
Starting
E00601600811
Tips for starting l Do not
operate
the starter motor continuous-
ly longer than 10 seconds; doing so could
run down the battery. If the engine does not
start, turn the ignition key back to “LOCK”
position, wait a few seconds, and then try
again. Trying repeatedly with the starter mo-
tor still turning will damage the starter mech-
anism. WARNING
l Never
run
the
engine in a closed or poor-
ly ventilated area any longer than is nee-
ded to move your vehicle in or out of the
area. Carbon monoxide gases are odour-
less and can be fatal. CAUTION
l
Never attempt to
start the engine by push-
ing or pulling the vehicle.
l Do not run the engine at high rpm or
drive the vehicle at high speed until the en-
gine has had a chance to warm up.
l Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine starts to avoid damaging the starter
motor.
l If your vehicle is equipped with a turbo-
charger, do not stop the engine immedi-
ately after high-speed or uphill driving.
First allow the engine to idle to give the
turbocharger a chance to cool down. Starting the engine (petrol-powered ve-
hicles)
E00601701994
The starting procedure is as follows:
1. Insert the ignition
key and fasten the seat belt.
2. Make sure the parking brake is applied.
3. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
4. Fully depress the clutch pedal (M/T).
5. On vehicles with M/T, place the gearshift lev- er in the “N” (Neutral) position.
On vehicles with A/T, make sure the selector
lever is in the “P” (PARK) position.
Vehicles with M/T Vehicles with A/T 6. After turning the ignition key to the “ON” po-
sition, make
certain that all warning lamps
are functioning properly before starting the
engine.
7. Turn the ignition key to the “START” posi- tion without depressing the accelerator pedal,
and release it when the engine starts. NOTE
l A
ticking noise
may be heard after starting
the engine. This is not an abnormal condi-
tion. The noise will disappear after a short
time of engine running.
If the ticking noise continues after the engine
is warmed up, we recommend you to have
your vehicle checked.
Using the MIVEC engine
The MIVEC engine automatically switches its in-
take-valve control between a low-speed mode and
a high-speed mode in accordance with driving con-
ditions for maximum engine performance.
NOTE l To protect the engine, the high-speed mode
may not be selected while the engine coolant
temperature is low. In such a case, the engine
revolutions do not rise to over 5,000 rpm
even if the accelerator pedal is depressed.
Starting the engine (diesel-powered ve-
hicles) E00601800086
1. Insert the ignition key and fasten the seat belt.
2. Make sure the parking brake is applied.
3.
Depress and hold the brake pedal.
4. Fully depress the clutch pedal (M/T).
5. On vehicles with M/T, place the gearshift lev- er in the “N” (Neutral) position. Starting and driving
4-14
4
OBKE12E1

On vehicles with A/T, make sure
the selector
lever is in the “P” (PARK) position.
Vehicles with M/T Vehicles with A/T6. Turn the ignition key to the “ON” position.
The diesel preheat
indication lamp will first
illuminate, and then after a short time go out,
indicating that preheating is completed.
NOTE l If the engine is cold, the diesel preheat indi-
cation lamp is on for a longer time.
l When the engine has not been started within
about 5 seconds after the diesel preheat indi-
cation lamp went out, return the ignition key
to the “LOCK” position. Then, turn the key
to the “ON” position to preheat the engine
again.
l When the engine is warm, the diesel preheat
indication lamp does not come on even if the
ignition key is placed in the “ON” position.
Start the engine by turning the ignition key
right to the “START” position. 7. Turn the ignition key to the “START” posi-
tion without depressing the accelerator pedal,
and release it when the engine starts.
Fuel injection amount learning proc-
ess (diesel-powered vehicles) E00616000044
To keep
exhaust emissions and engine noise low,
the engine very
occasionally performs a learning
process for the fuel injection amount.
The engine sounds slightly different from usual
while the learning process is taking place. The
change in the engine sound does not indicate a fault. Diesel particulate filter (DPF)*
E00619800027
The diesel particulate
filter (DPF) is a device that
captures most of the particulate matter (PM) in the
exhaust emissions of the diesel engine. The DPF au-
tomatically burns away trapped PM during vehicle
operation. Under certain driving conditions, howev-
er, the DPF is not able to burn away all of the trap-
ped PM and, as a result, an excessive amount of
PM accumulates inside it. WARNING
l The DPF reaches very high temperatures.
