
Operation under adverse drivingconditions E00801702140
If your vehicle becomes stuck in sand,
mud or snow
If  the  vehicle  becomes  stuck  in  snow,  sand,  or
mud, it can often be moved with a rocking motion.
Move  the  selector  lever  alternately  between  the
“L”  (LOW)  and  “R”  (REVERSE)  position  (with
manual  transmission,  between  1 st
  and  Reverse),
while applying slight pressure to the accelerator ped-
al.
Avoid racing the engine or spinning the wheels. Pro-
longed  efforts  to  free  a  stuck  vehicle  may  result  in
overheating and transmission failure. Allow the en-
gine  to  idle  for  a  few  minutes  to  let  the  transmis-
sion cool between rocking attempts.
If the vehicle remains stuck after several rocking at-
tempts, seek other assistance.WARNINGl 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  for-
ward or backward, causing injury or dam-
age to nearby people or objects.
On 2WD vehicles, it is recommended to start the ve-
hicle with parking brake partially, but not complete-
ly, applied by slightly pulling the parking brake lev-
er.
After  the  vehicle  has  become  free,  do  not  forget  to
release the parking brake.
NOTE
l Depress the accelerator pedal gradually when
starting the vehicle.
On a flooded road l Avoid  flooded  roads.  Water  could  enter  the
brake  discs,  resulting  in  temporarily  ineffec-
tive brakes. In such cases, lightly depress the
brake pedal to see if the brakes operate prop-
erly.  If  they  do  not,  lightly  depress  the  pedal
several  times  while  driving  in  order  to  dry
the brake pads.
l When driving in rain or on a road with many
puddles  a  layer  of  water  may  form  between
the tyres and the road surface.
This  reduces  a  tyre’s  frictional  resistance  on
the road, resulting in loss of steering stability
and braking capability.
 
To cope with this, observe the following items: (a)Drive your vehicle at slow speed. (b)Do  not  drive  on  worn  tyres.  Always
maintain  the  specified  tyre  inflation
pressures.
On a snow-covered or frozen road
l When  driving  on  a  snow-covered  or  frozen
road,  it  is  recommended  that  you  use  snow
tyres or tyre chains.
Refer to the “Snow tyres” and “Tyre chains”
sections.
l Avoid  high-speed  operation,  sudden  acceler-
ation, abrupt brake application and sharp cor-
nering.
l Depressing  the  brake  pedal  during  travel  on
snowy  or  icy  roads  may  cause  tyre  slippage
and  skidding.  When  traction  between  the
tyres and the road is reduced the wheels may
skid  and  the  vehicle  cannot  readily  be
brought  to  a  stop  by  conventional  braking
techniques.  Braking  will  differ,  depending
upon  whether  you  have  anti-lock  brake  sys-
tem  (ABS).  If  you  do  have  ABS,  brake  by
pressing  the  brake  system  pedal  hard,  and
keeping  it  pressed.  If  you  do  not  have  ABS,
pump  the  brake  pedal  with  short  rapid  jabs,
each  time  fully  applying  and  fully  releasing
for greatest effect.
l Allow  extra  distance  between  your  vehicle
and the vehicle in front of you, and avoid sud-
den braking.
l Accumulation  of  ice  on  the  braking  system
can cause the wheels to lock. Pull away from
a  standstill  slowly  after  confirming  safety
around the vehicle.CAUTIONl Do  not  press  the  accelerator  pedal  rapid-
ly.  If  the  wheels  break  free  of  the  ice,  the
vehicle  could  suddenly  start  moving  and
possibly cause an accident.
On a bumpy or rutted road
l Drive  as  slow  as  possible  when  driving  on
bumpy or rutted roads.
For emergencies
6-24
6   

CAUTIONlAfter  washing  the  vehicle,  drive  the  vehi-
cle  slowly  while  lightly  depressing  the
brake  pedal  several  times  in  order  to  dry
out the brakes.
