
485
Features of your vehicle
Headlamp escort (if equipped)
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ACC or OFF position with the head-
lights ON, the headlights remain on
for about 5 minutes. However, if the
driver’s door is opened and closed,
the headlights are turned off after 15
seconds.
The headlights can be turned off by
pressing the lock button on the trans-
mitter (or smart key) twice or turning
the light switch to the OFF or Auto
position. However, if you turn the light
switch to the Auto position when it is
dark outside, the headlights will not
be turned off immediately.
Battery saver function
The purpose of this feature is toprevent the battery from being dis-
charged. The system automatically
turns off the parking lights when
the driver removes the ignition key
and opens the driver-side door (in
that order).
With this feature, the parking lights will turn off automatically if the driv-
er parks on the side of the road at
night.
If necessary, to keep the lights on
when the ignition key is removed,
perform the following:
1) Open the driver-side door.
2) Turn the parking lights OFF and ON again using the light switch
on the steering column.
Daytime running light
(if equipped)
Daytime Running Lights (DRL) may
help make it easier for others to see
the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many dif-
ferent driving conditions, and it is
especially helpful after dawn and
before sunset.
The DRL system turns OFF when:
1. The front fog light or headlight (low
beam) switch is ON.
2. The engine is OFF.
3. The parking brake is applied.
LIGHTING

Driving your vehicle
45
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outsidemirror(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, at the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in chapter 7,
“Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-trols are easily reached.
Buckle your seat belt.
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.
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.

57
Driving your vehicle
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 ifthe engine is not running to preventbattery 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. The anti-theft steering column lock (if
equipped) is not a substitute for the
parking brake. Before leaving the dri-
ver’s seat, always make sure the shift
lever is engaged in 1st gear for the
manual transaxle or P (Park) for
automatic transaxle, set the parking
brake fully and shut the engine off.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement may occur if these pre-
cautions are not taken.
Starting the engine
1.Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2. Manual Transaxle - Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the
clutch pedal and brake pedal
depressed while turning the igni-
tion switch to the start position.
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.WARNING- Ignition
switch
Never turn the ignition switch to
LOCK or ACC while the vehicle
is moving. This would result in
loss of directional control and
braking function, which could
cause an accident.
WARNING- Proper footwear
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels,
ski boots,etc.) may interfere
with your ability to use the
brake and accelerator pedal.

59
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ENGINE
START/STOP button
Whenever the front door is opened,
the ENGINE START/STOP button
will illuminate for your convenience.
The light will go off after about 30
seconds when the door is closed.
When all entrances are closed, if you
lock the vehicle by using the trans-
mitter or the smart key, the light will
go off immediately.
ENGINE START/STOP button
position
OFF
• With manual transaxle
To turn off the engine (START/RUN
position) or vehicle power (ON posi-
tion), stop the vehicle then press the
engine start/stop button.
• With automatic transaxle
To turn off the engine (START/RUN
position) or vehicle power (ON posi-
tion), press the ENGINE
START/STOP button with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position. When
you press the ENGINE
START/STOP button without the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, the
ENGINE START/STOP button will
not change to the OFF position but to
the ACC position.In an emergency situation while the
vehicle is in motion, you are able to
turn the engine off and to the ACC
position by pressing the ENGINE
START/STOP button for more than 2
seconds or 3 times successively
within 3 seconds. If the vehicle is still
moving, you can restart the engine
without depressing the brake pedal
by pressing the ENGINE
START/STOP button with the shift
lever in the N (Neutral) position.
ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON (IF EQUIPPED)
OPS053003
Not illuminated

Driving your vehicle
10
5
ACC(Accessory)
• With manual transaxle
Press the engine start/stop button
when the button is in the OFF posi-
tion without depressing the clutch
pedal.
• With automatic transaxle
Press the ENGINE START/STOP
button while it is in the OFF position
without depressing the brake pedal.
If the ENGINE START/STOP button
is in the ACC position for more than
1 hour, the button is turned off auto-
matically to prevent battery dis-
charge.
ON
• With manual transaxle
Press the engine start/stop button
when the button is in the ACC posi-
tion without depressing the clutch
pedal.
• With automatic transaxle
Press the ENGINE START/STOP
button while it is in the ACC position
without depressing the brake pedal.
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. Do not
leave the ENGINE START/STOP
button in the ON position for a long
time. The battery may discharge,
because the engine is not running.
START/RUN
• With manual transaxle
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 transaxle
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. For your safety,
start the engine with the shift lever in
the P (Park) position.
AmberRedish orangeNot illuminated

515
Driving your vehicle
During cold weather, shifting maybe difficult until the transaxle lubri-
cant has warmed up. This is nor-
mal and not harmful to the
transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and it's hard to shift into 1st or R
(Reverse), put the shift lever in N
(Neutral) position and release the
clutch. Press the clutch pedal back
down, and then shift into 1st or R
(Reverse) gear position.Using the clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the
way to the floor before shifting, then
released slowly. The clutch pedal
should always be fully released while
driving. Do not rest your foot on the
clutch pedal while driving. This can
cause unnecessary wear. Do not
partially engage the clutch to hold
the vehicle on an incline. This causes
unnecessary wear. Use the foot
brake or parking brake to hold the
vehicle on an incline. Do not operate
the clutch pedal rapidly and repeat-
edly.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do notdrive with your foot resting onthe clutch pedal. Also, don’tuse the clutch to hold thevehicle stopped on an uphillgrade, while waiting for a traf-fic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, asthis can result in prematurewear of the transaxle shiftforks.
CAUTION
When operating the clutchpedal, depress the clutch pedaldown fully. If you don’t depressthe clutch pedal fully, the clutchmay be damaged or noise mayoccur.
WARNING- Incline parking
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then
make sure the transaxle is shifted
into 1st gear when the vehicle is
parked on a level or uphill grade,
and shifted into R (Reverse) on a
downhill grade. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are not
followed in the order identified.

519
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 auto-
matically downshift to the next lower
gear.Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or
in motion, sports mode is selected by
pushing the shift lever from the D
(Drive) position into the manual gate.
To return to D (Drive) range opera-
tion, push the shift lever back into the
main gate.
CAUTION- Shifting
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is inmotion, except when “Rockingthe vehicle” explained in thissection.
OPS053009
Sports mode
+
+
+
+
(
(
(
(
U
U
U
U
P
P
P
P
)
)
)
)
-
-
-
-
(
(
(
(
D
D
D
D
O
O
O
O
W
W
W
W
N
N
N
N
)
)
)
)

523
Driving your vehicle
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted
brakes that adjust automatically
through normal usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a
stalled engine or some other reason,
you can still stop your vehicle by
applying greater force to the brake
pedal than you normally would. The
stopping distance, however, will be
longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially
depleted each time the brake pedal
is applied. Do not pump the brake
pedal when the power assist has
been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery surfaces.Wet brakes may impair the vehicle’s
ability to safely slow down; the vehi-
cle may also pull to one side when
the brakes are applied. Applying the
brakes lightly will indicate whether
they have been affected in this way.
Always test your brakes in this fash-
ion after driving through deep water.
To dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING- Brake Pedal
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. This will cre-
ate abnormally high brake tem-
peratures which can cause exces-
sive brake lining and pad wear.
WARNING- Steep hill braking
Avoid continuous application of
the brakes when descending a
long or steep hill by shifting to a
lower gear. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.