2010 MITSUBISHI L200 Owners Manual

Operation under adverse driving
conditions E00801702140
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
“L” (LOW) and “R” (REVERSE) position (with
manual transmission, between 1 st
and Reverse),
while applying slight pressure to the accelerator ped-
al.
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 2WD vehicles, it is recommended to start the ve-
hicle
with parking brake partially, but not complete-
ly, applied by slightly pulling the parking brake lev-
er.
After the vehicle has become free, do not forget to
release the parking brake. NOTE
l Depress the accelerator pedal gradually when
starting the vehicle.
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 brake sys-
tem (ABS). If you do have ABS, brake by
pressing the brake system pedal hard, and
keeping it pressed. If you do not have ABS,
pump the brake pedal with short rapid jabs,
each time fully applying and fully releasing
for greatest effect.
l Allow extra distance between your vehicle
and the vehicle in front of you, and avoid sud-
den braking.
l Accumulation of ice on the braking system
can cause the wheels to lock. Pull away from
a standstill slowly after confirming safety
around the vehicle. CAUTION
l
Do
not press the accelerator pedal rapid-
ly. If the wheels break free of the ice, the
vehicle could suddenly start moving and
possibly cause an accident.
On a bumpy or rutted road l Drive

as slow as possible when driving on
bumpy or rutted roads. For emergencies
6-24
6
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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
6-25 6
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Vehicle care precautions
............................................................... 7-02
Cleaning the interior of your vehicle ............................................7-02
Cleaning the exterior of your vehicle ...........................................7-03Vehicle care
7
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Vehicle care precautions
E00900100870
In
order to maintain the value of your vehicle, it is
necessary to perform regular maintenance using the
proper procedures. Always maintain your vehicle
in compliance with environmental pollution control
regulations. Carefully select the materials used for
washing, etc., to be sure that they do not contain cor-
rosives. If in doubt, we recommend you to consult
a specialist for selection of these materials. CAUTION
l
Cleaning
products can be dangerous.
Some are poisonous. Others can burst in-
to flame if you strike a match or drop
them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some
are dangerous if you breathe their fumes
in a closed space. When you use anything
in a container to clean your vehicle, al-
ways follow the instructions and always
open your vehicle doors or windows when
you’re cleaning the inside. Never use the
following to clean your vehicle: • Petrol
• Paint Thinner
• Benzine
• Kerosene
• Turpentine
• Naphtha
• Lacquer Thinner
• Carbon Tetrachloride
• Nail Polish Remover
• Acetone
l These are all dangerous, and can damage
your vehicle. Cleaning the interior of your
vehicle E00900200288
After

cleaning the interior of your vehicle with wa-
ter, cleaner or similar, wipe and dry in a shady, well-
ventilated area. CAUTION
l
Do
not use organic substances (solvents,
benzine, kerosene, alcohol, petrol, etc.) or
alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discolouring,
staining or cracking of the surface.
If you use cleaners or polishing agents,
make sure their ingredients do not in-
clude the substances mentioned above.
NOTE l Always

read the instructions on the cleaner la-
bel.
Plastic, vinyl leather, fabric and
flocked parts E00900300377
1. Gently
wipe off with gauze or other soft
cloth soaked with a 3 % aqueous solution of
neutral detergent.
2. Dip cloth in fresh water and wring out well. Using this cloth, wipe off the detergent thor-
oughly. NOTE
l Do

not use cleaners, conditioners, and protec-
tants containing silicons or wax.
Such products, when applied to the instru-
ment panels or other parts, may cause reflec-
tions on the windscreen and obscure vision.
Also, if such products get on the switches of
the electrical accessories, it may lead to fail-
ure of these accessories.
Upholstery E00900500018
1. To
maintain the value of your new vehicle,
handle the upholstery carefully and keep the
interior clean.
Use a vacuum cleaner and brush to clean the
seats. If stained, vinyl and synthetic leather
should be cleaned with an appropriate clean-
er, and cloth fabrics can be cleaned with ei-
ther upholstery cleaner or a 3 % solution of
neutral detergent in lukewarm water.
2. Clean the carpeting with a vacuum cleaner and remove any stains with carpet cleaner.
Oil and grease can be removed by lightly dab-
bing with a clean colourfast cloth and stain re-
mover.
Genuine leather* E00900600817
1. Gently
wipe off with gauze or other soft
cloth soaked with a 5 % aqueous solution of
neutral detergent.
2. Dip cloth in fresh water and wring it out well. Using this cloth, wipe off the detergent
thoroughly.
3. Apply leather protecting agent to the genuine leather surface. Vehicle care
7-02
7
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NOTE
l If
genuine leather is wet with water or is wash-
ed in water, wipe off water as quickly as pos-
sible with a dry, soft cloth. If left damp, mil-
dew may grow.
l The genuine leather surface may be damaged
if a nylon brush or synthetic fibre is rubbed
hard against it.
l Organic solvents such as benzine, kerosene,
alcohol and petrol, acid or alkaline solvents
may discolour the genuine leather surface.
Be sure to use neutral detergents.
l Remove dirty patches or oil substances quick-
ly as they can stain genuine leather.
l The genuine leather surface may harden and
shrink if it is exposed to direct sun for long
hours. When your vehicle is parked, place it
in the shade as much as possible.
l When the temperature of the vehicle interior
rises in summer, vinyl products left on the
genuine leather seat may deteriorate and
stick to the seat. Cleaning the exterior of your
vehicle E00900700010
If
the following is left on your vehicle, it may
cause corrosion, discolouration and stains, wash
the vehicle as soon as possible.
l Seawater, anti-freeze for road use.
l Soot and dust, iron powder from factories,
chemical substance (acids, alkalis, coal-tar,
etc.).
l Droppings from birds, carcasses of insects,
tree sap, etc.
Washing E00900902016
Chemicals contained in the dirt and dust picked up
from

