2012 MITSUBISHI iMiEV warning

Features and controls
3-39
3 Service brake
N00517500305
Brake pedalOveruse of the brake can cause poor brake response and pre-
mature wear of the brake pads.
Power brakes
N00517600410
Your vehicle is equipped with power brakes for more braking
force with reduced brake pedal effort.
Your brakes are designed to operate at full capacity, even if the
power assist is lost.
If the power assist is lost, the effort needed to press the brake
pedal is greater.
If you should lose the power assist for some reason, the brakes
will still work.
If the power brake unit or either of the two brake hydraulic sys-
tems stop working properly, the rest of the brake system will
still work, but the vehicle will not slow down as quickly.
You will know this has happened if you find you need to
depress the brake pedal down further, or harder when slowing
down or stopping, or if the brake warning light comes on.
WA R N I N G
!
Do not leave any objects near the brake pedal or let
a floor mat slide under it; doing so could prevent the
full pedal stroke that would be necessary in an emer-
gency. Make sure that the pedal can be operated
freely at all times. Make sure the floor mat is
securely held in place.
CAUTION
!
It is important not to drive the vehicle with your foot
resting on the brake pedal when braking is not
required. This practice can result in very high brake
temperatures, premature pad wear, and possible
damage to the brakes.
WA R N I N G
!
Never turn off the electric motor switch while driv-
ing. Doing so will result in a loss of power assist for
the brakes and steering, increasing the effort
required to steer and brake the vehicle.
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3-42 Features and controls
3

An operation noise may be emitted from under the hood in
the following situations. The sound is associated with
checking the operations of the anti-lock braking system.
At this time, you may feel a shock from the brake pedal if
you depress it. These do not indicate a malfunction.
• When the electric motor switch is set to the “ON” posi-
tion.
• When the vehicle is driven for a while after the electric
motor is turned on.

The ABS can be used after the vehicle has reached a speed
over approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). It stops working
when the vehicle slows below approximately 3 mph (5
km/h).
Anti-lock braking system warning light
N00531600661
This light comes on in the event of a malfunction in the anti-
lock braking system. It will also come on as a self-check for a
few seconds when the electric motor switch is turned to the
“ON” position. Always make sure that the light goes out before
beginning to drive.
CAUTION
!
The anti-lock braking system cannot prevent acci-
dents. It is your responsibility to take safety precau-
tions and to drive carefully.
Be sure to use the specified type and size of tire on
all four wheels. Otherwise, the ABS may not work
properly.
Do not install any aftermarket limited slip differen-
tial (LSD) on your vehicle. The ABS may stop func-
tioning properly.
CAUTION
!
If the anti-lock braking system warning light comes
on and stays on after starting the electric motor unit
or while driving, it means that the anti-lock braking
system is not working and that only the standard
brake system is available. (The standard brake sys-
tem will still work properly.) If this happens, take
your vehicle to a certified i-MiEV dealer as soon as
possible.
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Features and controls
3-43
3
If the warning light illuminates while driving
N00531700590
If only the ABS warning light illuminateAvoid hard braking and high-speed driving. Stop the vehicle in
a safe place, put the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position
and turn off the electric motor unit.
Restart the electric motor unit and check to see whether the
light goes out after a few minutes driving; if it then remains off
during driving, there is no problem.
However, if the warning light does not disappear, or if it comes
on again when the vehicle is driven, we recommend you to
have the vehicle checked.If the ABS warning light and brake warning light illu-
minate at the same timeThe ABS and brake force distribution function may not work,
so hard braking could make the vehicle unstable.
Avoid hard braking and high-speed driving. Stop the vehicle in
a safe place and we recommend you to have the vehicle
checked.NOTE
The warning light may be illuminated when the electric
motor unit is started while the 12V starter battery voltage
is low, but this is not an ABS malfunction.
When the main drive lithium-ion battery is charged, the
12V starter battery is charged at the same time, and the
warning light will go out.
If the warning light does not go out or illuminates from
time to time even after the battery is charged, take your
vehicle to a certified i-MiEV dealer and have the system
checked as soon as possible.
After driving on snow or icy roads, remove any snow and
ice which may have been left around the wheels. On vehi-
cles that have an anti-lock braking system, be careful not
to damage the wheel speed sensors (A) or the cables
located at each wheel.
Front
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Features and controls
3-45
3

If you turn the steering wheel while the vehicle is station-
ary with the headlights on, the headlights may become
dim. This behavior is not abnormal. The headlights will
return to their original brightness after a short while.Electric power steering system warning light
N00574400011
If there is a malfunction in the system, the warning light will
come on.
Under normal conditions, the warning light comes on when the
electric motor switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes
off a few seconds later.
If the warning light appears while driving
N00574500012
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place, put the selector lever to
the “P” (PARK) position and turn off the electric motor
unit.
2. Restart the electric motor unit to check whether the warn-
ing light goes out; if it then remains off, there is no prob-
lem.
If the warning light does not go out, or it appears again
while driving, we recommend you to have your vehicle
inspected.
CAUTION
!
If the warning light appears during driving, it may
become harder to turn the steering wheel.
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3-46 Features and controls
3Active stability control (ASC)
N00559100163
The active stability control (ASC) takes overall control of the
anti-lock braking system, traction control function and skid
control function to help maintain the vehicle’s control. Also
refer to the following pages on the anti-lock braking system,
traction control function and skid control function.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) → P. 3 - 4 1
Traction control function → P. 3 - 4 6
Skid control function → P. 3 - 4 7
NOTE
An operation noise may be emitted from under the hood in
the following situations. The sound is associated with
checking the operations of the ASC. At this time, you may
feel a shock from the brake pedal if you depress it. These
do not indicate a malfunction.
• When the electric motor switch is set to the “ON” posi-
tion.
• When the vehicle is driven for a while after the electric
motor unit is turned on.

