53
Driving your vehicle
BEFORE DRIVING
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”.
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.
WARNING
Driving while distracted can
result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol, that may lead to an accident,
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 vehi-
cle or which are not permissible
by law should never be used
during operation of the vehicle.
Driving your vehicle
6 5
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
battery discharge.
START
Turn the ignition switch to the START
position to start the engine. The
engine will crank until you release
the key; then it returns to the ON
position. The brake warning light can
be checked in this position.
WARNING - Ignition key
• Never turn the ignition switch
to LOCK or ACC while the vehi-
cle is moving. This would result
in loss of directional control
and braking function, which
could cause an accident.
• The anti-theft steering column
lock is not a substitute for the
parking brake. Before leaving
the driver’s seat, always make
sure the shift lever is engaged
in P (Park) for the automatic
transaxle, set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
Unexpected and sudden vehi-
cle movement may occur if
these precautions are not
taken.
(Continued)(Continued)
• Never reach for the ignition
switch, or any other controls
through the steering wheel
while the vehicle is in motion.
The presence of your hand or
arm in this area could cause a
loss of vehicle control, an acci-
dent and serious bodily injury
or death.
• Do not place any movable
objects around the driver’s seat
as they may move while driv-
ing, interfere with the driver and
lead to an accident.
57
Driving your vehicle
Starting the engine
1. Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2.Automatic Transaxle- Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine
when the shift lever is in the N
(Neutral) position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to START
and hold it there until the engine
starts (a maximum of 10 seconds),
then release the key.
It should be started without
depressing the accelerator pedal.
4. Do not wait for the engine to warm
up while the vehicle remains sta-
tionary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds. (Steep accelerating and
decelerating should be avoided.)WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels,
ski boots,etc.) may interfere
with your ability to use the
brake, accelerator pedal.
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while you are
in motion, do not attempt to
move the shift lever to the P
(Park) position. If traffic and
road conditions permit, you may
put the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position while the
vehicle is still moving and turn
the ignition switch to the START
position in an attempt to restart
the engine.
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter for
more than 10 seconds. If the
engine stalls or fails to start, wait
5 to 10 seconds before re-engag-
ing the starter. Improper use of
the starter may damage it.
Driving your vehicle
10 5
✽ NOTICE
If you press the engine start/stop
button without depressing the brake
pedal for automatic transaxle vehi-
cles, the engine will not start and the
engine start/stop button changes as
follow:
OFF
➔ACC ➔ON ➔OFF or ACC
✽ NOTICE
If you leave the engine start/stop
button in the ACC or ON position
for a long time, the battery will dis-
charge.
WARNING
• Never press the engine
start/stop button while the
vehicle is in motion. This
would result in loss of direc-
tional control and braking
function, which could cause
an accident.
• Before leaving the driver's
seat, always make sure the
shift lever is engaged in P
(Park), set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
Unexpected and sudden vehi-
cle movement may occur if
these precautions are not
taken.
(Continued)
(Continued)
• Never reach for the engine
start/ stop button or any other
controls through the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in
motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in the area could
cause loss of vehicle control,
an accident and serious bodi-
ly injury or death.
• Do not place any movable
objects around the driver's
seat as they may move while
driving, interfere with the driv-
er and lead to an accident.
511
Driving your vehicle
Starting the engine
1. Carry the smart key or leave it
inside the vehicle.
2. Make sure the parking brake is
firmly applied.
3.Automatic Transaxle- Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine when
the shift lever is in the N (Neutral)
position.
4. Press the engine start/stop button.It should be started without depress-
ing the accelerator pedal.
5. Do not wait for the engine to warm
up while the vehicle remains sta-
tionary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds. (Steep accelerating and
decelerating should be avoided.)• Even if the smart key is in the vehi-
cle, if it is far away from you, the
engine may not start.
• When the engine start/stop button
is in the ACC position or above, if
any door is opened, the system
checks for the smart key. If the
smart key is not in the vehicle, the
“ ” indicator and a message
“Key not in vehicle” will appear on
the instrument cluster and LCD dis-
play. And if all doors are closed, the
chime will sound for 5 seconds. The
indicator or warning will turn off
while the vehicle is moving. Always
have the smart key with you.
WARNING
The engine will start, only when
the smart key is in the vehicle.
Never allow children or any per-
son who is unfamiliar with the
vehicle touch the engine
start/stop button or related parts.
WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels,
ski boots,etc.) may interfere with
your ability to use the brake,
accelerator pedal.
Driving your vehicle
14 5
For smooth operation, depress the
brake pedal when shifting from N
(Neutral) to a forward or reverse gear.Transaxle ranges
The indicator lights in the instrument
cluster displays the shift lever posi-
tion when the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park). This
position locks the transaxle and pre-
vents the front wheels from rotating.
WARNING - Automatic
transaxle
• Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for
people, especially children,
before shifting a vehicle into
D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
• Before leaving the driver’s
seat, always make sure the
shift lever is in the P (Park)
position; then set the parking
brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order
identified.
CAUTION
• To avoid damage to your
transaxle, do not accelerate
the engine in R (Reverse) or
any forward gear position with
the brakes on.
• When stopped on an incline,
do not hold the vehicle sta-
tionary with engine power.
Use the service brake or the
parking brake.
• Do not shift from N (Neutral)
or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R
(Reverse) when the engine is
above idle speed.
515
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or service brakes
are applied.
D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving
position. The transaxle will automati-
cally shift through a 6-gear sequence,
providing the best fuel economy and
power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or climbing grades,
depress the accelerator fully, at which
time the transaxle will automatically
downshift to the next lower gear.
✽NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into D (Drive).
WARNING
• Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion will cause
the drive wheels to lock which
will cause you to lose control
of the vehicle.
• Do not use the P (Park) posi-
tion in place of the parking
brake. Move the shift lever to
the P (Park) position and set
the parking brake fully.
• Never leave a child unattend-
ed in a vehicle.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged
if you shift into P (Park) while
the vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transaxle if you shift into R
(Reverse) while the vehicle is in
motion, except as explained in
“Rocking the vehicle”, in this
manual.
Driving your vehicle
18 5
Good driving practices
• Never move the shift lever from P
(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other
position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
• Never move the shift lever into "P"
when the vehicle is in motion.
• Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you attempt to shift
into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
• Never take the vehicle out of gear
and coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always leave
the vehicle in gear when moving.
• Do not "ride" the brakes. This can
cause them to overheat and mal-
function. Instead, when you are
driving down a long hill, slow down,
move the shift lever to sports mode
and shift to a lower gear.
• When using soprts mode, slow
down before shifting to a lower
gear.• Always use the parking brake and
shift into P (Park) when parking the
vehicle. Do not depend on placing
the transaxle in P (Park) to keep
the vehicle from moving.
• Exercise extreme caution when
driving on a slippery surface. Be
especially careful when braking,
accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change
in vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
the vehicle to go out of control.
• Optimum vehicle performance and
economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator pedal.WARNING
• Always buckle-up! In a colli-
sion, an unbelted occupant is
significantly more likely to be
seriously injured or killed than
a properly belted occupant.
• Avoid high speeds when cor-
nering or turning.
• Do not make quick steering
wheel movements, such as
sharp lane changes or fast,
sharp turns.
• The risk of rollover is greatly
increased if you lose control
of your vehicle at highway
speeds.
• Loss of control often occurs if
two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over-
steers to reenter the roadway.
• In the event your vehicle
leaves the roadway, do not
steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into
the travel lanes.
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