7-14 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Rear axle oil (All-wheel drive models)
N00915200171
Whenever the oil level is checked, add oil as necessary to
maintain the proper level.
Fill or change oil according to the table.Oil type
Wa s h e r f l u i d
N00938600198
The windshield and rear window washer fluid reservoir is in
the engine compartment.
Check the washer fluid level at regular intervals and add
washer fluid to reservoir if necessary. During cold weatherWhen freezing weather is anticipated, flush out the water in the
reservoir by operating the pump. Fill the reservoir with wind-
shield antifreeze (not radiator antifreeze), and operate the sys-
tem for a few seconds to flush out the residual water.
LubricantHypoid gear oil API
classification GL-5 or higher
Anticipated temperature range Viscosity range
Above -10 °F (-23 °C)SAE90
SAE85W-90
SAE80W-90
-30 °F to -10 °F
(-34 °C to -23 °C)SAE80W
SAE80W-90
Below -30 °F (-34 °C) SAE75W
BK0121600US.book 14 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
7-24 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Treadwear, Traction and Temperature GradesTreadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative perfor-
mance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and
C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, represent-
ing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tempera-
ture can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which
all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Tire inflation pressures
N00939300743
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential for the safe and satis-
factory operation of your vehicle. The wrong tire pressure will
cause problems in three major areas:
Safety
Too little pressure increases flexing in the tire and can
cause tire failure. Too much pressure can cause a tire to
lose its ability to cushion shock. Objects on the road and
potholes could then cause tire damage that may result in
tire failure.
Economy
The wrong tire pressure can cause uneven wear patterns in
the tire tread. These abnormal wear patterns will reduce
the tread life, and the tire will have to be replaced sooner.
Too little pressure also makes it harder for the tire to roll,
and this uses up more fuel.
Ride comfort and vehicle stability
The superior riding experience built into your vehicle
partly depends on the correct tire pressure. Too much
pressure gives an uncomfortable and jarring ride. Too lit-
tle pressure feels as if your vehicle is slow to respond.
Unequal tire pressures can make steering your vehicle
uneven and unpredictable.
The correct tire pressure for your vehicle is listed on the plac-
ard attached to the driver’s door sill.
(Refer to “Tire and loading information placard” on page 9-3.)
BK0121600US.book 24 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
7-26 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Replacing tires and wheels
N00939600283
Tire maintenance
N00939700138
The following maintenance steps are recommended:
Check tire pressures regularly. Have regular maintenance done on the wheel balance and
front and rear suspension alignment.
Rotate your tires regularly as described in the “Tire rota-
tion” section on page 7-27.
Tread wear indicators
N00939800168
Tread wear indicators are built into the original equipment tires
on your vehicle to help you know when your tires should be
replaced. Many states have laws requiring that you replace
your tires at this point.
These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves and will appear when the tire tread is worn down to
1/16 inch (1.6 mm).
CAUTION
!Avoid using different size tires from the one listed
and the combined use of different types of tires, as
this can affect driving safety.
Refer to “Tires and wheels” on page 9-7.On all-wheel drive vehicles, always use tires of the
same size, type, and brand that have no wear differ-
ences. Using tires of different size, type, brand or
degree of wear, will increase the differential oil tem-
perature, and result in possible damage to the driv-
ing system. Further, the drivetrain will be subjected
to excessive loading, possibly leading to oil leakage,
component seizure, or other serious problems.As your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system, use only Mitsubishi genuine
wheels.
Other wheels do not permit correct installation of
tire inflation pressure sensors and can cause air
leakage and sensor failure, which would not be cov-
ered by your vehicle’s warranty.
See an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer when
you replace a tire or wheel.
1- Location of the tread wear indicator
2- Tread wear indicator
BK0121600US.book 26 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Vehicle care and maintenance
7-27
7
When the bands appear next to one another in two or more
places, replace your tires. NOTETire wear indicators can have different marks and loca-
tions depending on the tire manufacturer.Tire rotation
N00939900475
To even out the wear on your tires and make them last longer,
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation recommends that you rotate
your tires at the mileage listed in the “WARRANTY AND
MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.
