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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-3
7 Catalytic converter
N00937400391
The catalytic converter requires you to use unleaded fuel only.
Leaded gasoline will destroy the emission-control effective-
ness of the converter.
Normally, the catalytic converter does not require maintenance.
However, it is important to keep the engine properly tuned for
the converter to continue to work properly. To reduce the possibility of catalytic converter damage:
Use UNLEADED GASOLINE ONLY of the type of rec-
ommended in “Fuel selection”.
Do not drive with an extremely low fuel level. Running
out of gas could damage the catalytic converter.
Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the
vehicle. If the battery is weak or run down, use jumper
cables to properly start the engine.
Do not idle the engine with any spark plug wires discon-
nected or removed, such as when performing diagnostic
tests.
Do not idle the engine for a long time if it is idling
roughly or otherwise obviously malfunctioning.
To prevent the catalytic converter from being damaged
from unburned gas, do not race the engine when turning
off the ignition switch.
Stop driving the vehicle if you think the performance is
noticeably low, or the engine has a malfunction. If you are
not able to stop driving immediately, slow down and drive
for only a short time. Have an inspection made by an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice as soon as possible.
In unusual situations involving major engine problems, a
burning odor may indicate severe and abnormal catalytic
converter overheating. If this occurs, stop in a safe place,
shut the engine off and let the vehicle cool. Once the
engine is cool, immediately take your vehicle to an autho-
rized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice for service.
CAUTION
!Damage to the catalytic converter can result if your
vehicle is not kept in proper operating condition. If
the engine malfunctions or misfires, or if your vehi-
cle performance suffers, have it serviced promptly.
Running your vehicle when it is overheated may
result in damage to the converter and vehicle.
WA R N I N G
!Do not park or run your vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as dry grass or leaves can
come in contact with a hot exhaust, since a fire could
occur.Do not put undercoat paint on the catalytic con-
verter.
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7-4 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Engine hood
N00937500350
To openUse the engine hood release lever (located under the instrument
panel near the driver’s door) to unlock the engine hood.
Pull the lever toward you to release the engine hood latch.Release the safety lever and lift the engine hood.
NOTETo prevent damage to the engine hood and wipers, make
sure the wipers are at resting position when you open the
engine hood.
WA R N I N G
!Never use the release lever to unlatch the engine
hood while the vehicle is in motion. Do not drive your vehicle unless the engine hood is
locked.
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-5
7
Support the engine hood with the hood prop. Insert the hood
prop securely in the opening under the hood marked with an
arrow.
To closeUnlatch the prop from the engine hood and put it back in its
retainer.
Slowly lower the engine hood about 12 inches (30 cm), then let
it drop from its own weight. NOTEIf this does not close the engine hood properly, drop it
again from a slightly higher position.
CAUTION
!Always insert the support prop into the hole spe-
cially made for it. Propping the engine hood at any
other place could cause the prop to slip out and lead
to an accident. The hood prop can fall out if the hood is lifted by a
strong wind.
CAUTION
!Be careful not to trap your hands or fingers when
closing the engine hood.
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7-6 Vehicle care and maintenance
7View of the engine compartment
N00937600540
2.4 liter engine
1- Power steering fluid reservoir
2- Brake fluid/Clutch fluid reservoir (if so equipped)
3- Battery
4- Windshield and rear window washer (ECLIPSE only) fluid
reservoir
5- Engine oil level dipstick
6- Engine oil filler cap
7- Radiator cap
8- Automatic transaxle fluid level dipstick (if so equipped)
9- Engine coolant reservoir
10- Air cleaner filter3.8 liter engine
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-7
7 Engine oil and oil filter
N00937700828
To check and refill engine oil It is normal for an engine to use oil. You may need to add oil
between the recommended oil change intervals. Before starting
the engine, check the engine oil level. Refill if necessary.
To check the oil level, remove the dipstick, wipe it off, and
gently insert it all the way into the crankcase. Slowly remove it
again. The oil level must not go above the line on the dipstick.
