
Seat belt operating
The seat belt tightens when the vehi-
cle senses a collision.
When the AVSM is activated ordeactivated, make sure that the
vehicle is stopped.
When the engine runs, the AVSM is automatically turned ON. If
unnecessary, select the AVSM
OFF in the User Settings mode.
Even when the AVSM ON is selected in the User Settings
mode, but when the ESC is
turned OFF by pressing the ESC
OFF button, the AVSM is auto-
matically deactivated. Then, it is
impossible to manually control
the AVSM.
Malfunction indicator
The AVSM OFF indicator illumi-nates, when the Engine Start/Stop
button is pressed ON. However, it
goes OFF in approximately 3 sec-
onds. When the indicator does not
illuminate, or continuously remains
ON even after 3 seconds, with the
Engine Start/Stop button ON, or
when the indicator remains ON
while driving, the AVSM does not
properly operate. Take your vehicle
to an authorized EQUUS dealer
and have the system checked.
The AVSM OFF indicator may illu- minate, when the ESC indicator or
SCC indicator illuminates. It does
not indicate a malfunction of the
AVSM.
NOTICE
5-56
Driving your vehicle
The AVSM is not a substitute for
your safe driving practices, but
only a supplementary system. It
is the driver's responsibility to
always check the speed and the
vehicle-to-vehicle distance.
WARNING
The AVSM is activated depend-
ing on the vehicle-to-vehicle
distance, relative velocity and
driver's brake pedal/accelerator
operation. Do not recklessly
drive on purpose to activate the
AVSM.
WARNING

Operating conditions
The BSD indicator will illuminate
when the BSD system switch is
pressed ON after turning the Engine
Start/Stop button ON.
When the vehicle speed exceeds 9.3
mph (15 km/h), the system will acti-
vate.
When you press the BSD switch
again, the indicator and the BSD sys-
tem will be turned OFF.
When the ignition switch is pressed
ON after engine turn-OFF, the BSD
system returns to the previous state.
When the BSD system is not used,
turn the BSD system OFF by press-
ing the switch.
When the BSD system is turned ON,
the warning light will illuminate for 3
seconds on the outside rearview mir-
ror.
Warning types
The system will activate as below.
1.The system is ON.
2.The vehicle speed is above 9.3mph (15 km/h).
3.Other vehicles are detected behind your vehicle.
When a vehicle is detected within the
system sensing range, a warning
light will illuminate on the outside
rearview mirror and the head-up dis-
play.
When a detected vehicle is out of the
warning range, the warning alarm
will be turned OFF according to driv-
ing conditions.
5-59
Driving your vehicle05
OVI055120N
1st stage