Leaving the brakes wet could result in re-
duced  braking  performance.  Also,  there
is  a  possibility  that  they  could  freeze  up
or become inoperative due to rust, render-
ing the vehicle unable to move.
l When  using  an  automatic  car  wash,  pay
attention to the following items, referring
to  the  operation  manual  or  consulting  a
car wash operator. If the following proce-
dure is not followed, it could result in dam-
age to your vehicle. • The outside mirrors are retracted.
• If your vehicle is equipped with the pil-
lar antenna, it can be retracted.
• If  your  vehicle  is  equipped  with  the
roof antenna, it can be removed.
During cold weather
Salt  and  other  chemicals  spread  on  the  roads  in
some  areas  in  winter  can  have  a  harmful  effect  on
the vehicle body. You should therefore wash the ve-
hicle  as  often  as  possible  in  accordance  with  our
care-instructions. It is recommended to have a pres-
ervative  applied  and  the  underfloor  protection
checked before and after the cold weather season.
After  washing  your  vehicle,  wipe  off  all  water-
drops from the rubber parts around the doors to pre-
vent the doors from freezing.
NOTE
l To  prevent  freezing  of  the  weatherstripping
on the doors, bonnet, etc., they should be trea-
ted with silicone spray.Waxing E00901000687
Waxing the vehicle will help prevent the adherence
of dust and road chemicals to the paintwork. Apply
a wax solution after washing the vehicle, or at least
once every three months to assist displacing of water.
Do  not  wax  your  vehicle  in  direct  sunlight.  You
should wax after the surfaces have cooled.
CAUTIONl Waxes  containing  high  abrasive  com-
pounds should not be used. Such waxes re-
move  rust  and  stains  effectively  from  the
paintwork but they are harmful to the lus-
tre  on  the  painted  surface  and  the  plated
surface.
Further, they are harmful to glossy surfa-
ces such as grille, garnish, mouldings, etc.
l Do  not  use  petrol  or  paint  thinners  to  re-
move  road  tar  or  other  contamination  to
the vehicle surface.
l Do  not  apply  wax  on  the  areas  having
black  mat  coating  as  it  can  cause  uneven
discolouration,  patches,  blurs,  etc.  If
stained  with  wax,  immediately  wipe  off
with a piece of soft cloth and warm water.CAUTIONl On  vehicles  with  a  sunroof,  be  careful
when waxing the area around the sunroof
opening, not to put any wax on the weath-
erstrip  (black  rubber).  If  stained  with
wax,  the  weatherstrip  cannot  maintain  a
weatherproof seal with the sunroof.Polishing E00901100011
The  vehicle  should  only  be  polished  if  the  paint-
work has become stained or lost its lustre. Matt-fin-
ish parts and plastic bumpers must not be polished,
polishing  these  parts  will  stain  them  or  damage
their finish.
Damaged paint E00901200155
Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat should
be  touched  up  as  soon  as  possible  with
MITSUBISHI touch-up paint to prevent corrosion.
Check body areas facing the road or the tyres care-
fully  for  damage  to  the  paint  coat  caused  by  flying
stones, etc. The paint code number for your vehicle
can be found on the vehicle information code plate.
(Refer to “Vehicle labeling” on page 9-02.)
Cleaning plastic parts E00901300446
Use a sponge or chamois leather.
If  a  car  wax  adheres  on  a  grey  or  black  rough  sur-
face of the bumper, moulding or lamps, the surface
becomes  white.  In  such  a  case,  wipe  it  off  using
lukewarm water and soft cloth or chamois leather.
Vehicle care
7-04
7    

CAUTIONlDo  not  use  a  scrubbing  brush  or  other
hard tools as they may damage the plastic
part surface.
l Do not use wax containing compound (pol-
ishing  powder)  which  may  damage  the
plastic part surface.
l Do not bring the plastic parts into contact
with  petrol,  light  oil,  brake  fluids,  engine
oils,  greases,  paint  thinners,  and  sulphu-
ric  acid  (battery  electrolyte)  which  may
crack, stain or discolour the plastic parts.
