7-2 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Service precautions
N00937300316
Taking regular care of your vehicle will preserve its value and
appearance as long as possible.
You can do some of the maintenance work yourself, and the
rest should only be performed by an authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
If you discover a malfunction or other problem, have it cor-
rected by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair
facility of your choice.
This section describes the maintenance inspections that you
can do yourself, if you so desire. Follow the instructions and
precautions for each procedure.
Have you purchased the Mitsubishi Motors Diamond Care Pro-
tection Plan? The Plan supplements your new vehicle warran-
ties. See your authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer for details.
WA R N I N G
!When checking or servicing the inside of the engine
compartment, be sure the engine is stopped and has
had a chance to cool down. If you need to work in the engine compartment with
the engine running, be especially careful that your
clothing, hair, etc. does not get caught in the fan,
drive belts, or other moving parts.The fan can turn on automatically even if the engine
is not running. Turn the ignition switch to the
“LOCK” position and remove the key to be safe
while you work in the engine compartment.Do not smoke or allow open flames around fuel or
the battery. The fumes are flammable.
Be extremely careful when working around the bat-
tery. It contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric
acid. Do not get under your vehicle while it is on a jack.
Always use properly rated automotive jack stands. Handling your vehicle’s parts and materials in the
wrong way can injure you. Ask an authorized Mit-
subishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice if you have questions.
WA R N I N G
!
BK0121600US.book 2 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Vehicle care and maintenance
7-3
7 Catalytic converter
N00937400421
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 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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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-7
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.
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.
ILSAC certification symbol
BK0121600US.book 7 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
7-10 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
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.
Radiator capThe radiator cap must be tight sealed to prevent losing coolant
which may result in engine damage. Only use a Genuine Mit-
subishi Parts radiator cap, or an approved equivalent.Points to remember Do not overfill the reserve tank.
Your vehicle uses a special radiator cap that stays sealed
and lets the coolant flow from the reserve tank back to the
radiator when the engine cools down. If you need to
change the cap, use the exact same kind.
Check the coolant freeze point in the radiator with the
proper gauge, and only when it is safe. If you add anti-
freeze, the contents of the reserve tank must be protected
against freezing.
Keep the front of the radiator and condenser clean.
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.
WA R N I N G
!Wait for the engine to cool down before opening the
radiator cap. Otherwise hot steam or boiling coolant
could spray up from the radiator and scald you.
CAUTION
!
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-11
7
If the temperature of the engine coolant does not rise after
the engine is warmed-up, take your vehicle to an autho-
rized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice to have the thermostat checked, and replaced if
necessary.
Air cleaner filter
N00937900295
The air cleaner filter will get dirty and dusty from use and not
filter properly. Replace it with a new filter using the schedule
in the “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.
Unclamp and take out the air cleaner filter.
After replacing the air cleaner filter, put the cover back on in its
original position. NOTEGenuine Mitsubishi Parts are recommended when replac-
ing the air cleaner filter.
CAUTION
!Take care not to scratch the engine air flow sensor
when removing the air cleaner cover.
BK0121600US.book 11 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
7-12 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Automatic transaxle fluid
N00938000453
The automatic transaxle should be maintained and serviced by
an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice to obtain the best performance and longest life. It
is important that the transaxle fluid is kept at the correct level. To check the fluid level The fluid level should be checked when the engine temperature
gauge shows the engine is warmed up and the fluid in the tran-
saxle is heated to its normal working temperature. Driving with
the wrong fluid level will rapidly wear out the transaxle and
destroy the fluid.
Procedure for checking the fluid level 1. With the brake pedal fully depressed and the engine
idling, select each gear momentarily, ending with the
selector lever in the “P” (PARK) position.
2. The fluid level should be at the HOT mark, but never
above the HOT mark when the engine is warmed up. Add
or drain fluid to get to the correct level.
3. Make certain that the dipstick cap is installed properly to
keep dirt and water out of the transaxle.
WA R N I N G
!Transaxle fluid is extremely flammable and poison-
ous. Do not spill fluid when adding or draining.
BK0121600US.book 12 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Vehicle care and maintenance
7-13
7
Fluid typeUse only “DIAMOND ATF SP III” transaxle fluid to ensure
optimum transaxle performance. Special additives Mitsubishi Motors Corporation does not recommend the addi-
tion of any fluid additives to the transaxle.
Transfer oil (All-wheel drive models)
N00938400170
Whenever the transfer oil level is checked, add oil as necessary
to maintain the proper level.
Fill or change the oil according to the table.Oil type
Lubricant Hypoid gear oil API classification GL-5
Viscosity range SAE 90
BK0121600US.book 13 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Vehicle care and maintenance
7-15
7 Brake fluid
N00938800334
To check the fluid levelCheck the brake fluid level in the reservoir.
The brake fluid level must be between the “MAX” and “MIN”
marks on the reservoir.
The fluid level falls slightly with wear of the brake pads, but
this does not indicate any abnormality.
If the brake fluid level falls markedly in a short length of time,
it indicates leaks from the brake system.
If this occurs, have the vehicle checked by an authorized Mit-
subishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
Fluid typeUse the brake fluid conforming to DOT 3 or DOT 4. The reser-
voir cap must be tightly sealed to keep dirt and water out.
CAUTION
!Do not let any petroleum-based fluid touch, mix
with, or get into the brake fluid. This will damage
the seals.Be careful when handling brake fluid. It can damage
painted surfaces.Use only the listed brake fluid. Different brands of
brake fluid have different additives, and these can
cause a chemical reaction. Do not mix brands of
brake fluid.Keep the reservoir tank cap closed to keep the brake
fluid from evaporating.
BK0121600US.book 15 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分