1-10 General information/Charging
1Cautions and actions to deal with intense heat
N01201000019
When the vehicle is driven in a high ambient temperature, its air-conditioner performance can be insufficient. Also, using the
air conditioner will reduce the vehicle’s cruising range.
When the ambient temperature is approximately 104 °F (40 °C) or higher, the phenomena described below may occur. Please
take the described actions.
Even if the ambient temperature is approximately 104 °F (40 °C) or lower, the phenomena described below may occur. Please
take the described actions.Approx. ambi-
ent temperature
Phenomena
Corrective action
Approx. 104 °F
(40 °C) or higherStartup and driving •
•During quick charging (if so equipped), repeated high-
speed driving, or repeated uphill driving, the power down
warning light* comes on and the motor output is restricted
to protect the main drive lithium-ion battery or motor
(electric motor unit).
Regenerative braking performance may decrease. When
braking, depress the brake pedal more strongly.• Stop the vehicle in a safe
place for a while, avoid quick
charging (if so equipped), and
wait for the power down
warning light* to go off.
Charging and bat-
tery• During quick charging (if so equipped), charging times get
longer.
BK0140800US.book 10 ページ 2011年9月29日 木曜日 午後3時28分
General information/Charging
1-11
1
NOTE*: Refer to “Power down warning light” on page 3-75. Illumination of the power down warning light does not indicate a mal-
function.Approx.113 °F
(45 °C) or higherStartup and driving •
•During quick charging (if so equipped), repeated high-
speed driving, or repeated uphill driving, the power down
warning light* comes on and the motor output is restricted
to protect the main drive lithium-ion battery and/or motor
(electric motor unit).
Regenerative braking performance may decrease. When
braking, depress the brake pedal more strongly.• Stop the vehicle in a safe
place for a while, avoid quick
charging (if so equipped), and
wait for the power down
warning light* to go off.
• If you continue driving after the power down warning
light* comes on, the vehicle may stop after you have
driven a few miles/kilometres.
Charging and bat-
tery•
•The EV charging cable (regular charging cable) cannot be
used.
During quick charging (if so equipped), charging times get
longer.• Park in a safe, well-ventilated
and shady place.
• The main drive lithium-ion battery capacity is decreased
more quickly, and the cruising range is decreased.Approx. 140 °F
(60 °C) or higherStartup and driving • The power down warning light* comes on, and the vehicle
may stop.• Park in a safe, well-ventilated
and shady place, avoid quick
charging (if so equipped), and
wait for the power down
warning light* to go off.
Charging and bat-
tery•
•The EV charging cable (regular charging cable) cannot be
used.
Quick charging (if so equipped) may become impossible.• Park in a safe, well-ventilated
and shady place.Approx. ambi-
ent temperature
Phenomena
Corrective action
BK0140800US.book 11 ページ 2011年9月29日 木曜日 午後3時28分
1-12 General information/Charging
1Cautions and actions to deal with intense cold
N01201100010
When the vehicle is driven in a low ambient temperatures, its heater performance can be insufficient. Also, using the heater
can reduce the vehicle’s cruising range.
When the ambient temperature is approximately 5 °F (-15 °C) or lower, the phenomena described below may occur. Please
take the corrective actions described below.Approx. ambi-
ent tempera-
ture
Phenomena
Corrective action
Approx.5 °F (-
15 °C) or lowerStartup and
driving• Motor output is restricted, and the power down warning
light*
1 may come on.
ium-ion battery’s remaining power is 50 %, the driving
performance may decrease by approximately 30 %>• Keep driving if you can drive at a
safe speed.
If you cannot drive at a safe speed,
stop the vehicle in a safe place and
charge the main drive lithium-ion
battery.
• Regenerative braking performance may decrease. • When braking, depress the brake
pedal more strongly.
Charging and
battery•
•Charging times get longer.
Complete charging may not be possible.• When you have finished driving,
charge the main drive lithium-ion
battery before battery temperature
falls.
BK0140800US.book 12 ページ 2011年9月29日 木曜日 午後3時28分
General information/Charging
1-13
1
Approx.-13 °F
(-25 °C) or
lowerStartup and
driving• Motor output is restricted, and the power down warning
light*
1 may come on.
lithium-ion battery’s remaining power is 50 %, the driving
performance may decrease by approximately 50 %>• Keep driving if you can drive at the
same speed as surrounding vehicles.
If you cannot drive the same speed
as surrounding vehicles, stop the
vehicle in a safe place and charge
the main drive lithium-ion battery.
• Regenerative braking performance may decrease. • When braking, depress the brake
pedal more strongly.
Charging and
battery• Charging may become impossible. • When you have finished driving,
charge the main drive lithium-ion
battery before battery temperature
falls.
Approx. -22 °F
(-30 °C) or
lowerStartup and
driving•
•The ready indicator*
2 does not come on, and startup may
not be possible.