If  they  touch  the  plastic  parts,  wipe  them
off  with  soft  cloth,  chamois  or  the  like
and an aqueous solution of neutral deter-
gent  then  immediately  rinse  the  affected
parts with water.Chrome parts E00901400014
In  order  to  prevent  spots  and  corrosion  of  chrome
parts, wash with water, dry thoroughly, and apply a
special  protective  coating.  This  should  be  done
more frequently in winter.
Aluminium wheels* E00901500116
1.Remove dirt using a sponge while sprinkling
water on the vehicle.
2. Use  neutral  detergent  on  any  dirt  that  cannot
be removed easily with water.
Rinse  off  the  neutral  detergent  after  washing
the vehicle.
3. Dry  the  vehicle  thoroughly  using  a  chamois
leather or a soft cloth.
CAUTIONl Do  not  use  a  brush  or  other  hard  imple-
ment on the wheels.
Doing so could scratch the wheels.
l Do  not  use  any  cleaner  that  contains  an
abrasive  substance  or  is  acidic  or  alka-
line.  Doing  so  could  cause  the  coating  on
the  wheels  to  peel  or  become  discoloured
or stained.
l Do  not  directly  apply  hot  water  using  a
steam cleaner or by any other means.
l Contact  with  seawater  and  road  deicer
can  cause  corrosion.  Rinse  off  such  sub-
stances as soon as possible.Window glass E00901600058
The  window  glass  can  normally  be  cleaned  using
only a sponge and water.
Glass  cleaner  can  be  used  to  remove  oil,  grease,
dead insects, etc. After washing the glass, wipe dry
with  a  clean,  dry,  soft  cloth.  Never  use  the  same
cloth to wipe the window glass as would be used to
wipe  the  paintwork;  wax  from  the  painted  surfaces
could adhere to the glass and reduce its transparen-
cy and visibility.
NOTE l To  clean  the  inside  of  the  rear  window,  al-
ways  use  a  soft  cloth  and  wipe  the  window
glass along the demister heater element so as
not to cause damage.
Wiper blades E00901700017
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 wipe proper-
ly. (Refer to page “Wiper blades” on page 8-17.)Cleaning the sunroof* E00901800180
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 wa-
ter.
NOTE l The  surface  treatment  on  the  inside  of  the
glass may be removed if hard cloth or organ-
ic solvent (benzine, kerosene, thinner, etc.) is
used.
Engine compartment E00902100265
Clean the engine compartment at the beginning and
end  of  winter.  Pay  particular  attention  to  flanges,
crevices and peripheral parts where dust containing
road chemicals and other corrosive materials might
collect.
If salt and other chemicals are used on the roads in
your area, clean the engine compartment at least ev-
ery three months.
Never  spray  or  splash  water  on  the  electrical  com-
ponents  in  the  engine  compartment,  as  this  may
cause damage.
Do not bring the nearby parts, the plastic parts and
so on into contact with sulphuric acid (battery elec-
trolyte) which may crack, stain or discolour them.
Vehicle care
7-05
7   

7.Remove dipstick and read the automatic trans-
mission fluid level.
The fluid level should always be between the
two marks on the dipstick.WARNINGl Do  not  spill  the  fluid  onto  a  hot  exhaust
manifold  during  topping  up  or  inspec-
tion, or a fire may occur.
Fluid type
Use  only  “DIA  QUEEN  ATF  SP  III”  transmission
fluid to ensure optimum transmission performance.
Washer fluid E01000700672
The windscreen washer fluid reservoir is in the en-
gine compartment.
Check  the  washer  fluid  level  at  regular  intervals
and add washer fluid to reservoir if necessary.
