2011 MITSUBISHI LANCER sports mode

Features and controls
3-97
3
Selector lever operation
N00513800342
As an additional safety precaution, models equipped with a
continuously variable transmission have a shift-lock device
that holds the selector lever in the “P” (PARK) position. To
move the selector lever from the “P” (PARK) position to
another position, follow the steps below.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the selector lever to the desired position.NOTE
The selector lever cannot be moved from “P” (PARK) to
another position if the ignition switch is at the “LOCK” or
“ACC” position, or the key has been removed, or if the
brake pedal is not pressed and held down.
Except for vehicles with sports modeThe CVT has 2 forward selector positions and 1 reverse selec-
tor position.
The CVT selects an optimum ratio automatically when the
selector lever is in the “D” (DRIVE) or “L” (LOW) position,
depending on the speed of the vehicle and the position of the
accelerator pedal.
The selector lever has 5 positions.
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Features and controls
3-99
3
Vehicles with sports modeThe CVT has 2 forward selector positions and 1 reverse selec-
tor position.
The CVT selects an optimum ratio automatically when the
selector lever is in the “D” (DRIVE) position, depending on the
speed of the vehicle and the position of the accelerator pedal.
The selector lever (A) has 2 gates; the main gate (B) and the
manual gate (C).NOTE
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4 positions.

For information on manual gate operation, please refer to
“Sports mode” on page 3-104.
With the brake pedal depressed, set the selector lever in
the gate to operate.
Set the selector lever in the gate to operate.WA R N I N G
!
Always depress the brake pedal when shifting the
selector lever into a selector position from the “P”
(PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
When beginning to drive, do not shift the selector
lever from the “P” (PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL)
position while depressing the accelerator pedal.
Doing so is dangerous because the vehicle will
“jump” forward or backward.
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3-104 Features and controls
3
“D” DRIVEThis position is used for most city and highway driving. Engine
shifting and braking are done automatically as needed, depend-
ing on road conditions.“L” LOW (except for vehicles with sports mode)This position is for driving up very steep hills and for engine
braking at low speeds when driving down steep hills.NOTE
For information on manual gate operation, please refer to
“Sports mode” on page 3-104.
Sports mode
(if so equipped)
N00514400404
Whether the vehicle is stationary or in motion, sports mode is
selected by pushing the selector lever from the “D” (DRIVE)
position into the manual gate (1). To return to “D” (DRIVE)
operation, push the selector lever back into the main gate (2).
In sports mode, rapid shifting is possible simply by operating
the selector lever or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter.
Unlike the manual transaxle, sports mode allows shifting with
the accelerator pedal depressed.NOTE
For vehicles equipped with the sportronic steering wheel
paddle shifter, sports mode can be operated even when the
selector lever is in the main gate (2).
To return to “D” (DRIVE) operation, pull the sportronic
steering wheel paddle shifter on the + (UP) side for longer
than 2 seconds, or park the vehicle to change the selector
lever position indicator to “D” (DRIVE) and return to “D”
(DRIVE) operation.
CAUTION
!
Never shift into the “D” (DRIVE) position from the
“R” (REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in
motion. Transmission damage will result.
WA R N I N G
!
This position can be used for maximum engine
braking.
Be very careful not to shift into “L” (LOW) sud-
denly. Sudden engine braking may cause the tires to
skid.
Select this position according to the road conditions
and vehicle speed.
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Features and controls
3-105
3
NOTE
Shift ranges can only be selected in a forward direction
from 1st to 6th. To reverse or park the vehicle, move the
selector lever to the “R” or “P” position.

To maintain good running performance, the transmission
may refuse to perform an upshift when the selector lever
or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter is moved to the
“+ (SHIFT UP)” position at certain vehicle speeds. Also,
to prevent over-revving of the engine, the transmission
may refuse to perform a downshift when the shift lever or
sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter is moved to the “-
(SHIFT DOWN)” position at certain vehicle speeds.
When this happens, a buzzer sounds to indicate that a
downshift is not going to take place.

Move the selector lever gently between the manual and
main gates and between positions in the manual gate. And
do not operate sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter
violently. Excessive force could damage the selector lever
or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter.
+ (SHIFT UP)
Transmission shifts up once by each operation.
- (SHIFT DOWN)
Transmission shifts down once by each operation.
CAUTION
!
Upward shifts do not take place automatically in
sports mode. The driver must make upward shifts in
accordance with prevailing road conditions, making
sure the engine rpm remains below the red zone on
the tachometer.
SHIFT UP
SHIFT
DOWN
SHIFT
UP SHIFT
DOWN

