4-4 Driving safety
4
DefrostersCheck these by selecting the defroster mode, and set the blower
switch on high. You should be able to feel the air blowing
against the windshield.
Refer to “Defrosting or defogging (windshield, door win-
dows)” on page 5-14, 5-23, 5-33, 5-43.TiresCheck all the tires for heavy tread wear or uneven wear pat-
terns. Look for stones, nails, glass, or other objects stuck in the
tread. Look for any tread cuts or sidewall cracks. Check the
wheel nuts for tightness, and the tires (including spare tire) for
proper pressure. Replace your tires before they are heavily
worn out.
As your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system, there is a risk of damage to the tire inflation pressure
sensors when the tire is replaced on the rim. Tire replacement
should, therefore, be performed only by an authorized Mitsub-
ishi Motors dealer.LightsHave someone watch while you turn all the exterior lights on
and off. Also check the turn signal indicators and high-beam
indicators on the instrument panel.Fluid leaksCheck the ground under the vehicle after parking overnight, for
fuel, water, oil, or other leaks. Make sure all the fluid levels are
correct. Also, if you can smell fuel, you need to find out why
immediately and have it fixed.
WA R N I N G
!Always properly position floor mat and assure it
does not interfere with operation of the pedals.Always use retaining clip on the driver’s floorboard
to secure the Mitsubishi genuine floor mat.Always install the mat with the correct side facing
down.Never install a second mat over an existing floor
mat.
BK0122500US.book 4 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
Driving safety
4-9
4
Tire and loading information placard
N00630100325
The tire and loading information placard is located on the
inside sill of the driver’s door.This placard shows the maximum number of occupants permit-
ted to ride in your vehicle as well as “the combined weight of
occupants and cargo” (A), which is called the vehicle capacity
weight. The weight of any non-factory installed options, as
well as the tongue weight of a trailer being towed and roof load
is included in the definition of “cargo” when determining the
vehicle capacity weight. This placard also tells you the size and
recommended inflation pressure for the original equipment
tires on your vehicle. For more information, refer to “Tires” on
page 7-24.
Ty p e 1
BK0122500US.book 9 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
4-20 Driving safety
4
Vehicle preparationBefore you start, check the trailer hitch, safety chains, tires and
mirror adjustment.TireBe 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 7-28.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 you’re a good deal longer, you’ll
need to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle 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.Cause of overheating
Solution
Air conditioning on Turn off
Highway speeds Reduce speed
Going up hills Select lower position
Stop-and-go city traffic With the vehicle stopped, shift
to the “N” (NEUTRAL) posi-
tion and idle the engine at high
idle.
BK0122500US.book 20 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
For emergencies
6-11
6
NOTEThe chocks shown in the illustration do not come with
your vehicle. It is recommended that you purchase chocks
or blocks and keep them in the vehicle for use if needed.
If chocks or blocks are not available, use stones or any
other objects that are large enough to hold the wheel in
position.
6. Get the jack, bar and wheel nut wrench ready.
(Refer to “Jack and tools” on page 6-7.)
Spare tire information
N00849600315
Compact spare tireThe compact spare tire is stowed below the luggage compart-
ment floor. It is designed to save space in the luggage compart-
ment. Its lighter weight makes it easier to use if a flat tire
occurs.
WA R N I N G
!Be sure to apply chocks or blocks to the correct tire
when jacking up the vehicle. If the vehicle moves
while jacked up, the jack could slip out of position,
leading to an accident.
WA R N I N G
!Tires, including spare tire, degrade over time with
age even when they are not being used. It is recom-
mended that tires over 6 years generally be replaced
even if damage is not obvious.
CAUTION
!While the compact spare tire is stowed, the inflation
pressure should be checked at least once a month to
assure that it remains at the recommended inflation
pressure. See the tire and loading information plac-
ard attached to the driver’s door sill. Refer to “Tire
and loading information placard” on page 9-4.Driving with an improperly inflated tire can cause
an accident. If you have no choice but to drive with
an under-inflated tire, keep your speed down and
avoid sudden steering or braking, if possible. Inflate
the tire to the correct pressure as soon as possible.
Refer to “Tire inflation pressures” on page 7-28.
BK0122500US.book 11 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
6-22 For emergencies
6
11. Check the tire inflation pressure. The recommended tire
pressure for your vehicle is listed on the tire and loading
information placard attached to the driver’s door sill as
shown in the illustration. Refer to “Tire inflation pres-
sures” on page 7-28.
