2012 MITSUBISHI GALANT engine overheat

Quick index
7
Problem
Do this
Ref. page
The engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge indicator is at the
“H” (hot) position.
Steam comes out of the engine
compartment.
The engine is overheated.
Carefully stop the vehicle in a safe place.P. 6 - 5
The vehicle is stuck in sand,
mud, or snow.Move the selector lever rhythmically between “Sports Mode” and “R” (REVERSE) posi-
tions, while pressing lightly on the accelerator pedal.P.6-23
WA R N I N G
!
When attempting to rock your vehicle out of a stuck position, be sure that no one is near the vehicle. The rocking
motion may cause the vehicle to suddenly lurch forward or backward, possibly injuring bystanders.
Avoid revving the engine or spinning the wheels. Prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle may result in overheating
and transaxle failure.
If the vehicle remains stuck after several rocking attempts, have a towing service pull the vehicle out.
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3-42 Features and controls
3
Selector lever position indicator/ “N” indicator
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A- Selector lever position indicator
When the ignition key is turned to the “ON” position, the
indicator in the instrument cluster comes on to show the
position of the selector lever (i.e. “PARK”, “DRIVE”,
“REVERSE”, etc.).
B- “N” indicator
When the “N” indicator blinks while you are driving, there
could be a malfunction in the automatic transaxle. (If the
selector lever position is in the “P” (PARK), “R”
(REVERSE) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position, the indicator
does not blink.)
CAUTION
!
If a malfunction occurs in the automatic transaxle
while driving, the “N” indicator will blink.
In this case, immediately park your vehicle in a safe
place and follow these procedure:
(The “N” indicator warning function does not oper-
ate with the selector lever in the “P” (PARK), “R”
(REVERSE) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.)
[The “N” indicator blinks rapidly (twice per sec-
ond)]
The automatic transaxle fluid is overheating.
Park your vehicle in a safe place but do not turn off
the engine. Move the selector lever to the “P”
(PARK) position and open the engine hood. Keep
the engine idling.
After a while, move the selector lever to the “D”
(DRIVE) position and confirm that the “N” indica-
tor stops blinking. It is safe to continue driving if the
“N” indicator no longer blinks.
If the “N” indicator continues blinking or blinks
intermittently, have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair
facility of your choice.
[The “N” indicator blinks slowly (once per second)]
The automatic transaxle safety device may be oper-
ating due to a malfunction.
Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Mit-
subishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice as soon as possible.
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3-46 Features and controls
3
Passing acceleration
N00514900047
To gain extra acceleration in “D” (DRIVE) position (when
passing another vehicle) push the accelerator to the floor. The
automatic transaxle will automatically downshift.NOTE
In sports mode, downshifts do not take place when the
accelerator is depressed all the way to the floor.Waiting
N00515000058
For short waiting periods, such as at traffic lights, the vehicle
can be left in gear and held stationary with the service brake.
For longer waiting periods with the engine running, the selec-
tor lever should be placed in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position.

Use the selector lever in the correct shift position in
accordance with driving conditions.
Never coast downhill backward in the driving shift
position {“D” (DRIVE) or sports mode} or coast for-
ward in the “R” (REVERSE) position.
Engine stopping and Increased brake pedal and
steering effort could lead to an accident.
CAUTION
!
CAUTION
!
To avoid transaxle overheating, never try to keep
your vehicle stationary on a hill by using the acceler-
ator pedal. Always apply the parking brake and/or
service brake.
Unexpected acceleration may occur if the selector
lever is in a position other than “P” (PARK) or “N”
(NEUTRAL).
Prior to moving off after having stopped the vehicle,
make sure that the selector lever is in “D” (DRIVE)
position or “Sports mode” position.
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3-76 Features and controls
3
Engine coolant temperature gauge
N00519700037
This gauge shows the engine coolant temperature. If the tem-
perature is low when the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position, the indicator will remain at the “C” (cold) position
until the engine begins to warm up.
The indicator will normally stay near the center while driving,
but may rise slightly in stop-and-go traffic or when the engine
is under a heavy load.
CAUTION
!
Take care to keep the engine operating temperature
within the normal range while driving. If the indica-
tor enters the “H” (hot) position, the engine is over-
heating (Refer to “Engine overheating” on page 6-
5).
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Driving safety
4-7
4