In the worst-case scenario, the vehicle may become
undrivable (with the energy level gauge and cruising
range indications still shown).• In the daytime, wait for the tempera-
ture to rise. When the temperature in
the vicinity of the main drive lith-
ium-ion battery has risen, begin
charging.
• Regenerative braking performance may decrease. • When braking, depress the brake
pedal more strongly
Charging and
battery• Charging may become impossible • In the daytime, wait for the tempera-
ture to rise. When the temperature in
the vicinity of the main drive lith-
ium-ion battery has risen, begin
charging.
Approx. ambi-
ent tempera-
ture
Phenomena
Corrective action
BK0140800US.book 13 ページ 2011年9月29日 木曜日 午後3時28分
General information/Charging
1-21
1
Charging from rated AC 120 V outlet
N01203200015
1. Fully apply the parking brake and place the selector lever
to the “P” (PARK) position.
2. Stop the electric devices such as lamps and turn the elec-
tric motor switch to the “LOCK” position.
3. Pull the regular charging opener (A) at the bottom left of
the instrument panel to open the regular charging lid (B)
at the right rear side of the vehicle.
4. Remove key and lock the vehicle.5. Press the tab (C) to open the inner lid (D).
A
B
WA R N I N G
!Do not touch the metal terminal of the charge port
(E) and the regular charge connector.
Doing so could cause an electric shock and/or mal-
function.
C
DE
BK0140800US.book 21 ページ 2011年9月29日 木曜日 午後3時28分
General information/Charging
1-33
1 Quick charging (charging method with
quick charger)
(if so equipped)
N01203300016
Your vehicle may be equipped with the quick charging port.
The quick charge port is compatible with most CHAdeMO*
(Japanese industry standard) connectors on charging stations.
*: Charging stations using this standard are UL certified and
safe to use in the US.
Improper charging can result in a fire, property damage, and
serious injury or death.
Carefully read instructions on “Precautions during charging the
main drive lithium-ion battery” on page 1-18, described in this
section and also instructions for a quick charger you uses, and
follow them.
NOTERepeatedly performing only quick charging (if so
equipped) can reduce the battery capacity. Regular charg-
ing is recommended unless quick charging is necessary.
Before using a publicly available quick charger, confirm
that the charger is suitable for your vehicle.
Make sure to lock the doors to prevent theft, etc. during
charging.
1. Fully apply the parking brake and move the selector lever
to the “P” (PARK) position.
2. Stop the electric devices such as lamps, air conditioning,
etc. and turn the electric motor switch to the “LOCK”
position.
WA R N I N G
!Be sure to use a quick charger compatible with i-
MiEV. Use of a non-compatible quick charger may
cause a fire or malfunction.
For the quick charger compatible with i-MiEV, con-
sult an certified i-MiEV dealer.For operation of a quick charger, follow instructions
for each quick charger.Never connect or disconnect the charger with a wet
hand.Never pull the cable to disconnect the charger.During charging, the cooling fans under the hood
may automatically be operated even if the electric
motor switch is in the “LOCK” position. Keep your
hands away from the cooling fan during charging.
As the quick charge connector is heavier in compar-
ison to the regular charge connector, allowing it to
drop could cause damage to the vehicle or charge
connector or personal injury.
CAUTION
!If the charge connector cannot easily be connected
to the charge port, do not force the connection. For-
eign material may be in the charge connector or
charge port, or the charging device may not be com-
patible with your vehicle. Contact a certified i-MiEV
dealer.
WA R N I N G
!
BK0140800US.book 33 ページ 2011年9月29日 木曜日 午後3時28分
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
2-36 Seat and restraint systems
2
WA R N I N G
!IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE PROPERLY
SEATED.
• A driver or front passenger sitting too close to the
steering wheel or instrument panel during airbag
deployment can be seriously injured or killed.
• Airbags inflate very quickly and with great force.
If the driver and front passenger are not properly
seated and restrained, the airbag may not provide
the proper protection and can cause serious inju-
ries or death when it inflates.
• To reduce the risk to the driver of serious injury or
death due to a deploying driver’s airbag, always
properly wear your seat belt and adjust the
driver’s seat as far back as possible, maintaining a
position that still allows the driver to have good
control of the steering wheel, brake, accelerator,
and other vehicle controls.
• To reduce the risk to the front passenger of serious
injury or death from a deploying passenger’s
airbag, make sure the passenger always wears the
seat belt properly, remains seated upright and all
the way back in the seat, and positions the seat as
far back as possible.
• Seat all infants and children in the rear seat, prop-
erly restrained in an appropriate child restraint
system.
WA R N I N G
!Airbags inflate very quickly and with great force.
Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean your head
or chest close to the steering wheel or the instrument
panel.Do not put your feet or legs on or against the instru-
ment panel.
BK0140800US.book 36 ページ 2011年9月29日 木曜日 午後3時28分