Page 161 of 362

CAUTIONlAlways  use  tyres  of  the  same  size,  same
type, and same brand, and which have no
wear  differences.  Using  tyres  of  different
size,  type,  brands  or  degree  of  wear,  will
increase  the  differential  oil  temperature,
resulting  in  possible  damage  to  the  driv-
ing  system.  Further,  the  drive  train  will
be subjected to excessive loading, possibly
leading to oil leakage, component seizure,
or other serious faults.
Towing
If towing is necessary, we recommend you to have
it  done  by  your  MITSUBISHI MOTORS   Author-
ized Service Point or a commercial tow truck service.
In the following cases, transport the vehicle using a
tow truck.
l The  engine  runs  but  the  vehicle  does  not
move or abnormal noise is produced.
l Inspection  of  the  vehicle’s  underside  reveals
that oil or some other fluid is leaking.
Only  when  you  cannot  receive  a  towing  service
from  a  MITSUBISHI  MOTORS   Authorized  Serv-
ice  Point  or  commercial  tow  truck  service,  tow
your  vehicle  carefully  in  accordance  with  the  in-
structions given in “Towing” on page 6-20 .CAUTIONl Be  sure  to  shift  the  transfer  shift  lever  to
“2H”  position  and  transport  the  vehicle
with  the  driving  wheels  on  a  carriage
(Type A, C or D) as illustrated.
Never try to tow with the transfer shift lev-
er  in  “4H”  or  “4L”  position  (easy  select
4WD), “4H”, “4HLc” or “4LLc” position
(super  select  4WD)  and  with  the  front  or
rear  wheels  on  the  ground  (Type  A  or  B)
as  illustrated.  This  could  result  in  dam-
age to the drivetrain, or unstable towing.
If you cannot shift the transfer shift lever
to  “2H”  position  or  the  transmission  is
malfunctioning  or  damaged,  transport
the  vehicle  with  all  the  wheels  on  a  car-
riage (Type C or D) as illustrated.
Jacking up a 4-wheel drive vehicle
WARNINGl Do not crank the engine while jacking up
the vehicle.
The tyre on the ground may turn and the
vehicle may roll off the jack.
Clutch operation
Quick  or  slight  clutch  engagement  made  while  the
engine  is  running  at  high  speed  will  cause  damage
to  the  clutch  and  transmission  because  the  tractive
force is very great.
Operate the pedal slowly and positively.
Starting and driving
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Limited-slip differential*E00606900037
A  limited-slip  differential  is  applied  for  the  rear
wheel differential only. The features of this limited-
slip differential are described below:
 
Just  as  with  a  conventional  differential,  the  wheel
on  one  side  is  allowed  to  turn  at  a  different  speed
from  the  wheel  on  the  other  side  when  the  vehicle
is  cornering.  The  difference  between  the  limited-
slip  differential  and  a  conventional  differential  is
that if the wheel on one side of the vehicle loses trac-
tion,  a  greater  amount  of  torque  is  applied  to  the
wheel on the other side to improve traction.
NOTE l Even if there is a difference in the amount of
traction  the  wheels  can  get,  if  both  of  them
are spinning, the limited-slip differential will
not be effective.CAUTIONl Never  start  the  engine  while  one  of  the
rear  wheels  is  jacked  up  and  the  other  in
contact  with  the  ground;  doing  so  may
cause the vehicle to jump forward.
l When  attempting  to  extract  the  vehicle
from  snow,  mud,  etc.,  and  the  engine  is
run  continuously  at  high  speed,  the  limi-
ted-slip  differential  will  be  adversely  af-
fected.Braking E00607001928
All the parts of the brake system are critical to safe-
ty.  We  recommend  you  to  have  the  vehicle
checked  at  regular  intervals  according  to  the  serv-
ice booklet.CAUTIONl Avoid  driving  habits  that  cause  heavy
braking  and  never  “ride”  the  brakes  by
resting  your  foot  on  the  brake  pedal
while driving.
It causes brake overheating and fade.
Brake system
The  service  brake  is  divided  into  two  brake  cir-
cuits.  And  your  vehicle  is  equipped  with  power
brakes. If one brake circuit fails, the other is availa-
ble to stop the vehicle. If you should lose the pow-
er assist for some reason, the brakes will still work.
In  these  situations,  even  if  the  brake  pedal  moves
down  to  the  very  end  of  its  possible  stroke  or  re-
sists being depressed, keep depressing the brake ped-
al down harder and further than usual; stop driving
as  soon  as  possible  and  have  the  brake  system  re-
paired.
