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Driving your vehicle
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Automatic transaxle operation
The automatic transaxle has 4 forward
speeds and one reverse speed. The indi-
vidual speeds are selected automatically,
depending on the position of the shift
lever.
To move the shift lever from the P (Park)
position, the brake pedal must be
depressed and the lock release button
must be pressed.
✽NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, if
the battery has been disconnected, may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and the shifting sequence will
adjust after shifts are cycled a few times
by the TCM (Transaxle Control
Module) or PCM (Powertrain Control
Module).
For smooth operation, depress the brake
pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to a
forward or reverse gear.
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Transaxle ranges
The indicator light in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position when
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
WARNING- Automatic
transaxle
• Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting a shift lever into D (Drive)
or R (Reverse).
• Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the engine off. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order iden-
tified.
CAUTION
• To avoid damage to your
transaxle, do not accelerate the
engine in R (Reverse) or any for-
ward gear position with the
brakes on.
• When stopped on an upgrade, do
not hold the vehicle with engine
power. Use the service brake or
the parking brake.
• Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P
(Park) into D (Drive), or R
(Reverse) when the engine is
above idle speed.
Driving your vehicle
16 5
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Disc brakes wear indicator
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and new
pads are required, you will hear a high-
pitched warning sound from your front
brakes or rear brakes (if equipped). You
may hear this sound come and go or it
may occur whenever you depress the
brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving con-
ditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when you first apply (or lightly
apply) the brakes. This is normal and
does not indicate a problem with your
brakes.
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Rear drum brakes (if equipped)
Your rear drum brakes do not have wear
indicators. Therefore, have the rear
brake linings inspected if you hear a rub-
bing noise. Also have your rear brakes
inspected each time you change or
rotate your tires and when you have the
front brakes replaced.
Parking brake
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Applying the parking brake
To engage the parking brake, first apply
the foot brake and then without pressing
the release button in, pull the parking
brake lever up as far as possible. In addi-
tion it is recommended that when parking
the vehicle on a gradient, the shift lever
should be positioned in the appropriate
low gear for manual transaxle vehicles or
in the P (Park) position for automatic
transaxle vehicles.
WARNING- Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs service.
If you ignore this audible warning,
you will eventually lose braking
performance, which could lead to a
serious accident.
CAUTION
• To avoid costly brake repairs, do
not continue to drive with worn
brake pads.
• Always replace the front or rear
brake pads as pairs.
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause excessive brake
pad (or lining) and brake rotor wear.
OPB059006/H