However, the timing for tire rotation may vary according to
your vehicle condition, road surface conditions, and your own
personal driving habits. Any time you notice unusual wear,
rotate your tires as soon as possible.
When rotating tires, check for uneven wear, damage, and wheel
alignment. Abnormal wear is usually caused by a wrong tire
pressure, wheels that are not aligned properly, wheels that are
out-of-balance, or severe braking.
Check with an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair
facility of your choice to find out the reason for uneven tread
wear.
The first tire rotation is the most important one. It will allow all
your tires to wear evenly.
*- If the spare tire wheel differs from the standard tire, do not
perform tire rotation using a spare wheel.Spare tire used*
Front
Spare tire not used
Front
Tires that have arrows showing rotation direction
Front
BK0121600US.book 27 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
7-28 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Snow tires
N00940000405
In some areas of the country, snow tires are required for winter
driving. If snow tires are required in your area, you must
choose snow tires of the same size and type as the original tires
provided with your vehicle. Snow tires should also be installed
on all four wheels. Otherwise your safety and vehicle handling
can be reduced.
Even where laws may permit it, snow tires should not be oper-
ated at sustained speeds over 75 mph (120 km/h).
CAUTION
!A compact spare tire can be fitted temporarily in
place of a tire that has been removed during the tire
rotation. However, it must not be included in the
regular tire rotation sequence.If the tires have arrows (A) indicating the correct
direction of rotation, swap the front and rear tires
on the left-hand side of the vehicle and the front and
rear tires on the right-hand side of the vehicle sepa-
rately. Keep each tire on its original side of the vehi-
cle. When installing the tires, make sure the arrows
point in the direction in which the wheels will turn
when the vehicle moves forward. Any tire whose
arrow points in the wrong direction will not perform
to its full potential.
Front
CAUTION
!Avoid the combined use of different types of tires.
Using different types of tires can affect vehicle per-
formance and safety.
CAUTION
!As your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system, use only Mitsubishi genuine
wheels.
Other wheels do not permit correct installation of
tire inflation pressure sensors and can thus cause air
leakage and sensor failure, which would not be cov-
ered by your vehicle’s warranty.
See an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer when
you replace a tire or wheel.
BK0121600US.book 28 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Vehicle care and maintenance
7-33
7 General maintenance
N00941500159
The next pages list the maintenance service recommended by
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. In addition to the general
maintenance that needs to be performed at the times listed,
there are other parts which do not usually need regular mainte-
nance.
But, if any of these parts stops working properly, your vehicle
performance could suffer. Have these items checked if you
notice a problem with them.
See your authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer for assistance, if
you have any questions.Disc brake pads
N00941600020
Good brakes are essential to safe driving. Check the brake pads
for wear. For good braking performance, replace the brake pads
with the same type pads as the originals.Brake hoses
N00941700089
Brake hoses and tubing should be checked for:
Severe surface cracking, scuffing or worn spots. If the
fabric casing of the hose is showing through any cracks or
worn spots in the rubber hose cover, the hose should be
replaced. The brakes can fail if the hose wears through.
Improper installation may cause twisting, or wheel, tire or
chassis interference.
Ball joint, steering linkage seals and drive shaft
boots
N00941800107
Check the following parts for damage and grease leaks:
Ball joint boots of the front suspension and steering link-
age
Bellows on both ends of the drive shaftDrive belt (for generator, power steering pump,
air conditioning compressor)
N00941900137
Check the tension of the drive belt. The deflection must be
within specifications, when pressed at a point halfway between1- Power steering pump pulley
2- Crank shaft pulley
3- Generator pulley
4- Air conditioning pulley
BK0121600US.book 33 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
7-60 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Cleaning the outside of your vehicle
N00945700045
To protect your vehicle’s finish, wash it often and thoroughly.
If desired, you may wax your vehicle using a nonabrasive auto-
mobile wax. Foreign material
N00945800017
Industrial pollution, road tar, bird droppings, tree sap, insect
remains, sea water and other foreign matters can damage the
finish on your vehicle.
