
Features of your vehicle
76
4
D210000AEN
D210200AAM-EU
Room lamp
The light will turn on and off as follw if the
switch is moved.
: The light stays on at all times.
: The light stays off at all times. : The light comes on when any
door is opened regardless of
the ignition switch position.
When doors are unlocked by
the transmitter or the key is
removed from the ignition
switch, the light comes on for
approximately 30 seconds as
long as any door is not opened.
The light goes out gradually
after approximately 30 seconds
if the door is closed.
However, if the ignition switch
is ON or all doors are locked,
the light will turn off immediate-
ly. If a door is opened with the
ignition switch in the ACC or
LOCK position, the light stays
on for about 20 minutes.
However, if a door is opened
with the ignition switch in the
ON position, the light stays on
continuously.
INTERIOR LIGHTS
CAUTION
Do not use the interior lights for extended periods when the engineis not running.
It may cause battery discharge.
OXM049132
WARNING
Do not use the interior lights when
driving in the dark. Accidents could
happen because the view may be
obscured by interior lights.

Features of your vehicle
86
4
✽
✽
NOTICE
• When using the air conditioning sys-
tem, monitor the temperature gauge
closely while driving up hills or in
heavy traffic when outside tempera-
tures are high. Air conditioning sys-
tem operation may cause engine over-
heating. Continue to use the blower
fan but turn the air conditioning sys-
tem off if the temperature gauge indi-
cates engine overheating.
• When opening the windows in humid weather air conditioning may create
water droplets inside the vehicle.
Since excessive water droplets may
cause damage to electrical equipment,
air conditioning should only be used
with the windows closed.
Air conditioning system operation tips
If the vehicle has been parked in direct
sunlight during hot weather, open the
windows for a short time to let the hot
air inside the vehicle escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of the windows on rainy or humid days,
decrease the humidity inside the vehi-
cle by operating the air conditioning
system.
During air conditioning system opera- tion, you may occasionally notice a
slight change in engine speed as the
air conditioning compressor cycles.
This is a normal system operation
characteristic.
Use the air conditioning system every month only for a few minutes to ensure
maximum system performance. When using the air conditioning sys-
tem, you may notice clear water drip-
ping (or even puddling) on the ground
under the passenger side of the vehi-
cle. This is a normal system operation
characteristic.
Operating the air conditioning system in the recirculated air position provides
maximum cooling, however, continual
operation in this mode may cause the
air inside the vehicle to become stale.
During cooling operation, you may occasionally notice a misty air flow
because of rapid cooling and humid air
intake. This is a normal system opera-
tion characteristic.

53
Driving your vehicle
E020100AUN
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
E020200AUN
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis, at
the exact interval depending on the fluid.
Further details are provided in section 7,
“Maintenance”.
E020300AHM
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls are
easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.WARNING
Driving while distracted can result in
a loss of vehicle control, that may
lead to an accident, severe personal
injury, and death. The driver’s pri-
mary responsibility is in the safe and
legal operation of a vehicle, and use
of any handheld devices, other
equipment, or vehicle systems which
take the driver’s eyes, attention and
focus away from the safe operation
of a vehicle or which are not permis-
sible by law should never be used
during operation of the vehicle.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgment. Driving
while under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerous
than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.

Driving your vehicle
45
Illuminated ignition switch
(if equipped)
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will illuminate for your con-
venience, provided the ignition switch is
not in the ON position. The light will go off
immediately when the ignition switch is
turned on. It will also go off after about 30
seconds when the door is closed.
Ignition switch position
E030201AUN
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect against
theft (if equipped). The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at the
ACC position and turn the key toward the
LOCK position.
OXM059029NOSL050001
WARNING
When you intend to park or stopthe vehicle with the engine on, be
careful not to depress the accel-
erator pedal for a long period of
time. It may overheat the engine
or exhaust system and ignite a
fire.
When you make a sudden stop or turn the steering wheel rapidly,
loose objects may drop on the
floor and it could interfere with
the operation of the foot pedals,
possibly causing an accident.
Keep all things in the vehicle
safely stored.
If you do not focus on driving, it may cause an accident. Be care-
ful when operating what may dis-
turb driving such as audio or
heater. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always drive safely.
KEY POSITIONS (IF EQUIPPED)