NOTE
l The  washer  fluid  container  serves  the  wind-
screen and headlamps (if so equipped).
During cold weather
To  ensure  proper  operation  of  the  washers  at  low
temperatures,  use  a  fluid  containing  an  anti-freez-
ing agent.
Brake fluid E01000900687
To check the fluid level
Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir.
The brake fluid level must be between the “MAX”
and “MIN” marks on the reservoir.
The brake fluid level is monitored by a float. When
the  brake  fluid  level  falls  below  the  “MIN”  mark,
the brake fluid warning lamp lights up.
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 sys-
tem.
If this occurs, we recommend you to have the vehi-
cle checked.
Fluid type
Use  brake  fluid  conforming  to  DOT3  or  DOT4.
The brake fluid is hygroscopic. Too much moisture
in the brake fluid will adversely affect the brake sys-
tem, reducing the brake performance.
Maintenance
8-07
8   

4
4-wheel drive operation  4-38A
Accessory (Installation)  04
Accessory socket  5-38
Active Stability & Traction Control (ASTC)  4-46
Additional equipment  8-19
Air conditioning Automatic air conditioning  5-08
Important operation tips for the air condition-
ing  5-12
Manual air conditioning  5-03
Air purifier  5-12
Airbag  2-27
Antenna  5-34
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)  4-43 Warning lamp  4-44
Armrest (Double cab)  2-07
Ashtray  5-36
Audio Audio system anti-theft feature  5-32
Error codes  5-30
Handling of compact discs  5-32
LW/MW/FM electronic tuning radio with CD
player  5-13
Steering wheel remote control switch  5-28
Automatic air conditioning  5-08
Automatic transmission 4A/T  4-16 Fluid  8-06,9-21
Overdrive control switch  4-17
Selector lever operation  4-16,4-20
Selector lever position  4-17
Selector lever position indicator  4-16
Automatic transmission Sports Mode 5A/T  4-20 Fluid  8-06,9-21
Selector lever operation  4-20
Selector lever position indicator  4-21
Selector lever positions  4-21
Sports mode  4-22
Sports mode indicator  4-22
B
Battery  8-09Discharged battery (Emergency starting)  6-02
Specification  9-16
Bleeding the fuel system  6-05
Bonnet  8-03
Bottle holder  5-45
Brake Anti-lock brake  4-43
Braking  4-42
Fluid  8-07,9-21
Parking brake  4-07
Parking brake lever stroke  8-16
Pedal free play  8-16
Warning lamp  3-08
C
Cargo loads  4-52
Catalytic converter  8-02
Cautions on handling of 4-wheel drive vehi-
cles  4-40
Central door locks  1-07
Centre console downlight  5-41 Bulb capacity  8-24
Replacement  8-34
Centre information display  3-10
Changing a fuse  8-22
Changing gears  4-14
Check engine warning lamp  3-08
Child restraint  2-13
Child-protection rear doors  1-08
Cigarette lighter  5-37
Cleaning Exterior of your vehicle  7-03
Genuine leather  7-02
Interior of your vehicle  7-02
Plastic, vinyl leather, etc  7-02
Sunroof  7-05
Waxing  7-04
Clock  3-19,5-39
Clutch Fluid  8-08,9-21
Pedal free play  8-15
Coat hook  5-46
Combination headlamps and dipper switch  3-30
Convenient hook  5-46
Coolant (engine)  8-05,9-21
Cruise control  4-48 Switch  4-49
Cup holder  5-44
Curtain airbag system  2-35
D
Demister (rear window)  3-40
Differential oil  9-21
Digital clock  3-19,5-39
Dimensions  9-03
Dipper (High/Low beam change)  3-31
Door courtesy lamps  5-41 Replacement  8-33
Doors Central door locks  1-07
Child-protection  1-08
Lock and unlock  1-06
Driving, alcohol and drugs  4-02
E
Easy select 4WD  4-25
Alphabetical index
1