the road surface can damage the paint coat
and body of your vehicle if left in prolonged contact.
Frequent washing and waxing is the best way to pro-
tect your vehicle from this damage. This will also
be effective in protecting it from environmental el-
ements such as rain, snow, salt air, etc.
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight. Park the
vehicle in the shade and spray it with water to re-
move dust. Next, using an ample amount of clean
water and a car washing brush or sponge, wash the
vehicle from top to bottom.
Use a mild car washing soap if necessary. Rinse
thoroughly and wipe dry with a soft cloth. After
washing the vehicle, carefully clean the joints and
flanges of the doors, bonnet, etc., where dirt is like-
ly to remain. CAUTION
l
When
washing the under side of your ve-
hicle or wheel, be careful not to injure
your hands.
l Refrain from using a car wash as its brush-
es may scratch the paint surface, causing
it to lose its gloss.
Scratches will be especially visible on
darker coloured vehicles.
l Never spray or splash water on the electri-
cal components in the engine compart-
ment, as this may adversely affect engine
starting.
Exercise caution also when washing the
underbody; be careful not to spray water
into the engine compartment.
l Some types of hot water washing equip-
ment apply high pressure and heat to the
vehicle. They may cause heat distortion
and damage to the vehicle resin parts and
may result in flooding of the vehicle inte-
rior. Therefore; observe the following.
• Maintain a distance of approx. 50 cmor more between the vehicle body and
the washing nozzle.
• When washing around the door glass, hold the nozzle at a distance of more
than 50 cm and at right angles to the
glass surface. Vehicle care
7-03 7
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CAUTION
l
After washing the vehicle, drive the vehi-
cle slowly while lightly depressing the
brake pedal several times in order to dry
out the brakes.
Leaving the brakes wet could result in re-
duced braking performance. Also, there
is a possibility that they could freeze up
or become inoperative due to rust, render-
ing the vehicle unable to move.
l When using an automatic car wash, pay
attention to the following items, referring
to the operation manual or consulting a
car wash operator. If the following proce-
dure is not followed, it could result in dam-
age to your vehicle.
• The outside mirrors are retracted.
• If your vehicle is equipped with the pil-lar antenna, it can be retracted.
• If your vehicle is equipped with the roof antenna, it can be removed.
During cold weather
Salt
and other chemicals spread on the roads in
some areas in winter can have a harmful effect on
the vehicle body. You should therefore wash the ve-
hicle as often as possible in accordance with our
care-instructions. It is recommended to have a pres-
ervative applied and the underfloor protection
checked before and after the cold weather season.
After washing your vehicle, wipe off all water-
drops from the rubber parts around the doors to pre-
vent the doors from freezing. NOTE
l To

prevent freezing of the weatherstripping
on the doors, bonnet, etc., they should be trea-
ted with silicone spray.
Waxing E00901000687
Waxing the vehicle will help prevent the adherence
of

