CAUTION
l
By rapidly moving the selector lever back-
wards (SHIFT DOWN) twice, it is possi-
ble to skip one gear, i.e., 3 rd
to 1 st
or 4 th
to
2 nd
. Since sudden engine braking and/or
rapid acceleration can cause a loss of trac-
tion, however, downshifts must be made
carefully in accordance with the vehicle’s
speed.
NOTE l In
sports mode, only the 4 forward gears can
be selected. To reverse or park the vehicle,
move the selector lever to the “R” (RE-
VERSE) or “P” (PARK) position as required.
l To maintain good running performance, the
transmission may refuse to perform an up-
shift when the selector lever is moved to the
“+” (SHIFT UP) position at certain vehicle
speeds. Also, to prevent over-revving of the
engine, the transmission may refuse to per-
form a downshift when the lever is moved to
the “-” (SHIFT DOWN) position at certain
vehicle speeds.
l In sports mode, downward shifts are made au-
tomatically when the vehicle slows down.
When the vehicle stops, 1 st
gear is automati-
cally selected. l
When
driving away on a slippery road, push
the selector lever forward into the “+”
(SHIFT UP) position. This causes the trans-
mission to shift into the 2 nd
gear which is bet-
ter for smooth driving away on a slippery
road. Push the selector lever to the “-”
(SHIFT DOWN) side to shift back to the 1 st
gear.
l Move the selector lever gently between the
manual and main gates and between posi-
tions in the manual gate. Undue force could
damage the selector lever.
Sports mode indication lamp E00612300010
In sports mode, the currently selected position is in-
dicated on the instrument panel. NOTE
l When
sports mode is selected, the “D” indi-
cation lamp goes off. Operation of the A/T
E00604200065 CAUTION
l
Before
selecting a gear with the engine
running and the vehicle stationary, fully
depress the brake pedal to prevent the ve-
hicle from creeping.
The vehicle will begin to move as soon as
the gear is engaged, especially when the
engine speed is high, at fast idle or with
the air conditioning operating, the brakes
should only be released when you are
ready to drive away.
l Depress the brake pedal with the right
foot at all times.
Using the left foot could cause driver move-
ment delay in case of an emergency.
l To prevent sudden acceleration, never
race the engine when shifting from the
“P” (PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
l Operating the accelerator pedal while the
other foot is resting on the brake pedal
will affect braking efficiency and may
cause premature wear of brake pads.
Do not race the engine with brake pedal
pressed.
This can damage the transmission.
Also, when the vehicle is stationary, the
engine revolutions may not rise to the
same revolutions as measured in normal
starting even if the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed while the brake pedal is being
pressed. Starting and driving
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Braking
E00607001641
All
the parts of the brake system are critical to safe-
ty. We recommend you to have the vehicle
checked at regular intervals according to the serv-
ice booklet. CAUTION
l
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.
Brake system
The
service brake is divided into two brake cir-
cuits. And your vehicle is equipped with power
brakes. If one brake circuit fails, the other is availa-
ble to stop the vehicle. If you should lose the pow-
er assist for some reason, the brakes will still work.
In these situations, even if the brake pedal moves
down to the very end of its possible stroke or re-
sists being depressed, keep depressing the brake ped-
al down harder and further than usual; stop driving
as soon as possible and have the brake system re-
paired. WARNING
l Do
not turn off the engine while your ve-
hicle is in motion. If you turn off the en-
gine while driving, the power assistance
for the braking system will stop working
and your brakes will not work effectively. WARNING
l If
the power assist is lost or if either
brake hydraulic system stops working
properly, have your vehicle checked im-
mediately.
Warning lamp
The
brake warning lamp illuminates to indicate a
fault in the braking system. Read “Brake warning
lamp” on page 3-06.
When brakes are wet
Check the brake system while driving at a low
speed immediately after starting, especially when
the brakes are wet, to confirm 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 driv-
ing slowly while lightly depressing the brake pedal.
When driving downhill
It is important to take advantage of the engine brak-
ing by shifting to a lower shift position while driv-
ing on steep downhill roads in order to prevent the
brakes from overheating. WARNING
l Do
not leave any objects near the brake
pedal or let a floor mat slide under it; do-
ing so could prevent the full pedal stroke
that would be necessary in an emergency.
Make sure that the pedal can be operated
freely at all times. Make sure the floor
mat is securely held in place.
Brake pads l Avoid hard braking situations.