WARNINGl Do  not  turn  off  the  engine  while  your  ve-
hicle  is  in  motion.  If  you  turn  off  the  en-
gine  while  driving,  the  power  assistance
for  the  braking  system  will  stop  working
and your brakes will not work effectively.WARNINGl If  the  power  assist  is  lost  or  if  either
brake  hydraulic  system  stops  working
properly,  have  your  vehicle  checked  im-
mediately.
Warning lamp
The  brake  warning  lamp  illuminates  to  indicate  a
fault  in  the  braking  system.  Refer  to  “Brake  warn-
ing lamp” on page 3-08.
When brakes are wet
Check  the  brake  system  while  driving  at  a  low
speed  immediately  after  starting,  especially  when
the brakes are wet, to confirm they work normally.
A  film  of  water  can  be  formed  on  the  brake  discs
or  brake  drums  and  prevent  normal  braking  after
driving  in  heavy  rain  or  through  large  puddles,  or
after  the  vehicle  is  washed.  If  this  occurs,  dry  the
brakes out by driving slowly while lightly depress-
ing the brake pedal.
When driving downhill
It is important to take advantage of the engine brak-
ing by shifting to a lower shift position while driv-
ing  on  steep  downhill  roads  in  order  to  prevent  the
brakes from overheating.
Starting and driving
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WARNINGlDo  not  leave  any  objects  near  the  brake
pedal or let a floor mat slide under it; do-
ing  so  could  prevent  the  full  pedal  stroke
that would be necessary in an emergency.
Make sure that the pedal can be operated
freely  at  all  times.  Make  sure  the  floor
mat is securely held in place.
Brake pads and linings
l Avoid hard braking situations.
New  brakes  need  to  be  broken-in  by  moder-
ate use for the first 200 km (124 miles).
l The  disc  brakes  are  provided  with  a  warning
device  which  emits  a  shrieking  metallic
sound  while  braking  if  the  brake  pads  have
reached their wear limit.
If you hear this sound, have the brake pads re-
placed.
WARNINGl Driving  with  worn  brake  pads  will  make
it  harder  to  stop,  and  can  cause  an  acci-
dent.Brake assist system* E00627000392
The brake assist system is a device assisting drivers
who  cannot  depress  the  brake  pedal  firmly  when  it
is necessary to do so (such as in emergency stop sit-
uations) and provides greater braking force.
If the brake pedal is depressed suddenly, the brakes
will be applied with more force than usual.CAUTIONl The brake assist system is not a device de-
signed  to  exercise  braking  force  greater
than  its  capacity.  Make  sure  to  always
keep  a  sufficient  distance  between  vehi-
cles  in  front  of  you  without  relying  too
much on the brake assist system.
NOTE
l Once  the  brake  assist  system  is  operational,
it  maintains  great  braking  force  even  if  the
brake pedal is lightly released.
To  stop  its  operation,  completely  remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
l When  the  brake  assist  system  is  in  use  while
driving,  you  may  feel  the  brake  pedal  at-
tempt to resist, the pedal moves in small mo-
tions in conjunction with the operation noise,
or the vehicle body and the steering wheel vi-
brate.  This  occurs  when  the  brake  assist  sys-
tem  is  operating  normally  and  does  not  indi-
cate  faulty  operation.  Continue  to  firmly  de-
press the brake pedal.
l When  the  active  stability  &  traction  control
(ASTC)  indication  lamp  is  illuminated,  the
brake assist system may not function.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)* E00607100775
Environmental  conditions  can  have  an  effect  on
braking.  During  sudden  braking  when  there  is
snow, ice, oil, water etc. on the road surface, a skid
may  occur.  In  this  situation,  steering  control  and
braking  effectiveness  is  reduced  and  the  stopping
distance is increased. The vehicle may also go into
an uncontrolled spin.
The ABS helps prevent the wheels from locking dur-
ing  braking,  thus  maintaining  directional  stability,
ensuring  controllability  and  providing  optimum
braking force.
Driving hints l With ABS fitted, steering during sudden brak-
ing (when the ABS functions) differs slightly
from when the brakes are not being applied.
Steer the vehicle carefully in these conditions.
l Always  maintain  the  same  distance  from  the
vehicle in front of you as you would for a ve-
hicle not equipped with ABS.
Compared with vehicles not fitted with ABS,
your  vehicle  may  require  a  longer  stopping
distance in the following cases: • Driving on gravel or snow-covered roads.
• Driving with tyre chains installed.
• Driving  on  roads  where  the  road  surface
is  pitted  or  has  other  differences  in  sur-
face height.
