
•
When driving on extremely inclined surfaces
such as higher banked corners, the ESP sys-
tem may not operate properly and the ESP
warning light may illuminate. Do not drive
on these types of roads.
• When driving on an unstable surface such as
at urntable, ferry, elevator or ramp, the ESP
warning light may illuminate. This is not a
malfunction. Restart the engine after driving
onto astable surface.
• If wheels or tyres other than the RENAULT
recommended ones are used, the ESP sys-
tem may not operate properly and the ESP
warning light may illuminate.
• The ESP system is not
asubstitute for winter
tyres or tyre chains on asnow covered road.
The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) system
uses various sensors to monitor driver inputs and
vehicle motion. Under certain driving conditions, the
ESP system performs the following functions:
• Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel slip on
one slipping drive wheel so power is transferred
to
an on slipping drive wheel on the same axle.
• Controls brake pressure and engine output to
reduce drive wheel slip based on vehicle speed
(traction control function). •
Controls brake pressure at individual wheels and
engine output to help the driver maintain control
of the vehicle in the following conditions:
–u
ndersteer (vehicle tends to not follow the
steered path despite increased steering in-
put)
–o versteer (vehicle tends to spin due to cer-
tain road or driving conditions).
The ESP system can help the driver to maintain con-
trol of the vehicle, but it cannot prevent loss of ve-
hicle control in all driving situations.
When the ESP system operates, the ESP warning
light in the instrument panel flashes so note the
following:
• The road may be slippery or the system may
determine some action is required to help the
vehicle on the steered path.
• You may feel
apulsation in the brake pedal and
hear anoise or vibration from under the bonnet.
This is normal and indicates that the ESP system
is working properly.
• Adjust your speed and driving to the road condi-
tions.
If am alfunction occurs in the system, the ESP warn-
ing light illuminates in the instrument panel. The
ESP system automatically turns off.
The ESP OFF switch is used to turn off the ESP
system. The ESP off indicator light illuminates
to indicate the ESP system is off. When the ESP
OFF switch is used to turn off the system, the ESP system still operates to prevent one drive wheel from
slipping by transferring power to
anon slipping drive
wheel. The ESP warning light flashes if this
occurs. All other ESP functions are off and the ESP
warning light will not flash. The ESP system is
automatically reset to on when the ignition switch is
placed in the OFFposition then back to the ONposi-
tion.
When the <4LO> position is selected with the Four-
Wheel Drive (4WD) mode switch, the ESP system
is disabled and the ESP OFF indicator light illumi-
nates.
See “Warning lights, indicator lights and audible
reminders” in the “2. Instruments and controls” sec-
tion and “Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) (where fitted)”
earlier in this section.
The computer has abuilt-in diagnostic feature that
tests the system each time you start the engine and
move the vehicle forward or in reverse at aslow
speed. When the self-test occurs, you may hear a
“clunk” noise and/or feel apulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indication of a
malfunction.
5-34 Starting and driving

When the ABS senses that one or more wheels are
close to locking up, the actuator rapidly applies and
releases hydraulic pressure. This action is similar to
pumping the brakes very quickly. You may feel a
pulsation in the brake pedal and hear anoise from
under the bonnet or feel avibration from the actua-
tor when it is operating. This is normal and indicates
that the ABS is operating properly. However, the
pulsation may indicate that road conditions are haz-
ardous and extra care is required while driving.
When the differential lock (where fitted) is engaged,
the ABS warning light illuminates. This indicates that
the anti-lock function is not fully operating. (See
“Rear differential locking system (where fitted)” ear-
lier in this section for the rear differential lock func-
tion.) WARNING
• Whatever the condition, drive with caution.
Accelerate and decelerate with great care. If
accelerating or decelerating too fast, the drive
wheels will lose even more traction.
• Allow more stopping distance in cold weather
driving. Braking should be started sooner than
on dry pavement.
• Keep at
agreater distance from the vehicle in
front of you on slippery roads.
• Wet ice (0°C, 32°F and freezing rain), very cold
snow and ice can be slick and very difficult to
drive on. The vehicle will have
alot less trac-
tion or grip under these conditions. Try to
avoid driving on wet ice until the road is salted
or sanded.
• Watch for slippery spots (glaring ice). These
may appear on an otherwise clear road in
shaded areas. If
apatch of ice is seen ahead,
brake before reaching it. Try not to brake while
actually on the ice, and avoid any sudden
steering manoeuvres.
• Do not use cruise control on slippery roads.
• Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gas under
your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around your vehicle. BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during extremely
cold weather conditions, the battery fluid may freeze
and damage the battery. To maintain maximum effi-
ciency, the battery should be checked regularly. For
details, see “Battery” in the “8. Maintenance and
do-it-yourself” section of this manual.
ENGINE COOLANT
If the vehicle is to be left outside without anti-freeze,
drain the cooling system, including the engine block.
Refill before operating the vehicle. For details, see
“Engine cooling system” in the “8. Maintenance and
do-it-yourself” section of this manual.
TYRE EQUIPMENT
1. If you have snow tyres installed on the front/rear
wheels of your vehicle, they should be of the
same size, loading range, construction and type
(bias, bias-belted or radial) as the rear/front tyres.
2. If the vehicle is to be operated in severe winter conditions, snow tyres should be installed on all
four wheels.
3. For additional traction on icy roads, studded tyres may be used. However, some countries, prov-
inces and states prohibit their use. Check local,
state and provincial laws before installing stud-
ded tyres.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded snow
tyres, on wet or dry surfaces, may be poorer
than that of non-studded snow tyres.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-51

