53
Driving your vehicle
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Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-
ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
• Check the condition of the tyres.
• Check under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks.
• Be sure there are no obstacles behind
you if you intend to back up.
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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”.
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Before starting
• Close and lock all doors.
• Position the seat so that all controls 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 famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING
Driving whilst distracted can result in
a loss of vehicle control, that may
lead to an accident, severe personal
injury, and death. The driver’s pri-
mary responsibility is in the safe and
legal operation of a vehicle, and use
of any handheld devices, other equip-
ment, or vehicle systems which take
the driver’s eyes, attention and focus
away from the safe operation of a
vehicle or which are not permissible
by law should never be used during
operation of the vehicle.
Driving your vehicle
4 5
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Illuminated ignition switch
(if equipped)
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition switch
is not in the ON position. The light will go
off immediately when the ignition switch
is turned on or go off after about 30 sec-
onds when the door is closed.
KEY POSITIONS
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WARNING- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Driving under the influence of
drugs or alcohol is dangerous and
is one of the major contributing fac-
tors to the road deaths each year.
Even a small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgement. Driving whilst
under the influence of drugs is as
dangerous or more dangerous than
driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.
WARNING
• When you intend to park or stop
the vehicle with the engine on, be
careful not to depress the accel-
erator pedal for a long period of
time. It may overheat the engine
or exhaust system and cause fire.
• When you make a sudden stop or
turn the steering wheel rapidly,
loose objects may drop on the
floor and it could interfere with
the operation of the foot pedals,
possibly causing an accident.
Keep all things in the vehicle
safely stored.
• If you do not focus on driving, it
may cause an accident. Be care-
ful when operating what may dis-
turb driving such as audio or
heater. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always drive safely.
55
Driving your vehicle
Ignition switch position
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LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key toward
the LOCK position.
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ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operative.
✽NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced in turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position, turn
the key whilst turning steering wheel
right and left to release the tension.
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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.
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START
Turn the ignition key to the START posi-
tion to start the engine. The engine will
crank until you release the key; then it
returns to the ON position. The brake
warning lamp can be checked in this
position.
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WARNING - Ignition
switch
• Never turn the ignition switch to
LOCK or ACC whilst the vehicle is
moving. This would result in loss of
directional control and braking
function, which could cause an acci-
dent.
• 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 transmission and set the
parking brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement may occur if
these precautions are not taken.
• Never reach for the ignition switch,
or any other controls through the
steering wheel whilst the vehicle is
in motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in this area could cause
a loss of vehicle control, an accident
and serious bodily injury or death.
• Do not place any movable objects
around the driver’s seat as they may
move whilst driving, interfere with
the driver and lead to an accident
.
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Driving your vehicle
6 5
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Starting the petrol engine
1. Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2.Manual Transmission- Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the trans-
mission into Neutral. Keep the clutch
pedal and brake pedal depressed
whilst turning the ignition switch to the
start position.Automatic Transmission- Place the
transmission 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.
4. Do not wait for the engine to warm up
whilst the vehicle remains stationary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds. (Steep accelerating and decel-
erating should be avoided.)
It should be started without depressing
the accelerator.
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Starting the diesel engine
To start the diesel engine when the
engine is cold, it has to be pre-heated
before starting the engine and then have
to be warmed up before starting to drive.
1. Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2.Manual Transmission- Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the trans-
mission into Neutral. Keep the clutch
pedal and brake pedal depressed
whilst turning the ignition switch to the
start position.
Automatic Transmission- Place the
transmission 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.
STARTING THE ENGINE
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 and
accelerator pedal, and the clutch
(if equipped).
• Do not start the vehicle with the
accelerator pedal depressed. The
vehicle can move and lead to an
accident.
• Wait until the engine rpm is nor-
mal. The vehicle may suddenly
move if the brake padel is
released when the rpm is high.