• Driving on bumpy roads or other poor driv-
ing surfaces.
Starting and driving
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lOperation  of  ABS  is  not  restricted  to  situa-
tions  where  brakes  are  applied  suddenly.
This  system  may  also  operate  to  prevent
wheel  lock  when  you  are  driving  over  man-
holes,  steel  road-work  plates,  or  the  vehicle
is  driven  over  steps  or  level  differences  in
the  road,  road  markings,  or  other  surfaces
which are difficult for the wheels to grip.
l When the ABS is activated, you may feel the
brake  pedal  pulsation  and  hear  a  characteris-
tic noise. Also at this time, you may feel as if
the pedal attempts to resist being depressed.
In  this  situation,  to  let  the  ABS  work  for
you,  just  hold  the  brake  pedal  down  more
firmly. Do not pump the brake. This pump-
ing will result in reduced braking perform-
ance.CAUTIONl Even the ABS cannot prevent the natural
laws  of  physics  from  acting  on  the  vehi-
cle. It cannot for instance avoid accidents
that  may  result  from  excessive  speed  on
bends  or  following  another  vehicle  too
closely  or  aquaplaning.  It  should  remain
the driver’s task to observe safety precau-
tions  to  judge  speeds  and  brake  applica-
tions correctly in such conditions.
l Be  sure  to  use  tyres  of  the  same  type  and
size on 4 wheels.
If tyre types or sizes are mixed, ABS may
not function normally.CAUTIONl Never  install  a  limited-slip  differential,
which  is  not  a  MITSUBISHI MOTORS
genuine  part,  as  the  ABS  may  not  func-
tion normally.
We  recommend  you  to  consult  a
MITSUBISHI  MOTORS   Authorized
Service Point.ABS warning lamp E00607201164
The ABS warning lamp should illuminate when the
ignition  switch  is  turned  “ON”,  and  should  go  off
in a few seconds.
CAUTIONl If  the  warning  lamp  stays  on  or  does  not
illuminate when you start the vehicle, it in-
dicates  that  the  ABS  is  not  functioning
and  that  only  the  standard  brake  system
is in operation. (In this condition the stand-
ard hydraulic brake system will still func-
tion.) We recommend you to have your ve-
hicle inspected as soon as possible.
NOTE
l On  vehicles  with  the  rear  differential  lock,
ABS  and  the  active  stability  &  traction  con-
trol  (ASTC)  functions  are  suspended  while
the rear differential lock is activated.
ASTC indication lamp, Active Stability Con-
trol function OFF indication lamp, ABS warn-
ing lamp and brake warning lamp are illumi-
nated while these functions are suspended.
It does not indicate a problem. When the rear
differential  lock  is  disengaged,  these  lamps
go out and function again.
Refer to “ ASTC indication lamp, ASTC OFF
indication lamp” on page 4-43.
l On  vehicles  with  rear  differential  lock,  ABS
functionality is suspended while the rear dif-
ferential lock is operating.
The  ABS  warning  lamp  is  illuminated  while
ABS  functionality  is  suspended.  It  does  not
indicate  a  problem.  When  the  rear  differen-
tial  lock  is  disengaged,  the  ABS  warning
lamp goes off and the ABS functions again.
Refer  to  “Rear  differential  lock”  on  page
4-30.
Starting and driving
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If the warning lamp illuminates while
driving E00607300663
If only the ABS warning lamp illuminates l Avoid  hard  braking  and  high-speed  driving.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Restart  the  engine  and  check  to  see  whether
the  lamp  goes  out  after  a  few  minutes  driv-
ing;  if  it  then  remains  off  during  driving,
there is no problem.
However, if the lamp does not go out, or if it
lights  up  again  when  the  vehicle  is  driven,
we  recommend  you  to  have  the  vehicle
checked as soon as possible.
l The  ABS  warning  lamp  can  illuminate  if  the
battery  voltage  is  insufficient  when  the  en-
gine  is  started.  In  this  case,  it  does  not  indi-
cate an ABS fault.
Charge  the  battery  by  allowing  the  engine  to
idle for a while.
If  the  battery  has  been  charged  but  the  ABS
warning lamp continues to illuminate or illu-
minates  intermittently,  have  the  vehicle  in-
spected.
If the ABS warning lamp and brake warning
lamp illuminate at the same time
l The  ABS  and  brake  force  distribution  func-
tion  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 contact a
MITSUBISHI MOTORS  Authorized Service
Point.NOTE
l Immediately  after  the  vehicle  starts  moving
after engine start up, a whining sound of a mo-
tor  will  be  heard  from  the  engine  compart-
ment.  If  the  brake  pedal  is  depressed  at  that
moment, you can feel the brake pedal pulsat-
ing.
