Driving your vehicle
10
5
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward. N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or service brakes are applied.
D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 6-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear (or gears, as appro-
priate).
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged if
you shift into P (Park) while thevehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R whilethe vehicle is in motion, except asexplained in “Rocking the vehicle”in this section.
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Driving your vehicle
Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or in
motion, sports mode is selected by push-
ing the shift lever from the D (Drive) posi-
tion into the manual gate. To return to D
(Drive) range operation, push the shift
lever back into the main gate.
In sports mode, moving the shift lever
backwards and forwards will allow you to
make gearshifts rapidly. In contrast to a
manual transaxle, the sports mode
allows gearshifts with the accelerator
pedal depressed.Up (+) : Push the lever forward once to
shift up one gear.
Down (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to shift down one gear.
✽ ✽NOTICE
• In sports mode, the driver must exe-
cute upshifts in accordance with road
conditions, taking care to keep the
engine speed below the red zone.
• In sports mode, only the 6 forward gears can be selected. To reverse or
park the vehicle, move the shift lever
to the R (Reverse) or P (Park) position
as required.
• In sports mode, downshifts are made automatically when the vehicle slows
down. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear
is automatically selected. (Continued)(Continued)
• In sports mode, when the engine rpm
approaches the red zone the transaxle
will upshift automatically.
• If the driver press the lever to +(up) or -(Down) position, the transaxle may
not make the requested gear change if
the next gear is outside of the allow-
able engine rpm range.
• When starting from a stopped posi- tion in slippery conditions, push the
shift lever forward into the +(up) posi-
tion. This causes the transaxle to shift
into the 2nd (or 3rd) gear which will
make it easier to control wheel spin.
Push the shift lever back to the D
(Drive) once the vehicle is moving.
OEN056003
+ (UP)
- (DOWN)
Sports mode
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Driving your vehicle
E060200AEN
Good driving practices
Never move the gear shift lever from P(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other posi-
tion with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Never move the gear shift lever into P (Park) when the vehicle is in motion.
Be sure the car is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into R
(Reverse) or D (Drive).
Never take the car out of gear and coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always leave the
car in gear when moving.
Do not "ride" the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunc-
tion. Instead, when you are driving
down a long hill, slow down and shift to
a lower gear. When you do this, engine
braking will help slow the car.
Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. Otherwise, the lower gear may
not be engaged. Always use the parking brake. Do not
depend on placing the transaxle in P
(Park) to keep the car from moving.
Exercise extreme caution when driving on a slippery surface. Be especially
careful when braking, accelerating or
shifting gears. On a slippery surface,
an abrupt change in vehicle speed can
cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle to go out of control.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the accelera-
tor pedal.
WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision,an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner- ing or turning.
Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp
lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
The risk of rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at highway speeds.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over-
steers to reenter the roadway.
In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead, slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
Never exceed posted speed lim- its.
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Driving your vehicle
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E060203AUN
Moving up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start
To move up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start, depress the brake pedal, shift
the shift lever to D (Drive). Select the
appropriate gear depending on load
weight and steepness of the grade, and
release the parking brake. Depress the
accelerator gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a ten-
dency to roll backwards. Shifting the
shift lever into 2 (Second Gear) will
help prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
E170000AEN-EU
Engine power can be delivered to all front
and rear wheels for maximum traction.
Full-time AWD is useful when extra trac-
tion is required on road, such as, when
driving on slippery, muddy, wet, or snow-
covered roads. These vehicles are not
designed for challenging off-road use.
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle free
by moving it forward and backward.
Do not attempt this procedure if
people or objects are anywhere
near the vehicle. During the rocking
operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or
objects.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
(IF EQUIPPED)
1KMA3053
AWD
1KMA3054
2WD
Front wheel
Front wheel Rear wheel
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Driving your vehicle
Occasional off-road use such as estab-
lished unpaved roads and trails is OK. It
is always important when traveling off-
highway that the driver carefully reduce
speed to a level that does not exceed the
safe operating speed for those condi-
tions. In general, off-road conditions pro-
vide less traction and braking effective-
ness than normal road conditions. The
driver must be especially alert to avoid
driving on slopes which tilt the vehicle to
either side.
These factors must be carefully consid-
ered when driving off-road. Keeping the
vehicle in contact with the driving surface
and under control in these conditions is
always the driver's responsibility for the
safety of him/herself and his or her pas-
sengers.E170201AEN-EU
Tight corner brake effect
This is called tight corner brake effect.
Tight corner brake effect is a unique
characteristic of all wheel drive vehicles
caused by the difference in tire rotation at
the four wheels and the zero-degree
alignment of the front wheels and sus-
pension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be car-
ried out with caution.
WARNING- Off road driv-
ing
This vehicle is designed primarily
for on road use although it can
operate effectively off road.