Check the engine antifreeze.
If there is not enough coolant because of a leak or from
engine overheating, add high-quality ethylene glycol anti-
freeze and water. The recommended blend is about 50 %
water and 50 % anti-freeze. Use a higher concentration
(not over 60 %) when the outside temperature is -31 °F
(-35 °C) or lower. When the engine is working very hard
(for example, during mountain driving and/or when the
outside temperature is high), use a 50 % concentration.
This blend will provide adequate protection from corro-
sion and boiling.
Braking
N00629500260
All the parts of the brake system are critical to safety. Have the
vehicle serviced by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or
a repair facility of your choice at regular intervals according to
the “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.When brakes are wetCheck the brake system while driving at a low speed immedi-
ately after starting, especially when the brakes are wet, to con-
firm they work normally.
A film of water can be formed on the brake discs and prevent
normal braking after driving in heavy rain or through large
puddles, or after the vehicle is washed. If this occurs, dry the
brakes out by driving slowly while lightly depressing the brake
pedal.When driving in cold weatherOn snowy roads, ice can form on the braking system, making
the brakes less effective. While driving in such conditions, pay
close attention to preceding and following vehicles and to the
condition of the road surface. From time to time, lightly
depress the brake pedal and check how effective the brakes are.When driving downhillIt is important to take advantage of the engine braking by shift-
ing to a lower gear while driving on steep downhill roads in
order to prevent the brakes from overheating.
WA R N I N G
!
Never open the radiator cap when the radiator is
hot. You could be seriously burned.
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6
For emergencies
If the vehicle breaks down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 2
Jump-starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 2
Engine overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 5
Tools and jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 7
How to change a tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 9
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 21
Operation under adverse driving conditions . . . . .6- 23
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6-2 For emergencies
6If the vehicle breaks down
N00836300174
If your vehicle breaks down on the road, move to the shoulder
and turn on the hazard warning flashers. If there is no shoulder,
or the shoulder is not safe, drive in the right lane slowly, with
the hazard lights flashing, until you come to a safe stopping
place. Keep the flashers flashing. If the engine stops/fails If the engine stops, there will be no power assist to the steering
and brakes, making these difficult to use.

The brake booster will not work, so the brakes will not
grip well. The brake pedal will be harder to press than
usual.

Since there is no power steering assist, the steering wheel
will be hard to turn.When the engine fails at the intersection Get help from your passengers, bystanders, etc. to push the
vehicle and move it to a safe zone.
Jump-starting the engine
N00836400696
If the engine cannot be started because the battery is weak or
dead, you can start it with the battery from another vehicle
using jumper cables.
1. Take off any metal jewelry such as watch bands or brace-
lets that might make an accidental electrical contact.
2. Position the vehicles close enough together so that the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t
touching each other.
WA R N I N G
!
When using jumper cables to start a vehicle, follow
the procedures and be very cautious.
CAUTION
!
Do not try to start your vehicle by pushing or tow-
ing. Vehicles with automatic transaxles cannot be
started this way. Pushing or towing a vehicle that
has a manual transaxle may overheat and damage
the catalytic converter. Also, there is more risk of an
accident when a vehicle is being pushed or towed.
CAUTION
!
Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt bat-
tery. If the other system isn’t 12-volt, both systems
can be damaged.
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For emergencies
6-5
6
Low battery chargeIf you drive your vehicle with a low battery charge after the
engine has been started by using jumper cables, the engine may
misfire. This can cause the anti-lock braking system warning
light to blink on and off. This is only due to the low battery
voltage. It is not a problem with the brake system. If this hap-
pens, fully charge the battery and ensure the charging system is
operating properly.
Engine overheating
N00836500222
If the engine coolant temperature gauge indicator moves to the
“H” (hot) position (red zone), the engine may be overheated. If
this happens:
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place. Turn on the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
2. With the engine still running, carefully raise the engine
hood to vent the engine compartment.
3. Check that the cooling fan is running. If the fan is not
turning, stop the engine immediately and contact an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice for assistance.
4. If you see steam or spray coming from under the hood,
turn off the engine.
WA R N I N G
!
To avoid personal injury, keep hands, hair, jewelry
and clothes away from the cooling fan. The cooling
fan can start at any time.
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