
Selector lever positionsE00603800615
“P” PARK
This  position  locks  the  transmission  to  prevent  the
vehicle  from  moving.  The  engine  can  be  started  in
this position.
“R” REVERSE
This position is to back up.CAUTIONl Never  shift  into  the  “P”  (PARK)  or  “R”
(REVERSE)  position  while  the  vehicle  is
in motion to avoid transmission damage.
“N” NEUTRAL
At this position the transmission is disengaged. It is
the same as the neutral position on a manual trans-
mission, and should be used when the vehicle is sta-
tionary  for  an  extended  length  of  time  during  driv-
ing, such as in a traffic jam.
WARNINGl Never  move  the  selector  lever  to  the  “N”
(NEUTRAL) position while driving. A se-
rious  accident  could  occur  since  you
could accidentally move the selector lever
into the “P” (PARK) or “R” (REVERSE)
position or you will lose engine braking.
l On  a  gradient  the  engine  should  be  star-
ted in the “P” (PARK) position, not in the
“N” (NEUTRAL) position.WARNINGl Always keep your right foot on the brake
pedal  when  the  vehicle  is  in  “N”  (NEU-
TRAL)  position,  or  when  shifting  into  or
out of “N” (NEUTRAL) position, to mini-
mize the risk of loss of control.
“D” DRIVE
This  position  is  for  normal  driving.  The  transmis-
sion  automatically  selects  a  suitable  gear  for  your
speed and acceleration.
CAUTIONl Never  shift  into  the  “D”  (DRIVE)  posi-
tion  from  the  “R”  (REVERSE)  position
while  the  vehicle  is  in  motion  to  avoid
transmission damage.
“2” SECOND
This  position  is  for  extra  power  when  driving  up
moderately  steep  hills,  and  for  engine  braking
when descending moderately steep gradients.
“L” LOW
This  position  is  for  driving  up  very  steep  hills  and
for  engine  braking  at  low  speeds  when  descending
steep gradients.
WARNINGl This  position  can  be  used  for  maximum
engine braking.
Be  very  careful  not  to  shift  into  “L”
(LOW)  position  suddenly.  Sudden  engine
braking  may  cause  the  tyres  to  skid.  To
avoid erroneous operation, move the selec-
tor  lever  firmly  into  each  position  and
briefly hold it there.
Select  this  position  according  to  the  road
conditions and vehicle speed.
NOTE
l The 
A/T  has  a  control  function  that  prevents
over-revving. As a result, it may not perform
a shift when the selector lever is moved from
the  “D”  (DRIVE)  position  to  the  “2”  (SEC-
OND)  position  or  from  the  “2”  (SECOND)
position to the “L” (LOW) position.
Overdrive control switch E00604000089
The overdrive control switch can be used while the
selector lever is in the “D” (DRIVE) position.
During normal driving
Press the overdrive control switch to turn the over-
drive function on. The transmission will shift auto-
matically among the 1 st
, 2 nd
, 3 rd
, and 4 th
 gears, ena-
bling fuel-efficient, economical driving.
Starting and driving
4-17
4      

When the automatic transmission makes no speed
change E00604800478
If  the  transmission  does  not  change  speeds  while
driving,  or  your  vehicle  does  not  pick  up  enough
speed  when  starting  on  an  uphill  slope,  it  may  be
that  there  is  something  unusual  happening  in  the
transmission,  causing  a  safety  device  to  activate.
We  recommend  you  to  have  your  checked  as  soon
as possible.
NOTE l When  the  selector  lever  position  indicator  in
the  instrument  panel  blinks,  it  means  that
there  is  an  abnormal  condition  in  the  trans-
mission. Refer to  “When the selector lever po-
sition indicator blinks” on page 4-18.Automatic transmission Sports
Mode 5A/T E00603200576
NOTE l During  running-in  period  or  immediately  af-
ter  reconnection  of  the  battery  cable,  there
may be a case where gear shifts are not made
smoothly. This does not indicate a faulty trans-
mission.
Gear shifts will become smooth after the trans-
mission has been shifted several times by the
electronic control system.Selector lever operation E00603300867
The transmission has 5 forward gears and 1 reverse
gear.
The individual gears are selected automatically, de-
pending  on  the  position  of  the  gear  selector  lever,
the  speed  of  the  vehicle  and  the  position  of  the  ac-
celerator pedal.
The  selector  lever  has  2  gates;  the  main  gate  (1)
and the manual gate (2).
NOTE
l For  information  on  manual  gate  operation,
please refer to “Sports mode” on page 4-22.
In the main gate, selector lever has 4 positions, and
is equipped with a lock button (A) to avoid inadver-
tent selection of the wrong gear.The lock button must be pushed to move the
selector lever.The lock button need not be pushed to move
the selector lever.
Starting and driving
4-20
4      