However it was not designed for
driving in challenging off-road con-
ditions. Driving in conditions that
exceed the vehicle's intended
design or the driver's experience
level may result in severe injury or
death.CAUTION - AW D
When turning sharply on a pavedroad at low speed while in all wheeldrive, steering control will be diffi- cult.
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Driving your vehicle
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Transfer mode Selection button Indicator light Description
This mode is used for climbing or descending sharp grades,
off-road driving, driving on sandy and muddy roads, etc., to
maximize traction.
This mode automatically begins to deactivate at speeds above 19 mph (30 km/h) and is shifted to AWD AUTO mode
at speed above 25 mph (40 km/h). If the vehicle decelerates
to speeds below 19 mph (30 km/h), however, the transfer
mode is shifted into AWD LOCK mode again.
When driving in AWD AUTO mode, the vehicle operates sim- ilar to conventional 2WD vehicles under normal operating
conditions. However, if the system determines that there is a
need for the AWD mode, the engine’s driving power is dis-
tributed to all four wheels automatically without driver inter-
vention.
When driving on normal roads and pavement, the vehicle moves similar to conventional 2WD vehicles.
AW D
LOCK
AWD LOCK
AWD AUTO
(AWD LOCK is deactivated)
(Indicator light isnot illuminated)
(Indicator light is
illuminated)
✽
✽NOTICE
• When driving on normal roads, deactivate the AWD LOCK mode by pushing the AWD LOCK button(the indicator light goes
off). Driving on normal roads with AWD LOCK mode(especially, when cornering) may cause mechanical noise or vibration.
The noise and vibration will disappear when the AWD LOCK mode is deactivated. Some parts of the power train may be dam-
aged by prolonged driving with the noise and vibration.
• When the AWD LOCK mode is deactivated, a shock may be felt as the drive power is delivered entirely to the front wheels. This shock is not a mechanical failure.
E170200AEN-EU
All Wheel Drive (AWD) transfer mode selection
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Driving your vehicle
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For safe all wheel drive operation
Do not try to drive in deep standingwater or mud since such conditions
can stall your engine and clog your
exhaust pipes. Do not drive down
steep hills since it requires extreme
skill to maintain control of the vehicle. When you are driving up or down hills
drive as close to straight up and down
the hill as possible. Use extreme cau-
tion in going up or down steep hills,
since you may flip your vehicle over
depending on the grade, terrain and
water/mud conditions.
WARNING- All wheel driv-
ing
The conditions on-road or off-road
that demand all wheel drive mean
all functions of your vehicle are
more exposed to more extreme
stress than under normal road con-
ditions. Slow down and be ready for
changes in the composition and
traction of the surface under your
tires. If you have any doubt about
the safety of the conditions you are
facing, stop and consider the best
way to proceed. Do not exceed the
ability of yourself or your vehicle to
operate safely.
WARNING- Hills
Driving across the contour of steep
hills can be extremely dangerous.
This danger can come from slight
changes in the wheel angle which
can destabilize the vehicle or, even
if the vehicle is maintaining stabili-
ty under power, it can lose that sta-
bility if the vehicle stops its forward
motion. Your vehicle may roll over
without warning and without time
for you to correct a mistake that
could cause serious injury or
death.
HILL1HILL2
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Driving your vehicle
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You must consciously take the effort to
learn how to corner in an AWD vehicle.
Do not rely on your experience in con-
ventional 2WD vehicles in choosing
safe cornering speed in AWD mode.
For starters, you must drive more slow-
ly in AWD.
Drive carefully off-road because your vehicle may be damaged by rocks or
roots of trees. Become familiar with the
off-road conditions where you are
going to drive before you begin driving.
Always hold the steering wheel firmlywhen you are driving off-road.
Make sure all passengers are wearing seat belts. If you need to drive in water, stop your
vehicle, set your transfer to the AWD
LOCK mode and drive at less than 5
mph (8 km/h).
WARNING- AW D
Reduce speed when you turn cor-
ners. The center of gravity of AWD
vehicles is higher than that of con-
ventional 2WD vehicles, making
them more likely to roll over when
you turn corners too fast.
WARNING- Steering
wheel
Do not grab inside of the steering
wheel when you are driving off-
road. Your arm may be hurt by a
sudden steering maneuver or from
steering wheel rebound due to
impact with objects on the ground.
You could lose control of the steer-
ing wheel.
WARNING- Wind danger
If you are driving in heavy wind, the
vehicle's higher center of gravity
decreases your steering control
capacity and requires you to drive
more slowly.
WARNING- Driving
through water
Drive slowly. If you are driving too
fast in water, the water spray can
get into the engine compartment
and wet the ignition system, caus-
ing your vehicle to suddenly stall. If
this happens and your vehicle is in
a tilted position, your vehicle may
roll over.
Excessive water in the engine can
cause irreversible engine damage,
which is not covered under warranty.
OHM058102
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