Do not
park
your vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as dry grass
or leaves can come in contact with a hot
exhaust system since a fire could occur. CAUTION
l
Do not use
any type of fuel or engine oil
that is not specified for your vehicle. Al-
so, do not use any moisture-removing
agent or other fuel additive. Such substan-
ces could have a detrimental effect on the
DPF.
Refer to “Fuel selection” on page 02 and
“Engine oil” on page 8-04.
NOTE l To
minimize the
likelihood of excessive ac-
cumulation of PM, try to avoid driving for
long periods at low speeds and repeatedly
driving short distances. Starting and driving
4-15 4
OBKE12E1

DPF warning lamp
The DPF
warning
lamp comes on or flashes in the
event of an abnormality in the DPF system. Provi-
ded the DPF system is working normally, the DPF
warning lamp comes on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position and goes off a few sec-
onds later. If the DPF warning lamp comes on dur-
ing vehicle operation
Steady illumination
of
the DPF warning lamp
shows that the DPF has not been able to burn away
all of the trapped PM and that, as a result, an exces-
sive amount of PM has accumulated inside it. To en-
able the DPF to burn away the PM, try to drive the
vehicle as follows:
l With the needle of the water temperature
gauge stabilized in roughly the middle of the
scale, drive for about 20 minutes at a speed
of at least 40 km/h (24 mph).
If the DPF warning lamp subsequently stays on, con-
tact your MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized Serv-
ice Point. CAUTION
l
You do not
have to continuously drive ex-
actly as indicated above. Always strive to
drive safely in accordance with road con-
ditions.
If the DPF warning lamp flashes dur-
ing vehicle operation
Flashing of the
DPF warning lamp indicates an ab-
normality in the DPF system. Have the system in-
spected at a MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized
Service Point. CAUTION
l
Continuing to
drive
with the DPF warn-
ing lamp flashing could result in engine
trouble and DPF damage. Manual transmission
E00602000072
The shift pattern
is shown on the gearshift lever
knob. Be sure to always fully depress the clutch ped-
al before attempting to shift the lever. CAUTION
l
Do not move
the gearshift lever into re-
verse while the vehicle is moving for-
ward; doing so will damage the transmis-
sion.
l Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal
while driving as this will cause premature
clutch wear or damage. Starting and driving
4-16
4
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When a malfunction occurs in the A/T
E00615100035
When the “N” indication lamp blinks E00615200023
When the “N” indication lamp (A) blinks with the
“D” (DRIVE) position
or “Sports mode” being se-
lected, the A/T may be malfunctioning. CAUTION
l
If the “N”
indication lamp blinks while
driving in the “D” (DRIVE) position or
“Sports Mode”, the A/T safety device
may be operating due to a malfunction.
We recommend you to have your vehicle
inspected as soon as possible. When the A/T fluid temperature warning lamp
comes on
E00615300109
When the A/T
fluid temperature warning lamp
comes automatic transmission fluid temperature be-
comes abnormally high. Normally the warning
lamp comes on when the ignition switch is turned
to the “ON” position, and then will go out after a
few seconds. CAUTION
l
If the lamp
comes on, reduce the engine
speed and stop the vehicle in a safe area.
Then set the selector lever to “P” (PARK)
position and idle the engine until the warn-
ing lamp goes off. When the warning
lamp goes off, resume normal driving. If
the warning lamp does not go off, we rec-
ommend you to have your vehicle inspec-
ted. Operation of the A/T
E00604200560 CAUTION
l
Before selecting
a
gear with the engine
running and the vehicle stationary, fully
depress the brake pedal to prevent the ve-
hicle from creeping.
The vehicle will begin to move as soon as
the gear is engaged, especially when the
engine speed is high, at fast idle or with
the air conditioning operating, the brakes
should only be released when you are
ready to drive away.
l Depress the brake pedal with the right
foot at all times.
Using the left foot could cause driver move-
ment delay in case of an emergency.
l Operating 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 To prevent sudden acceleration, never
race the engine when shifting from the
“P” (PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
l Use the selector lever in the correct shift
position in accordance with driving condi-
tions.
Never coast downhill backward with the
selector lever in the “D” (DRIVE) or
sports mode position or coast forward
with the selector lever in the “R” (RE-
VERSE) position.
The engine may stop and the unexpected
increase in brake pedal effort and steer-
ing wheel weight could lead to an accident. Starting and driving
4-22
4
OBKE12E1

CAUTION
l
Do not race the engine with brake pedal
pressed when the vehicle is stationary.