Generally, the longer any foreign material stays on the finish,
the worse the damage. Wash your vehicle as soon as possible
whenever the finish gets soiled.Wa s h i n g
N00945900568
Chemicals contained in the dirt and dust picked up from air,
rain, snow or road surfaces can damage the paint and body of
your vehicle if left on.
Frequent washing and waxing is the best way to protect your
vehicle from this damage.
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight. Park the vehicle in
the shade and spray it with water to remove dust. Next, using
plenty of clean water and a car washing mitt or sponge, wash
the vehicle from top to bottom.
Use a mild car washing soap if necessary. Rinse thoroughly
and wipe dry with a chamois or soft cloth. After washing the
vehicle, carefully clean the joints and flanges of the doors,
hood, etc., where dirt is likely to remain.
CAUTION
!When washing the underside of your vehicle or the
wheels, wear a pair of gloves to protect your hands.Never spray or splash water on the electrical parts
in the engine compartment. This may damage them.
Be careful also when washing the underbody. Do not
spray water into the engine compartment.Avoid automatic car washers that use rotating
brushes. These brushes may scratch the paint sur-
face and make it dull.
Scratches are more noticeable on darker colored
vehicles.Some hot water washing equipment uses high pres-
sure and heat to clean your vehicle. This heated
water may damage your vehicle’s resin parts. It can
flood the interior of the vehicle. Therefore, be sure
of the following:
• Keep the washing nozzle at least 20 inches (50 cm)
away from the vehicle body.
• When washing around the door glass, hold the
nozzle at a distance of more than 20 inches (50 cm)
and at right angles to the glass surface.
Make sure to do the following when using an auto-
matic car wash to avoid damaging your vehicle:
• Fold the outside rearview mirrors.
• Remove the antenna.
• Tape or remove the rear wiper arm assembly.
• As your vehicle is equipped with roof rails, check
with the car wash operator before using the car
wash.
BK0121600US.book 60 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
Vehicle care and maintenance
7-63
7
Aluminum wheels
N00946500095
1. Remove dirt using a sponge while sprinkling water on the
wheel.
2. Use neutral detergent on any dirt that cannot be removed
easily with water.
Rinse off the neutral detergent after washing the wheel.
3. Dry the wheel thoroughly using a chamois leather or a soft
cloth.Window glass
N00946600012
The window glass can usually be cleaned using only a sponge
and water. Glass cleaner can be used to remove wax, oil,
grease, dead insects, etc. After washing the glass, wipe it dry
with a clean, dry, soft cloth.
Wiper blades
N00946700013
Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to remove grease, dead
insects, etc., from the wiper blades.
Replace the wiper blades when they no longer clean the wind-
shield and rear window properly.Cleaning the sunroof
(if so equipped)
N00946800014
Clean the inside of the sunroof with a soft cloth. Hard deposits
should be wiped away with a cloth dipped in warm, neutral
detergent solution. Wipe away the solution with a sponge
dipped in fresh water.NOTEThe surface treatment on the inside of the glass may be
removed if a hard cloth or organic solvent is used.Engine compartment
N00947000084
Never spray or splash water on the electrical components in the
engine compartment, as this may cause damage.
Do not allow any nearby parts (such as plastic parts) come into
contact with sulphuric acid (battery electrolyte), which may
crack, stain, or discolour them.
If this occurs, wipe the parts with a soft cloth saturated with a
mild detergent and water solution.
Then immediately rinse the affected parts with plenty of water.
CAUTION
!Do not use a brush or other hard implement on the
wheels.
Doing so could scratch the wheels.Do not use any cleaner that contains an abrasive
substance or is acidic or alkaline. Doing so could
cause the coating on the wheels to peel or become
discolored or stained.Do not directly apply hot water using a steam
cleaner or by any other means.Contact with seawater and road deicer can cause
corrosion. Rinse off such substances as soon as pos-
sible.
BK0121600US.book 63 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分