Page 137 of 362

On  vehicles  with  automatic  transmission,
make  sure  the  selector  lever  in  the  “P”
(PARK) position.
NOTE
l On vehicles with automatic transmission, the
engine will not start if the selector lever is in
any  position  other  than  “P”  (PARK)  or  “N”
(NEUTRAL) position.
For  safety,  start  the  engine  with  the  selector
lever  in  the  “P”  (PARK)  position  because  in
this  position  the  rear  wheels  are  locked  in
place.
5. Turn the ignition key to the “ON” position. The  diesel  preheat  indication  lamp  will  first
illuminate, and then after a short time go out,
indicating that preheating is completed.
NOTE l If  the  engine  is  cold,  the  diesel  preheat  indi-
cation lamp is on for a longer time.
l When  the  engine  has  not  been  started  within
about 5 seconds after the diesel preheat indi-
cation  lamp  went  out,  return  the  ignition  key
to  the  “LOCK”  position.  Then,  turn  the  key
to  the  “ON”  position  to  preheat  the  engine
again.
l When  the  engine  is  warm,  the  diesel  preheat
indication lamp does not come on even if the
ignition key is placed in the “ON” position.
Start  the  engine  by  turning  the  ignition  key
right to the “START” position.
 
6. Operate the accelerator pedal as described be-
low in accordance with the atmospheric tem-
perature  and/or  engine  condition  and  then
start the engine.
l When  the  atmospheric  temperature  is
moderate  or  the  engine  is  warm,  start  the
engine without depressing the accelerator
pedal.
l When the atmospheric temperature is low
and  the  engine  is  cold,  start  the  engine
while depressing the accelerator pedal.Fuel injection amount learning process E00616000028
To  keep  exhaust  emissions  and  engine  noise  low,
the  engine  very  occasionally  performs  a  learning
process for the fuel injection amount.
The  engine  sounds  slightly  different  from  usual
while  the  learning  process  is  taking  place.  The
change in the engine sound does not indicate a fault.
Diesel particulate filter (DPF)* E00619800232
The  diesel  particulate  filter  (DPF)  is  a  device  that
captures  most  of  the  particulate  matter  (PM)  in  the
exhaust emissions of the diesel engine. The DPF au-
tomatically  burns  away  trapped  PM  during  vehicle
operation. Under certain driving conditions, howev-
er, the DPF is not able to burn away all of the trap-
ped  PM  and,  as  a  result,  an  excessive  amount  of
PM accumulates inside it.WARNINGl The DPF reaches very high temperatures.
Do  not  park  your  vehicle  in  areas  where
combustible  materials  such  as  dry  grass
or  leaves  can  come  in  contact  with  a  hot
exhaust system since a fire could occur.CAUTIONl Do  not  use  any  type  of  fuel  or  engine  oil
that  is  not  specified  for  your  vehicle.  Al-
so,  do  not  use  any  moisture-removing
agent or other fuel additive. Such substan-
ces could have a detrimental effect on the
DPF.
Refer  to  “Fuel  selection”  on  page  02  and
“Engine oil” on page 8-04.
NOTE
l To  minimize  the  likelihood  of  excessive  ac-
cumulation  of  PM,  try  to  avoid  driving  for
long  periods  at  low  speeds  and  repeatedly
driving short distances.
Starting and driving
4-13
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        Page 138 of 362

DPF warning lamp
The  DPF  warning  lamp  comes  on  or  flashes  in  the
event  of  an  abnormality  in  the  DPF  system.  Provi-
ded  the  DPF  system  is  working  normally,  the  DPF
warning lamp comes on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position and goes off a few sec-
onds later.
If the DPF warning lamp comes on dur-
ing vehicle operation
Steady  illumination  of  the  DPF  warning  lamp
shows that the DPF has not been able to burn away
all of the trapped PM and that, as a result, an exces-
sive amount of PM has accumulated inside it. To en-
able the DPF to burn away the PM, try to drive the
vehicle as follows:
l With  the  needle  of  the  water  temperature
gauge stabilized in roughly the middle of the
scale,  drive  for  about  20  minutes  at  a  speed
of at least 40 km/h (24 mph).
If the DPF warning lamp subsequently stays on, con-
tact your  MITSUBISHI  MOTORS  Authorized Serv-
ice Point.
CAUTIONl You do not have to continuously drive ex-
actly  as  indicated  above.  Always  strive  to
drive safely in accordance with road con-
ditions.
If the DPF warning lamp flashes dur-
ing vehicle operation
Flashing of the DPF warning lamp indicates an ab-
normality  in  the  DPF  system.  Have  the  system  in-
spected  at  a  MITSUBISHI  MOTORS   Authorized
Service Point.
CAUTIONl Continuing  to  drive  with  the  DPF  warn-
ing  lamp  flashing  could  result  in  engine
trouble and DPF damage.Manual transmission E00602000199
The  shift  pattern  is  shown  on  the  gearshift  lever
knob. Be sure to always fully depress the clutch ped-
al before attempting to shift the lever.CAUTIONl Do  not  move  the  gearshift  lever  into  re-
verse  while  the  vehicle  is  moving  for-
ward; doing so will damage the transmis-
sion.
l Do  not  rest  your  foot  on  the  clutch  pedal
while driving as this will cause premature
clutch wear or damage.
Starting and driving
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        Page 139 of 362