When the ASC is activated, you may feel a vibration in
the vehicle body or hear a whining sound from under the
hood.
This indicates that the system is operating normally. It
does not indicate a malfunction.

When the anti-lock braking system warning light is illu-
minated, the ASC is not active.Traction control function
N00559200050
On slippery surfaces, the traction control function prevents the
drive wheels from spinning excessively, thus helping the vehi-
cle to start moving from a stopped condition. It also provides
sufficient driving force and steering performance as the vehicle
turns while pressing the acceleration pedal.
CAUTION
!
Do not over-rely on the ASC. Even the ASC cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle. This system, like any other system, has
limits and cannot help you to maintain traction and
control of the vehicle in all circumstances. Reckless
driving can lead to accidents. It is the driver’s
responsibility to drive carefully. This means taking
into account the traffic, road and environmental
conditions.
Be sure to use the specified type and size of tire on
all four wheels. Otherwise, the ASC may not work
properly.
Do not install any aftermarket limited slip differen-
tial (LSD) on your vehicle. The ASC may stop func-
tioning properly.
CAUTION
!
When driving a vehicle on a snowy or icy road, be
sure to install snow tires and drive the vehicle at
moderate speeds.
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3-50 Features and controls
3
NOTE
The tire pressure monitoring system is not a substitute for
regularly checking tire inflation pressures.
Be sure to check the tire inflation pressures as described in
“Tires” on page 7-18.

The tire inflation pressure sensor (A) is installed in the
illustrated location. Replace grommet (B) with a new one
when the tire is replaced.
For details, please contact a certified i-MiEV dealer.
Tire pressure monitoring system warning light
N00554800136
When the electric motor switch is turned to the “ON” position,
this light normally illuminates and goes off a few seconds later.
If one or more of the vehicle tires is significantly under-
inflated, however, this light will remain illuminated while the
electric motor switch is in the “ON” position.
Refer to “If the warning light illuminates while driving” on
page 3-52 and take the necessary measures.
CAUTION
!
If the tire pressure monitoring system warning light
does not illuminate when the electric motor switch is
turned to the “ON” position, it means that the tire
pressure monitoring system is not working properly.
Have the system inspected by a certified i-MiEV
dealer.
In such situations, a malfunctioning of the system
may be preventing the monitoring of the tire pres-
sure. Avoid sudden braking, sharp turning and
high-speed driving.
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Features and controls
3-51
3
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper
tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped
with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure.
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.

If a malfunction is detected in the tire pressure mon-
itoring system, the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light will blink for approximately 1 minute
and then remain continuously illuminated. The
warning light will issue further warnings each time
the electric motor unit is restarted as long as the
malfunction exists.
Check to see whether the warning light goes off after
few minutes of driving.
If it then goes off during driving, there is no prob-
lem.
However, if the warning light does not go off, or if it
blinks again when the electric motor unit is
restarted, have the vehicle inspected by a certified i-
MiEV dealer.
In such situations, a malfunctioning of the system
may be preventing the monitoring of the tire pres-
sure. For safety reasons, when the warning light
appears while driving, avoid sudden braking, sharp
turning and high-speed driving.
CAUTION
!
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3-52 Features and controls
3
Under-inflation also reduces alternative fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure tell-
tale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash
for approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent
vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels
on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replac-
ing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
If the warning light illuminates while driving
N00532800484
1. If the low tire pressure monitoring system warning light
illuminates, avoid hard braking, sharp steering maneuvers
and high speeds. You should stop and adjust the tires to
the proper inflation pressure as soon as possible. Refer to
“Tires” on page 7-18.NOTE
When inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure, to avoid
breakage, do not apply excessive force to the valve stem.

After inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure, always
reinstall the valve cap on the valve stem.
Without the valve cap, dirt or moisture could get into the
valve, resulting in damage to the tire inflation pressure
sensor.

Do not use metal valve caps, which may cause a metal
reaction, resulting in corrosion and damage of the tire
inflation pressure sensors.

Once adjustments have been made, the warning light will
go off after a few minutes of driving.
2. If the tire pressure monitoring system warning light
remains illuminated after you have been driving for about
20 minutes after you adjust the tire inflation pressure, one
or more of the tires may have a puncture. Inspect the tire
and if it has a puncture, have it repaired by a certified i-
MiEV dealer as soon as possible.
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