4-6 Driving safety
4
Check the engine antifreeze.
If there is not enough coolant because of a leak or from
engine overheating, add high-quality ethylene glycol anti-
freeze and water. The recommended blend is about 50 %
water and 50 % anti-freeze. Use a higher concentration
(not over 60 %) when the outside temperature 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.
This blend will provide adequate protection from corro-
sion and boiling.
Braking
N00629500420
All the parts of the brake system are critical to safety. Have the
vehicle serviced by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or
a repair facility of your choice at regular intervals according to
the “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.When brakes are wetCheck the brake system while driving at a low speed immedi-
ately after starting, especially when the brakes are wet, to con-
firm they work normally.
A film of water can be formed on the brake discs and prevent
normal braking after driving in heavy rain or through large
puddles, or after the vehicle is washed. If this occurs, dry the
brakes out by driving slowly while lightly depressing the brake
pedal.When driving in cold weatherOn snowy roads, ice can form on the braking system, making
the brakes less effective. While driving in such conditions, pay
close attention to preceding and following vehicles and to the
condition of the road surface. From time to time, lightly
depress the brake pedal and check how effective the brakes are.When driving downhillIt is important to take advantage of the engine braking by shift-
ing to a lower gear of the sports mode while driving on steep
downhill roads in order to prevent the brakes from overheating.
WA R N I N G
!Never open the radiator cap when the radiator is
hot. You could be seriously burned.
BK0121600US.book 6 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Driving safety
4-17
4
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then the
tongue, separately, to see if the weights are proper.
Keep the trailer tongue load at 10 % of the loaded trailer
weight for dead weight hitches. Tongue loads can be adjusted
by proper distribution of the load in the trailer. This can be
checked by separately weighing the loaded trailer and then the
tongue.Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)The GAWRs are printed on the certification label which is riv-
eted on the door sill on the driver’s side.
Refer to “Vehicle labeling” on page 9-2.Trailer hitchesChoose a proper hitch and ball, and make sure it is installed at a
height that is compatible with the trailer.
Use a good equalizing hitch which uniformly distributes the
trailer tongue load throughout the frame.NOTEMitsubishi recommends that sway control be used when-
ever you are towing, to improve towing stability.
For details, please consult your authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer.
Safety chainsA safety chain must always be used between the towing vehi-
cle and the trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the chain for turns.
The chain should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent the
tongue from dropping to the ground in case it becomes dam-
aged or separated.
For correct safety chain procedures, consult your authorized
Mitsubishi Motors dealer.Maintenance when trailer towingYour vehicle will need service more often when you’re towing
a trailer. Refer to “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE
MANUAL”. Especially important in trailer operation are auto-
matic transaxle fluid, engine oil, rear axle oil, belt, cooling sys-
tem and brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual.
For details, please refer to the “Vehicle care maintenance” sec-
tion.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
WA R N I N G
!If you make any holes in the body of your vehicle for
installing a trailer hitch, be sure to seal the holes
later when you remove the hitch. If you don’t seal
them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your
exhaust can enter your vehicle. Refer to “Exhaust
system” on page 7-34.
CAUTION
!Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain
securely attached to both the trailer and the vehicle.
If the coupling unit or hitch ball experiences a prob-
lem, the trailer may separate from your vehicle.
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Driving safety
4-19
4
Vehicle preparationBefore you start, check the trailer hitch, safety chains, tires and
mirror adjustment.TiresBe sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the cold inflation
pressure listed in the manual. You’ll find these numbers on the
tire and loading information placard at the sill of the driver’s
door.
Refer to “Tire inflation pressures” on page 7-24.Following distanceStay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would
when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you
avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns.PassingYou’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re tow-
ing a trailer. And, because the combined vehicle and trailer are
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the passed vehi-
cle before you can return to your lane.Backing upHold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to
move the trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left. To
move the trailer to the right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and, if possible, have someone guide
you.
Making turnsWhen you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than nor-
mal to help prevent the trailer from striking shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.OverheatingTowing a trailer puts additional burden on the engine and tran-
saxle, which may cause overheating. Following are some sug-
gestions to reduce overheating:
CAUTION
!Making sharp turns while towing a trailer could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle.
Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid making sharp
turns while towing a trailer. Overheating Situation
Solution
Air conditioning on Turn off
Highway speeds Reduce speed
Going up hills Select lower gear
Stop-and-go city traffic When stopped, shift transaxle to
neutral and idle engine at higher
speed
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Comfort controls
5-9
5
Air conditioning switch
N00731000276
Push the switch, and the air conditioning compressor will turn
on. The air conditioning indicator light (A) will come on.
Push the switch again and the air conditioning compressor will
stop and the indicator light goes off.
NOTEIf a problem is detected in the air conditioning compres-
sor, the air conditioning indicator light (A) blinks. Press
the air conditioning switch once to turn it off, then once
more to turn it back on. If the air conditioning indicator
light does not blink, there is no problem. If it does blink,
have it checked at an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer
or a repair facility of your choice.
Sometimes, for example after using a high-pressure car
wash, the condenser can get wet, and the air conditioning
indicator light (A) blinks temporarily. In this case there is
nothing wrong. Wait for a while, press the air conditioning
switch once to turn the system off, then once more to turn
it back on. Once the water evaporates, the blinking will
stop.
CAUTION
!Using the air conditioning slightly increases the
engine idle speed. Therefore, make sure your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal when shifting the tran-
saxle into drive.
(Green)
BK0121600US.book 9 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Comfort controls
5-21
5
The air conditioning indicator (B) is displayed.
