2012 MITSUBISHI iMiEV brake fluid

Overview
Under the hood/Electric motor unit room
N00100800025
On board charger/DC-DC converter
P. 7 - 2
Inverter P.1-42Brake electric vacuum pump
P.3-73 Coolant reservoir
P. 7 - 7 Windshield washer fluid reservoir
P. 7 - 1 1
12V starter battery
P. 7 - 1 3
Hot water heater reservoir
P. 7 - 7
Brake fluid reservoir
P.7-12 Under the hood Electric motor unit room
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Quick index
1
If this warning light comes on or flashes while you’re driving...
N00200701110
NOTE
These warning lights will come on for a few seconds for a bulb check when the electric motor switch is first turned to “ON”.
Warning light
Do this
Ref. page
12V starter battery charging system warning
light
Park your vehicle in a safe place and turn off the electric motor unit.
Contact a certified i-MiEV dealer for assistance.P. 3 - 7 4
or
Brake warning light
If this light comes on while driving, check to see that the parking
brake is fully released.

If this light stays on after releasing the parking brake, stop and check
the brake fluid level.

If the brake fluid level is correct, there may be a system malfunction.
Avoid hard braking and high speeds, and contact a certified i-MiEV
dealer for assistance.P. 3 - 7 3
Electric motor unit warning light
Park your vehicle in a safe place and contact a certified i-MiEV
dealer for assistance.P. 3 - 7 5
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1-42 General information/Charging
1
In case of a collision
N01205800015
In case of a collision, follow the instructions described below
to avoid severe burns and electrical shock that may result in
serious injury or death.
WA R N I N G
!
If your vehicle is drivable, pull your vehicle off the
road in a safe place, move the selector lever to the P
(PARK) position, apply the parking brake and turn
the electric motor switch to the lock position.
Never touch high-voltage wiring, connectors, and
other high-voltage parts, such as inverter unit and
main drive lithium-ion battery. An electric shock
may occur if exposed electric wires are visible when
viewed from inside or outside of your vehicle. For
their locations, see “High-voltage components” on
page 1-41.
If the vehicle receives a strong impact to the floor
while driving, stop the vehicle in a safe place and
check the floor.
Leaks or damage to the main drive lithium-ion bat-
tery may result in a fire. If you discover them, con-
tact emergency services immediately. Since the fluid
leak may be lithium manganite from the Lithium-
ion battery, never touch a fluid leak inside or outside
the vehicle. If the fluid contacts your skin or eyes,
wash it off immediately with a large amount of
water and receive immediate medical attention to
help avoid serious injury.

If a fire occurs in this vehicle, leave the vehicle as
soon as possible. Only use a type ABC, BC or C fire
extinguisher that is meant for use on electrical fires.
Using water or the incorrect fire extinguisher can
result in serious injury or death from electrical
shock.
If your vehicle needs to be towed, transport the vehi-
cle on a flatbed truck or tow the vehicle either with
all wheels or the rear wheels (drive wheels) off the
ground. If the rear wheels are on the ground when
towing, this may cause damage to the electric
motors. Also this may cause a fire, if wiring in the
electric motor unit room becomes damaged. Refer to
“Towing” on page 6-19.
If you are not able to safely assess the vehicle due to
vehicle damage, do not touch the vehicle. Leave the
vehicle and contact emergency services. Advise
emergency responders that this is an electric vehicle.
In the event of an accident that requires body repair
and painting, the vehicle should be delivered to a
Certified i-MiEV dealer to have the main drive lith-
ium-ion battery and high voltage parts such as the
inverter, including the wiring harness, removed
prior to painting. The main drive lithium-ion bat-
tery when exposed to heat in the paint booth will
experience battery capacity loss.
A damaged main drive lithium-ion battery can also
pose safety risks to untrained mechanics and repair
personnel.
WA R N I N G
!
BK0140800US.book 42 ページ ２０１１年９月２９日　木曜日　午後３時２８分

Features and controls
3-73
3 Wa r n i n g l i g h t s
N00520300147
Brake warning light (brake warning buzzer)
N00520400500
This light comes on when the electric motor switch is turned to
the “ON” position, and goes off after a few seconds.
The light will illuminate under the following conditions:

When the parking brake has been engaged.

When the brake fluid level in the reservoir falls to a low
level.

When there is a fault in the brake vacuum pressure sys-
tem.

