Page 551 of 700
5-152 Comfort controls
5
Cross modulationIf one listens to a weak station and is in the vicinity of another
strong station, both stations might be received simultaneously.FM stereo receptionStereo reception requires a high quality broadcast signal. This
means that types of disturbances mentioned previously become
more marked and the reception range is somewhat diminished
during stereo reception.
Causes of disturbancesFM reception is affected by the electrical systems of vehicles in
the vicinity, especially those without an electronic noise sup-
pression device. The disturbance is even greater if the station is
weak or poorly tuned.
FM reception is not as sensitive to electrical disturbances as
AM. AM reception is sensitive to electrical disturbances such
as power lines, lightning and other types of similar electrical
phenomena.
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Page 577 of 700
6-26 For emergencies
6
On a bumpy or rutted roadDrive as slow as possible when driving on bumpy or rut-
ted roads or over potholes etc.
CAUTION
!Driving on bumpy, rutted roads or over potholes can
damage the tires and wheels.
Wheels with low-profiles tires or under-inflated tires
are especially at risk for damage.The vehicle’s body, bumper, muffler and other parts
may be damaged if the vehicle is:
• driven over a step (for example, at the entrance or
exit of a parking lot);
• parked too closely against a curb or parking block,
or by the side of a road with curbstones;
• driven on a steep slope;
BK0119300US.book 26 ページ 2010年5月21日 金曜日 午前10時13分
Page 579 of 700

7-2 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Service precautions
N00937300345
Taking regular care of your vehicle will preserve its value and
appearance as long as possible.
You can do some of the maintenance work yourself, and the
rest should only be performed by an authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
If you discover a malfunction or other problem, have it cor-
rected by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair
facility of your choice.
This section describes the maintenance inspections that you
can do yourself, if you so desire. Follow the instructions and
precautions for each procedure.
Have you purchased the Mitsubishi Motors Diamond Care Pro-
tection Plan? The Plan supplements your new vehicle warran-
ties. See your authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer for details.
WA R N I N G
!When checking or servicing the inside of the engine
compartment, be sure the engine is stopped and has
had a chance to cool down. If you need to work in the engine compartment with
the engine running, be especially careful that your
clothing, hair, etc. does not get caught in the fan,
drive belts, or other moving parts.The fan can turn on automatically even if the engine
is not running. Turn the ignition switch to the
“LOCK” position to be safe while you work in the
engine compartment.Do not smoke or allow open flames around fuel or
the battery. The fumes are flammable.
Be extremely careful when working around the bat-
tery. It contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric
acid. Do not get under your vehicle while it is on a jack.
Always use properly rated automotive jack stands. Handling your vehicle’s parts and materials in the
wrong way can injure you. Ask an authorized Mit-
subishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice if you have questions.
WA R N I N G
!
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-25
7
To check the battery indicator
N00901400068
To see the charge of only one cell, check the indicator (A) on
top of the battery. If the indicator is blue when looking from
above, that cell is okay suggesting the battery is okay. This is
not conclusive and if battery performance is suspect, have the
battery and charging system tested by an authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice. If it is white,
that cell is low on charge and the battery may only need charg-
ing.
When installing the battery upper cover, plastic
nuts, and air duct, do not touch the cooling fan or
other moving parts in the engine compartment. Be
especially careful that the cables, your clothing or
hair, etc., do not get caught in the cooling fan or
other moving parts.
CAUTION
!
Except for vehicles with turbochargerVehicles with turbocharger
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-27
7
tery, especially one with a low charge, will have a hard time
starting your vehicle.
It is recommended that you have your battery and charging sys-
tem checked by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a
repair facility of your choice before the start of cold weather. If
necessary, have it charged. This will guarantee more reliable
starting, and longer battery life.Disconnection and connection
N00901700016
To disconnect the battery cable, stop the engine. Disconnect the
negative (-) terminal first, then the positive (+) terminal. To
reconnect the battery, first connect the positive (+) terminal and
then the negative (-) terminal, before starting the vehicle. NOTEFor vehicles equipped with turbocharger, remove the bat-
tery upper cover before disconnecting the terminal of bat-
tery. Refer to “Removing and installing the battery upper
cover” on page 7-23.Open the terminal cover (A) before disconnecting or con-
necting the positive (+) terminal of the battery.
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-31
7
Temporary spare tires are high pressure compact spares
designed for temporary emergency use only. Tires
designed to this standard have the letter “T” molded
into the sidewall preceding the size designation. Exam-
ple: T145/80D18 103M.
Service DescriptionEXAMPLE: 95H
Maximum LoadMaximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is
designed to carry.
Maximum PressureMaximum Pressure indicates the maximum permissible
cold tire inflation pressure for this tire.Tire Identification Number (TIN)The TIN may be found on one or both sides of the tire but
the date code may only be on one side. Look for the TIN on
the outboard side of tires as mounted on the vehicle. If the
TIN is not found on the outboard side then you will find it
on the inboard side of the tire.
EXAMPLE: DOT MA L9 ABCD 1504
95Load index
A numerical code associated with the maximum
load a tire can carry.
HSpeed symbol
A symbol indicating the range of speeds at which
a tire can carry a load corresponding to its load
index under certain operating conditions.
The maximum speed corresponding to the speed
symbol should only be achieved under specified
operating conditions. (i.e. tire pressure, vehicle
loading, road conditions and posted speed limits)
WA R N I N G
!Overloading of your tire is dangerous. Overload-
ing can cause tire failure, affect vehicle handling,
and increase your stopping distance. Use tires of
the recommended load capacity for your vehicle.
Never overload them.
DOTDepartment of Transportation
This symbol certifies that the tire is in compliance
with the U.S. Department of Transportation tire
safety standards, and is approved for highway
use.
MACode representing the tire manufacturing loca-
tion. (2 digits)
L9
ABCDCode representing the tire size. (2 digits)
Code used by tire manufacturer. (1 to 4 digits)
15Number representing the week in which the tire
was manufactured. (2 digits)
04Number representing the year in which the tire
was manufactured. (2 digits)
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7-32 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Treadwear, Traction and Temperature GradesTr e a d w e a r
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 rel-
ative performance of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions 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 pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Te m p e r a t u r e
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, repre-
senting the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degen-
erate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle 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
N00939300730
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 sill of the driver’s door.
(Refer to “Tire and loading information placard” on page 9-4.)
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-41
7
NOTETo meet government regulations and promote cleaner air,
your vehicle is equipped with an onboard diagnostic sys-
tem (OBD). The engine electronic control module that
controls OBD functions stores various data (especially
about the exhaust emissions). This data will be erased if
the battery cable is disconnected, which could make a
rapid diagnosis difficult. Do not disconnect the battery
cable when the engine malfunction indicator (“SERVICE
ENGINE SOON” or “Check engine light”) is on.
Spark plugs
N00940900215
Spark plugs must fire properly for good engine performance
and emission-control.
Do not reuse them by cleaning or regapping. Change them at
the mileage listed in the “WARRANTY AND MAINTE-
NANCE MANUAL”. NOTEUse the spark plugs listed under “Engine specifications”
on page 9-8 or plugs that are exactly the same. Other
plugs could cause engine damage, performance problems
or radio noise.
BK0119300US.book 41 ページ 2010年5月21日 金曜日 午前10時13分