53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Ensure that all windows, mirrors and
lamps are clean.
• Check condition of all tyres.
• Ensure that no fluid leaks are evident.
• Ensure that the area around the vehi-
cle is clear before driving off.
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 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
Driving whilst distracted can result
in a loss of vehicle control, that
may lead to an accident, severe
personal injury, and death. The dri-
ver’s primary responsibility is in
the safe and legal operation of a
vehicle, and use of any handheld
devices, other equipment, or vehi-
cle 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 oper-
ation of the vehicle.
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).
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Driving your vehicle
6 5
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 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 transmis-
sion 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 pres-
ence of your hand or arm in this
area could cause a loss of vehicle
control, an accident and serious
bodily injury or death.
(Continued)
(Continued)
• Do not place any movable objects
around the driver’s seat as they
may move whilst driving, inter-
fere with the driver and lead to an
accident.
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57
Driving your vehicle
STARTING THE ENGINE
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.
It should be started without depressing
the accelerator.
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.)
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 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.
• Do not turn the ignition switch to
the START position with the
engine running. It may damage
the starter.
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Driving your vehicle
8 5
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.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to pre-heat the engine. Then the
glow indicator light will illuminate.
4. If the glow indicator light goes out, turn
the ignition switch to the START posi-
tion and hold it there until the engine
starts (a maximum of 10 seconds),
then release the key.
✽ NOTICE
If the engine were not started within 10
seconds after the preheating is complet-
ed, turn the ignition switch once more to
the LOCK position during 10 seconds,
and then to the ON position, in order to
preheat again.
✽ NOTICE - Diesel Engine
If the accelerator is pressed for a long
time whilst standing still, the engine
power will be limited to prevent the
exhaust parts from overheating.
W-60 Glow indicator light
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511
Driving your vehicle
• During cold weather, shifting may be
difficult until the transmission lubricant
is warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transmission.
• If you've come to a complete stop and
it's hard to shift into 1st or R(Reverse),
leave the shift lever at N(Neutral) posi-
tion 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 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.
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.
CAUTION
• To avoid premature clutch wear
and damage, do not drive with
your foot resting on the clutch
pedal. Also, don’t use the clutch
to hold the vehicle stopped on an
uphill grade, whilst waiting for a
traffic light, etc.
• Do not use the shift lever as a
handrest during driving, as this
can result in premature wear of
the transmission shift forks.
• To prevent possible damage to
the clutch system, do not start
with the 2nd (second) gear
engaged except when you start
on a slippery road.
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
transmission 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.
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Driving your vehicle
14 5
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, if
the battery has been disconnected, may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
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 causing 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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515
Driving your vehicle
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.
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Driving your vehicle
18 5
Good driving practices
• Never move the gear shift lever from P
(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other posi-
tion with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
• Never move the gear shift lever into P
(Park) when the vehicle is in motion.
• Be sure the car is completely stopped
before you attempt to shift into R
(Reverse).
• Never take the car out of gear and
coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always leave the
car in gear when moving.
• Do not "ride" the brakes. This can
cause them to overheat and malfunc-
tion. 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. Otherwise, the lower gear may
not be engaged.
• Always use the parking brake. Do not
depend on placing the transmission in
P (Park) to keep the car 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 accelera-
tor pedal.
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.
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(Continued)
• 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.
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle free
by moving it forward and backward.
Do not attempt this procedure if
people or objects are anywhere
near the vehicle. During the rocking
operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward of backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or
objects.
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