CAUTIONlOperating the accelerator pedal while the
other  foot  is  resting  on  the  brake  pedal
will  affect  braking  efficiency  and  may
cause premature wear of brake pads.
l Use  the  selector  lever  in  the  correct  shift
position in accordance with driving condi-
tions.
Never  coast  downhill  backward  with  the
driving  shift  position  {“D”  (DRIVE)  or
sports  mode}  or  coast  forward  with  the
“R” (REVERSE) position.
The  engine  stops  and  the  brake  pedal  ef-
fort or the steering wheel handling weight
increasing could lead to an accident.
l Do  not  race  the  engine  with  brake  pedal
pressed when the vehicle is stationary.
This can damage the automatic transmis-
sion.Passing acceleration E00604500329
To  gain  extra  acceleration  in  “D”  (DRIVE)  posi-
tion, push the accelerator to the floor. The automat-
ic transmission will automatically downshift.
NOTE l In  “Sports  mode”,  downshifts  do  not  take
place  when  the  accelerator  is  depressed  all
the way to the floor.
Waiting E00604600304
For short waiting periods, such as at traffic signals,
the  vehicle  can  be  left  in  gear  and  held  stationary
with the service brake.
For longer waiting periods with the engine running,
place the selector lever in the “N” (NEUTRAL) po-
sition..CAUTIONl Never hold the vehicle stationary on a hill
using  the  accelerator  pedal  (without  us-
ing  the  brake  pedal).  Always  apply  the
parking brake and/or service brakes.
l 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 ve-
hicle,  make  sure  that  the  selector  lever  is
in the “D” (DRIVE) position.Parking E00604700262
To  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.
If you are going to leave the vehicle unattended, al-
ways switch off the engine and remove the ignition
key.
NOTE
l On  a  slope,  be  sure  to  apply  the  parking
brake before moving the selector lever to the
“P” (PARK) position. If you move the selec-
tor  lever  to  the  “P”  (PARK)  position  before
applying  the  parking  brake,  it  may  be  diffi-
cult  to  disengage  the  selector  lever  from  the
“P”  (PARK)  position  when  next  you  drive
the  vehicle,  requiring  application  of  a  strong
force  to  the  selector  lever  to  move  from  the
“P” (PARK) position.When the automatic transmission makes no speed
change E00604800683
If  the  transmission  does  not  change  speeds  while
driving,  or  your  vehicle  does  not  pick  up  enough
speed  when  starting  on  an  uphill  slope,  it  may  be
that  there  is  something  unusual  happening  in  the
transmission,  causing  a  safety  device  to  activate.
We  recommend  you  to  have  your  checked  as  soon
as possible. 1.If  your  vehicle  has  difficulty  moving  uphill,
shift  the  selector  lever  into  2 nd
  gear  of  the
“Sports mode”.
This  method  might  not  work  depending  on
the type of transmission malfunction.
2. Once  the  vehicle  is  moving  on  a  level  road,
move the selector lever back to “D” (DRIVE).
NOTE l When  the  selector  lever  position  indicator  in
the  instrument  panel  blinks,  it  means  that
there  is  an  abnormal  condition  in  the  trans-
mission. Refer to  “When the selector lever po-
sition indicator blinks” on page 4-18.
Starting and driving
4-24
4   

