2010 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTBACK sport mode

Introduction
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Thank you for buying a MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORT-
BACK.
We are confident you will enjoy your vehicle. It has been engi-
neered for optimum performance, durability and comfort. By
thoroughly reading this Owner’s Manual, you will gain an
understanding of the many features that are included in the
LANCER SPORTBACK. The Owner’s Manual contains
descriptions and illustrations that will assist in the operation
and maintenance of your vehicle.
Your Authorized Mitsubishi Motors Dealer will be happy to
assist you with any further questions you may have regarding
the operation of your vehicle.
Please note that this manual applies to all LANCER SPORT-
BACK models and explains all features including options.
Some features explained in this manual may not be installed on
your vehicle.
Please leave this Owner’s Manual in the vehicle at the time of
resale. The next owner will appreciate having access to the
information contained here.
This manual includes instructions for standard and optional
equipment available at the time of printing. Mitsubishi Motors
Corporation reserves the right to make changes in design and
specifications and to make additions or improvements in its
product without assuming any obligation to install these on
previously manufactured products.
Throughout this manual the words WARNING and
CAUTION appear.
These are reminders to be especially careful. Failure to follow the
instructions could result in personal injury or damage to your
vehicle.
WA R N I N G
!
Indicates a strong possibility of severe personal injury or
death if instructions are not followed.
CAUTION
!
Points out hazards or unsafe practices that could cause minor
personal injury or damage to your vehicle.
You will see another important symbol:
NOTE Gives helpful information.
WA R N I N G
!

Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain
vehicle components contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and certain prod-
ucts of component wear contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
©2009 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Printed in Japan
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3-94 Features and controls
3
Selector lever operation
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As an additional safety precaution, models equipped with a
CVT 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.NOTE

The selector lever cannot be moved from “P” (PARK) to
another position if the ignition switch is at the “LOCK” or
“ACC” position, or the key has been removed, or if the
brake pedal is not pressed and held down.The CVT selects an optimum ratio automatically when the
selector lever is in the “D” (DRIVE) position, depending on the
speed of the vehicle and the position of the accelerator pedal.
The selector lever (A) has 2 gates; the main gate (B) and the
manual gate (C).
NOTE

In the main gate, the selector lever has 4 positions.


For information on manual gate operation, please refer to
“Sports mode” on page 3-100.
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Features and controls
3-99
3
“N” NEUTRALAt this position, the transmission is disengaged. It is the same
as the neutral position on a manual transaxle and should be
used when the vehicle is not moving for an extended length of
time during driving, such as in a traffic jam.
“D” DRIVEThis position is used for most city and highway driving. Engine
shifting and braking are done automatically as needed, depend-
ing on road conditions.NOTE

For information on manual gate operation, please refer to
“Sports mode” on page 3-100.
WA R N I N G
!

Never move the selector lever to the “N” (NEU-
TRAL) position while driving since you could acci-
dentally slip it into the “P” (PARK) or
“R”(REVERSE) position, damaging the transmis-
sion.


To prevent the vehicle from rolling when stopped on
a slope, the engine should be started in the “P”
(PARK) position, not in “N” (NEUTRAL) position.


Always keep your foot on the brake pedal when the
vehicle is in “N” (NEUTRAL) position, or when
shifting into or out of “N” (NEUTRAL) position, to
prevent rolling.
CAUTION
!

Never shift into the “D” (DRIVE) position from the
“R” (REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in
motion. Transmission damage will result.
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3-100 Features and controls
3
Sports mode
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Whether the vehicle is stationary or in motion, sports mode is
selected by pushing the selector lever from the “D” (DRIVE)
position into the manual gate (1). To return to “D” (DRIVE)
operation, push the selector lever back into the main gate (2).
In sports mode, rapid shifting is possible simply by operating
the selector lever or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter.
Unlike the manual transaxle, sports mode allows shifting with
the accelerator pedal depressed.NOTE

You can shift into sports mode with the sportronic steering
wheel paddle shifter even when the selector lever is in the
main gate (2). Also, you can return to the “D” operation in
any of following ways. When returning to “D” operation,
the selector lever position display will change to “D”
(DRIVE) position.
 Pull the + (SHIFT UP) side sportronic steering wheel
paddle shifter forward (toward the driver) for over 2 sec-
onds.
 Stop the vehicle
 Push the selector lever from the “D” (DRIVE) position
into the manual gate (A) and push the selector lever
back into the main gate (B).
+ (SHIFT UP)
Transmission shifts up once by each operation.
- (SHIFT DOWN)
Transmission shifts down once by each operation.
CAUTION
!

Upward shifts do not take place automatically in
sports mode. The driver must make upward shifts in
accordance with prevailing road conditions, making
sure the engine rpm remains below the red zone on
the tachometer.
SHIFT UP
SHIFT
DOWN
SHIFT
UP SHIFT
DOWN
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Features and controls
3-101
3
NOTE

Shift ranges can only be selected in a forward direction
from 1st to 6th. To reverse or park the vehicle, move the
selector lever to the “R” (REVERSE) or “P” (PARK)
position.


To maintain good running performance, the transmission
may refuse to perform an upshift when the selector lever
or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter is moved to the
“+ (SHIFT UP)” position at certain vehicle speeds. Also,
to prevent over-revving of the engine, the transmission
may refuse to perform a downshift when the shift lever or
sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter is moved to the “-
(SHIFT DOWN)” position at certain vehicle speeds.
When this happens, a buzzer sounds to indicate that a
downshift is not going to take place.