5-65
Driving your vehicle05
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your driving style such as
where you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects your
fuel economy (how many miles/kilo-
meters you can drive with a
gallon/liter of fuel). To drive your vehi-
cle as economically as possible, fol-
low the below driving suggestions.
These will help you save in both the
fuel and repair expenses:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at amoderate rate. Do not make
"jackrabbit" starts or full-throttle
shifts. Maintain a steady cruising
speed. Do not race between stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed in
accordance with other traffic to
avoid unnecessary speed
changes. Avoid heavy traffic when-
ever possible. Always maintain a
safe distance from a vehicle in
front to avoid unnecessary braking.
This also reduces brake wear-out.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your
vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate
speed, in the highest gear appro-
priate for the driving conditions
especially on the highway, is one of
the most effective ways to reduce
fuel consumption.
Do not "ride" the brake pedal. This can increase fuel consumption and
also wear out the brake compo-
nents. In addition, resting your foot
on the brake pedal, while driving,
may overheat the brake, reducing
breaking effects and possibly lead-
ing a serious consequence.
Check your tire conditions. Keep them inflated to the recommended
pressure level. Under or over infla-
tion will unnecessarily tire wear-
out. Check the tire pressures at
least once a month. Make sure that the wheels are cor-
rectly aligned. Hitting a curb or
driving too fast on uneven surfaces
may distort the wheel alignment.
Poor alignment causes faster tire
wear-out and may also result in
other problems as well as greater
fuel consumption.
Keep your vehicle in good condi- tion. For the better fuel economy
and the cheaper maintenance
expenses, maintain your vehicle in
accordance with the maintenance
schedule in the chapter 7. When
you drive your vehicle in harsh con-
ditions, more frequent mainte-
nance is required (refer to the
chapter 7 for further information).
Keep your vehicle clean. Your vehi- cle should be kept clean and away
from any corrosive substances. It is
especially important that mud, dirt,
ice and others are not daubed
under the vehicle. This extra weight
may increase the fuel consumption
and also cause corrosion.
Avoid a heavy loading. Do not carry unnecessary weight in your
vehicle. It will improve your fuel
economy.
Do not let the engine idle longer than necessary. When you wait
(not in traffic), turn OFF the engine.
Then restart the engine, when you
are ready to go.
Remember that your vehicle does not require the engine warm-up for
a long time. After turning On the
engine, run the engine for 10 to 20
seconds, before shifting the gear.
In cold weather, however, your
engine needs a slightly longer
warm-up period.
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5-66
Driving your vehicle
Do not "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging is to drive too
slowly in a high gear, resulting in
the engine bucking. In this case,
shift to a lower gear. Over-revving
is racing the engine beyond its safe
limit. This can be avoided by decel-
erating to a recommended speed.
Use your air conditioning at inter- vals. The air conditioning system
operates by engine power. Thus,
your fuel economy will decline,
when turning it ON.
Opening the windows, while driv- ing at a high speed, may reduce
the fuel economy.
The fuel economy will decline in the crosswind and headwind. To
offset some of this loss, slow down
the driving speed.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating
condition is important both for the
fuel economy and safety. Therefore,
have your vehicle inspected and
maintained by an authorized EQUUS
dealer on a regular basis. - Turning the engine OFF while
driving
Never turn the engine OFF to
coast down hills or anytime the
vehicle is in motion. The power
steering and power brakes will
not properly operate, when the
engine is turned OFF. Keep the
engine ON and downshift to an
appropriate gear for engine
braking effect. Moreover, turn-
ing OFF the ignition, while driv-
ing, may lock the steering
wheel, blocking the steer wheel
movement and causing a seri-
ous injury or death.
WARNING

5-68
Driving your vehicle
Rocking the vehicle
When it is necessary to rock the
vehicle to escape from snow, sand,
or mud, first move the steering wheel
from side to side to clear the front-
wheel area. Then, move the shift
lever back and forth between
R(Reverse) and any forward gears.
Do not race the engine, and avoid
unnecessary wheel spins. When
your vehicle is still stuck in after try-
ing the above, have the vehicle
pulled out by a tow truck to avoid
engine overheating and transmission
damages.
A long-time rocking may overheat
the engine and damage the trans-
mission/tires.
Information
The ESC system must be turned OFF
before rocking the vehicle.
i
NOTICE
- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially faster than 35 mph (56
km/h). Spinning the wheels at a
high speed, while parking, may
overheat a tire and injure
passers-by.
WARNING
When your vehicle is stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., you may
rock the vehicle to escape by
moving forwards and back-
wards. Do not attempt this,
when people or objects are any-
where near the vehicle. Rocking
the vehicle may cause it to sud-
denly move forwards or back-
wards, as it becomes unstuck,
injuring nearby people or dam-
aging objects.
WARNING

5-71
Driving your vehicle05
Highway driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation, as specified.
Under-inflation may overheat or
damage the tires.
Do not install worn-out or damaged
tires, which may reduce traction or
fail the braking operation.
Information
Never over-inflate your tires above the
maximum inflation pressure, as speci-
fied on your tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engineoil
Driving at a high speed consumes
more fuel than driving in an urban
area. Do not forget to check both the
engine coolant and engine oil.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
overheat the engine.
i
OVI025001N
Underinflated or overinflated
tires may cause poor han-
dling, loss of vehicle control,
and sudden braking failure,
leading to an accident, an
injury, and even a death.
Always check tire pressure to
maintain the proper inflation,
before driving. For further tire
pressure information, refer to
“Tires and wheels” in the
chapter 8.
Driving with tires with insuffi- cient or extremely worn-out
tread is dangerous. Those
tires may result in loss of
vehicle control, a collision, an
injury, and even a death.
Worn-out tires must be
replaced immediately and not
used for driving. Always
check the tire tread before
driving. For further informa-
tion and tread limits, refer to
“Tires and wheels” in the
chapter 7.
WARNING