dust and road chemicals to the paintwork. Apply
a wax solution after washing the vehicle, or at least
once every three months to assist displacing of water.
Do not wax your vehicle in direct sunlight. You
should wax after the surfaces have cooled. CAUTION
l
Waxes
containing high abrasive com-
pounds should not be used. Such waxes re-
move rust and stains effectively from the
paintwork but they are harmful to the lus-
tre on the painted surface and the plated
surface.
Further, they are harmful to glossy surfa-
ces such as grille, garnish, mouldings, etc.
l Do not use petrol or paint thinners to re-
move road tar or other contamination to
the vehicle surface.
l Do not apply wax on the areas having
black mat coating as it can cause uneven
discolouration, patches, blurs, etc. If
stained with wax, immediately wipe off
with a piece of soft cloth and warm water. CAUTION
l
On
vehicles with a sunroof, be careful
when waxing the area around the sunroof
opening, not to put any wax on the weath-
erstrip (black rubber). If stained with
wax, the weatherstrip cannot maintain a
weatherproof seal with the sunroof.
Polishing E00901100011
The vehicle should only be polished if the paint-
work has become stained or lost its lustre. Matt-fin-
ish

parts and plastic bumpers must not be polished,
polishing these parts will stain them or damage
their finish.
Damaged paint E00901200155
Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat should
be

touched up as soon as possible with
MITSUBISHI touch-up paint to prevent corrosion.
Check body areas facing the road or the tyres care-
fully for damage to the paint coat caused by flying
stones, etc. The paint code number for your vehicle
can be found on the vehicle information code plate.
(Refer to “Vehicle labeling” on page 9-02.)
Cleaning plastic parts E00901300446
Use a sponge or chamois leather.
If

a car wax adheres on a grey or black rough sur-
face of the bumper, moulding or lamps, the surface
becomes white. In such a case, wipe it off using
lukewarm water and soft cloth or chamois leather. Vehicle care
7-04
7
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CAUTION
l
Do not use a scrubbing brush or other
hard tools as they may damage the plastic
part surface.
l Do not use wax containing compound (pol-
ishing powder) which may damage the
plastic part surface.
l Do not bring the plastic parts into contact
with petrol, light oil, brake fluids, engine
oils, greases, paint thinners, and sulphu-
ric acid (battery electrolyte) which may
crack, stain or discolour the plastic parts.
If they touch the plastic parts, wipe them
off with soft cloth, chamois or the like
and an aqueous solution of neutral deter-
gent then immediately rinse the affected
parts with water.
Chrome parts E00901400014
In order to prevent spots and corrosion of chrome
parts,

wash with water, dry thoroughly, and apply a
special protective coating. This should be done
more frequently in winter.
Aluminium wheels* E00901500116
1. Remove
dirt using a sponge while sprinkling
water on the vehicle.
2. Use neutral detergent on any dirt that cannot be removed easily with water.
Rinse off the neutral detergent after washing
the vehicle.
3. Dry the vehicle thoroughly using a chamois leather or a soft cloth. CAUTION
l
Do
not use a brush or other hard imple-
ment on the wheels.
Doing so could scratch the wheels.
l Do not use any cleaner that contains an
abrasive substance or is acidic or alka-
line. Doing so could cause the coating on
the wheels to peel or become discoloured
or stained.
l Do not directly apply hot water using a
steam cleaner or by any other means.
l Contact with seawater and road deicer
can cause corrosion. Rinse off such sub-
stances as soon as possible.
Window glass E00901600058
The window glass can normally be cleaned using
only a sponge and water.
Glass

cleaner can be used to remove oil, grease,
dead insects, etc. After washing the glass, wipe dry
with a clean, dry, soft cloth. Never use the same
cloth to wipe the window glass as would be used to
wipe the paintwork; wax from the painted surfaces
could adhere to the glass and reduce its transparen-
cy and visibility.
NOTE
l To clean the inside of the rear window, al-
ways use a soft cloth and wipe the window
glass along the demister heater element so as
not to cause damage. Wiper blades
E00901700017
Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to remove grease,
dead

insects, etc., from the wiper blades. Replace
the wiper blades when they no longer wipe proper-
ly. (Refer to page “Wiper blades” on page 8-17.)
Cleaning the sunroof* E00901800180
Clean the inside of the sunroof with a soft cloth.
Hard

deposits should be wiped away with a cloth
dipped in warm, neutral detergent solution. Wipe
away the solution with a sponge dipped in fresh wa-
ter.
NOTE
l The surface treatment on the inside of the
glass may be removed if hard cloth or organ-
ic solvent (benzine, kerosene, thinner, etc.) is
used.
Engine compartment E00902100265
Clean the engine compartment at the beginning and
end

of winter. Pay particular attention to flanges,
crevices and peripheral parts where dust containing
road chemicals and other corrosive materials might
collect.
If salt and other chemicals are used on the roads in
your area, clean the engine compartment at least ev-
ery three months.
Never spray or splash water on the electrical com-
ponents in the engine compartment, as this may
cause damage.
Do not bring the nearby parts, the plastic parts and
so on into contact with sulphuric acid (battery elec-
trolyte) which may crack, stain or discolour them. Vehicle care
7-05 7
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