2011 HONDA FIT brake

Canceling Cruise Control
You can cancel cruise control in any
of these ways: Tap the brake or clutch pedal.
Press the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.
Press the CRUISE button on the
steering wheel. Tapping either of the paddle shifters
shifts the gear up or down, but does
not cancel the cruise control. For
more information on driving with
paddle shifters, see page 226.
Resuming the Set Speed
When you push the CANCEL button,
or tap the brake or clutch pedal, the
system will remember the previously
set cruising speed. To return to that
speed, accelerate to above 25 mph
(40 km/h), and then press the RES/
ACCEL button. The CRUISE
CONTROL indicator comes on. The
vehicle will accelerate to the same
cruising speed as before.
Pressing the CRUISE button turns
the system off and erases the
previous cruising speed.
CRUISE BUTTON
CANCEL BUTTON
Cruise Control
197
Features
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Break-in Period
Help assure your vehicle's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period: Avoid full-throttle starts and rapidacceleration.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200
miles (300 km).
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
You should also follow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Fuel Recommendation
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to enginedamage.
We recommend using quality
gasoline containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits: In
addition, in order to maintain good
performance, fuel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain harmful
manganese-based fuel additives such
as MMT, if such gasoline is available.Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely affect performance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer for service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol. Your
vehicle is designed to operate on
oxygenated gasoline containing up to
10% ethanol by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol. If you
notice any undesirable operating
symptoms, try another service
station or switch to another brand ofgasoline.
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
200
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Opening and Closing the Hood
1. Park the vehicle, and set theparking brake. Pull the hood
release handle under the lower left
corner of the dashboard. The hood
will pop up slightly.
2. Put your fingers under the frontedge of the hood near the center.
Slide your hand to the left until
you feel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle up to release it.
Lift up the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves
stiffly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned andlubricated.3. Holding the grip, pull the supportrod out of its clip. Insert the end
into the designated hole in thehood.
To close the hood, lift it up slightly to
remove the support rod from the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a foot (30 cm) above the
fender, then let it drop. Make sure it
is securely latched.
HOOD RELEASE HANDLELATCHSUPPORT ROD
GRIP CLIP
Service Station Procedures
203
Before Driving
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Modifying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make it unsafe. Before you make any
modifications or add any accessories,
be sure to read the followinginformation. Accessories
Your dealer has Honda accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have been
designed and approved for your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.
Although non-Honda accessories
may fit on your vehicle, they may not
meet factory specifications, and could
adversely affect your vehicle's
handling, stability, and reliability.
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle's handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interfere with your vehicle's
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags, anti-lock brakes, and
tire pressure monitoring system (ifequipped). Before installing any accessory:
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interfere
with proper vehicle operation or
performance.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits (see
page 309) or interfere with proper
operation of your vehicle.
Before installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer for assistance.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the final installation.
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows. Accessories installed in
these areas may interfere with
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.
Accessories and Modifications
208
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Modifying Your Vehicle
Removing parts from your vehicle, or
replacing components with non-
Honda components could seriously
affect your vehicle's handling,
stability, and reliability.
Here are some examples: Lowering your vehicle with a non-
Honda suspension kit that
significantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with a non-
Honda suspension kit can affect
the handling, stability, andreliability.
Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components and will not be
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS)
.
 : If equipped
Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interfere with the operation of
your vehicle's anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Modifying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle's
safety features can make the
systems ineffective.
If you plan to modify your vehicle,
consult your dealer.
Accessories and Modifications
209
Before Driving
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1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off allelectrical accessories to reduce the
drain on the battery.
3.
Manual transmission:
Press the clutch pedal down all the
way. The START (III) position
does not function unless the clutch
pedal is pressed.
Automatic transmission:
Make sure the shift lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal. 4. Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III) position
for more than 15 seconds at a time.
If the engine does not start right
away, pause for at least 10 seconds
before trying again.The immobilizer system protects your
vehicle from theft. If an improperly
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine's fuel system is disabled. For
more information, see page 79.
The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air found at
altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
Starting the Engine
218
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The manual transmission is
synchronized in all forward gears for
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from fifth to
reverse. When shifting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch pedal
down all the way, shift to the next
gear, and let the pedal up gradually.
When you are not shifting, do not
rest your foot on the clutch pedal.
This can cause the clutch to wear outfaster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause for a few seconds before
shifting into reverse, or shift into one
of the forward gears for a moment.
This stops the gears so they won't‘‘
grind. ’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes from
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Before downshifting, make
sure the engine speed will not go
into the tachometer's red zone in the
lower gear.
Rapid slowing or speeding up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
CONTINUED
Manual Transmission
219
Driving
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Shift Lever Position Indicators
These indicators on the instrument
panel show which position the shift
lever is in. The‘‘D ’’indicator comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. If it
flashes while driving (in any shift
position), it indicates a possible
problem in the transmission.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D ’’
indicator, there is a problem with the
automatic transmission control
system. Avoid rapid acceleration, and
have the transmission checked by
your dealer as soon as possible. Shifting
To shift from Park to any position,
press firmly on the brake pedal and
press the release button on the front
of the shift lever, then pull the lever.
You cannot shift out of Park when
the ignition switch is in the LOCK
(0) or the ACCESSORY (I) position.
All models except U.S. Sport
U.S. Sport model
U.S. Sport model is shown.
RELEASE
BUTTON SHIFT LEVER
CONTINUED
Automatic Transmission
221
Driving
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