53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside
mirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any
sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles
behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in section 7,
“Maintenance”.CALIFORNIA PROPO-
SITION 65 WARNING
Engine exhaust and a wide vari-
ety of automobile components
and parts, including compo-
nents found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or
emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause can-
cer and birth defects and repro-
ductive harm. In addition, cer-
tain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of compo-
nent wear contain or emit chem-
icals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproduc-
tive harm.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
Driving while distracted can
result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol, that may lead to an acci-
dent, severe personal injury,
and death. The driver’s primary
responsibility is in the safe and
legal operation of a vehicle, and
use of any handheld devices,
other equipment, or vehicle sys-
tems which take the driver’s
eyes, attention and focus away
from the safe operation of a
vehicle or which are not permis-
sible by law should never be
used during operation of the
vehicle.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-
trols are easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside
rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning
lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and
make sure the brake warning light
goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
Driving your vehicle
4 5
WARNING
When you intend to park or
stop the vehicle with the
engine on, be careful not to
depress the accelerator pedal
for a long period of time. It may
overheat the engine or exhaust
system and cause a fire.
When you make a sudden stop
or turn the steering wheel rap-
idly, loose objects may drop on
the floor and it could interfere
with the operation of the foot
pedals, possibly causing an
accident. Keep all things in the
vehicle safely stored.
If you do not focus on driving,
it may cause an accident. Be
careful when operating what
may disturb driving such as
audio or heater. It is the
responsibility of the driver to
always drive safely.
WARNING
All passengers must be proper-
ly belted whenever the vehicle
is moving. Refer to “Seat belts”
in section 3 for more informa-
tion on their proper use.
WARNING- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Drunk driving is the num-
ber one contributor to the high-
way death toll each year. Even a
small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, percep-
tions and judgment. Driving
while under the influence of
drugs is as dangerous or more
dangerous than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink or take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking
drugs, don’t drive. Do not ride
with a driver who has been drink-
ing or taking drugs. Choose a
designated driver or call a cab.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
putting a car into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
55
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will be illuminated for
your convenience, provided the igni-
tion switch is not in the ON position.
The light will go off immediately
when the ignition switch is turned on
or go off after about 30 seconds
when the door is closed.
Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to
the LOCK position, push the key
inward at the ACC position and turn
the key toward the LOCK position.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and
electrical accessories are operative.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning
the ignition switch to the ACC posi-
tion, turn the key while turning the
steering wheel right and left to
release the tension.
ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is
the normal running position after the
engine is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if
the engine is not running to prevent
the battery from discharging.
KEY
OBK059001NOUN036002
59
Driving your vehicle
ACC(Accessory)
• with manual transmission
Press the engine start/stop button
when the button is in the OFF posi-
tion without depressing the clutch
pedal.
• with automatic transmission
Press the engine start/stop button
when the button is in the OFF posi-
tion without depressing the brake
pedal.
The steering wheel is unlocked and
electrical accessories are operative
(if equipped with steering lock).
If you leave the engine start/stop but-
ton in the ACC position for more than
1 hour, the engine is off automatical-
ly to prevent the battery from dis-
charging.
ON
• with manual transmission
Press the engine start/stop button
when the button is in the ACC posi-
tion without depressing the clutch
pedal.
• with automatic transmission
Press the engine start/stop button
when the button is in the ACC posi-
tion without depressing the brake
pedal.
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. Do not
leave the button in the ON position if
the engine is not running to prevent
the battery from discharging.
START
• with manual transmission
To start the engine, depress the
clutch pedal and brake pedal, then
press the engine start/stop button
with the shift lever in the N(Neutral)
position.
• with automatic transmission
To start the engine, depress the brake
pedal and press the engine start/stop
button with the shift lever in the
P(Park) or the N (Neutral) position.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• If you press the engine start/stop
button without depressing the
clutch pedal on manual transmis-
sion vehicles or without depressing
the brake pedal on automatic
transmission vehicles, the engine
will not start and the engine
start/stop button changes as fol-
lows:
OFF→ →
ACC → →
ON → →
OFF
• If you leave the engine start/stop
button in the ACC or the ON posi-
tion for a long time, the battery
may be discharged.