5-72
Driving your vehicle
The severe weather conditions of
winter quickly wear out tires and
cause other problems. To minimize
winter driving problems, you should
take the following suggestions:
Snowy or icy conditions
To drive your vehicle in the deep
snow, it may be necessary to use
snow tires or tire chains. When
installing snow tires, it is necessary
to select tires in the equivalent size
and type to the original ones. Failure
to do so may adversely affect your
safety and handling. Furthermore,
speeding, rapid accelerating, sudden
braking and sharp turning are poten-
tially hazardous.
When decelerating, set the engine
brake to the fullest extent. Sudden
braking on a snowy or icy road may
cause a skid. You need to keep a suf-
ficient distance from a vehicle in
front. Also, gently depress the brake.
It should be noted that installing tire
chains provides a greater driving
force, but do not prevent a sideways
skid.
Information
Using tire chains are illegal in some
states. Check state laws, before
installing tire chains.
Snow tires
When installing snow tires, make
sure they are radial tires of the same
size and load range as the original
ones. Install snow tires on all four
wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
Keep in mind that the traction provid-
ed by snow tires on a dry road may
not be the same as the original tires.
You should cautiously drive, even
when a road surface is dry. Check
the recommended speed maximum
with your tire dealer.
Do not install studded tires before checking the local, state and munici-pal regulations. There may be a pos-sible restriction against using those.
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OVI055049N
- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
original ones. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.
WARNING

5-74
Driving your vehicle
An AutoSock, which is in the wrong size or is improperly
installed, may damage brake
lines, suspension, body and
wheels of your vehicle.
Stop driving and retighten the AutoSock, whenever there are
snapping sounds between the
vehicle and the AutoSock.
Use high quality ethylene gly-
col coolant
The cooling system of your vehicle is
filled with the high-quality ethylene
glycol coolant when being delivered.
It is the only type of coolant that your
vehicle is filled with, because it pre-
vents corrosion of the cooling sys-
tem, lubricates the water pump and
prevents freezing. Refill the cooling
system in accordance with your
maintenance schedule in the chapter
7. Before winter, check your coolant
to assure that the freezing point is
sufficiently lower than the expected
winter temperature.
Check battery and cables
The winter temperature increases
the battery consumption. Inspect the
battery and cables, as described in
the chapter 7. The battery charging
level can be checked by an author-
ized EQUUS dealer or in a service
station.
Change to "winter weight" oil,
if necessary
In some regions during the cold win-
ter, it is recommended to use the
"winter weight" oil with lower viscosi-
ty. For further information about this,
refer to the chapter 8. When you can-
not be sure about a type of winter
weight oil, consult an authorized
EQUUS dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition
system
Inspect your spark plugs and, if nec-
essary, replace them. Also check all
ignition wirings and components for
any cracks, wear-out, and damage.
NOTICE
- Chain installation
When installing the AutoSock,
park the vehicle on level ground
away from other vehicles. Press
ON the Hazard Warning flasher
and place a warning triangle
behind your vehicle, if available.
Place the shift lever in P(Park),
set the parking brake and turn
OFF the engine, before
installing the AutoSock.
WARNING
- Tire chains
The use of the AutoSock may
adversely affect vehicle han-
dling.
Do not drive faster than the lower of the two - 20 mph (30
km/h) and the AutoSock manu-
facturer’s recommended
speed limit.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns, and
other road hazards, which may
bounce the vehicle.
Avoid turning sharply or lock- ing the wheel brake.
WARNING