to the “AUTO” position.Defrosting or defogging the windshield and door win-
dows
N00732400310
To remove frost or fog from the windshield and door windows,
use the mode selection dial (“ ” or “ ”).
CAUTION
!For safety, make sure you have a clear view through
all the windows.
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6
For emergencies
If the vehicle breaks down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 2
Jump-starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 2
Engine overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 5
Tools and jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 7
How to change a tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 12
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 23
Operation under adverse driving conditions . . . . .6- 25
BK0102600US.book 1 ページ 2009年3月30日 月曜日 午後2時2分
For emergencies
6-5
6
As your vehicle has anti-lock brakesIf you drive your vehicle with a low battery charge, after the
engine has been started by using jumper cables, the engine may
misfire. This can cause the anti-lock braking system warning
light to blink on and off. This is only due to the low battery
voltage. It is not a problem with the brake system. If this hap-
pens, fully charge the battery and ensure the charging system is
operating properly.
Engine overheating
N00836500222
If the engine coolant temperature gauge indicator moves to the
“H” (hot) position (red zone), the engine may be overheated. If
this happens:
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place. Turn on the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
2. With the engine still running, carefully raise the engine
hood to vent the engine compartment.
3. Check that the cooling fan is running. If the fan is not
turning, stop the engine immediately and contact an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice for assistance.
4. If you see steam or spray coming from under the hood,
turn off the engine.
WA R N I N G
!To avoid personal injury, keep hands, hair, jewelry
and clothes away from the cooling fan. The cooling
fan can start at any time.
BK0102600US.book 5 ページ 2009年3月30日 月曜日 午後2時2分
For emergencies
6-25
6
Towing with rear wheels off the ground (Type B)Place the selector lever in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Turn the ignition key to the “ACC” position and secure the
steering wheel in a straight-ahead position with a rope or tie-
down strap. Never place the ignition key in the “LOCK” posi-
tion when towing.Towing with front wheels off the ground (Type C)Release the parking brake.
Place the selector lever in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Operation under adverse driving conditions
N00837200620
If your vehicle becomes stuck in sand, mud or
snow If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand, or mud, it can
often be moved by a rocking motion. Move the selector lever
rhythmically between “Sports mode” and “R” (REVERSE)
position, while pressing lightly on the accelerator pedal.
Do not rev the engine or spin the wheels. Constant efforts to
free a stuck vehicle can cause overheating and transaxle fail-
ure. Let the engine idle for a few minutes to cool the transaxle
before trying again.
If your vehicle is still stuck after several rocking attempts, call
for a commercial tow truck service.
CAUTION
!Never tow an automatic transaxle vehicle with the
rear wheels up (and the front wheels on the ground)
(Type B) when the automatic transaxle fluid level is
low. This may cause serious and expensive damage
to the transaxle.
WA R N I N G
!To prevent entry of exhaust gas from the towing
vehicle, set your air selection switch to the recircula-
tion position.
WA R N I N G
!When trying to rock your vehicle out of a stuck posi-
tion, make sure that there are no people nearby. The
rocking motion can make your vehicle suddenly
lurch forward or backward, and injure any
bystanders.
BK0102600US.book 25 ページ 2009年3月30日 月曜日 午後2時2分