Driving your vehicle
32 5
ESC operation
ESC ON condition
ON, ESC and ESC OFF
indicator lights illuminate
for approximately 3 sec-
onds, then ESC is turned
on.
for at least half a sec-
ond after turning the igni-
tion ON to turn ESC off.
(ESC OFF indicator will
illuminate). To turn the
ESC on, press the ESC
OFF button (ESC OFF
indicator light will go
off).
you may hear a slight tick-
ing sound. This is the ESC
performing an automatic
system self-check and
does not indicate a prob-
lem.When operating
When the ESC is in opera-
tion, the ESC indicator light
blinks.
Stability Control is operat-
ing properly, you can feel a
slight pulsation in the vehi-
cle. This is only the effect
of brake control and indi-
cates nothing unusual.
mud or driving on a slip-
pery road, pressing the
accelerator pedal may not
cause the engine rpm
(revolutions per minute) to
increase.
ESC operation off
ESC OFF state
This vehicle has 2 kinds of
ESC off states.
If the engine stops when
ESC is off, ESC remains off.
Upon restarting the engine,
the ESC will automatically
turn on again.
-
541
Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many miles (kilometers) you can get
from a gallon (liter) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as possi-
ble, use the following driving sugges-
tions to help save money in both fuel
and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a mod-
erate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit"
starts or full-throttle shifts and main-
tain a steady cruising speed. Don't
race between stoplights. Try to adjust
your speed to that of the other traffic
so you don't have to change speeds
unnecessarily. Avoid heavy traffic
whenever possible. Always maintain
a safe distance from other vehicles
so you can avoid unnecessary brak-
ing. This also reduces brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The
faster you drive the more fuel your
vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate
speed, in the highest gear appropri-
ate for the conditions, especially on
the highway, is one of the most effec-
tive ways to reduce fuel consump-
tion. Don't "ride" the brake or clutch
pedal. This can increase fuel con-
sumption and also increase wear
on these components. In addition,
driving with your foot resting on the
brake pedal may cause the brakes
to overheat, which reduces their
effectiveness and may lead to
more serious consequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them
inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are
aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire wear and may also result
in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your car in good condition.
For better fuel economy and
reduced maintenance costs, main-
tain your car in accordance with
the maintenance schedule in sec-
tion 7. If you drive your car in
severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see sec-
tion 7 for details).
Keep your car clean. For maximum
service, your vehicle should be
kept clean and free of corrosive
materials. It is especially important
that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be
allowed to accumulate on the
underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to
corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unneces-
sary weight in your car. Weight
reduces fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer
than necessary. If you are waiting
(and not in traffic), turn off your
engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION
Driving your vehicle
44 5
✽
✽
NOTICE
The ESC system should be turned
OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are
wet. Ideally, corners should always
be taken under gentle acceleration. If
you follow these suggestions, tire
wear will be held to a minimum.
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
Slow down and keep more dis-
tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
WARNING- Spinning
tires
Do not spin the wheels. Spinning
the wheels at high speeds when
the vehicle is stationary could
cause a tire to overheat which
could result in tire damage that
may injure bystanders.
OBK059021
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle
free by moving it forward and
backward. Do not attempt this
procedure if people or objects
are anywhere near the vehicle.
During the rocking operation the
vehicle may suddenly move for-
ward of backward as it becomes
unstuck, causing injury or dam-
age to nearby people or objects.
OBK059020N
545
Driving your vehicle
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the
glare from other driver's head-
lights.
Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlights will make it much
more difficult to see at night.
Headlight operation when using
windshield wipers is mandatory in
some states.
Avoid staring directly at the head-
lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harder
to see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
Keep your windshield wiping
equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield. If your tires are not in good condi-
tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it
easier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large pud-
dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten
your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.
OBK052022L