Move the selector lever gently between the manual and
main gates and between positions in the manual gate. And
do not operate sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter
violently. Excessive force could damage the selector lever
or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter.
Sports mode display
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In sports mode, the currently selected shift range is displayed
on the information screen in the multi-information display.


By rapidly moving the selector lever or sportronic
steering wheel paddle shifter to the “- (SHIFT
DOWN)” side twice, it is possible to skip one shift
range (i.e., 3rd to 1st or 4th to 2nd). Since sudden
engine braking or acceleration can cause a loss of
traction, downshifts must be made carefully in
accordance with the vehicle’s speed.


Shift ranges may not change when the lateral paddle
shifters are operated at the same time.CAUTION
!
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3-102 Features and controls
3
Operation of the CVT
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Passing acceleration
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To gain extra acceleration in “D” (DRIVE) position (when
passing another vehicle) push the accelerator to the floor if it is
safe to do so in traffic conditions. The CVT will automatically
downshift.NOTE

In sports mode, downshifts do not take place when the
accelerator is depressed all the way to the floor.
Waiting
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For short waiting periods, such as at traffic lights, the vehicle
can be left in selector lever position and held stationary with
the service brake.
For longer waiting periods with the engine running, the selec-
tor lever should be placed in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
CAUTION
!

Before selecting a position with the engine running
and the vehicle stationary, fully depress the brake
pedal to prevent the vehicle from creeping.
Do not release the brakes until you are ready to
drive away. The vehicle will begin to move as soon as
the CVT is engaged, especially when the engine
speed is high (fast idle or air conditioning on).


Depress the brake pedal with the right foot.
Using the left foot could cause driver movement
delay in case of an emergency.


To prevent sudden acceleration, never run the
engine at high rpms when shifting from the “P”
(PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.


Operating the accelerator pedal while the other foot
is resting on the brake pedal will affect braking effi-
ciency and may cause premature wear of brake
pads.


Do not rev the engine with the brake pedal pressed
when the vehicle is stationary.
This can damage the CVT.
Also, when you depress the accelerator pedal while
holding down the brake pedal with the selector lever
in the “D” (DRIVE) position, the engine revolutions
may not rise as high as when performing the same
operation with the selector lever in the “N” (NEU-
TRAL) position.
CAUTION
!

To avoid transmission overheating, never try to keep
your vehicle stationary on a hill by using the acceler-
ator pedal. Always apply the parking brake and/or
service brake.


Unexpected acceleration may occur if the selector
lever is in a position other than “P” (PARK) or “N”
(NEUTRAL).
Before driving off from a stop, make sure that the
selector lever is in “D” (DRIVE) position or “Sports
mode” position.
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Features and controls
3-103
3
Parking
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To park the vehicle, first bring it to a complete stop, fully
engage the parking brake, and then move the selector lever to
the “P” (PARK) position.
If you are going to leave the vehicle unattended, always switch
off the engine and carry the key.NOTE

On a slope, be sure to apply the parking brake before
moving the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position. If
you move the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position
before applying the parking brake, it may be difficult to
disengage the selector lever from the “P” (PARK) position
when next you drive the vehicle, requiring application of a
strong force to the selector lever to move from the “P”
(PARK) position.
When the CVT makes no speed change
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If the CVT does not shift while driving, or your vehicle does
not pick up enough speed when starting on an uphill slope,
there may be something unusual happening in the transmission,
causing a safety device to activate. Have your vehicle checked
at an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice as soon as possible.
1. If your vehicle has difficulty moving uphill, shift the
selector lever into 2nd shift range of the sports mode.
This method might not work depending on the type of
transmission malfunction.
2. Once the vehicle is moving on a level road, move the
selector lever back to “D” (DRIVE) position.NOTE

When the warning display and “SLOW DOWN” or the
warning display and “SERVICE REQUIRED” appear
on the information screen in the multi-information dis-
play, there could be a malfunction in the CVT. Refer to
“Continuously variable transmission (CVT): Warning dis-
play” on page 3-97.
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3-104 Features and controls
3Twin Clutch SST (Sportronic Shift Trans-
mission)
(if so equipped)
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The Twin Clutch SST is a transmission that, through integrated
control of the engine and transmission, is able to achieve both
the smooth shifting of an automatic transaxle and the accelera-
tion and fuel economy close to a manual transaxle. In addition,
the control mode can be selected from two types to suit the
driving conditions.
Together with manual shifting, the transmission is capable of
responding to a variety of driving circumstances.
Twin Clutch SST control mode → P. 3 - 1 1 2
Manual shift → P. 3 - 1 1 5
Gearshift lever operation
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As an additional safety precaution, models equipped with a
Twin Clutch SST have a shift-lock device that holds the gear-
shift lever in the “P” (PARK) position. To move the gearshift
lever from the “P” (PARK) position to another position, follow
the steps below.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the gearshift lever to the desired position.NOTE

The gearshift lever cannot be moved from “P” (PARK) to
another position if the ignition switch is at the “LOCK” or
“ACC” position, or the key has been removed, or if the
brake pedal is not pressed and held down.
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