CAUTIONlIf  the  clutch  is  engaged  suddenly  while
the engine revolution is high, an extreme-
ly large load will be applied instantaneous-
ly  to  the  power  train,  possibly  leading  to
the breakage of that component. Please en-
sure, therefore, that the clutch pedal is al-
ways applied in a slow yet firm manner.
Your  vehicle  has  a  special  feature  to  pro-
tect the power train from damage; the en-
gine is controlled in such a way that exces-
sive  increase  in  engine  revolution  is  pre-
vented in situations where the accelerator
pedal is depressed while the gearshift lev-
er is in the 1 st
 position and the clutch ped-
al has been depressed.
NOTE
l If  it  is  hard  to  shift  into  1 st
,  depress  the
clutch pedal again; the shift will then be eas-
ier to make.
l To  shift  into  reverse  from 
5th
  gear,  move  the
gearshift  lever  to  the  “N”  (Neutral)  position,
and then shift it into reverse.
Changing gears E00610600136
Always take care to change the gear with the vehi-
cle speed matched to the engine speed. Proper shift-
ing will prolong engine life.
Avoid  shifting  down  at  high  speed,  as  this  may
cause  excessive  engine  speed  (the  tachometer  nee-
dle into the red zone) and damage the engine.
Starting and driving
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        Page 140 of 362
Possible driving speedE00610801151
Shift point
Speed limit2WDVehicles with easy select 4WDVehicles with super select 4WD2H, 4H4L2H, 4H, 4HLc4LLc1st
 gear30 km/h (19 mph)35 km/h (22 mph)15 km/h (9 mph)35 km/h (22 mph)15 km/h (9 mph)2nd
 gear60 km/h (37 mph)65 km/h (40 mph)35 km/h (22 mph)65 km/h (40 mph)30 km/h (19 mph)3rd
 gear100 km/h (62 mph)105 km/h (65 mph)55 km/h (34 mph)105 km/h (65 mph)55 km/h (34 mph)4th
 gear145 km/h (90 mph)155 km/h (96 mph)80 km/h (50 mph)150 km/h (93 mph)80 km/h (50 mph)
5th
 gear is an overdrive ratio and its use reduces engine speed below that of the 4 th
 gear. Use 5  th
 gear whenever vehicle speed allows, for maximum fuel economy.
Starting and driving
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        Page 141 of 362