When the brake force distribution function is not operat-
ing correctly.
Before driving your vehicle, release the parking brake and
make certain that the brake warning light has gone out.
Brake warning buzzer
Vacuum pressure is used to help reduce brake pedal effort. If
this vacuum pressure becomes insufficient, a buzzer will sound
to alert the driver that the effort required to apply the brakes
may increase. If the buzzer should continue to sound, park your
vehicle in a safe place and contact a certified i-MiEV dealer.NOTE
When the brake pedal has been repeatedly depressed over
a short period of time, the brake warning light may illumi-
nate and the brake warning buzzer may sound because the
vacuum pressure is temporarily low. It is normal if the
light goes out and the buzzer stops sounding after a few
seconds.
NOTE
At times, you may hear the brake electric vacuum pump
for the power brakes operating when the ready indicator
illuminates or the brake pedal is depressed.
This sound is normal and does not indicate a problem.
CAUTION
!
If any of the following situations occur, stop the
vehicle in a safe location, avoiding any sudden brake
application, and contact a certified i-MiEV dealer.
• The brake warning light does not illuminate when
the parking brake is applied or does not turn off
when the parking brake is released.
• The brake warning light illuminates while the
parking brake is not applied.
• The brake warning buzzer does not turn off.
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For emergencies
6-3
6
2. Position the vehicles close enough together so that the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not
touching each other.
3. Set the parking brake firmly on your vehicle and move the
selector lever into the “P” (PARK) position.
4. Set the parking brake firmly on the other vehicle. Put the
automatic transaxle in “P” (PARK) or the manual
transaxle in “N” (Neutral).
5. Turn the ignition switch (the electric motor switch) on
each vehicle to the “LOCK” position.NOTE
Turn off all lights, heater, and other electrical loads. This
will help avoid sparks.6. Remove the battery cover, and then make sure your 12V
starter battery electrolyte is at the proper level. (Refer to
“Checking 12V starter battery electrolyte level” on page
7-14.)
7. Connect one end of one jumper cable to the positive
(+) terminal of the discharged battery (A), and then con-
nect the other end to the positive (+) terminal of the
booster battery (B).
CAUTION
!
Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12V battery.
If the other system is not 12V, both systems can be
damaged.
WA R N I N G
!
If the electrolyte fluid is not visible, or looks frozen,
DO NOT ATTEMPT JUMP STARTING!!
The battery might split open or explode if the tem-
perature is below the freezing point or if it is not
filled to the proper level.
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7
Vehicle care and maintenance
Service precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 2
Hood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 4
View under the hood and
electric motor unit room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 6
Coolant/Hot water heater fluid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 7
Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 11
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 12
12V starter battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 13
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 18
Brake pedal free play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 25
Parking brake lever stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 25
Wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 26
General maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 27
For cold and snowy weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 28
Fusible links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 28
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 29
Replacement of light bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 35
Vehicle care precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 49
Cleaning the inside of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 50
Cleaning the outside of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . .7- 52
BK0140800US.book 1 ページ ２０１１年９月２９日　木曜日　午後３時２８分

Vehicle care and maintenance
7-7
7 Coolant/Hot water heater fluid
N00937800539
To check the coolant levelCoolant1. Open the liftgate.
1- Windshield washer fluid reservoir
2- 12V starter battery
3- Hot water heater reservoir
4- Brake fluid reservoir
5- Coolant reservoirElectric motor unit room
WA R N I N G
!
Before checking the coolant level, make sure the
electric motor switch is in the “Lock” position to
avoid the risk of an electrical shock that can result in
serious injury or death.
The room under the hood and the electric motor
unit room (located under the luggage room carpet)
can be very hot after driving. Wait until they have
cooled down.
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7-12 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Brake fluid
N00938700261
To check the fluid levelThe brake fluid level must be between the “MAX” and “MIN”
marks on the reservoir.
The brake fluid level falls slightly with wear of the brake pads,
but this does not indicate any abnormality.
The brake fluid in the master cylinder should be checked when
doing other work under the hood. The brake system should also
be checked for leaks at the same time.
If the brake fluid level falls markedly in a short length of time,
it indicates a leak in the brake system.
If this occurs, have the vehicle checked by a certified i-MiEV
dealer.
Fluid typeUse the recommended brake fluid conforming to DOT 3 or
DOT 4. The reservoir cap must be tightly sealed to keep dirt
and water out.
CAUTION
!
Do not let any petroleum-based fluid touch, mix
with, or get into the brake fluid. This will damage
the seals.
Be careful when handling brake fluid. It can damage
painted surfaces.
Use only the listed brake fluid. Different brands of
brake fluid have different additives, and these can
cause a chemical reaction. Do not mix brands of
brake fluid.
Keep the reservoir tank cap closed to keep the brake
fluid from evaporating.
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