
Sports mode
E00603901176
Whether the vehicle
is stationary or in motion,
sports mode is selected by gently pushing the selec-
tor lever from the “D” (DRIVE) position into the
manual gate (A). To return to “D” range operation,
gently push the selector lever back into the main
gate (B).
In sports mode, gear shifts can be made rapidly sim-
ply by moving the selector lever backward and for-
ward. In contrast to a manual transmission, the
sports mode allows gear shifts with the accelerator
pedal depressed.
SHIFT UP
SHIFT DOWN + (SHIFT UP)
Push the
lever
forward once to shift up one gear.
- (SHIFT DOWN)
Pull the lever backward once to shift down one
gear. CAUTION
l
In sports mode,
the driver must execute
upward shifts in accordance with prevail-
ing road conditions, taking care to keep
the engine speed below the red zone.
l By rapidly moving the selector lever back-
ward (SHIFT DOWN) twice, it is possible
to skip one gear, i.e., 3 rd
to 1 st
, 4 th
to 2 nd
or 5 th
to 3 rd
. Since sudden engine braking
and/or rapid acceleration can cause a loss
of traction, however, downshifts must be
made carefully in accordance with the ve-
hicle’s speed.
NOTE l In
sports mode,
only the 5 forward gears can
be selected. To reverse or park the vehicle,
move the selector lever to the “R” (RE-
VERSE) or “P” (PARK) position as required.
l To maintain good running performance, the
transmission may refuse to perform an up-
shift when the selector lever is moved to the
“+ (SHIFT UP)” position at certain vehicle
speeds. Also, to prevent over-revving of the
engine, the transmission may refuse to per-
form a downshift when the lever is moved to
the “- (SHIFT DOWN)” position at certain
vehicle speeds.
l In sports mode, downward shifts are made au-
tomatically when the vehicle slows down.
When the vehicle stops, the 1 st
gear is auto-
matically selected. l
When
driving
away
on a slippery road, push
the selector lever forward into the
“+ (SHIFT UP)” position. This causes the
transmission to shift into the 2 nd
gear which
is better for smooth driving away on a slip-
pery road. Push the selector lever to the
“- (SHIFT DOWN)” side to shift back to the
1 st
gear.
Sports mode indicator E00612300254
In sports mode, the currently selected position is in-
dicated by the
indicator (A) shown on the instru-
ment panel. NOTE
l When
sports mode
is selected, the “D” indi-
cator goes off. Starting and driving
4-21 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
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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

WARNING
l If the
rear differential lock is used by mis-
take when turning a curve or making a
right or left turn at a crossing or the like:
The vehicle is unable to make a turn and
may go straight ahead. WARNING
l If the rear
differential lock is used by mis-
take except when making an emergency
escape on snow or frozen road: It be-
comes difficult to make a steady turn.
l In the case where the condition of the
road is different for the right tyre to
drive from the left tyre (such as one tyre
on a paved road and the other on ice), di-
rection of the vehicle may change abrupt-
ly when engine braking or accelerating.
Do not use the rear differential lock ex-
cept when making an emergency escape
on a snow or frozen road, but drive with
4WD. 4-wheel drive operation
E00606600627
By selecting 4-wheel
drive, both axles of the vehi-
cle are rigidly connected with each other. This im-
proves the traction characteristics. When turning
sharp corners or moving forward and backward re-
peatedly, however, the drive line is stressed, which
is felt as a braking effect. A 4-wheel drive vehicle
can accelerate more quickly and smoothly.
However, note that the braking distance is not short-
er than that of a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
When using 4-wheel drive on rough roads (snow,
mud, sand, etc.), it is important to operate the vehi-
cle correctly.
NOTE
l The driving posture should be more upright
and closer to the wheel than usual; adjust the
seat to a good position for easy steering and
pedal operation. Be sure to wear the seat belt.
l After driving on rough roads, check each
part of the vehicle and wash it thoroughly
with water. Refer to the “Vehicle care” sec-
tion and “Inspection and maintenance follow-
ing rough road operation” on page 4-35.
Driving on dry paved road and highway
Select the “2H” or “4H” position to drive on the
dry paved road. Especially on dry highway, never
select the “4HLc” or “4LLc” position. Starting and driving
4-32
4
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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

l
Driving over
roads in coastal areas or roads
on which anti-skid preparations have been
spread can cause rust on the vehicle; wash
the vehicle thoroughly as soon as possible af-
ter such use.
Climbing sharp grades
Set the transfer shift lever to the “4LLc” position to
maximize the engine torque. WARNING
l Go
straight
up.
Do not try to traverse
across a steep slope.
l If you begin to lose traction, ease off the
accelerator pedal and gently turn the
steering wheel alternatively left and right
to regain adequate traction again.
NOTE l Choose
as smooth
a slope as possible with
few stones or other obstacles.
l Before attempting to drive up the slope, walk
it up to confirm that the vehicle can handle
the grade.
Descending sharp grades
Set the transfer shift lever to the “4LLc” position,
use the engine brake (downshifting) and descend
slowly. WARNING
l Avoid
snaking
down
a sharp grade. De-
scend the grade as straight as possible. NOTE
l When descending a sharp grade, if the brakes
are
applied suddenly
because of an obstacle
encountered, control of the vehicle could be
lost. Before descending the slope, walk it
down and confirm the path.
l Before descending a grade, it is necessary to
choose the appropriate gear. Avoid changing
gears or depressing the clutch while descend-
ing the grade.
l MITSUBISHI MOTORS is not responsible
to the operator for any damage or injury
caused or liability incurred by improper and
negligent operation of a vehicle. All techni-
ques of vehicle operation described herein de-
pend on the skill and experience of the opera-
tor and other participating parties and any de-
viation from the recommended operation in-
structions above is at their own risk.
Turning sharp corners
When turning a sharp corner in the “4HLc” or
“4LLc” position at low speed, a slight difference in
steering may be experienced similar to as if the
brakes were applied. This is called tight corner brak-
ing and results from each of the 4 tyres being at a
different distance from the corner.
The phenomenon is peculiar to 4-wheel drive vehi-
cles. If this occurs, either straighten the steering
wheel, or change to rear-wheel drive.
Crossing a stream
4-wheel drive vehicles are not necessarily water-
proof. If the electrical circuits become wet, further
operation of the vehicle will be impossible; there-
fore, avoid crossing streams unless absolutely nec-
essary. If crossing a stream is unavoidable, use the
following procedure: 1. Check depths of a stream and geographical
features before
attempting to cross a stream
and ford the stream where the water is as shal-
low as practicable.
2. Cross at a place where the water is less than 70 cm deep.
3. Set the transfer shift lever to the “4LLc” po- sition.
4. Drive slowly at a speed of approximately 5 km/h (3 mph) to avoid splashing too much
water. CAUTION
l
Do not
attempt
to cross a stream at a
place where the water is more than 70 cm
deep.
l Cross a stream temporarily for emergen-
cies and avoid doing so for a long period
of time.
l After crossing a stream, apply the brakes
to be sure they are functioning properly.
If the brakes are wet and not functioning
properly, dry them out by driving slowly
while lightly depressing the brake pedal.
Inspect each part of the vehicle carefully.
NOTE l Because
the inside
of the vehicle is flooded
with water when crossing at a place where
the water is more than 50 cm deep, we recom-
mend you to have your vehicle inspected.
l Frequent crossing of streams can adversely af-
fect the life span of the vehicle; we recom-
mend you to take the necessary measures to
prepare, inspect, and repair the vehicle. Starting and driving
4-34
4
OBKE12E1