“ASC OFF” switch
The  Active  Stability  Control  function  is  automati-
cally activated when the ignition switch is turned to
the  “ON”  position.  You  can  deactivate  the  system
by pressing the “ASC OFF” switch when the vehi-
cle speed is below about 40 km/h  (25 mph). To re-
activate the Active Stability Control function, press
the “ASC OFF” switch again. It is strongly recom-
mended  that  the  Active  Stability  Control  function
normally be kept activated.Type 1Type 2
NOTE
l If  the  vehicle  speed  increases  to  about
120  km/h  (74  mph)  with  the  Active  Stability
Control function deactivated, the Active Sta-
bility Control function automatically starts op-
erating. To subsequently stop the Active Sta-
bility  Control  function,  stop  the  vehicle  and
press the “ASC OFF” switch again.
Active Traction Control function E00617000025
On  slippery  surfaces,  active  traction  control  func-
tion prevents the drive wheels from excessive spin-
ning, thus helping the vehicle to start moving from
a  stop.  It  also  provides  sufficient  driving  force  and
steering performance as the vehicle turns at acceler-
ated speeds.CAUTIONl When driving a vehicle on a snowy or icy
road,  be  sure  to  install  snow  tyres  and
drive the vehicle at moderate speeds.ASTC indication lamp, ASTC OFF in-
dication lamp E00617100071
The  Active  Stability  Control  function  and  active
traction  control  function  share  the  same  indication
lamp.
The indication lamps should illuminate when the ig-
nition  switch  is  turned  to  the  “ON”  position  and
should go off after a few seconds.
If the indication lamps stay on or do not illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” po-
sition, we recommend you to have your vehicle in-
spected as soon as possible.
 indication lamp blinks when the Active Stabili-
ty  Control  function  or  active  traction  control  func-
tion is operating.
  indication  lamp  is  illuminated  when  the  Active
Stability Control function is OFF.CAUTIONl When   indication  lamp  blinks,  Active
Stability  Control  function  or  active  trac-
tion  control  function  is  operating,  which
means  that  the  road  is  slippery  or  that
your  vehicle’s  wheels  are  slipping  exces-
sively.  If  this  happens,  drive  slower  with
less accelerator input.
l If an abnormal condition occurs in the sys-
tem while driving, the 
 indication lamp
will illuminate.
In these cases, follow these procedures:
Starting and driving
4-47
4        

Additional precautions for vehicles equipped with
an automatic transmission
It  is  recommended  the  “2”  (SECOND)  position
(4A/T ) or 2nd
 gear in sports mode ( 5A/T) on slopes
or  at  low  speed.  Use  the  “L”  (LOW)  position
(4A/T )  or  1st
  gear  in  sports  mode  ( 5A/T)  in  moun-
tainous  areas  in  order  to  make  better  use  of  engine
braking  and  to  assist  the  brake  system.  However,
be  sure  that  the  speed  does  not  exceed  the  maxi-
mum speed limit for the selected gear.
Starting and driving
4-55
4 

CAUTIONlNormally,  use  the  “”
  (outside)  posi-
tion to keep the windscreen and side win-
dows  clear  and  quickly  remove  fog  or
frost from the windscreen.
If high cooling performance is desired, or
if the outside air is dusty or otherwise con-
taminated,  use  the  “
”   (recirculation)
position.  Set  the  air  selection  lever  to  the
“
”  (outside) position periodically to in-
crease  ventilation  so  that  the  windows  do
not become fogged up.
l Use  of  the  “
”
  (recirculation)  position
for extended time may cause the windows
to fog up.
Air conditioning switch* E00701500781
Push  the  switch,  and  the  air  conditioning  compres-
sor  will  turn  on.  The  air  conditioning  indication
lamp (A) will come on.
Push the switch again and the air conditioning com-
pressor will stop and the indication lamp goes off.
CAUTIONl When  using  the  air  conditioning,  the
idling  speed  may  slightly  increase  as  the
air  conditioning  compressor  is  switched
on/off  automatically.  While  the  vehicle
with  an  A/T  is  stationary,  fully  depress
the  brake  pedal  to  prevent  the  vehicle
from creeping.Operating the air conditioning system E00701800247
Heating
Set  the  mode  selection  dial  to  the  “
”   position
and set the air selection lever to the “” (outside)
position.
Turn the temperature control dial clockwise or anti-
clockwise to the desired temperature. Select the de-
sired blower speed.
NOTE
l For  maximum  heat,  set  the  blower  speed  at
the 3 rd
 position.
For pleasant driving
5-05
5     LHD RHD    LHD RHD  