Automatic transmission SportsMode 4A/T, 5A/T E00603200710
NOTE l During  running-in  period  or  immediately  af-
ter  reconnection  of  the  battery  cable,  there
may be a case where gear shifts are not made
smoothly. This does not indicate a faulty trans-
mission.
Gear shifts will become smooth after the trans-
mission has been shifted several times by the
electronic control system.Selector lever operation E00603301082
The transmission has 4 forward gears (4A/T), 5 for-
ward gears (5A/T) and 1 reverse gear.
The individual gears are selected automatically, de-
pending  on  the  position  of  the  gear  selector  lever,
the  speed  of  the  vehicle  and  the  position  of  the  ac-
celerator pedal.
The  selector  lever  has  2  gates;  the  main  gate  (1)
and the manual gate (2).
NOTE
l For  information  on  manual  gate  operation,
please refer to “Sports mode” on page 4-19.
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4 positions,
and is equipped with a lock button (A) to avoid in-
advertent selection of the wrong gear.The  lock  button  must  be  pushed  while  the
brake  pedal  is  depressed  to  move  the  selec-
tor lever.The lock button must be pushed to move the
selector lever.The lock button need not be pushed to move
the selector lever.WARNINGl If the lock button is always pushed to op-
erate  the  selector  lever,  the  lever  may  be
accidentally  shifted  into  the  “P”  (PARK)
or “R” (REVERSE) position. Be sure not
to  push  the  lock  button  when  performing
the operations indicated by 
 in the illus-
tration.
l Always  depress  the  brake  pedal  when
shifting  the  selector  lever  into  a  gear
from  the  “P”  (PARK)  or  “N”  (NEU-
TRAL) position.
When beginning to drive, do not shift the
selector  lever  from  the  “P”  (PARK)  or
“N”  (NEUTRAL)  position  while  depress-
ing the accelerator pedal, doing so is dan-
gerous because the vehicle will “jump” for-
ward or backward.
When the selector lever cannot be shifted from
the “P” (PARK) position
When  the  selector  lever  cannot  be  shifted  from  the
“P”  (PARK)  position  to  another  position  while  the
brake pedal is pressed and held down with the igni-
tion  switch  at  the  “ON”  position,  the  battery  may
be flat or the shift-lock mechanism may be malfunc-
tioning.
Immediately  have  your  vehicle  checked  by  an  au-
thorized MITSUBISHI MOTORS dealer.
If  you  need  to  move  the  vehicle,  shift  the  selector
lever as follows.
Starting and driving
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1. Make sure the parking brake is applied.
2. Stop the engine if it is running.
3. Depress the brake pedal with the right foot.
4. Turn  the  ignition  switch  to  the  “ACC”  posi-
tion.
5. Insert a straight blade (or minus) screwdriver
in the shiftlock release hole (A). Shift the se-
lector lever to the “N” (NEUTRAL) position
while  pressing  the  straight  blade  (or  minus)
screwdriver down.Selector lever position indicator E00603500885
When the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” po-
sition, the current position of the selector lever is in-
dicated  by  the  indicator  (A)  shown  on  the  instru-
ment  cluster  {i.e.  “P”  (PARK),  “R”  (REVERSE),
“N” (NEUTRAL), “D” (DRIVE)}.Selector lever positions (Main gate) E00603800729
“P” PARK
This  position  locks  the  transmission  to  prevent  the
vehicle  from  moving.  The  engine  can  be  started  in
this position.
“R” REVERSE
This position is to back up.
CAUTIONl Never  shift  into  the  “P”  (PARK)  or  “R”
(REVERSE)  position  while  the  vehicle  is
in motion to avoid transmission damage.“N” NEUTRAL
At this position the transmission is disengaged. It is
the  same  as  the  neutral  position  on  a  M/T,  and
should  only  be  used  when  the  vehicle  is  stationary
for an extended length of time during driving, such
as in a traffic jam.WARNINGl Never  move  the  selector  lever  to  the  “N”
(NEUTRAL) position while driving. A se-
rious  accident  could  occur  since  you
could accidentally move the lever into the
“P” (PARK) or “R” (REVERSE) position
or you will lose engine braking.
l On  a  gradient  the  engine  should  be  star-
ted in the “P” (PARK) position, not in the
“N” (NEUTRAL) position.
l Always keep your right foot on the brake
pedal  when  shifting  into  or  out  of  “N”
(NEUTRAL),  to  minimize  the  risk  of  loss
of control.
“D” DRIVE
This  position  is  for  normal  driving.  The  transmis-
sion  automatically  selects  a  suitable  gear  ratio  for
your speed and acceleration.
CAUTIONl Never  shift  into  the  “D”  (DRIVE)  posi-
tion  from  the  “R”  (REVERSE)  position
while  the  vehicle  is  in  motion  to  avoid
transmission damage.
Starting and driving
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        Page 143 of 362

Sports modeE00603901323
Whether  the  vehicle  is  stationary  or  in  motion,
sports mode is selected by gently pushing the selec-
tor  lever  from  the  “D”  (DRIVE)  position  into  the
manual gate (A). To return to “D” range operation,
gently  push  the  selector  lever  back  into  the  main
gate (B).
 
In sports mode, gear shifts can be made rapidly sim-
ply by moving the selector lever backward and for-
ward.  In  contrast  to  a  manual  transmission,  the
sports  mode  allows  gear  shifts  with  the  accelerator
pedal depressed.SHIFT UPSHIFT DOWN
+ (SHIFT UP)
Push the lever forward once to shift up one gear.
 
