2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER check engine light

6-2 For emergencies
6If the vehicle breaks down
N00836300161
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
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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 continuously variable transmis-
sion (CVT) or Twin Clutch SST cannot be started
this way. Pushing or towing a vehicle that has a
manual transaxle may overheat and damage the cat-
alytic converter. Also, there is more risk of an acci-
dent 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
As your vehicle has anti-lock brakesIf 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
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When the engine has overheated, the information screen in the
multi-information display will be interrupted and the engine
coolant temperature warning display will appear. The screen
will then change to the engine coolant temperature display
screen and “ ” will flash. 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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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-21
7 Wa s h e r f l u i d
N00938600273
The windshield washer fluid reservoir is in the engine compart-
ment.
Check the washer fluid level at regular intervals and add
washer fluid to reservoir if necessary.
Open the reservoir cap and check the fluid level with the dip-
stick.During cold weatherWhen freezing weather is anticipated, flush out the water in the
reservoir by operating the pump. Fill the reservoir with wind-
shield antifreeze (not radiator antifreeze), and operate the sys-
tem for a few seconds to flush out the residual water.
Brake fluid/Clutch fluid
(if so equipped)
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The brake fluid and the clutch fluid share the reservoir tank.To check the fluid levelThe fluid level must be between the “MAX” and “MIN” marks
on the reservoir.
The fluid level falls slightly with wear of the brake pads, but
this does not indicate any abnormality.
The fluid in the master cylinder should be checked when doing
other work under the engine hood. The brake system should
also be checked for leaks at the same time.
If the fluid level falls markedly in a short length of time, it indi-
cates leaks from the brake system.
If this occurs, have the vehicle checked by an authorized
Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
MAX
MIN
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-41
7
NOTE
To meet government regulations and promote cleaner air,
your vehicle is equipped with an onboard diagnostic sys-
tem (OBD). The engine electronic control module that
controls OBD functions stores various data (especially
about the exhaust emissions). This data will be erased if
the battery cable is disconnected, which could make a
rapid diagnosis difficult. Do not disconnect the battery
cable when the engine malfunction indicator (“SERVICE
ENGINE SOON” or “Check engine light”) is on.
Spark plugs
N00940900215
Spark plugs must fire properly for good engine performance
and emission-control.
Do not reuse them by cleaning or regapping. Change them at
the mileage listed in the “WARRANTY AND MAINTE-
NANCE MANUAL”. NOTE
Use the spark plugs listed under “Engine specifications”
on page 9-8 or plugs that are exactly the same. Other
plugs could cause engine damage, performance problems
or radio noise.
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7-44 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Exhaust system
N00942200108
The best way to keep carbon monoxide gas from entering
inside your vehicle is to have the engine exhaust system prop-
erly serviced.
Have a competent mechanic inspect the complete exhaust sys-
tem and nearby body areas for broken, damaged, deteriorated,
or mispositioned parts if you notice any of the following:

A change in the sound of the exhaust system

The smell of exhaust fumes inside the vehicle

The underside or rear of the vehicle is damaged
Also check the exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication, oil changes, or required service. Any open
seams or loose connections could let dangerous exhaust fumes
seep into the luggage compartment and passenger compart-
ments. Check for any of the following conditions:
Check for holes or exhaust gas leaks caused by corrosion
or damage.

Check the joints and connections for looseness or exhaust
gas leaks.

Check the rubber hangers and brackets for damage.
Hood lock release mechanism and safety catch
N00942500114
The hood lock release mechanism and hood safety catch should
be checked, cleaned, and oiled when needed for easy move-
ment and to stop rust and wear. Use Multipurpose Grease
NLGI Grade 2 sparingly for all sliding parts of the hood latch
and release lever. Work the grease into the hood lock mecha-
nism until all the movable surfaces are covered.
Also, put a light coat of the same grease on the safety catch
wherever moving parts touch.
WA R N I N G
!
Carbon monoxide gas from your vehicle’s exhaust is
poisonous. Breathing these fumes can cause uncon-
sciousness or death.
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-93
7
Polishing
N00946100059
If painted surfaces have been severely damaged and lost their
original luster and color tone, polish the surface lightly with a
fine polishing compound. Avoid limiting your polishing to the
damaged surface only; polish a somewhat wider area, moving
the polishing cloth in one direction. After polishing, flush the
compound from the surface and apply a coat of wax to regain a
beautiful luster.Damaged paint
N00946200063
Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat should be touched
up as soon as possible with touch-up paint to prevent corrosion.
Check body areas facing the road or the tires carefully for dam-
age to the paint caused by flying stones, etc. The paint code
number for your vehicle can be found on the vehicle informa-
tion code plate in the engine compartment.
Cleaning plastic parts
N00946300178
Use a sponge or chamois to clean these parts.
If a vehicle wax sticks to a gray or black rough surface of the
bumper, molding or lights, the surface may appear white in
color. In this case, wipe it off using lukewarm water and a soft
cloth or chamois. Chrome parts
N00946400065
To prevent spots and corrosion of chrome parts, wash with
water, dry thoroughly, and apply a nonabrasive automotive
wax. If the chrome is severely damaged or pitted, use a com-
mercially available chrome polish.

Do not put wax on the areas having black matte
coating because it can cause uneven discoloration,
patches, blurs, etc. If these get wax on them, wipe
the wax off right away with a soft cloth and warm
water.
On vehicles with sunroof, be careful not to apply any
wax on the weatherstrip (black rubber) when wax-
ing the area around the sunroof opening.
If stained with wax, the weatherstrip cannot main-
tain a weatherproof seal with the sunroof.
CAUTION
!
CAUTION
!
Do not use a scrubbing brush or other rough scrub-
ber as these may damage the plastic surface.
Do not use wax containing compounds (polishing
powder) which may damage the plastic surface.
Do not let the plastic parts get soiled with gasoline,
oil, brake fluids, engine oils, greases, paint thinner,
and sulfuric acid (battery electrolyte). These fluids,
etc., may crack, stain or discolor the plastic parts.
If any of these get on the plastic parts, wipe them up
with a soft cloth or chamois and a mild solution of
soap and water. Then rinse them immediately with
water.
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