Economical driving 6-2 Driving safety
6
N00628500029
For economical driving,
there are some tech-
nical requirements that
have to be met. In
order to achieve longer life of the vehicle andthe most economical
operation, we recom-
mend you to have the vehicle checked at reg- ular intervals according to the “WARRANTYAND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”. Avoid driving with the
accelerator pedal fully
depressed, such as for unnecessarily sudden starts, accelerati
on and deceleration.
Smoothly depress the
accelerator pedal.
Observe the speed limit and keep the speed as constant as possi
ble while driving.
Parking for a long period with the ready indi- cator illuminated will shorten the cruisingrange. At higher the vehicle speed the more main drive lithium-ion battery
is consumed. Avoid
driving at full speed. Even a slight release of the accelerator pedal wi
ll save a significant
amount of main drive lithium-ion battery charge. Check the tire inflation pressures at regular intervals Low tire inflat
ion pressure increases
road resistance. In addi
tion, low tire pressures
adversely affect tire we
ar and driving stabil-
ity. Do not drive with unnecessary articles in the luggage compartment. Too much cooling/heating can affect the cruising range, so maintain an appropriatetemperature to exte
nd the cruising range.
N00628900010
Drunk driving is one of the most frequent causes of accidents.
Your driving ability ca
n be seriously impaired
even with blood alcohol levels far below thelegal minimum. If you
have been drinking,
don’t drive. Ride with a designated non- drinking driver, call a cab or a friend, or usepublic transportation. Drinking coffee or tak- ing a cold shower will not make you sober. Similarly, prescription and nonprescriptiondrugs affect your aler
tness, perception and
reaction time. Consul
t with your doctor or
pharmacist before dr
iving while under the
influence of any of
these medications.
N00628600017
The original equipmen
t floor mat provided
with your vehicle was
specifically designed
for your vehicle. Always properly position the floor mat and assure it does not interfere with operation of the pedals. Always use theretaining clip on the driver’s floorboard to secure the floor mat. When used, this clip will help prevent the floor mat from moving for-ward and possibly interfering with the opera- tion of the pedals. To prevent the floor mat
Economical driving Starting and acceleration Idling Speed
Tire inflation pressure Cargo loads Air conditioning Driving, alcohol and drugs
WA R N I N G NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE. Your perceptions ar
e less accurate, your
reflexes are slower and your judgment is impaired.
Floor mat
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Tire repair kit
For emergencies 8-9
8
11. Holding the sealant bottle upside-down,
squeeze it again and again to inject all ofthe sealant into the tire.
12. After injecting the sealant, pull the hose
off the valve, remove any residual sealant from the valve, rim and/or tire. Fit the valve insert (K) into the valve (I),and screw the valve insert securely into place using the valve remover (J).
13. Pull out the compre
ssor hose (N) from the
side of the tire compressor, and thensecurely attach the hose to the tire valve (I).
14. Place the compressor (O) with its air pres-
sure gauge (P) on top.Pull out the compressor’s power cord (Q), insert the plug on the cord into the 12 V power outlet (R), and then turn the elec-tric motor switch to the “ACC” position. (Refer to “12V power outlet” on page 5-51.)Turn ON the compressor switch (S) and inflate the tire to the specified pressure. (Refer to “Tire inflation pressures” on page 9-13.) If there is a gap between the tire andwheel, push the tread area toward the cen- ter of the wheel to close the gap before running the compressor.
BK0209800US.book 9 ページ 2014年1月14日 火曜日 午前9時26分
Tire repair kit 8-10 For emergencies
8
15. Check and adjust the tire pressure with
reference to the air pressure gauge on thecompressor. If you overinflate the tire, release air by loosening the hose’s end fit- ting.If there is a gap between the tire and wheel because the ti
re has moved inward
from the wheel rim, press the tire treadtowards the wheel to close the gap before running the compressor. (With no gaps, the tire pressure will rise.)
16. Turn OFF the compressor switch, then
pull the power cord plug out of the 12 Vpower outlet.
17. Affix the speed restriction sticker (T) to
the three-diamond mark on the steering wheel.
WA R N I N G Do not place your hand or fingers between the tire and wheel while inflating the tire.Your hand or fingers may become caughtbetween the tire and wheel.CAUTION The supplied compressor is designed only for inflation of your vehicle tires. The compressor is designed to run on a vehi- cle’s 12 V power supply. Do not connect it to any other power source. The compressor is not waterproof. If you use it in rain, make sure
water does not get on it.
Any sand or dust sucked into the compressor could make the compressor break down. Donot place the compressor directly on any sandy or dusty surface when using it. Do not disassemble or modify the compres- sor. Also, do not subject the air pressure gauge to shock. It could malfunction.
CAUTION The surface of the compressor will get hot while the compressor is running. Do not keep the compressor running continuouslyfor more than 10 minutes. After using the compressor, wait for the compressor to cool before using it again. If the compressor becomes sluggish or hot while operating, it is
overheating. Immedi-
ately place the switch in the OFF position and let the compressor c
ool down for at least
30 minutes.NOTE
If the tire pressure does not rise to the speci- fied level within 10 minutes, the tire may beso severely damaged that
the tire sealant can-
not be used to effect
the emergency repair.