This pulsation is due to the self-diagnosis op-
eration  of  the  ABS  and  does  not  indicate  a
malfunction.
l After  driving  on  snowy  roads,  remove  any
snow  and  ice  which  may  have  become  ad-
hered to the wheel areas.
When  doing  this,  be  careful  not  to  damage
the wheel speed sensors (A) and cables loca-
ted  at  each  wheel  on  vehicles  equipped  with
an ABS.FrontRear
l The ABS becomes operative after the vehicle
has accelerated to a speed in excess of approx-
imately  10  km/h  (6  mph).  It  stops  operating
when  the  vehicle  decelerates  to  a  speed  be-
low approximately 7 km/h (4 mph).
Starting and driving
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Power steering systemE00607400387
The  power  steering  system  operates  while  the  en-
gine is running. It helps reduce the effort needed to
turn the steering wheel.
The power steering system has mechanical steering
capability in case the power assist is lost. If the pow-
er  assist  is  lost  for  some  reason,  you  will  still  be
able  to  steer  your  vehicle,  but  you  will  notice  it
takes  much  more  effort  to  steer.  If  this  happens,
have  your  vehicle  inspected  at  an  authorized
MITSUBISHI MOTORS service point.WARNINGl Do not stop the engine while the vehicle is
moving.  Stopping  the  engine  would  make
the  steering  wheel  extremely  hard  to
turn, possibly resulting in an accident.CAUTIONl Do not leave the steering wheel turned all
the  way  in  one  direction.  This  can  cause
damage to the power steering system.Active Stability & Traction
Control (ASTC)* E00616700344
The  active  stability  &  traction  control  (ASTC)
takes  overall  control  of  the  anti-lock  brake  system,
traction  control  function  and  Active  Stability  Con-
trol  function  to  help  maintain  the  vehicle’s  control
and traction. Please read this section in conjunction
with  the  page  on  the  anti-lock  brake  system,  trac-
tion  control  function  and  Active  Stability  Control
function.
 
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)  ® p. 4-39
Active Traction Control function  ® p. 4-43
Active Stability Control function  ® p. 4-43CAUTIONl Do  not  over-rely  on  the  ASTC.  This  sys-
tem, like any other system, has limits and
cannot  help  you  to  maintain  traction  and
control  of  the  vehicle  in  all  circumstan-
ces.  Reckless  driving  may  lead  to  acci-
dents.  Always  drive  carefully,  taking  into
account the traffic, road and environmen-
tal conditions.
l Be sure to use the same specified type and
size of tyre on all 4 wheels. Otherwise, the
ASTC may not work correctly.
NOTE
l After  your  vehicle  is  driven  a  short  distance
after starting the engine, a click is heard from
the engine compartment; however, this is on-
ly the sound of ASTC being checked.
l Some  vibration  will  be  felt  in  the  vehicle
body and a whining sound of a motor will be
heard  from  the  engine  compartment  when
the  ASTC  functions.  This  is  a  normal  result
of the ASTC operation, and does not indicate
a malfunction.
l The  ASTC  does  not  operate  while  the  ABS
warning lamp is illuminated.
l On  vehicles  with  the  rear  differential  lock,
the  ASTC  and  ABS  functions  are  suspended
while  the  rear  differential  lock  is  activated.
ASTC  indication  lamp,  ASTC  OFF  indica-
tion lamp and ABS warning lamp are illumi-
nated while these functions are suspended. It
does  not  indicate  a  problem.  When  the  rear
differential  lock  is  disengaged,  these  lamps
go out and function again.
Refer  to  “ABS  warning  lamp”  on  page  4-40,
“ ASTC  indication  lamp,  ASTC  OFF  indica-
tion lamp” on page 4-43.Driving hints E00616800039
When  extricating  the  vehicle  from  mud,  sand  or
fresh  snow,  you  may  find  that  operation  of  the
ASTC  prevents  the  engine  speed  from  increasing
in  response  to  depression  of  the  accelerator  pedal.
If  this  happens  and  the  vehicle  remains  stuck  as  a
result, deactivate the ASC function by pressing the
“ASC OFF” switch. The vehicle will then be easier
to  extricate.  (Brake  control  of  the  ATC  function  is
still working to prevent wheel spins when the ASC
function is deactivated by pressing the “ASC OFF”
switch.)