This can damage the A/T.
Also, when you depress the accelerator
pedal while holding down the brake ped-
al with the selector lever in the “P”
(PARK), “N” (NEUTRAL) or “D”
(DRIVE) position, the increase in engine
revolutions may be limited.
Passing acceleration E00604500156
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.
Uphill/downhill driving E00610500089
DRIVING UPHILL
The transmission
may
not upshift to a higher gear
if the computer determines the current speed can-
not be maintained once a higher gear is engaged.
For smoother vehicle performance, if you release
the throttle while climbing a steep grade, the trans-
mission may not upshift. This is normal, as the com-
puter is temporarily preventing shifting. After reach-
ing the top of the hill, normal gear shift function
will resume. DRIVING DOWNHILL
When travelling down
steep grades, the computer
may automatically select a lower gear. This func-
tion assists engine braking efforts, reducing the
need for using the service brakes.
Waiting E00604600245
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 and apply the parking brake, while holding
the vehicle stationary with the service brake. CAUTION
l
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.
Parking E00604700161
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 A/T makes no speed change E00604800348
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 vehicle 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 transmission malfunction.
2. Once the vehicle is moving on a level road, move the selector lever back to “D” (DRIVE). Starting and driving
4-23 4
OBKE12E1

NOTE
l The
2WD/4WD operation
indication lamp
blinks while the selection is in process. Take
the following precautions when the indica-
tion lamp is blinking. • Keep the steering wheel in the straightahead position while making range selec-
tions. If you attempt to drive forward
with the steering wheel turned, gear rat-
tling may occur and the desired range
may not actually be selected.
• If the front wheel and/or centre differen- tial lock lamps continue blinking after a
“2H” ↔ “4H” ↔ “4HLc” selection has
been made with the vehicle moving, hold
the steering wheel in the straight ahead po-
sition and slowly depress the accelerator
pedal several times.
• If, after a “4HLc” ↔ “4LLc” selection has been made, the front and rear wheel
lamps continue blinking and the desired
range is not actually selected, return the
transfer shift lever to its previous posi-
tion. Place the steering wheel in the
straight ahead position, drive the vehicle
forward, and release the accelerator ped-
al. Next, hold down the clutch pedal
(with M/T) or place the selector lever in
the “N” (NEUTRAL) position (with A/T)
and make the range selection again. l
If
the
front and rear wheel lamps blink rapid-
ly (twice per second) when you attempt to
make a “4HLc” ↔ “4LLc” selection, the se-
lection cannot be made. Stop the vehicle and
release the accelerator pedal. Next, hold
down the clutch pedal (with M/T) or place
the selector lever in the “N” (NEUTRAL) po-
sition (with A/T) and make the range selec-
tion again. CAUTION
l
If a
problem
is detected in the transfer sys-
tem, a safety device will activate. The
front and rear wheel lamps will go out,
the centre differential lock lamp will
blink, and transfer shifting will become
impossible. Park your vehicle in a safe
place, turn off the engine for a few mo-
ments. Restart the engine.
The lamps should resume normal opera-
tion. If the lamps continue to blink, we rec-
ommend you to have the vehicle checked
as soon as possible. Starting and driving
4-28
4
OBKE12E1

The operation state of
rear differential lock 2WD/4WD operation
indication lamp
Rear differential lock deactivated
Switching in progress
Rear differential lock ac-
tivated : Blink
: Illuminate (steady)
: Remain off NOTE
l The indication lamp blinks while the rear dif-
ferential
lock is
being switched between its
activated and deactivated conditions. When
the switching operation is complete, the indi-
cation lamp is either illuminated steadily or
not illuminated.
l The active stability & traction control
(ASTC) and anti-lock brake system (ABS)
functions are suspended while the rear differ-
ential lock is activated. ASTC indication
lamp, Active Stability Control function OFF
indication lamp, ABS warning lamp and
brake warning lamp are illuminated while
these functions are suspended. It does not in-
dicate a problem. When the rear differential
lock is disengaged, these lamps go out and
function again.