Do not drive the vehicl
e. Please contact a
certified i-MiEV dealer.
NOTE
At this point the puncture hole is not sealed yet. Air will leak
through the puncture hole
until the emergency repa
ir procedure is com-
pleted (through step 19 or step 20 of theseinstructions).CAUTION Do not affix the sticke
r anywhere except the
specified position on th
e pad of the steering
wheel. Affixing the sticker in an incorrect position could prevent the SRS airbag fromdeploying properly.
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Operation under adverse driving conditions 8-14 For emergencies
8
When driving on a road covered with snow or ice, use snow tires. Tire chains cannot be used on your vehicle. There may be state or local regulations aboutusing snow tires. Always check the regu- lations in your local area before using them. Refer to the section entitled “Snowtires” on page 9-15 and “Tire chains” on page 9-16. Drive slowly. Do not make sudden starts or stops, sharp turns, or slam on the brakes. Allow extra distance
between your vehi-
cle and the vehicle in front of you, and avoid sudden braking. If a skid occurs when the accelerator pedal is depressed, take your foot off the pedal. Steer gently in the direction of theskid. Your vehicle is equippe
d with an anti-lock
braking system (ABS), hold the brakepedal down firmly and
keep it depressed.
Do not pump the brake pedal which will result in reduced braking performance. After parking on snowy or icy road, it may be difficult to move your vehicle due to freeze-up of the brake. Depress theaccelerator pedal little by little to move the vehicle after confirming safety of the vehicle.
Drive as slow as possible when driving on bumpy or rutted roads or over potholesetc.
On wet roads
CAUTION Do not drive on a flooded road. If you drive on a flooded road, not only the electric motorunit stops but also a fail
ure like electric leak-
age or short circuit may occur. If you inevitably had to run on a floodedroad and the vehicle was exposed to water, be sure to have your vehicle inspected by a certified i-MiEV dealer. When driving in rain, on water-covered roads, or through a car wash, water could getinto the brake discs and make them fail tem- porarily. In such cases, lightly press the brake pedal to see if they are working prop-erly. If they are not, press the pedal lightly several times while driving to dry the brake pads or linings, then check them again. When driving in rain, a layer of water may form between the tires and the road surface(aquaplaning). This l
oosens your tires’ grip
on the road, making it difficult to steer or brake properly. When driving on a wet road:• Drive your vehicle at a safe speed.• Do not drive on worn tires.• Always keep the tires at the correct infla-tion pressures.
On snowy or icy roads
CAUTION Do not depress the acce
lerator pedal rapidly.
The vehicle could start moving when itbreaks free from the ice, possibly resulting inan accident.
On a bumpy or rutted road
CAUTION Driving on bumpy, rutted roads or over pot- holes can damage the tires and wheels. Wheels with low-profiles tires or under- inflated tires are especially at risk for dam-age. The vehicle’s body, bumper, muffler and other parts may be dama
ged if the vehicle is:
• driven over a step (for example, at the entrance or exit of a parking lot);• parked too closely against a curb or parkingblock, or by the side of a road with curb-stones;• driven on a steep slope.
BK0209800US.book 14 ページ 2014年1月14日 火曜日 午前9時26分
Tires
Vehicle care and maintenance 9-11
9
Intended outboard sidewall: • The sidewall that c
ontains a whitewall,
bears white letteri
ng or bears manufac-
turer, brand, and/or model name molding that is higher or deeper than the samemolding on the other sidewall of the tire, or • The outward facing si
dewall of an asym-
metrical tire that has a particular side that must always face outward when mounted on a vehicle.
Passenger car tire: a
tire intended for use
on passenger cars, multipurpose passen-ger vehicles, and trucks, that have a gross vehicle weight rati
ng (GVWR) of 10,000
pounds or less. Light truck (LT) tire: a tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily intended for use on lightweight truc
ks or multipurpose
passenger vehicles. Tread: portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road. Tread rib: a tread se
ction running circum-
ferentially around a tire. Tread separation: pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass. Carcass: the tire structure, except tread and sidewall rubber which, when inflated,bears the load. Sidewall: portion of
a tire between the
tread and bead.
Section width: the line
ar distance between
the exteriors of the sidewalls of aninflated tire, excluding elevations due to labeling, decoration, or protective bands. Bead: the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped
or reinforced by ply
cords and that is shaped to fit the rim. Ply: a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cord: the strands forming the plies in the tire. Rim: a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon which the tirebeads are seated. Rim diameter: nominal diameter of the bead seat. Groove: the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
EXAMPLE:P215/65R15
Tire Markings
Size Designation P
Passenger car tire size based on U.S.A. design standards
215
Section width in millimeters (mm.)
65
Aspect ratio in percent (%) Ratio of section height to section width of tire.
R
Construction code •“R” means radial construc- tion.
• “D” means diagonal or bias construction.
15 Rim diameter in inches (in)
BK0209800US.book 11 ページ 2014年1月14日 火曜日 午前9時26分