2017 HONDA FIT Owners Manual

uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
320
Driving
■Hill start assist system
Hill start assist keeps the brake engaged br iefly to help prevent the vehicle from
rolling on inclines as you move your fo ot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
Depress the clutch pedal, and shift to on e of the forward gears when facing uphill,
or
(R when facing downhill, then release the brake pedal.
Move the shift lever to
(D or (S when facing uphill, or (R when facing downhill,
then release the brake pedal.
1 Hill start assist system
Hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from
rolling downhill on a very st eep or slippery slope, and
does not operate on small inclines.
Hill start assist is not a replacement for the parking
brake.
Manual transmission models
Continuously variable transmission models
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321
uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
Continued
Driving
Precautions While Driving
Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine or
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.
■In Rain1Precautions While Driving
NOTICE
Do not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.
NOTICE
If you repeatedly turn the steering wheel at an
extremely low speed, or hold the steering wheel on
the full left or right position for a while, the electric
power steering (EPS) system heats up. The system
goes into a protective mode, and limits its
performance. The steering wheel becomes harder
and harder to operate. Once the system cools down,
the EPS system is restored. Repeated operation under
these conditions can eventually damage the system.
If the ignition switch is turned to ACCESSORY
( q or
LOCK ( 0*1 while driving, the e ngine will shut down
and all steering and brake pow er assist functions will
stop, making it difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not put the shift lever in
( N, as you will lose
engine braking (and acceleration) pe rformance.
During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as to not damage the engine or powertrain.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
You should also follow this when the brake pads are
replaced.
*1: Models with the sma rt entry system have an ENGINE
START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.
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uuWhen Driving uContinuously Variable Transmission*
322
Driving
If there is a strong impact with something under the vehicle, stop in a safe location.
Check the underside of the vehicle for damage or any fluid leaks.
Continuously Variable Transmission*
The engine runs at a higher id le speed and creeping increases.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.
Quickly depressing the accelerator pedal while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unexpectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especi ally on slippery roads and curves.
■Other Precautions
■Creeping
■Kickdown
1Precautions While Driving
NOTICE
The following can dama ge the under spoiler:•Parking the vehicle by a parking block
•Parallel parking along the road shoulder
•Driving towards the bottom of a hill•Driving up or down to a different surface level
(such as a road shoulder)
•Driving on a rutted or bumpy road•Driving on a road with potholes.
* Not available on all models
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323
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
Shifting
Change the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.
■Shift lever positions
*1 : Models with the smart entry system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.
Continuously variable transmission models without paddle shifters
1Shifting
You cannot turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0*1
and remove the key unless the shift lever is in ( P.
The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in
(N while the engine is cold.
Depress the brake pe dal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.
When shifting positions in extremely low
temperatures (-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short
delay before the shift posit ion is displayed. Always
confirm you are in the corr ect shift position before
driving.Park
Used when parking or starting the engine
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Used when idling
Drive
Used for normal driving
Drive (S)
Used:
●For better acceleration●To increase engine braking●When going up or down hills
Release Button
Low
●Used to further increase engine braking●Used when going up or down hills
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uuWhen Driving uShifting
324
Driving
■Shift Lever Operation1Shift Lever Operation
NOTICE
When you change the shift lever from (D to (R and
vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever be fore the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position befo re pulling away.
If the transmission indicator blinks when driving, in
any shift position, there is a problem with the
transmission.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
The fuel supply may be cut of f if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the ta chometer red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happe ns, you may experience a
slight jolt.
It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is pressed.
Depress the brake pedal first.
Shift Lever Position Indicator Tachometer’s red zone
Depress the brake pedal and press
the shift lever rel ease button to shift.
Shift without pressing the shift lever
release button.
Press the shift lever release button
and shift.
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325
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Continued
Driving
Shifting
Change the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.
■Shift lever positions
*1 : Models with the smart entry system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.
Continuously variable transmission models with paddle shifters
1Shifting
You cannot turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0*1
and remove the key unless the shift lever is in ( P.
The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in
(N while the engine is cold.
Depress the brake pe dal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.
When shifting positions in extremely low
temperatures (-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short
delay before the shift posit ion is displayed. Always
confirm you are in the corr ect shift position before
driving.Park
Used when parking or starting the engine
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Used when idling
Drive
Used:
●For normal driving●When temporarily driving in the
7-speed manual shift mode
Release Button Drive (S)
Used for:
●For better acceleration●To increase engine braking●When going up or down hills●When driving in the 7-speed manual
shift mode
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uuWhen Driving uShifting
326
Driving
■Shift Lever Operation1Shift Lever Operation
NOTICE
When you change the shift lever from (D to (R and
vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever be fore the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position befo re pulling away.
If the transmission indicator blinks when driving, in
any shift position, there is a problem with the
transmission.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.
The fuel supply may be cut of f if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the ta chometer red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happe ns, you may experience a
slight jolt.
It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is pressed.
Depress the brake pedal first.
M (7-Speed Manual Shift Mode)
Indicator/Shift Indicator Tachometer’s red zone
Depress the brake pedal and press
the shift lever rele ase button to shift.
Shift without pressing the shift lever
release button.
Press the shift lever release button
and shift. Shift Lever Position Indicator
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Continued327
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 7th speeds without removing
your hands from the steering wheel. The transmission switches to the 7-speed
manual shift mode when you pull a paddle shifter while driving. This mode is useful
when engine braking is needed.
■When the shift lever is in (D:
The shift mode goes into the 7-speed ma nual shift mode temporarily, and the
number is displayed in the shift indicator.
The 7-speed manual shift mode is canceled automatically if you drive at constant
speed or accelerate, and the number in the shift indicator goes off.
You can cancel this mode by pulling the paddle shifter for a few seconds.
The 7-speed manual shift mode is especial ly useful when reducing the vehicle speed
temporarily before making a turn.
■When the shift lever is in (S:
The shift mode goes into the 7-speed manual shift mode. The M indicator and the
speed number are displayed in the shift indicator. As the vehicle speed slows down,
the transmission automatically shifts down accordingly. When the vehicle comes to
a stop, it automatically shifts down into 1st.
If the vehicle speed increases and the engi ne speed reaches near the tachometer’s
red zone, the transmission automatically shifts up.
You can only pull away in 1st speed.
When canceling the 7-speed manual shift mode, move the shift lever from
(S to
(D. When the 7-speed manual sh ift mode is canceled, the M indicator and shift
indicator go off.
■7-Speed Manual Shift Mode1 7-Speed Manual Shift Mode
To improve fuel economy, the transmission may shift
up to a higher speed than the seventh under certain
circumstances. In this case, the number in the shift
indicator remains as 7.
In the 7-speed manual shif t mode, the transmission
shifts up or down by opera ting either paddle shifter
under the following conditions:
Shift Up: The engine sp eed reaches the lowest
threshold of the higher speed position.
Shift Down: The engine sp eed reaches the highest
threshold of the lower speed position.
When the engine speed reaches near the
tachometer’s red zone, the transmission shifts up
automatically.
When the engine speed reaches the lowest threshold
of the selected speed positi on, the transmission shifts
down automatically.
Operating the paddle shifte rs on slippery surfaces
may cause the tires to lock up. In this case, the 7-
speed manual shift mode is canceled and goes back
to the normal D driving mode.
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