CAUTION
If the engine stalls whilst 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 whilst the vehicle
is still moving and turn the ignition
switch to the START position in an
attempt to restart the engine.
CAUTION
• Do not crank the engine for more
than 10 seconds. If the engine
stalls or fails to start, wait 5 to 10
seconds before cranking the
engine again. Improper use of the
starter motor may cause damage
to it.
• Do not turn the ignition switch to
the START position with the engine
running. It may damage the starter.
59
Driving your vehicle
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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 whilst driving. Do not rest
your foot on the clutch pedal whilst driv-
ing. This can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold
the car on an incline. This causes unnec-
essary wear. Use the foot brake or park-
ing brake to hold the car on an incline. Do
not operate the clutch pedal rapidly and
repeatedly.
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Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or whilst driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labour.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you again need to increase your
speed. When the vehicle is travelling
down steep hills, downshifting helps
maintain safe speed and prolongs brake
life.
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Good driving practices
• Never take the car out of gear and
coast down a hill. This is extremely
hazardous. Always leave the car in
gear.
• Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause
them to overheat and malfunction.
Instead, when you are driving down a
long hill, shift to a lower gear. When
you do this, engine braking will help
slow the car.
• Slow down before shifting to a lower
gear. This will help avoid over-revving
the engine, which can cause damage.
• Slow down when you encounter cross
winds. This gives you much better con-
trol of your car.
• Be sure the car is completely stopped
before you attempt to shift into reverse.
The transmission can be damaged if
you do not. To shift into reverse,
depress the clutch, move the shift lever
to neutral, wait 3 seconds, then shift to
the reverse position.
WARNING
• Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then
make sure the transmission 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 pre-
cautions are not followed in the
order identified.
• If your vehicle has a manual
transaxle not equipped with a
ignition lock switch, it may move
and cause a serious accident
when starting the engine without
depressing the clutch pedal
whilst the parking brake is
released and the shift lever not in
the N(Neutral) position.
• Do not use the engine brake
(shifting from a high gear to
lower gear) rapidly on slippery
roads. The vehicle may slip caus-
ing an accident.
Driving your vehicle
10 5
• 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.
WARNING
• Always buckle-up! In a collision,
an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted occupant.
• Avoid high speeds when corner-
ing 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.
• Never exceed posted speed lim-
its.
Driving your vehicle
12 5
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Automatic transmission operation
The automatic transmission has 5 (or 4)
forward speeds and one reverse speed.
The individual speeds are selected auto-
matically, depending on the position of
the shift lever.
✽NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, or
if the battery has been disconnected,
may be somewhat abrupt. This is a nor-
mal condition, and the shifting sequence
will adjust after shifts are cycled a few
times by the TCM (Transmission
Control Module) or PCM (Powertrain
Control Module).
For smooth operation, depress the brake
pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to a
forward or reverse gear.
WARNING- Automatic
transmission
• Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting a car 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 iden-
tified.
• Do not use the engine brake
(shifting from a high gear to
lower gear) rapidly on slippery
roads. The vehicle may slip caus-
ing an accident.
CAUTION
• To avoid damage to your trans-
mission, do not accelerate the
engine in R (Reverse) or any for-
ward gear position with the
brakes on.
• When stopped on an incline, do
not hold the vehicle stationary
with engine power. Use the serv-
ice 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.
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Driving your vehicle
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Transmission ranges
The indicator in the instrument cluster
displays the shift lever position 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 transmission and prevents the drive
wheels from rotating.R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or service brakes are applied.
CAUTION
The transmission may be damaged
if you shift into P (Park) whilst the
vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transmission if you shift into R
whilst the vehicle is in motion,
except as explained in “Rocking the
vehicle” in this section.
WARNING
• Shifting into P (Park) whilst 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) position
in place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
and set the parking brake fully.
• Never leave a child unattended in
a vehicle.
WARNING
Do not drive with the shift lever in N
(Neutral).
The engine brake will not work and
lead to an accident.