If the level does not reach the line, which shows the smallest
amount of oil required, remove the oil filler cap on the engine
valve cover, and fill to within the “Good” range. 2.4 liter engine
Good
CAUTION
!Overfilling the crankcase will cause oil aeration and
loss of oil pressure, which could damage the engine.
WA R N I N G
!Used engine oil is poisonous, and can damage your
skin. Prolonged and repeated contact may cause
serious skin disorders, including dermatitis and can-
cer. Don’t let used oil touch your skin. Wash thor-
oughly after working with it.Keep used oil out of the reach of children.
Good 3.8 liter engine
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7-8 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
NOTEEngine oil consumption is greatly influenced by payload,
engine speed, etc.
The engine oil will deteriorate rapidly if the vehicle is
subjected to severe conditions (for example, repeated
operation on rough roads, in mountainous regions, on
roads with many uphill and downhill gradients, or over
short distances). Consequently, the oil will require earlier
replacement in accordance with the schedule in the
“WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.Engine oil identification markMitsubishi Motors recommends using only engine oils with the
ILSAC certification symbol on the front of the container.If you cannot find oils with the ILSAC certification symbol,
use an API classification SM or higher oil with the following
label.
This mark appears on the top of the oil container and tells you
two important things about the oil.ILSAC certification symbol
1- The top portion shows the quality of the oil.
2- The center portion shows the SAE grade of the oil viscosity.API service symbol
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-9
7
Recommended engine oil viscositySAE 5W-20 engine oil is strongly recommended for optimum
fuel economy and cold starting.
To replace the oil filterThe oil filter should be replaced at the time or mileage speci-
fied in the “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MAN-
UAL”.
Only use high quality replacement filters on this vehicle. The
manufacturer’s specifications for Genuine Mitsubishi oil filters
require that the filter can withstand a pressure of 256 psi
(1.8 MPa). A Genuine Mitsubishi oil filter is the best replace-
ment filter.
Follow the installation instructions printed on the filter.
CAUTION
!Take care not to bend the oil filter cover when
replacing the oil filter.
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7-10 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Engine coolant
N00937800281
To check the coolant level The coolant reserve system provides a quick visual method for
determining the coolant level. When the engine is cold, the
level of the coolant in the reserve tank should be between the
“F” (FULL) and “L” (LOW) marks. The radiator normally
remains completely full so there is no need to remove the radi-
ator cap except for checking the coolant freeze point or replac-
ing the antifreeze coolant.To add coolant Use Mitsubishi Genuine Coolant or an equivalent.
Mitsubishi Genuine Coolant provides excellent protection
against corrosion and rust formation on all metals, including
aluminum, and prevents blockages in the radiator, heater, cyl-
inder head, engine block, etc.
If you need to add coolant often, or if the level in the reserve
tank does not drop when the engine cools, the cooling system
should be pressure-tested for leaks. Take your vehicle to an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice for testing.
CAUTION
!Do not use alcohol or methanol antifreeze or any
engine coolants that contain them. Using the wrong
antifreeze can corrode aluminum parts. When you need to add coolant to the reserve tank,
use at least a 50 % concentration of ethylene-glycol
antifreeze in water. Do not overfill. Use a higher con-
centration (not over 60 %) when the outside temper-
ature is -31 °F (-35 °C) or lower. When the engine is
working very hard (for example, during mountain
driving and/or when the outside temperature is
high), use a 50 % concentration. You can check the
concentration level with a gauge from an automotive
supply store, or your authorized Mitsubishi Motors
dealer or service station can check it for you. Use
only high quality ethylene-glycol antifreeze coolant
that is made to prevent corrosion of all cooling sys-
tem metals. Do not top off the tank with plain water only. Water
by itself boils at a lower temperature and does not
stop rust or freezing. If the water freezes, it will
damage your cooling system. Do not use tapwater. It
can cause corrosion and rust.
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