The hazard warning flasher switch operates regard-
less of the ignition switch position except when the
battery is discharged.
The hazard warning flasher is used to warn other drivers when you have to stop or park under emer-
gency conditions.
When the hazard warning flasher switch is pushed,
all turn signal lights will flash. To turn off the hazard
warning flasher, push the hazard warning flasher
switch again. If you have
aflat tyre, follow the instructions in this
section.
STOPPING VEHICLE WARNING
• Be sure to apply the parking brake firmly.
• Be sure to move the shift lever to the
P(Park)
position (automatic transmission model).
• Be sure to move the shift lever to the
R(Re-
verse) position (manual transmission model).
• Never change tyres when the vehicle is on a
slope, ice or slippery area. This is hazardous.
• Never change tyres when the oncoming traf-
fic is close to your vehicle. Call for profes-
sional road assistance.
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flasher lights.
3. Park on alevel surface.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Automatic transmission model:
Move the shift lever to the P(Park) position.
Manual transmission model:
Move the shift lever to the R(Reverse) position.
6. Turn off the engine. 7. Open the bonnet:
• To warn other traffic.
• To signal professional road assistance per-
sonnel that you need assistance.
8. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in asafe place, away from other traffic and
clear of the vehicle.
CHANGING FLAT TYRE (for models
with spare tyre)
Preparing tools
For Double Cab model
The tool storage compartment is located under the
rear seats. SIC2574Z
JVE0201XZ
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
SWITCH FLAT TYRE
6-2 In case of emergency

11. Start the engine of the jumped vehicle
jBi nthe
normal manner.
CAUTION
Never keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does not
start right away, place the ignition switch in
the “LOCK” position and wait at least 10 sec-
onds before trying again.
12. After the engine is started, carefully disconnect the jumper cables in the opposite sequence
from that illustrated ( ➃,
➂ ,
➁ ,
➀ ).
13. Remove and dispose of the cloth properly as it may be contaminated with corrosive acid.
14. Replace the vent caps, if removed. Do not attempt to start the engine by pushing the
vehicle.
CAUTION
• Automatic Transmission (AT) model cannot
be started by pushing. Attempting to do so
may cause damage to the transmission.
• Three-way catalyst equipped model should
not be started by pushing. Attempting to do
so may cause damage to the three-way cata-
lyst.
• Diesel Oxidation Catalyst equipped model
should not be started by pushing. Attempting
to do so may cause damage to the catalyst.
• Never try to start the engine by towing. When
the engine starts, the forward surge could
cause the vehicle to collide with the towing
vehicle. WARNING
• Never continue driving if your vehicle over-
heats. Doing so could cause engine damage
and/or avehicle fire.
• Never open the bonnet if steam is coming
out.
• Never remove the radiator or coolant reser-
voir cap while the engine is hot. If the radiator
or coolant reservoir cap is removed when the
engine is hot, pressurised hot water will spurt
out and possibly cause burning, scalding or
serious injury.
• If steam or coolant is coming from the engine,
stand clear of the vehicle to prevent getting
scalded.
• The engine cooling fan can start at any time
when the coolant temperature exceeds pre-
set degrees.
• Be careful not to allow your hands, hair, jewel-
lery or clothing to come into contact with, or
to get caught in the cooling fan or drive belts.
If your vehicle is overheating, or if you feel alack of
engine power, detect unusual noise, etc., take the
following steps:
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard indicator flashers.
3. Apply the parking brake.
PUSH STARTING
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
6-12 In case of emergency