By rapidly moving the selector lever or sportronic
steering wheel paddle shifter to the “- (SHIFT
DOWN)” side twice, it is possible to skip one shift
range (i.e., 3rd to 1st or 4th to 2nd). Since sudden
engine braking or acceleration can cause a loss of
traction, downshifts must be made carefully in
accordance with the vehicle’s speed.
On vehicles with a sportronic steering wheel paddle
shifter, shift ranges may not change when the lateral
paddle shifters are operated at the same time.
CAUTION
!
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3-106 Features and controls
3
Sports mode display
N00538800154
In sports mode, the currently selected shift range is displayed
on the information screen in the multi-information display.NOTE
While driving in sports mode, the sports mode display
may change to show “D” and shifting in sports mode may
no longer be possible.
This indicates that controls to drive in the “D” position are
operating normally in order to lower the temperature of
the continuously variable transmission (CVT) fluid; it
does not indicate a malfunction. Once the temperature of
the continuously variable transmission (CVT) fluid drops,
shifting in the sports mode will be possible again.
Operation of the CVT
N00514500287
CAUTION
!
Before selecting a position with the engine running
and the vehicle stationary, fully depress the brake
pedal to prevent the vehicle from creeping.
Do not release the brakes until you are ready to
drive away. The vehicle will begin to move as soon as
the CVT is engaged, especially when the engine
speed is high (fast idle or air conditioning on).
Depress the brake pedal with the right foot.
Using the left foot could cause driver movement
delay in case of an emergency.
To prevent sudden acceleration, never run the
engine at high rpms when shifting from the “P”
(PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Operating the accelerator pedal while the other foot
is resting on the brake pedal will affect braking effi-
ciency and may cause premature wear of brake
pads.
Use the selector lever in the correct shift position in
accordance with driving conditions.
Never coast downhill backward in the driving shift
position { “D” (DRIVE), “L” (LOW) or sports
mode} or coast forward in the “R” (REVERSE)
position.
Engine stopping and increased brake pedal and
steering effort could lead to an accident.
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Features and controls
3-107
3
Passing acceleration
N00514900063
To gain extra acceleration in “D” (DRIVE) position (when
passing another vehicle) push the accelerator to the floor if it is
safe to do so in traffic conditions. The CVT will automatically
downshift.NOTE
In sports mode, downshifts do not take place when the
accelerator is depressed all the way to the floor.Waiting
N00515000074
For short waiting periods, such as at traffic lights, the vehicle
can be left in selector lever position 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.

Do not rev the engine with the brake pedal pressed
when the vehicle is stationary.
This can damage the CVT.
Also, when you depress the accelerator pedal while
holding down the brake pedal with the selector lever
in the “D” (DRIVE) position, the engine revolutions
may not rise as high as when performing the same
operation with the selector lever in the “N” (NEU-
TRAL) position.
CAUTION
!
CAUTION
!
To avoid transmission 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).
Before driving off from a stop, make sure that the
selector lever is in “D” (DRIVE) position or “Sports
mode” position.
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3-108 Features and controls
3
Parking
N00515100062
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, always switch
off the engine and carry the key.NOTE
On a slope, be sure to apply the parking brake before
moving the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position. If
you move the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position
before applying the parking brake, it may be difficult 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 CVT makes no speed change
N00515300194
If the CVT does not shift while driving, or your vehicle does
not pick up enough speed when starting on an uphill slope,
there may be something unusual happening in the transmission,
causing a safety device to activate. Have your vehicle checked
at an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice as soon as possible.
1. If your vehicle has difficulty moving uphill, shift the
selector lever into “L” (LOW) position (except for vehi-
cles with sport mode) or 2nd shift range 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) position.NOTE
When the warning display or the warning display
appears on the information screen in the multi-informa-
tion display, there could be a malfunction in the CVT.
Refer to “Continuously variable transmission (CVT):
Warning display” on page 3-102.
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Alphabetical index
2Parking brake 3-78
Parking brake lever stroke 7-39
Pedal 3-136
Pedal free play 7-38
Power brakes 3-137
Service brake 3-136
Break-in recommendations 3-3
Bulb capacity 7-56
C
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements 1-10
Capacities 9-11
Card holder 3-276
Cargo loads 4-12
Catalytic converter 7-3
Certification label 9-5
Charging system warning light 3-217
Chassis number 9-3
Child restraint 2-24
Child safety locks for rear door 3-59
Cleaning
Inside of your vehicle 7-90
Outside of your vehicle 7-92
Clutch
Fluid 7-21
,9-11
Pedal free play 7-38
Coat hooks 3-291
Combination headlights and dimmer switch 3-221
Coming home light 3-228Consumer information 8-2
Continuously variable transmission (CVT) 3-97
Fluid 7-18
,9-11
Selector lever operation 3-98
Sports mode 3-105
Coolant (engine) 7-12
,9-11
Cruise control 3-150
Indicator 3-152
Cup holder 3-289
D
Daytime running lights
Bulb capacity 7-56
Replacement 7-64
Defogger (rear window) 3-241
Defrosting or defogging (windshield, door windows)
5-20
,5-29
,5-39
,5-49
Dimensions 9-6
Dimmer (high/low beam change) 3-226
Disc brake pads 7-43
Dome light
Bulb capacity 7-59
Replacement 7-87
Switch 3-282
Dome light/Reading lights
Bulb capacity 7-59
Replacement 7-86
Switch 3-280
Doors
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