Push the switch again and the air conditioning compressor will
stop and the air conditioning indicator goes off.
NOTEIf a problem is detected in the air conditioning compres-
sor, the air conditioning indicator light (A) blinks. Press
the air conditioning switch once to turn it off, then once
more to turn it back on. If the air conditioning indicator
light (A) does not blink, there is no problem. If it does
blink, have it checked at an authorized Mitsubishi Motors
dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
Sometimes, for example after using a high-pressure car
wash, the condenser can get wet, and the air conditioning
indicator light (A) blinks temporarily. In this case there is
nothing wrong. Wait for a while, press the air conditioning
switch once to turn the system off, then once more to turn
it back on. Once the water evaporates, the blinking will
stop.
CAUTION
!Using the air conditioning slightly increases the
engine idle speed. Therefore, make sure your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal when shifting the tran-
saxle into drive.
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Comfort controls
5-29
5
NOTEIn vehicles with AM/FM electronically tuned radio with
CD autochanger-Type 2 or AM/FM/Satellite electroni-
cally tuned radio with CD autochanger-Type 3, the display
automatically switches to an audio indication when an
audio system adjustment is made. The display automati-
cally reverts to its original indication about 10 seconds
after the audio system adjustment is finished. The DISP
button (C) can be used to change the display indication
and to adjust the display brightness and other settings. For
details, refer to “Multi center display” on page 3-86.
To listen to the audio system while the engine is not run-
ning, turn the ignition key to the “ACC” position.
If a cellular phone is used inside the vehicle, it may create
noise from the audio equipment. This does not mean that
anything is wrong with your audio equipment. In such a
case, use the cellular phone at a place as far as possible
from the audio equipment.
If foreign objects or water get into the audio equipment, or
if smoke or a strange odor comes from it, immediately
turn off the audio system and have it checked at an autho-
rized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice. Never try to repair it yourself. Avoid using the
audio system until it is inspected by a qualified person.
If the audio system is damaged by foreign objects, water,
or fire, have the system checked by a qualified technician.
Satellite radio
(if so equipped)
Satellite radio uses direct satellite to receiver broadcasting
technology to provide clear digital sound, coast to coast. The
subscription service provider is SIRIUS™ Satellite Radio. This
service offers over 100 channels of music, sports, news, enter-
tainment, and programming for listeners, directly from its sat-
ellites and broadcasting studios.
System activationTo activate your SIRIUS™ Satellite Radio service, call the toll-
free number 888-539-SIRIUS (7474), or visit the Sirius web
site at www.sirius.com. Please have the following information
available when activating your system:
1. The Sirius Identification Number (SIRIUS ID). Refer to
the section “SIRIUS ID indication” on page 5-54.
2. Credit card information.
3. Your Vehicle Identification Number. Refer to “Vehicle
identification number plate” on page 9-2.
“SIRIUS”, the SIRIUS dog logo and channel names and
logos are trademarks of SIRUS Satellite Radio, Inc.
BK0121600US.book 29 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
6-2 For emergencies
6If the vehicle breaks down
N00836300174
If your vehicle breaks down on the road, move to the shoulder
and turn on the hazard warning flashers. If there is no shoulder,
or the shoulder is not safe, drive in the right lane slowly, with
the hazard lights flashing, until you come to a safe stopping
place. Keep the flashers flashing. If the engine stops/fails If the engine stops, there will be no power assist to the steering
and brakes, making these difficult to use.
The brake booster will not work, so the brakes will not
grip well. The brake pedal will be harder to press than
usual.
Since there is no power steering assist, the steering wheel
will be hard to turn.When the engine fails at the intersection Get help from your passengers, bystanders, etc. to push the
vehicle and move it to a safe zone.
Jump-starting the engine
N00836400667
If the engine cannot be started because the battery is weak or
dead, you can start it with the battery from another vehicle
using jumper cables.
1. Take off any metal jewelry such as watch bands or brace-
lets that might make an accidental electrical contact.
2. Position the vehicles close enough together so that the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t
touching each other.
WA R N I N G
!When using jumper cables to start a vehicle, follow
the procedures and be very cautious.
CAUTION
!Do not try to start your vehicle by pushing or tow-
ing. Vehicles with automatic transaxles cannot be
started this way. Pushing or towing a vehicle that
has a manual transaxle may overheat and damage
the catalytic converter. Also, there is more risk of an
accident when a vehicle is being pushed or towed.
CAUTION
!Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt bat-
tery. If the other system isn’t 12-volt, both systems
can be damaged.
BK0121600US.book 2 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
For emergencies
6-5
6
As your vehicle has anti-lock brakesIf you drive your vehicle with a low battery charge, after the
engine has been started by using jumper cables, the engine may
misfire. This can cause the anti-lock braking system warning
light to blink on and off. This is only due to the low battery
voltage. It is not a problem with the brake system. If this hap-
pens, fully charge the battery and ensure the charging system is
operating properly.
Engine overheating
N00836500222
If the engine coolant temperature gauge indicator moves to the
“H” (hot) position (red zone), the engine may be overheated. If
this happens:
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place. Turn on the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
2. With the engine still running, carefully raise the engine
hood to vent the engine compartment.
3. Check that the cooling fan is running. If the fan is not
turning, stop the engine immediately and contact an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice for assistance.
4. If you see steam or spray coming from under the hood,
turn off the engine.
WA R N I N G
!To avoid personal injury, keep hands, hair, jewelry
and clothes away from the cooling fan. The cooling
fan can start at any time.
BK0121600US.book 5 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分