
range, it is possible for anyone, even someone who
does not carry the Remote Control Key, to push the
ignition switch to start the engine.
• The cargo bed area is not included in the operat-
ing range of the engine start function.
• If the Remote Control Key is placed on the in-
strument panel, inside the glove box, door pocket
or the corner of the interior compartment, the
Remote Control Key may not function.
• If the Remote Control Key is placed near the
door or window outside the vehicle, the Remote
Control Key may function.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (AT)
The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch cannot be switched to the “LOCK” position
until the shift lever is moved to the P(Park) position.
When pushing the ignition switch to the “OFF” posi-
tion, make sure the shift lever is in the P(Park) posi-
tion.
When the ignition switch cannot be switched to the
“LOCK” position:
1. [Shift to Park] warning appears on the vehicle
information display and achime sounds.
2. Move the shift lever to the P(Park) position.
3. If the ignition switch is in the “ACC” position, [PUSH] warning appears on the vehicle informa-
tion display.
4. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch is switched to the “OFF” position. 5. Open the door. The ignition switch turns to the
“LOCK” position.
For warnings and indicators on the vehicle informa-
tion display, see “Indicators for operation” in the
“2. Instruments and controls” section.
If the ignition switch is switched to the “LOCK”
position, the shift lever cannot be moved from the P
(Park) position. The shift lever can be moved if the
ignition switch is in the “ON” position with the foot-
brake pedal depressed.
STEERING LOCK
The ignition switch is equipped with an anti-theft
steering lock device.
To lock steering wheel
1. Place the ignition switch in the “OFF” position where the ignition switch position indicator will
not illuminate.
2. Open or close the door. The ignition switch turns to the “LOCK” position.
3. Turn the steering wheel 1/6 of aturn to the right
or left from the straight up position.
To unlock steering wheel
Push the ignition switch, and the steering wheel will
be automatically unlocked.
CAUTION
• If the battery of the vehicle is discharged, the
push-button ignition switch cannot be
switched from the “LOCK” position. •
If the steering lock release malfunction indi-
cator (where fitted) appears in the vehicle in-
formation display, push the ignition switch
again while rotating the steering wheel slightly
to the right and left. (See “Vehicle information
display” in the “2. Instruments and controls”
section.)
IGNITION SWITCH POSITIONS WARNING
Never place the ignition switch in the “OFF” posi-
tion while driving. The steering wheel may lock
and cause the driver to lose control of the ve-
hicle, resulting in serious vehicle damage or per-
sonal injury.
CAUTION
• Do not leave the vehicle for extended periods
of time when the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position and the engine is not running. This
can discharge the battery.
• Use electrical accessories with the engine
running to avoid discharging the vehicle bat-
tery. If you must use accessories while the
engine is not running, do not use them for
extended periods of time and do not use mul-
tiple electrical accessories at the same time.
5-16 Starting and driving

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Depress the footbrake pedal.
3. Automatic Transmission (AT) model:
Move the shift lever to the P(Park) or the N(Neu-
tral) position.
The starter is designed to operate only when
the shift lever is in the proper position.
Manual Transmission (MT) model:
Move the shift lever to the N(Neutral) position
and depress the clutch pedal to the floor while
starting the engine.
4. Crank the engine with your foot off the accelera- tor pedal by turning the ignition switch to the
For diesel engine models: Turn the ignition
switch to the
glow plug indicator light turns off.
5. Immediately release the ignition switch when the engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedures.
6. Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 seconds after starting the engine to warm-up. Drive at
moderate speeds for ashort distance first, espe-
cially in cold weather.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the
engine is warming up. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2.
Automatic Transmission (AT) model:
Move the shift lever to the P(Park) or the N(Neu-
tral) position.
The starter is designed to operate only when
the shift lever is in the proper position.
Manual Transmission (MT) model:
Move the shift lever to the N(Neutral) position.
The Remote Control Key must be carried when operating the ignition switch.
3. Place the ignition switch in the “ON” position. Depress the brake pedal (AT model) or the clutch
pedal (MT model) and push the ignition switch to
start the engine.
For diesel engine models: Wait until the glow
plug indicator light goes out.
To start the engine immediately, push and re-
lease the ignition switch while depressing the
brake pedal or clutch pedal with the ignition
switch in any position.
4. Immediately release the ignition switch when the engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedures.
5. Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 seconds after starting the engine to warm-up. Drive at
moderate speeds for ashort distance first, espe-
cially in cold weather. CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the
engine is warming up.
6. To stop the engine, move the shift lever to the P (Park) (AT model) or N(Neutral) (MT model) po-
sition, apply the parking brake, and push the igni-
tion switch to the “OFF” position.
STARTING ENGINE (models
without Remote Control Key system)
STARTING ENGINE (models with
Remote Control Key system)
5-18 Starting and driving