Starting and driving
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Active Stability Control functionE00616900115
The  Active  Stability  Control  function  is  designed
to  improve  the  vehicle’s  stability  by  restraining  its
tendency to slip sideways (for example, when round-
ing a curve in slippery conditions, or when the driv-
er takes rapid steering action to avoid an obstacle).
It works by controlling the engine output and brake
on each wheel.
NOTE l On  vehicles  with  rear  differential  locks,  the
Active Stability Control function does not op-
erate when the rear differential lock is activa-
ted.“ASC OFF” switch
The  Active  Stability  Control  function  is  automati-
cally activated when the ignition switch is turned to
the  “ON”  position.  You  can  deactivate  the  system
by pressing the “ASC OFF” switch when the vehi-
cle speed is below  40 km/h (25 mph). To reactivate
the  Active  Stability  Control  function,  press  the
ASC  OFF  switch  again.  It  is  strongly  recommen-
ded  that  the  Active  Stability  Control  function  nor-
mally be kept activated.Type 1Type 2
NOTE
l If  the  vehicle  speed  increases  to  about
120  km/h  (74  mph)  with  the  Active  Stability
Control function deactivated, the Active Sta-
bility Control function automatically starts op-
erating. To subsequently stop the Active Sta-
bility  Control  function,  stop  the  vehicle  and
press the ASC OFF switch again.
Active Traction Control function E00617000025
On  slippery  surfaces,  active  traction  control  func-
tion prevents the drive wheels from excessive spin-
ning, thus helping the vehicle to start moving from
a  stop.  It  also  provides  sufficient  driving  force  and
steering performance as the vehicle turns at acceler-
ated speeds.CAUTIONl When driving a vehicle on a snowy or icy
road,  be  sure  to  install  snow  tyres  and
drive the vehicle at moderate speeds.ASTC indication lamp, ASTC OFF in-
dication lamp E00617100114
The  Active  Stability  Control  function  and  active
traction  control  function  share  the  same  indication
lamp.
The indication lamps should illuminate when the ig-
nition  switch  is  turned  to  the  “ON”  position  and
should go off after a few seconds.
If the indication lamps stay on or do not illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” po-
sition, we recommend you to have your vehicle in-
spected as soon as possible.
 indication lamp blinks when the Active Stability
Control  function  or  active  traction  control  function
is operating.
Starting and driving
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  indication  lamp  is  illuminated  when  the  Active
Stability Control function is OFF.CAUTIONl When   indication  lamp  blinks,  Active
Stability  Control  function  or  active  trac-
tion  control  function  is  operating,  which
means  that  the  road  is  slippery  or  that
your  vehicle’s  wheels  are  slipping  exces-
sively.  If  this  happens,  drive  slower  with
less accelerator input.
l If an abnormal condition occurs in the sys-
tem  while  driving,  the 
  indication  lamp
will illuminate.
In these cases, follow these procedures:
CAUTION• If  the  temperature  in  the  braking  sys-
tem  continues  to  increase  due  to  con-
tinuous  brake  control  on  a  slippery
road  surface,  the 
  indication  lamp
will  illuminate,  and  operation  of  the
Active  Stability  Control  function  and
active traction control function will be
suspended  to  protect  the  brake  sys-
tem.  (Normal  operation  of  the  vehicle
will  not  be  affected.)  Park  your  vehi-
cle in a safe place. When the tempera-
ture  in  the  braking  system  has  come
down,  the 
  indication  lamp  will  go
off  and  the  Active  Stability  Control
function  and  active  traction  control
function will start operating again.
• If  the 
  indication  lamp  does  not  go
out  even  though  the  above  procedure
is  followed,  there  could  be  a  problem
in the system.
Stop  the  engine  and  start  the  engine
again and check whether the 
 indica-
tion  lamp  goes  out.  If  the  indication
lamp  goes  out,  there  is  no  abnormal
condition.
If  the 
  indication  lamp  illuminates
even  after  your  vehicle  is  driven  a
short  distance  after  restarting  the  en-
gine, we recommend you to have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
CAUTIONl If  the  vehicle  is  towed  with  the  ignition
switch  in  the  “ON”  position  and  only  the
front  wheels  or  only  the  rear  wheels
raised  off  the  ground,  the  ASTC  may  op-
erate, resulting in an accident. When tow-
ing  the  vehicle  with  the  front  wheels
raised,  keep  the  ignition  switch  in  the
“LOCK”  or  “ACC”  position.  When  tow-
ing  the  vehicle  with  the  rear  wheels
raised,  keep  the  ignition  switch  in  the
“ACC” position.
Refer to “Towing” on page 6-20.
Starting and driving
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