- (SHIFT DOWN)
Pull  the  lever  backward  once  to  shift  down  one
gear.
CAUTIONl In  sports  mode,  the  driver  must  execute
upward shifts in accordance with prevail-
ing  road  conditions,  taking  care  to  keep
the engine speed below the red zone.
l By rapidly moving the selector lever back-
ward (SHIFT DOWN) twice, it is possible
to  skip  one  gear,  i.e.,  3 rd
  to  1 st
,  4 th
  to  2 nd
or 5 th
 to 3 rd
. Since sudden engine braking
and/or rapid acceleration can cause a loss
of traction, downshifts must be made care-
fully  in  accordance  with  the  vehicle’s
speed.
NOTE
l In sports mode, only the 4 or 5 forward gears
can  be  selected.  To  reverse  or  park  the  vehi-
cle,  move  the  selector  lever  to  the  “R”  (RE-
VERSE) or “P” (PARK) position as required.
l To  maintain  good  running  performance,  the
transmission  may  refuse  to  perform  an  up-
shift  when  the  selector  lever  is  moved  to  the
“+  (SHIFT  UP)”  position  at  certain  vehicle
speeds.  Also,  to  prevent  over-revving  of  the
engine,  the  transmission  may  refuse  to  per-
form a downshift when the lever is moved to
the  “-  (SHIFT  DOWN)”  position  at  certain
vehicle speeds.
l In sports mode, downward shifts are made au-
tomatically  when  the  vehicle  slows  down.
When  the  vehicle  stops,  1st
  gear  is  automati-
cally selected.
l When  driving  away  on  a  slippery  road,  push
the selector lever forward into the “+ (SHIFT
UP)”  position.  This  causes  the  transmission
to  shift  into  the  2 nd
  gear  which  is  better  for
smooth  driving  away  on  a  slippery  road.
Push  the  selector  lever  to  the  “-  (SHIFT
DOWN)” side to shift back to the 1 st
 gear.Sports mode indicator
E00612300498
In sports mode, the currently selected position is in-
dicated  by  the  indicator  (A)  shown  on  the  instru-
ment panel.
Starting and driving
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        Page 144 of 362

When a malfunction occurs in the au-
tomatic transmission E00615100152When the selector lever position indicator blinksE00615200238
When  the  selector  lever  position  indicator  blinks
while you are driving, there could be a malfunction
in the automatic transmission system.
orthroughor
CAUTIONl If  the  selector  lever  position  indicator
blinks  while  you  are  driving,  it  is  likely
that  a  safety  device  is  operating  because
of  a  malfunction  in  the  automatic  trans-
mission.  We  recommend  you  to  have
your vehicle inspected as soon as possible.CAUTIONl The selector lever position indicator warn-
ing function does not operate with the se-
lector lever in the “P” (PARK), “R” (RE-
VERSE) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.When the A/T (automatic transmission) fluid tem-
perature warning lamp comes on E00615300141
The automatic transmission fluid temperature warn-
ing  lamp  comes  on  when  the  automatic  transmis-
sion  fluid  temperature  becomes  abnormally  high.
Normally the warning lamp comes on when the ig-
nition  switch  is  turned  to  the  “ON”  position,  and
then will go out after a few seconds.
CAUTIONl If  the  lamp  comes  on,  reduce  the  engine
speed  and  stop  the  vehicle  in  a  safe  area.
Then  set  the  selector  lever  to  the  “P”
(PARK) position and idle the engine until
the warning lamp goes off. When the warn-
ing lamp goes off, resume normal driving.
If  the  warning  lamp  does  not  go  off,  we
recommend  you  to  have  your  vehicle  in-
spected.Operation of the automatic transmis-
sion E00604200528CAUTIONlBefore  selecting  a  gear  with  the  engine
running  and  the  vehicle  stationary,  fully
depress the brake pedal to prevent the ve-
hicle from creeping.
The  vehicle  will  begin  to  move  as  soon  as
the  gear  is  engaged,  especially  when  the
engine  speed  is  high,  at  fast  idle  or  with
the air conditioning operating, the brakes
should  only  be  released  when  you  are
ready to drive away.
l Depress  the  brake  pedal  with  the  right
foot at all times.
Using the left foot could cause driver move-
ment delay in case of an emergency.
l To  prevent  sudden  acceleration,  never
race  the  engine  when  shifting  from  the
“P” (PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Starting and driving
4-20 OKTE14E2
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