
53
Driving your vehicle
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.
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.

55
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will illuminate 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. It will
also go off after about 30 seconds
when the door is closed.
Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft (if equipped). The igni-
tion 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.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and
electrical accessories are operative.
✽ ✽NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning
the ignition switch to the ACC posi-
tion, turn the key while turning the
steering wheel right and left to
release the tension.
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 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.
KEY POSITIONS (IF EQUIPPED)
OGDE051055
ACC
ON
ST
ART
LOCK

Driving your vehicle
85
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. It
will also go off immediately when the
theft-alarm system is armed.
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.
ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON (IF EQUIPPED)
ORP052002
CAUTION
You are able to turn off theengine (START/RUN) or vehiclepower (ON), only when the vehi-cle is not in motion. In an emer-gency situation while the vehi-cle is in motion, you are able toturn the engine off and to theACC position by pressing theENGINE START/STOP button formore than 2 seconds or 3 timessuccessively within 3 seconds.If the vehicle is still moving, youcan restart the engine withoutdepressing the brake pedal bypressing the ENGINESTART/STOP button with theshift lever in the N (Neutral)position.
White

59
Driving your vehicle
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.
OrangeRedNot illuminated

Driving your vehicle
20
5
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.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into D (Drive).
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.
In sports mode, moving the shift
lever backwards and forwards will
allow you to make gearshifts rapidly.
In contrast to a manual transaxle, the
sports mode allows gearshifts with
the accelerator pedal depressed.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged
if you shift into P (Park) whilethe vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore 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.
ORP052020
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
)
)
)
)

Driving your vehicle
26
5
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.
BRAKE SYSTEM
(Continued)
Wet brakes may impair the
vehicle’s ability to safely slow
down; the vehicle may also
pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Applying
the brakes lightly will indicate
whether they have been affect-
ed in this way. Always test your
brakes in this fashion after
driving through deep water. To
dry the brakes, apply them
lightly while maintaining a safe
forward speed until brake per-
formance returns to normal.
Always, confirm the position of the brake and accelerator
pedal before driving. If you
don’t check the position of the
accelerator and brake pedal
before driving, you may
depress the accelerator
instead of the brake pedal. It
may cause a serious accident.WARNING - Brakes
Do not drive with your footresting on the brake pedal.
This will create abnormal high
brake temperatures, exces-
sive brake lining and pad
wear, and increased stopping
distances.
When descending a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear
and avoid continuous applica-
tion of the brakes. Continuous
brake application will cause
the brakes to overheat and
could result in a temporary
loss of braking performance.
(Continued)

527
Driving your vehicle
In the event of brake failure
If service brakes fail to operate while
the vehicle is in motion, you can
make an emergency stop with the
parking brake. The stopping dis-
tance, however, will be much greater
than normal.
Disc brakes wear indicator
When your brake pads are worn and
new pads are required, you will hear
a high-pitched warning sound from
your front brakes or rear brakes. You
may hear this sound come and go or
it may occur whenever you depress
the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.WARNING- Parkingbrake
Applying the parking brake
while the vehicle is moving at
normal speeds can cause a
sudden loss of control of the
vehicle. If you must use the
parking brake to stop the vehi-
cle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.
WARNING
Do not operate the parking
brake while the vehicle is mov-
ing except in an emergency sit-
uation. It could damage the
vehicle system and endanger
driving safety.

529
Driving your vehicle
Releasing the parking brake
To release the parking brake, first
apply the foot brake and pull up the
parking brake lever slightly. Secondly
press the release button (1) and
lower the parking brake lever (2)
while holding the button.Check the brake warning light by
turning the ignition switch ON (do not
start the engine). This light will be
illuminated when the parking brake is
applied with the ignition switch in the
START or ON position.
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on
after the parking brake is released
while the engine is running, there may
be a malfunction in the brake system.
Immediate attention is necessary.
ORP052025
WARNING
To prevent unintentional
movement when stopped and
leaving the vehicle, do not use
the shift lever instead of the
parking brake. Set the parking
brake AND make sure the shift
lever is securely positioned in
1st (First) gear or R (Reverse)
for manual transaxle
equipped vehicles and in P
(Park) for automatic transaxle
equipped vehicles.
Never allow anyone who is unfamiliar with the vehicle to
touch the parking brake. If the
parking brake is released
unintentionally, serious injury
may occur.
All vehicles should always have the parking brake fully
engaged when parking to
avoid inadvertent movement
of the vehicle which can injure
occupants or pedestrians.
W-75