55
Driving your vehicle
E030202AHM
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operative.
✽ ✽NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position, turn
the key while turning the steering wheel
right and left to release the tension.
E030203AUN
ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is the
normal running position after the engine
is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if the
engine is not running to prevent batterydischarge.
E030204APB
START
Turn the ignition switch to the START
position to start the engine. The engine
will crank until you release the key; then
it returns to the ON position. The brake
warning light can be checked in this posi-
tion.
E030205AHM
WARNING - Ignition
switch
Never turn the ignition switch to LOCK or ACC while the vehicle is
moving. This would result in loss
of directional control and braking
function, which could cause an
accident.
The anti-theft steering column lock is not a substitute for the parking
brake. Before leaving the driver’s
seat, always make sure the shift
lever is engaged in 1st gear for the
manual transaxle or P (Park) for
automatic transaxle, set the park-
ing brake fully and shut the engine
off. Unexpected and sudden vehi-
cle movement may occur if these
precautions are not taken.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Never reach for the ignition switch,or any other controls through the
steering wheel while the vehicle is
in motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in this area could
cause a loss of vehicle control, an
accident and serious bodily injury
or death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver’s seat as they
may move while driving, interfere
with the driver and lead to an acci-
dent.

57
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ENGINE START/STOP
button
Whenever the front door is opened, the
ENGINE START/STOP button will illumi-
nate for your convenience. The light will
go off after about 30 seconds when the
door is closed. It will also go off immedi-
ately when the theft-alarm system is
armed.
ENGINE START/STOP button
position
OFF
• With automatic transaxle
To turn off the engine (START/RUN posi-
tion) or vehicle power (ON position),
press the ENGINE START/STOP button
with the shift lever in the P (Park) posi-
tion. When you press the ENGINE
START/STOP button without the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, the
ENGINE START/STOP button will not
change to the OFF position but to the
ACC position.
ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON (IF EQUIPPED)
Not illuminated
CAUTION
You are able to turn off the engine(START/RUN) or vehicle power(ON), only when the vehicle is not in motion. In an emergency situationwhile the vehicle is in motion, youare able to turn the engine off and to the ACC position by pressing theENGINE START/STOP button for more than 2 seconds or 3 timessuccessively within 3 seconds. If the vehicle is still moving, you canrestart the engine without depress-ing the brake pedal by pressing theENGINE START/STOP button with the shift lever in the N (Neutral)position.
OSL050004

Driving your vehicle
85
ACC(Accessory)
• With automatic transaxle
Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
while it is in the OFF position without
depressing the brake pedal.
If the ENGINE START/STOP button is in
the ACC position for more than 1 hour,
the button is turned off automatically to
prevent battery discharge.
ON
• With automatic transaxle
Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
while it is in the ACC position without
depressing the brake pedal.
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. Do not leave
the ENGINE START/STOP button in the
ON position for a long time. The battery
may discharge, because the engine is
not running.
START/RUN
• With automatic transaxle
To start the engine, depress the brake
pedal and press the ENGINE START/
STOP button with the shift lever in the P
(Park) or the N (Neutral) position. For
your safety, start the engine with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
If you press the ENGINE START/STOP
button without depressing the brake
pedal for automatic transaxle vehicles,
the engine will not start and the ENGINE
START/STOP button changes as follow:
OFF ➔ ➔
ACC ➔
➔
ON ➔
➔
OFF or ACC
Orange indicatorGreen indicatorNot illuminated

513
Driving your vehicle
During cold weather, shifting may bedifficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and it's hard to shift into 1st or R (Reverse),
put the shift lever in N (Neutral) posi-
tion and release the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R (Reverse) gear position.E050101AUN
Using the clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the way
to the floor before shifting, then released
slowly. The clutch pedal should always be
fully released while driving. Do not rest
your foot on the clutch pedal while driv-
ing. This can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold
the car on an incline. This causes unnec-
essary wear. Use the foot brake or park-
ing brake to hold the car on an incline. Do
not operate the clutch pedal rapidly and
repeatedly.
E050102AUN
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or while driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labor.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you again need to increase your
speed. When the vehicle is traveling
down steep hills, downshifting helps
maintain safe speed and prolongs brake
life.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutchpedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle stopped on an uphill grade, while waiting for atraffic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, as thiscan result in premature wear ofthe transaxle shift forks.
WARNING
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then
make sure the transaxle is shifted
into 1st gear when the vehicle is
parked on a level or uphill grade,
and shifted into R (Reverse) on a
downhill grade. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are not
followed in the order identified.
If your vehicle has a manual transaxle not equipped with a
ignition lock switch, it may move
and cause a serious accident
when starting the engine without
depressing the clutch pedal while
the parking brake is released and
the shift lever not in the N (neu-
tral) position.