Refer to “Brake warning lamp” on page 3-09,
“ABS warning lamp” on page 4-40, “ASTC
indication lamp” on page 4-42, “Active sta-
bility control function OFF indication lamp”
on page 4-43.
l If the indication lamp continues blinking af-
ter the switch has been pressed to deactivate
the rear differential lock, hold the steering
wheel in the straight ahead position then slow-
ly depress and release the accelerator pedal
several times.
l If the indication lamp continues blinking af-
ter the switch has been pressed to activate
the rear differential lock, bear in mind the fol-
lowing instructions:
• If the vehicle speed is 12 km/h (7 mph)or higher, decelerate to a speed of 6 km/h
(4 mph) or lower. The switching opera-
tion will be completed and the indication
lamp will illuminate steadily. • If the vehicle speed is 12 km/h (7 mph)
or lower,
turn the steering wheel from
side to side until the indication lamp illu-
minates steadily. If the vehicle is stuck in
soft ground, make sure the area around
the vehicle is clear then repeatedly at-
tempt to drive forward and backward.
The switching operation will be comple-
ted and the indication lamp will illumi-
nate steadily. CAUTION
l
If a
problem
is detected in the rear differ-
ential lock system, a safety device will ac-
tivate. The centre differential lock lamp,
front and rear wheel lamps will go out,
the rear differential lock indication lamp
will blink, and the rear differential lock
will deactivate. Park your vehicle in a
safe place, turn off the engine for a few
moments. Restart the engine.
It is safe to continue driving if the lamps
resume normal operation. If the rear dif-
ferential lock indication lamp blinks
when the rear differential lock is reactiva-
ted, we recommend you to have the vehi-
cle checked as soon as possible. Starting and driving
4-30
4
OBKE12E1

CAUTION
l
Selecting the “4HLc” or “4LLc” position
to drive on dry paved road will increase
the fuel consumption with possible noise
generation and early tyre wear.
It may also increase the differential oil
temperature, resulting in possible dam-
age to the driving system.
Further, the drive train will be subjected
to excessive loading, possibly leading to
oil leakage, component seizure, or other
serious faults.
Driving on snowy or icy roads
Set the transfer
shift lever to the “4H” or “4HLc”
position in accordance with the road conditions,
and then gradually depress the accelerator pedal for
a smooth start.
NOTE
l The use of snow tyres and/or tyre chains is
recommended.
l In order to ensure that the anti-lock brake sys-
tem (ABS) will operate correctly in situa-
tions where tyre chains have been fitted,
drive in the “4H”, “4HLc” or “4LLc” position.
l Maintain a safe distance between vehicles,
avoid sudden braking, and use engine brak-
ing (downshifting). CAUTION
l
Avoid sudden braking,
sudden accelera-
tion, and sharp turning; such operations
could cause skidding and spinouts. Driving on sandy or muddy roads
Set the
transfer
shift lever to the “4HLc” or “4LLc”
position and then gradually depress the accelerator
pedal for a smooth start. Keep the pressure on the
accelerator pedal as constant as possible, and drive
at low speed. CAUTION
l
Do not
force
the vehicle or drive reckless-
ly on sandy surfaces. In comparison with
normal road surfaces, the engine and oth-
er drive-system components are put un-
der excessive strain when driving on such
a surface, and this could lead to accidents.
l If any of following conditions occur while
the vehicle is being driven, immediately
park your vehicle in a safe place and fol-
low these procedures:
• The needle in the temperature gaugeapproaches the overheating zone.
Refer to “Engine overheating” on
page 6-04.
• A/T fluid temperature warning lamp illuminates.
Refer to “When the A/T fluid temper-
ature warning lamp comes on” on
page 4-22. WARNING
l 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.
NOTE l Avoid
sudden braking,
acceleration, and turn-
ing; such operations could result in the vehi-
cle becoming stuck.
l If the vehicle becomes stuck in sandy or mud-
dy roads, it can often be moved with a rock-
ing motion. Move the selector lever rhythmi-
cally between the “D” (DRIVE) and “R” (RE-
VERSE) position (with M/T, between 1 st
and
Reverse), while applying slight pressure to
the accelerator pedal.
l It is recommended to start the vehicle with
parking brake partially, but not completely,
applied by slightly pulling the parking brake
lever.
After the vehicle has become free, do not for-
get to release the parking brake.
l If it is necessary to drive in extremely muddy
conditions, the use of tyre chains is recom-
mended. Because the extent of muddy condi-
tions is difficult to judge and the vehicle
could become bogged down very deeply, op-
eration should be at a low speed. If possible,
get out of the vehicle and check the condi-
tions ahead before proceeding. Starting and driving
4-33 4
OBKE12E1