Cooling (vehicles with air conditioning)E00701900424
1.Set the mode selection dial to the “” posi-
tion.
2. Set  the  air  selection  lever  to  the  “
”  (out-
side) position.
3. Push the air conditioning switch (B).
4. Change  the  temperature  by  turning  the  con-
trol dial clockwise or anticlockwise.
5. Select the desired blower speed.
CAUTIONl If the outside air is dusty or otherwise con-
taminated, or if high cooling performance
is  desired,  set  air  selection  lever  to  the
“
”  (recirculation) position and the tem-
perature control dial all the way to the left.
Set to the “
”  (outside) position period-
ically  to  increase  ventilation  so  that  the
windows do not become fogged up.
Combination of unheated air and heated air E00702000451
Select  the  mode  selection  dial  to  the  position
shown in the illustration and set the air selection lev-
er to the “
” (outside) position.
The air flow will be directed to the leg area and the
upper  part  of  the  passenger  compartment.  Select
the desired blower speed.
Warm  air  flows  to  the  leg  area  and  unheated  or
slightly warm air (depending upon temperature set-
ting) flows to the upper part of the passenger com-
partment.
Demisting of the windscreen and door windows E00702100579CAUTIONlFor  safety,  make  sure  you  have  a  clear
view through all the windows.
To  remove  frost  or  mist  from  the  windscreen  and
door  windows,  use  the  mode  selection  dial  (“”
or “”).
For pleasant driving
5-06
5LHD RHD       LHD RHD     

lRecirculated air {Indication lamp (A) is ON}
Air  is  recirculated  inside  the  passenger  com-
partment.CAUTIONl Normally, use the outside position to keep
the  windscreen  and  side  windows  clear
and  quickly  remove  fog  or  frost  from  the
windscreen.
If high cooling performance is desired, or
if the outside air is dusty or otherwise con-
taminated  use  the  recirculation  position.
Switch to the outside position periodically
to  increase  ventilation  so  that  the  win-
dows do not become fogged up.
l Use of the recirculation position for exten-
ded time may cause the windows to fog up.Air conditioning switch E00703501128
Push  the  switch,  and  the  air  conditioning  compres-
sor  will  turn  on.  The  air  conditioning  indication
lamp (A) will come on.
Push the switch again, and the air conditioning com-
pressor will stop and the indication lamp goes off.
CAUTIONl When  using  the  air  conditioning,  the
idling  speed  may  slightly  increase  as  the
air  conditioning  compressor  is  switched
on/off  automatically.  While  the  vehicle
with  an  A/T  is  stationary,  fully  depress
the  brake  pedal  to  prevent  the  vehicle
from creeping.Operating the system in automatic
mode E00704100919
In  normal  conditions,  use  the  system  in  the  AUTO
mode and follow these procedures: 1.Set the blower speed selection dial to the “AU-
TO” position.
2. Select  the  temperature  control  dial  to  the  de-
sired  temperature.  The  temperature  can  be
set within a range of 17 to 27 (Type 1) or 20
to 30 (Type 2). The temperature will gradual-
ly increase as the dial is turned to the right.
3. Set  the  mode  selection  dial  to  the  “AUTO”
position.
4. Push  the  air  conditioning  switch  to  operate
the  air  conditioning.  When  the  air  condition-
ing operates, the indication lamp (A) in the di-
al will come on.
The  outlet  port  (except  “
” )  and  blower  speed,
and  ON/OFF  of  air  conditioning  will  be  controlled
automatically.
For pleasant driving
5-10
5