Quick index
7
Problem
Do this
Ref. page
The engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge indicator is at the
“H” (hot) position.
Steam comes out of the engine
compartment.
The engine is overheated.
Carefully stop the vehicle in a safe place.P. 6 - 5
The vehicle is stuck in sand,
mud, or snow.Move the selector lever rhythmically between “Sports Mode” and “R” (REVERSE) posi-
tions, while pressing lightly on the accelerator pedal.P.6-25
WA R N I N G
!When attempting to rock your vehicle out of a stuck position, be sure that no one is near the vehicle. The rocking
motion may cause the vehicle to suddenly lurch forward or backward, possibly injuring bystanders.Avoid revving the engine or spinning the wheels. Prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle may result in overheating
and transaxle failure.
If the vehicle remains stuck after several rocking attempts, have a towing service pull the vehicle out.
BK0121600US.book 7 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
3-46 Features and controls
3
Passing accelerationTo gain extra acceleration in “D” (DRIVE) position (when
passing another vehicle) push the accelerator to the floor. The
automatic transaxle will automatically downshift.NOTEIn sports mode, downshifts do not take place when the
accelerator is depressed all the way to the floor.
WaitingFor short waiting periods, such as at traffic lights, the vehicle
can be left in gear and held stationary with the service brake.
For longer waiting periods with the engine running, the selec-
tor lever should be placed in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position.ParkingTo park the vehicle, first bring it to a complete stop, fully
engage the parking brake, and then move the selector lever to
the “P” (PARK) position.
CAUTION
!To avoid transaxle overheating, never try to keep
your vehicle stationary on a hill by using the acceler-
ator pedal. Always apply the parking brake and/or
service brake.Unexpected acceleration may occur if the selector
lever is in a position other than “P” (PARK) or “N”
(NEUTRAL).
Prior to moving off after having stopped the vehicle,
make sure that the selector lever is in “D” (DRIVE)
position or “Sports mode” position.
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Features and controls
3-49
3
Maintain a safe distance between vehicles, avoid sudden
braking, and use engine braking (downshifting).Driving on sandy or muddy roads Gradually depress the accelerator pedal for a smooth start.
Keep the pressure on the accelerator pedal as constant as possi-
ble, and drive at low speed.
NOTEAvoid sudden braking, acceleration, and turning; such
operations could result in the vehicle becoming stuck.
If the vehicle becomes stuck in sandy or muddy roads, it
can often be moved with a rocking motion. Move the
selector lever alternately between “Sports mode” and “R”
(REVERSE) position, while applying slight pressure to
the accelerator pedal.
Driving rough road can cause rust on the vehicle; wash the
vehicle thoroughly as soon as possible after such use.Climbing/descending sharp gradesYour vehicle may not provide sufficient hill climbing ability
and engine braking on steep slope. Avoid driving on steep
slopes even though your vehicle has full-time all-wheel drive.Turning sharp cornersOn rough roads, the basic turning technique is to drive at a low
speed and gradually steer to suit the surface.
CAUTION
!Avoid sudden braking, sudden acceleration, and
sharp turning; such operations could cause skidding
and loss of control.
CAUTION
!Do not force the vehicle or drive recklessly on sandy
surfaces. In comparison with normal road surfaces,
the engine and other drive-system components are
put under excessive strain when driving on such a
surface. This could lead to accidents.If the needle in the temperature gauge approaches
the overheating zone or the “N” indicator starts to
blink quickly (i.e., about twice every second) while
the vehicle is being driven, immediately locate a safe
place, stop the vehicle there, and begin the appropri-
ate procedure to rectify the overheating problem.
(Refer to the “Engine overheating” on page 6-5 and
the “Automatic transaxle fluid temperature warning
light” on page 3-42.)
WA R N I N G
!When attempting to rock your vehicle out of a stuck
position, be sure that the area around the vehicle is
clear of people and physical objects. The rocking
motion may cause the vehicle to suddenly launch
forward or backward, causing injury or damage to
nearby people or objects.
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Features and controls
3-71
3
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper
tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped
with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure.
If a malfunction is detected in the tire pressure mon-
itoring system, the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light will blink for approximately 1 minute
and then remain continuously illuminated. The
warning light will issue further warnings each time
the engine is restarted as long as the malfunction
exists.
Check to see whether the warning light goes off after
few minutes of driving.
If it then goes off during driving, there is no prob-
lem.
However, if the warning light does not go off, or if it
blinks again when the engine is restarted, have the
vehicle inspected by an authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer.
In such situations, a malfunctioning of the system
may be preventing the monitoring of the tire pres-
sure. For safety reasons, when the warning light
appears while driving, avoid sudden braking, sharp
turning and high-speed driving.
CAUTION
!
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Features and controls
3-81
3
Engine coolant temperature gauge
N00519700095
This gauge shows the engine coolant temperature. If the tem-
perature is low when the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position, the indicator will remain at the “C” (cold) position
until the engine begins to warm up.
The indicator will normally stay near the center while driving,
but may rise slightly in stop-and-go traffic or when the engine
is under a heavy load.
CAUTION
!Take care to keep the engine operating temperature
within the normal range while driving. If the indica-
tor enters the “H” (hot) position, the engine is over-
heating (Refer to “Engine overheating” on page 6-
5).
BK0121600US.book 81 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
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
4-19
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
BK0121600US.book 19 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分
4-20 Driving safety
4
When towing at high altitudes, engine coolant and automatic
transaxle fluid will overheat at a lower temperature than at nor-
mal altitudes.
If you turn your engine off immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked (preferably on level ground) with the automatic tran-
saxle in “P” (PARK) position for a few minutes before turning
the engine off.
If the needle in the engine coolant temperature gauge
approaches the overheating zone, refer to “Engine over-
heating” on page 6-5.
If the automatic transaxle fluid temperature warning light
illuminates, refer to “Automatic transaxle fluid tempera-
ture warning light” on page 3-42.Driving on hillsReduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a
long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, over using
the brakes can cause reduced brake efficiency.
You can tow in “D” (DRIVE) position. You may want to shift
the transaxle to 3rd gear or a lower gear, under heavy loads or
hilly conditions.
ParkingAlways place chocks or blocks under both the vehicle and
trailer wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
Move the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position. Avoid
parking on a hill with a trailer, but if it cannot be avoided, do so
only after performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
2. Have someone place chocks or blocks under both the
vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the chocks or blocks are in place, release your
brakes slowly until the chocks or blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Move the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position and
turn off the engine.
When restarting out after parking on a hill:
1. Make sure the selector lever is in the “P” (PARK) posi-
tion, and start the engine. Be sure to keep the brake pedal
depressed.
2. Move the selector lever to the 2nd gear, 1st gear or “R”
(REVERSE) position.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal and slowly pull
or back away from the chocks or blocks. Stop and apply
your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the chocks or blocks.
BK0121600US.book 20 ページ 2010年4月12日 月曜日 午前10時39分