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
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Inspection and maintenance
following rough road operation E00606700048
After operating the
vehicle in rough road condi-
tions, be sure to perform the following inspection
and maintenance procedures:
l Check that the vehicle has not been damaged
by rocks, gravel, etc.
l Carefully wash the vehicle with water.
After washing, drive the vehicle slowly
while lightly depressing the brake pedal in or-
der to dry out the brakes. If the brakes still
do not function properly, we recommend you
to have the brakes checked as soon as possible
l Remove the insects, dried grass, etc. clog-
ging the radiator core.
l After crossing a stream, be sure to have the
following items inspected at a MITSUBISHI
MOTORS Authorized Service Point and take
the necessary measures.
• Check the brake system and, if necessary,have it serviced.
• Check the engine, transmission, transfer, and differential oil or grease level and tur-
bidity. If the oil or grease is milky, it indi-
cates water contamination. Replace it
with new oil or grease.
• Grease the propeller shaft.
• Check the inside of the vehicle. If ingress of water is found, dry the carpet etc.
• Inspect the headlamps. If the headlamp bulb is flooded with water, we recom-
mend you to have it drained. Cautions on handling of 4-wheel
drive vehicles E00606800401
Tyres and wheels
Since the driving
torque can be applied to the 4
wheels, the performance of the vehicle when oper-
ating in 4-wheel drive is greatly affected by the con-
dition of the tyres.
Pay close attention to the tyres.
l Install specified tyres on all wheels. Refer to
“Tyres and wheels” on page 9-12.
l Be sure to fit all 4 tyres and wheels of the
same size and type.
When replacement of any of the tyres or
wheels is necessary, replace all of them.
l All tyres should be rotated whenever the
wear difference between the front and rear
tyres is recognizable.
Good vehicle performance cannot be expected if
there is a difference in wear between tyres. Refer to
“Tyre rotation” on page 8-14. l Check the tyre inflation pressure regularly.
l If the tyre inflation pressure is inappropriate,
the transfer gear may make some noise and
shock while changing the drive mode. CAUTION
l
Always use tyres
of the same size, same
type, and same brand, and which have no
wear differences. Using tyres which differ
in size, type, brand or the degree of wear
will cause excessive loading, resulting in
possible damage to the drive system.
Towing
If towing is
necessary, we recommend you to have
it done by your MITSUBISHI MOTORS Author-
ized Service Point or a commercial tow truck service.
In the following cases, transport the vehicle using a
tow truck.
l The engine runs but the vehicle does not
move or abnormal noise is produced.
l Inspection of the vehicle’s underside reveals
that oil or some other fluid is leaking.
Only when you cannot receive a towing service
from a MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized Serv-
ice Point or commercial tow truck service, tow
your vehicle carefully in accordance with the in-
structions given in “Towing” on page 6-15. Starting and driving
4-35 4
OBKE12E1
Using the jack handle, turn the release valve
anticlockwise slowly to lower the vehicle un-
til the tyre touches the ground.
WARNING
l Be sure
to open the release valve slowly.
If it is opened quickly, the vehicle will
drop abruptly and the jack may come out
of position, causing a serious accident.
11. Tighten the nuts crisscross in 2 or 3 steps un-
til each nut has been tightened securely.
Tightening torque
105 to 125 Nm
(Achieved by
applying
a force of 390 to
460 N at the end of the wheel nut wrench
supplied with the vehicle.) CAUTION
l
Never use
your
foot or a pipe extension
for extra force in the wheel nut wrench.
If you do so, you will tighten the nut too
much.
12. Lower the jack all the way and remove it. CAUTION
l
If the
release
valve is loosened too much
(2 or more turns) in the anticlockwise di-
rection, the jack’s oil will leak and the
jack cannot be used. CAUTION
l
Close the release
valve slowly when lower-
ing the vehicle, or the valve may be dam-
aged.
NOTE l Occasionally
when the
vehicle is jacked up,
the grooved portion of the designated point
will not come off. When this happens, rock
the vehicle to lower the ram.
l If the jack is difficult to remove by hand, in-
sert the jack handle (L) into the bracket (M).
Then using the handle, remove the jack. 13. Press the piston down all the way, and turn
the release valve clockwise as far as possible.
14. Check
your tyre inflation pressure at the next
gasstation. The correct pressures are shown
on the door label. See the illustration. For emergencies
6-14
6
OBKE12E1
CAUTION
l
After
changing
the tyre and driving the ve-
hicle about 1,000 km (620 miles), retight-
en the wheel nuts to make sure that they
have not come loose.
l If the steering wheel vibrates when driv-
ing after changing the tyre, we recom-
mend you to have the tyres checked for
balance.
l Do not mix one type of tyre with another
or use a different size from the one listed.
This would cause early wear and poor han-
dling.
To store the flat tyre or spare tyre E00803400192
1. Attach the wheel to the spare wheel hanger
(A) while
aligning the holes in the wheel
with the bolts on the spare wheel hanger.
Using the wheel nut wrench, tighten the
spare wheel bolts firmly.
Tightening torque
37 to 54 Nm (Achieved by applying a force of 140 to
200 N
at the end of the wheel nut wrench sup-
plied with the vehicle.) 2. Reverse the opening procedure when closing
the spare wheel garnish.
Tightening torque
for spare wheel garnish
mounting bolt
11 to 25 Nm
(Achieved by applying a force of 40 to 92 N
at the end of the wheel nut wrench supplied
with the vehicle.) CAUTION
l
The spare
wheel
should always be se-
cured during vehicle operation. If a flat
tyre is changed, put the flat tyre in the
spare wheel mounting position, and use
the wheel nut wrench to secure it firmly.
NOTE l Have
your damaged
tyre repaired as soon as
possible. Towing
E00801503552
If your vehicle needs to be towed
If towing
is
necessary, we recommend you to have
it done by your MITSUBISHI MOTORS Author-
ized Service Point or a commercial tow truck service.
In the following cases, transport the vehicle using a
tow truck.
l The engine runs but the vehicle does not
move or abnormal noise is produced.
l Inspection of the vehicle’s underside reveals
that oil or some other fluid is leaking.
If a wheel gets stuck in a ditch, do not try to tow
the vehicle. Please contact your authorized
MITSUBISHI MOTORS dealer or a commercial
tow truck service for assistance.
Only when you cannot receive a towing service
from a MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized Serv-
ice Point or commercial tow truck service, tow
your vehicle carefully in accordance with the in-
structions given in “Emergency towing” in this part.
For emergencies
6-15 6
OBKE12E1