•
PARKING THE VEHICLE
-Depress the foot-
brake pedal and, once the vehicle stops, move
the shift lever into the P(Park) position, pull
the parking brake lever and release the foot-
brake pedal.
Shifting
m :
Push
the button
jAw hile depressing
the footbrake pedal
m :
Push
the button
jA
m :
Just
move the shift lever
WARNING
• Apply the parking brake if the shift lever is in
any position while the engine is not running.
Failure to do so could cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly or roll away and result in
serious personal injury or property damage. •
If the shift lever cannot be moved from the P
(Park) position while the engine is running and
the footbrake pedal is depressed, the stop
lights may not work. Malfunctioning stop
lights could cause an accident injuring your-
self and others.
After starting the engine, fully depress the footbrake
pedal, push the shift lever button and move the shift
lever out of the P(Park) position.
If the ignition switch is placed in the “OFF” or “ACC”
position for any reason while the shift lever is in any
positions other than the P(Park) position, the igni-
tion switch cannot be placed in the “LOCK” posi-
tion.
If the ignition switch cannot be placed in the “LOCK”
position, perform the following steps:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Place the ignition switch in the “ON” position
while depressing the footbrake pedal.
3. Move the shift lever to the P(Park) position.
4. Place the ignition switch in the “LOCK” position.
P( Park):
Use this position when the vehicle is parked or when
starting the engine. Make sure that the vehicle is
completely stopped and move the shift lever into
the P(Park) position. Apply the parking brake.
When parking on ahill, first depress the footbrake
pedal, apply the parking brake, and then move the
shift lever into the P(Park) position. R(
Reverse):
Use this position to reverse. Make sure that the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting the R
(Reverse) position.
N( Neutral):
Neither the forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to the N(Neutral) position and restart astalled
engine while the vehicle is moving.
D( Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is shifted to the manual shift
gate and moved up or down while driving, the trans-
mission enters the manual shift mode. Shift range
can be selected manually.
When shifting up, move the shift lever to the +(up)
side. The transmission shifts to the higher range.
When shifting down, move the shift lever to the −
(down) side. The transmission shifts to the lower
range.
When cancelling the manual shift mode, return the
shift lever to the “D” (Drive) position. The transmis-
sion returns to the normal driving mode.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is displayed
in the vehicle information display between the speed-
ometer and tachometer. JVS0443X
5-20 Starting and driving

Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1
→
←M2→
←M3→
←M4→
←M5→
←M6→
←M7
M7(
7th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
M6( 6th) andM5(5th):
Use these positions when driving up long slopes, or
for engine braking when driving down long slopes.
M4( 4th),M3(3rd) andM2(2nd):
Use these positions for hill climbing or engine brak-
ing on downhill grades.
M1( 1st):
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly or
driving slowly through deep snow, or for maximum
engine braking on steep downhill grades.
• Remember not to drive at high speeds for ex-
tended periods of time in lower than 7th gear.
This reduces fuel economy.
• Moving the shift lever to the same side twice will
shift the ranges in succession. However, if this
motion is rapidly done, the second shifting may
not be completed properly.
• In the manual shift mode, the transmission
may not shift to the selected gear or may au-
tomatically shift to the other gear. This helps
maintain driving performance and reduces the
chance of vehicle damage or loss of control. •
When the transmission does not shift to the
selected gear, the Automatic Transmission
(AT) position indicator light (in the vehicle in-
formation display) will blink and the buzzer
will sound.
• In the manual shift mode, the transmission
automatically shifts down to 1st gear before
the vehicle comes to
astop. When accelerat-
ing again, it is necessary to shift up to the
desired range.
Accelerator downshift -inD(Drive)
position
For passing or climbing hills, depress the accelera-
tor pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmission
down into alower gear, depending on the vehicle
speed.
Shift lock release
If the battery is discharged, the shift lever may not
be moved from the P(Park) position even with the
brake pedal depressed. To release the shift lock, perform the following pro-
cedure:
1. Place the ignition switch in the “OFF” or “LOCK”
position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock cap jAa nd push down
the shift lock release button.
4. Push and hold the shift lever button and move the shift lever to the N(Neutral) position while
holding down the shift lock release button j
A.
Place the ignition switch in the “ON” position to
release the steering wheel lock.
The vehicle may be moved, by pushing, to the de-
sired location.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of the P(Park)
position, have an approved dealer or qualified work-
shop check the AT system as soon as possible.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the AT will be
locked in any of the forward gears depending on
conditions.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme conditions,
such as excessive wheel spinning and subse-
quent hard braking, the fail-safe system may be
activated. This will occur even if all electrical cir-
cuits are functioning properly. In this case, place
the ignition switch in the “OFF” position and wait
for 3seconds. Then place the ignition switch back
in the “ON” position. The vehicle should return to JVS0444X
Starting
and driving
5-21