To store the flat tire or spare tire, jack, bar and
wheel nut wrench
N00850000090
Store the flat tire in the luggage compartment. Reverse the
removing procedure when storing the spare tire, jack, bar and
wheel nut wrench.
Refer to “Spare tire information: To install” on page 6-14 and
“Jack and tools” on page 6-7.
CAUTION
!Driving with an improperly inflated tire can cause
an accident. If you have no choice but to drive with
an under-inflated tire, keep your speed down and
avoid sudden steering or braking, if possible. Inflate
the tire to the correct pressure as soon as possible.
Refer to “Tire inflation pressures” on page 7-28.After changing the tire and driving the vehicle about
620 miles (1,000 km), retighten the wheel nuts to
make sure that they have not come loose.If the steering wheel vibrates when driving after
changing the tire, have the tire checked for balance
at an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a
repair facility of your choice.Do not mix one type of tire with another or use a dif-
ferent size from the one listed. This would cause
early wear and poor handling.
BK0122500US.book 22 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
7-24 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Tires
N00939200494
It is important to familiarize yourself with the following terms:
Cold tire pressure:
• The measured pressure after the vehicle has been parked
for at least three hours,
or
• The measured pressure when the vehicle is driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km) after having been parked for three
hours.
Maximum pressure: the maximum permissible cold tire
inflation pressure for this tire.
Recommended inflation pressure: the inflation pressure
for optimum tire performance.Intended outboard sidewall:
• The sidewall that contains a whitewall, bears white let-
tering or bears manufacturer, brand, and/or model name
molding that is higher or deeper than the same molding
on the other sidewall of the tire, or
• The outward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical tire that
has a particular side that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Passenger car tire: a tire intended for use on passenger
cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks, that
have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000
pounds or less.
Light truck (LT) tire: a tire designated by its manufacturer
as primarily intended for use on lightweight trucks or mul-
tipurpose passenger vehicles.
Tread: portion of a tire that comes into contact with the
road.
Tread rib: a tread section running circumferentially
around a tire.
Tread separation: pulling away of the tread from the tire
carcass.
Carcass: the tire structure, except tread and sidewall rub-
ber which, when inflated, bears the load.
Sidewall: portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Section width: the linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an inflated tire, excluding elevations due
to labeling, decoration, or protective bands.
Bead: the part of the tire that is made of steel wires,
wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to
fit the rim.
Ply: a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords.
Cord: the strands forming the plies in the tire.
WA R N I N G
!Driving with tires that are worn, damaged or
improperly inflated is dangerous.
These type tire conditions will adversely affect vehi-
cle performance.
These type tire conditions can also cause a tread sep-
aration or blowout which may result in an accident
causing serious injury or death.Tires, including spare tire, degrade over time with
age even when they are not being used.
It is recommended that tires over 6 years generally
be replaced even if damage is not obvious.
BK0122500US.book 24 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
7-26 Vehicle care and maintenance
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. 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 lim-
its)
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.
BK0122500US.book 26 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
7-28 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Tire inflation pressures
N00939300815
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 tire pressure for your vehicle under normal driving condi-
tions is listed on the placard attached to the driver’s door sill.
(Refer to “Tire and loading information placard” on page 9-4.)The recommended inflation pressures under normal driving
conditions should be used for the tires listed below.
Tire pressures should be checked, and adjusted if necessary, at
least once a month.
Pressures should be checked more often whenever weather
temperatures change severely, because tire pressures change
with outdoor temperatures. The pressures listed are always
“cold inflation pressure”.
Cold inflation pressure is measured after the vehicle has been
parked for at least three hours or is driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km) after having been parked for three hours.
Cold inflation pressure must not go above the maximum values
molded into the tire sidewall. After driving several miles, your
tire inflation pressure may increase 2 to 6 psi (14 to 41 kPa)
from the cold inflation pressure. Do not let air out of the tires to
get back to the specified cold pressure, or your tires will be too
low.
Item
Tire size
Front
Rear
Normal tireP215/70R16
P225/55R18240 KPA,
35 PSI240 KPA,
35 PSI
Compact spare
wheelT155/90D16 420 KPA, 60 PSI
BK0122500US.book 28 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分