5
Before driving / 5-3
Key positions / 5-4
Engine start/stop button / 5-7
Manual Transaxle / 5-12
Automatic transaxle / 5-15
Four wheel drive (4WD) / 5-21
Brake system / 5-27
Cruise control system / 5-39
Economical operation / 5-43
Special driving conditions / 5-45
Winter driving / 5-50
Trailer towing / 5-53
Vehicle load limit / 5-62
Vehicle weight glossary/ 5-67
Driving your vehicle
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Driving your vehicle
E020100AUNBefore entering vehicle• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.E020200AXMNecessary inspectionsFluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis, at
the exact interval depending on the fluid.
Further details are provided in section 7,
“Maintenance”.E020300AHMBefore starting Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls areeasily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors. Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING
- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgment. Driving
while under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerous
than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.
WARNING
When you intend to park or stop the
vehicle with the engine on, be care-
ful not to depress the accelerator
pedal for a long period of time. It
may overheat the engine or exhaust
system and ignite a fire.
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Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ENGINE START/STOP
buttonWhenever the front door is opened, the
ENGINE START/STOP button will illumi-
nate for your convenience. The light will
go off after about 30 seconds when the
door is closed. It will also go off immedi-
ately when the theft-alarm system is
armed.
ENGINE START/STOP button
positionOFF• With automatic transaxle
To turn off the engine (START/RUN posi-
tion) or vehicle power (ON position),
press the ENGINE START/STOP button
with the shift lever in the P (Park) posi-
tion. When you press the ENGINE
START/STOP button without the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, the
ENGINE START/STOP button will not
change to the OFF position but to the
ACC position.
ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON (IF EQUIPPED)
Not illuminated
CAUTION
You are able to turn off the engine(START/RUN) or vehicle power(ON), only when the vehicle is not in motion. In an emergency situationwhile the vehicle is in motion, youare able to turn the engine off and to the ACC position by pressing theENGINE START/STOP button for more than 2 seconds or 3 timessuccessively within 3 seconds. Ifthe vehicle is still moving, you can restart the engine without depress-ing the brake pedal by pressing theENGINE START/STOP button with the shift lever in the N (Neutral)position.
OXM059005
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Driving your vehicle85ACC(Accessory)• With automatic transaxle
Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
while it is in the OFF position without
depressing the brake pedal.
If the ENGINE START/STOP button is in
the ACC position for more than 1 hour,
the button is turned off automatically to
prevent battery discharge.
ON• With automatic transaxle
Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
while it is in the ACC position without
depressing the brake pedal.
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. Do not leave
the ENGINE START/STOP button in the
ON position for a long time. The battery
may discharge, because the engine is
not running.
START/RUN• With automatic transaxle
To start the engine, depress the brake
pedal and press the ENGINE START/
STOP button with the shift lever in the P
(Park) or the N (Neutral) position. For
your safety, start the engine with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position.✽ ✽
NOTICEIf you press the ENGINE START/STOP
button without depressing the brake
pedal for automatic transaxle vehicles,
the engine will not start and the ENGINE
START/STOP button changes as follow:
OFF ➔ ➔
ACC ➔
➔
ON ➔
➔
OFF or ACC
Orange indicator
Green indicator
Not illuminated
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59
Driving your vehicle
✽
✽
NOTICEIf you leave the ENGINE START/ STOP
button in the ACC or ON position for a
long time, the battery will discharge.
E040300AHM-EUStarting the engine with a smart
key (if equipped)1. Carry the smart key or leave it inside
the vehicle.
2. Make sure the parking brake is firmly applied
3. Automatic Transaxle - Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
4. Press the ENGINE START/STOP but- ton while depressing the brake pedal.
5. In extremely cold weather (below - 18°C (0°F)) or after the vehicle has not
been operated for several days, let the
engine warm up without depressing
the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without depressing the
accelerator.
WARNING
Never press the ENGINE START/
STOP button while the vehicle is
in motion except in an emer-
gency. If the engine stops while
the vehicle is in motion, this
would result in loss of directional
control and braking function,
which could cause an accident.
Before leaving the driver's seat, always make sure the shift lever
is engaged in P (Park), set the
parking brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and sud-
den vehicle movement may occur
if these precautions are not
taken.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Never reach for the ENGINESTART/STOP button or any other
controls through the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in
motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in the area could
cause loss of vehicle control, an
accident and serious bodily
injury or death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver's seat as they
may move while driving, interfere
with the driver and lead to an
accident.
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Driving your vehicle10
5 Even if the smart key is in the vehicle,
if it is far away from you, the engine
may not start.
When the ENGINE START/STOP but- ton is in the ACC position or above, if
any door is opened, the system checks
for the smart key. If the smart key is not
in the vehicle, the "KEY OUT" indicator
will blink. And if all doors are closed,
the chime will sound for 5 seconds. The
indicator or warning will turn off while
the vehicle is moving. Always have the
smart key with you.
WARNING
The engine will start, only when the
smart key is in the vehicle.
Never allow children or any person
who is unfamiliar with the vehicle
touch the ENGINE START/STOP
button or related parts.
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while the vehicleis in motion, do not attempt to move the shift lever to the P (Park) posi-tion. If the traffic and road condi-tions permit, you may put the shift lever in the N (Neutral) positionwhile the vehicle is still moving and press the ENGINE START/STOPbutton in an attempt to restart the engine.
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511
Driving your vehicle
✽
✽
NOTICE• If the battery is weak or the smart key
does not work correctly, you can start
the engine by inserting the smart key
in the smart key holder. When you
pull out the smart key from the smart
key holder, press the smart key and
pull it out. (Continued)(Continued)
• When the stop lamp fuse is blown, you
can't start the engine normally.
Replace the fuse with a new one. If it
is not possible, you can start the
engine by pressing the ENGINE
START/STOP button for 10 seconds
while it is in the ACC position. The
engine can start without depressing
the brake pedal. But for your safety
always depress the brake pedal before
starting the engine.
CAUTION
Do not press the ENGINE START/
STOP button for more than 10 sec- onds except when the stop lampfuse is blown.
OXM059008
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Driving your vehicle
During cold weather, shifting may bedifficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and it's hard to shift into 1st or R (Reverse),
put the shift lever in N (Neutral) posi-
tion and release the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R (Reverse) gear position.
E050101AUNUsing the clutchThe clutch should be pressed all the way
to the floor before shifting, then released
slowly. The clutch pedal should always be
fully released while driving. Do not rest
your foot on the clutch pedal while driv-
ing. This can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold
the car on an incline. This causes unnec-
essary wear. Use the foot brake or park-
ing brake to hold the car on an incline. Do
not operate the clutch pedal rapidly and
repeatedly.E050102AUNDownshiftingWhen you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or while driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labor.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you again need to increase your
speed. When the vehicle is traveling
down steep hills, downshifting helps
maintain safe speed and prolongs brake
life.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutch pedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle stopped on an uphill grade, while waiting for atraffic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, as thiscan result in premature wear ofthe transaxle shift forks.
WARNING
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then
make sure the transaxle is shifted
into 1st gear when the vehicle is
parked on a level or uphill grade,
and shifted into R (Reverse) on a
downhill grade. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are not
followed in the order identified.
If your vehicle has a manual transaxle not equipped with a
ignition lock switch, it may move
and cause a serious accident
when starting the engine without
depressing the clutch pedal while
the parking brake is released and
the shift lever not in the N (neu-
tral) position.
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