its normal operating condition. If it does not re-
turn to its normal operating condition, have an
approved dealer or qualified workshop check the
transmission and repair it if necessary.
DRIVING WITH MANUAL
TRANSMISSION (MT) WARNING
• Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads.
This may cause aloss of control.
• Do not over-rev the engine when shifting to a
lower gear. This may cause
aloss of vehicle
control or engine damage.
CAUTION
• Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while
driving. This may damage the clutch system.
• Fully depress the clutch pedal before shifting
to help prevent transmission damage.
• Stop the vehicle completely before shifting
into the
R(Reverse) position.
• When the vehicle is stopped for
aperiod of
time, for example, waiting at stoplights, shift
to the N(Neutral) position and release the
clutch pedal with the footbrake pedal
depressed. Starting vehicle
1. After starting the engine, depress the clutch
pedal to the floor and move the shift lever to the
1( 1st), 2(2nd) or R(Reverse) position.
RENAULT recommends to start the vehicle in
2nd gear on level, flat ground and in the unladen
condition.
2. Slowly depress the accelerator pedal, releasing the clutch pedal and parking brake at the same
time.
Shifting gear
To change gears, or when upshifting or downshift-
ing, fully depress the clutch pedal, shift into the ap-
propriate gear, then slowly and smoothly release the
clutch pedal.
Start the vehicle in the 1(1st) or 2(2nd) position
and shift to the 3(3rd), 4(4th), 5(5th) and 6(6th)
gear in sequence according to the vehicle speed.
If it is difficult to move the shift lever into the R
(Reverse) or 1(1st) position, shift to the N(Neutral)
position, and then release the clutch pedal once.
Fully depress the clutch pedal again and shift into R
or 1. To reverse, depress the shift lever and then move it
to the
R(Reverse) position after the vehicle has
completely stopped. JVS0450XZ
5-22 Starting and driving

NOTE
When the Stop/Start System indicator illumi-
nates, the engine starts running automatically
under at least one of the following conditions:
• The battery voltage becomes low (due to elec-
trical load from other vehicle systems like
headlights, heaters, etc., or auxiliary devices
connected to the 12 volt socket inside the
vehicle).
• The vehicle speed is above about
2km/h (1
MPH).
• The front defogger is operated.
• When the temperature inside the vehicle is
too high or low. (When the air conditioner is
off, the Stop/Start System will operate.)
• When the front defogger is turned on. (The
engine may not start depending on the out-
side temperature.)
• When the battery capacity is low.
• When the power consumption is high.
• When the clutch pedal is depressed.
CAUTION
Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is fully
depressed. NOTE
The following conditions will prevent the Stop/
Start System from automatically restarting the
engine. Starting the engine with the ignition
switch operation is then necessary:
• The driver’s seat belt is unfastened, and driv-
er’s door is open.
• The bonnet is open.
Use this system while waiting at stoplight, etc. When
the vehicle is stopped for long periods of time, turn
off the engine.
When the engine is stopped by the Stop/Start Sys-
tem, heating, cooling and dehumidifying functions
will be deactivated. To avoid the air conditioning
functions from being deactivated, turn off the Idling
Stop mode by pressing the Stop/Start OFF switch.
STOP/START SYSTEM DISPLAY
Engine stop When the engine is stopped the information is dis-
played for
afew seconds.
Stop/Start System ON or OFF
If the Stop/Start System is activated or deactivated
using the Stop/Start System OFF switch, the mes-
sage is shown.
CO2 or fuel saved and engine stop time JVS0341XZ JVS0638XZ
JVS0430XZ
5-24 Starting and driving