New
brakes need to be broken-in by moder-
ate use for the first 200 km (124 mph).
l The disc brakes are provided with a warning
device which emits a shrieking metallic
sound while braking if the brake pads have
reached their wear limit.
If you hear this sound, have the brake pads re-
placed immediately. WARNING
l Driving
with worn brake pads will make
it harder to stop, and can cause an acci-
dent. Starting and driving
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Operation under adverse driving
conditions E00801701925
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 with a rocking motion.
Move the selector lever alternately between the
Sports mode and “R” (REVERSE) position (with
M/T, between 1 st
and Reverse), while applying
slight pressure to the accelerator pedal.
Avoid racing the engine or spinning the wheels. Pro-
longed efforts to free a stuck vehicle may result in
overheating and transmission failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle for a few minutes to let the transmis-
sion cool between rocking attempts.
If the vehicle remains stuck after several rocking at-
tempts, seek other assistance. WARNING
l When attempting to rock your vehicle out
of
a stuck position, be sure that the area
around the vehicle is clear of people and
physical objects. The rocking motion may
cause the vehicle to suddenly launch for-
ward or backward, causing injury or dam-
age to nearby people or objects. On a flooded road
l Avoid
flooded roads. Water could enter the
brake discs, resulting in temporarily ineffec-
tive brakes. In such cases, lightly depress the
brake pedal to see if the brakes operate prop-
erly. If they do not, lightly depress the pedal
several times while driving in order to dry
the brake pads.
l 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 capability.
To cope with this, observe the following items:
(a) Drive your vehicle at slow speed.
(b) Do not drive on worn tyres. Always maintain
the specified tyre inflation
pressures.
On a snow-covered or frozen road l When
driving on a snow-covered or frozen
road, it is recommended that you use snow
tyres or tyre chains.
Refer to the “Snow tyres” and “Tyre chains”
sections.
l Avoid high-speed operation, sudden acceler-
ation, abrupt brake application and sharp cor-
nering. l
Depressing
the brake pedal during travel on
snowy or icy roads may cause tyre slippage
and skidding. When traction 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 differ, depending
upon whether you have anti-lock brakes
(ABS). As your vehicle is equipped with anti-
lock brake system (ABS), brake by pressing
the brake pedal hard, and keeping it pressed.
l Allow extra distance between your vehicle
and the vehicle in front of you, and avoid sud-
den braking.
On a bumpy or rutted road l Drive as slow as possible when driving on
bumpy or rutted roads. CAUTION
l
The
impact on tyres and/or wheels when
driving on a bumpy or rutted road can
damage the tyre and/or wheel. For emergencies
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Brake fluid/Clutch fluid*
E01000800501
The
brake fluid and the clutch fluid share the reser-
voir tank.
To check the fluid level
The fluid level must be between the “MAX” and
“MIN” marks on the reservoir. The fluid level is monitored by a float. When the
fluid
level falls below the “MIN” mark, the brake
fluid warning lamp lights up.
The fluid level falls slightly with wear of the brake
pads, but this does not indicate any abnormality.
If the fluid level falls markedly in a short length of
time, it indicates leaks from the brake system.
If this occurs, we recommend you to have the vehi-
cle checked. Fluid type
Use
brake fluid conforming to DOT3 or DOT4
from a sealed container. The brake fluid is hygro-
scopic. Too much moisture in the brake fluid will
adversely affect the brake system, reducing the
brake performance. CAUTION
l
Take
care in handling brake fluid as it is
harmful to the eyes, may irritate your
skin and also damage painted surfaces.
l Use only the specified brake fluid.
Do not mix or add different brands of
brake fluid to prevent chemical reactions.
Do not let any petroleum-based fluid
touch, mix with, or get into the brake fluid.
This will damage the seals.
l Keep the reservoir tank cap closed to pre-
vent the brake fluid from deteriorating ex-
cept maintenance.
l Clean the filler cap before removing and
close the cap securely after maintenance. Power steering fluid
E01001100790
Petrol-powered vehicles
Diesel-powered vehicles To check the fluid level
Check
the fluid level in the reservoir while the en-
gine is idling. Check to make certain that the power
steering fluid level is always between the “MAX”
and “MIN” level markings on the fluid reservoir
and refill the fluid, if necessary.
Fluid type
Use “Genuine MITSUBISHI Power Steering Flu-
id” or “ATF DEXRON III / DEXRON II”. Maintenance
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