•
Whenever the Stop/Start System is deactivated
the indicator light ➀on the Stop/Start OFF
switch illuminates. In this condition the Stop/
Start System cannot prevent unnecessary fuel
consumption, exhaust emissions, or noise dur-
ing your journey.
• If the Stop/Start System is malfunctioning, the
indicator light
➀on the Stop/Start OFF switch
illuminates.
NOTE
The Stop/Start System ON or OFF messages dis-
played for afew seconds in the vehicle informa-
tion display when the Stop/Start OFF switch is
pressed. See “Stop/Start System display” earlier
in this section. WARNING
• Do not attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to any drive
or reverse position with the engine running.
Doing so may result in drivetrain damage or
unexpected vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
• Do not attempt to test
a4WD equipped ve-
hicle on a2-wheel dynamometer or similar
equipment even if the other two wheels are
raised off the ground. Make sure you inform
test facility personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with 4WD before it is placed on a
dynamometer. Using the wrong test equip-
ment may result in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could result
in serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
CAUTION
• Do not drive the vehicle in the <4H> or <4LO>
position on dry hard surface roads. Driving on
dry, hard surfaces in <4H> or <4LO> may
cause unnecessary noise, tyre wear and in-
creased fuel consumption.
If the Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) warning light
turns on when driving on dry hard surface
roads:
–i
nthe <4H> position, shift the 4WD mode
switch to <2WD>. –i
nthe <4LO> position, stop the vehicle and
shift the transmission lever to the N(Neu-
tral) position with the brake pedal
depressed and shift the 4WD mode switch
to <2WD>.
If the 4WD warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by an approved dealer or quali-
fied workshop as soon as possible.
• The transfer case may be damaged if you con-
tinue driving with the 4WD warning light blink-
ing.
See “On-road and off-road driving precautions” ear-
lier in this section for other precautions.
PART TIME 4WD SYSTEM
The part time 4WD system provides three drive
modes: <2WD>, <4H> and <4LO>. The desired
drive mode can be selected using the 4WD mode
switch according to the driving conditions. JVS0445X
4WD mode switch
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD)
(where fitted)
5-26 Starting and driving

4WD mode
switch Wheels driven Indicator
Use conditions Operation of 4WD mode switch
(See “4WD mode switch operation” later in this section.)
4WD mode <4LO>
<2WD> Rear wheels
m -
For
driving on dry,
paved roads. Shifting between the <2WD> and <4H> drive
modes can be done while driving.
The indicator will change when the drive mode is
changed.
Shifting between the <2WD> and <4H> modes
must be performed at
aspeed below 100 km/h
(60 MPH).
<4H> Four wheels
m -
For
driving on rough,
sandy or snow-
covered roads.
<4LO> Neutral
m Blinking
The
4LO indicator
blinks when shifting
between <4H> and
<4LO>. Shifting between the <4H> and <4LO> drive
modes:
•S
top the vehicle, depress the clutch pedal (MT
models) and the brake pedal and shift the shift
lever to the N(Neutral) position.
•D epress and turn the 4WD mode switch. The
4WD mode switch will not shift between <4H>
and <4LO> if the transmission is not in the N
(Neutral) position or the vehicle is moving.
•W ait for the 4LO indicator to stop blinking and
stay on or off before shifting your transmission into gear or releasing the clutch pedal (MT
models).
Four wheels
m Stay
on*
For use when
maximum power and
traction are required
at low speeds (for
example, on steep
grades or rocky,
sandy, muddy
roads).
*: When the <4LO> position is selected, the
ESP system is disabled and the ESP off
indicator light illuminates. See “Warning lights,
indicator lights and audible reminders” in the
“2. Instruments and controls” section.
5-28 Starting and driving