4.
Automatic transmission model:
Move the shift lever to the P(Park) position.
Manual transmission model:
Move the shift lever to the N(Neutral) position.
DO NOT STOP THE ENGINE.
5. Open all the windows.
6. Turn off the air conditioner. Move the tempera- ture control to maximum hot and the fan control
to high speed.
7. Get out from the vehicle.
8. Visually inspect and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the radiator before opening the
bonnet. Wait until no steam or coolant can be
seen before proceeding.
9. Open the engine bonnet.
10. Visually inspect if the cooling fan is running.
11. Visually inspect the radiator and radiator hoses for leakage. If the cooling fan is not running or
the coolant is leaking, stop the engine.
12. After the engine cools down, check the coolant level in the reservoir with the engine running.
Do not open the radiator or coolant reservoir
cap.
13. Add coolant to the reservoir if necessary.
Have your vehicle inspected/repaired at an
approved dealer or qualified workshop. When towing your vehicle, local regulations for tow-
ing must be followed. Incorrect towing equipment
could damage your vehicle. To assure proper tow-
ing and to prevent accidental damage to your ve-
hicle, RENAULT recommends that you have profes-
sional road assistance personnel tow your vehicle. It
is advisable to have the professional road assistant
carefully read the following precautions.
TOWING PRECAUTIONS
• Be sure that the transmission, steering system
and powertrain are in working condition before
towing. If any units are damaged, the vehicle
must be towed using
adolly or flatbed tow truck.
(Two- Wheel Drive (2WD) model)
• RENAULT recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving wheels off the ground.
(Two- Wheel Drive (2WD) model)
• To tow
avehicle with automatic transmission,
and appropriate vehicle dolly MUSTbe placed
under the towed vehicles drive wheels. Always
follow the dolly manufacturer’s recommenda-
tions when using their product.
• Always attach safety chains before towing.
• Never tow Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) model with
any of the wheels on the ground as this may
cause serious and expensive damage to the driv-
etrain. TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
RENAULT
Towing Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models
Front wheels on the ground:
1. Place the ignition switch in the “ON” position and
turn all accessories off. NCE482
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
In case of emergency6-13

In order to maintain the appearance of your vehicle,
it is important to take proper care of it.
Whenever possible, park your vehicle inside aga-
rage or in acovered area to minimise the chances
of damaging the paint surface of your vehicle.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in ashady
area or protect the vehicle with abody cover. Be
careful not to scratch the paint surface when put-
ting on or removing the body cover.
WASHING
In the following instances, wash your vehicle as soon
as possible to protect the paint surface:
• After
arainfall, which may cause the paint sur-
face damage from acid rain.
• After driving on coastal roads, which may cause
rusting from the sea breeze.
• When contaminants such as soot, bird drop-
pings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs get on
the paint surface.
• When dust or mud builds up on the paint sur-
face.
1. Wash the vehicle surface with awet sponge and
plenty of water.
2. Clean the vehicle surface gently and thoroughly using amild soap, aspecial vehicle soap or a
general purpose dishwashing liquid mixed with
clean, lukewarm (never hot) water. CAUTION
• Do not wash the vehicle with strong house-
hold soap, strong chemical detergents,
petrol or solvents.
• Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight
or while the vehicle body is hot, as the
paint surface may become water-spotted.
• Avoid using tight-napped or rough cloths,
such as washing mitts. Care must be taken
when removing caked-on dirt or other for-
eign substances so the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
• Lock all doors before going through auto-
matic car wash. Locking doors helps pre-
vent fuel filler lid from opening and be-
coming damaged.
3. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean water.
4. Use adampened chamois to dry the paint sur-
face and avoid leaving water spots.
When washing the vehicle, take care of the follow- ing:
• Inside flanges, joints and folds on the doors,
hatches and bonnet are particularly vulnerable to
the effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas
must be cleaned regularly.
• Be sure that the drain holes in the lower edge of
the doors are not clogged. •
Spray water on the underbody and in the wheel
wells to loosen the dirt and/or wash away road
salt.
REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, insects,
and tree sap as quickly as possible from the paint
surface to avoid lasting damage or staining. Special
cleaning products are available at an approved
dealer or any automotive accessory store.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface and helps
maintain anew vehicle appearance.
After waxing, polishing is recommended to remove
built-up residue and to avoid aweathered appear-
ance.
An approved dealer can assist you in choosing the
appropriate waxing products.
CAUTION
• Wash your vehicle thoroughly and completely
before applying wax to the paint surface.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the wax.
• Do not use
awax containing any abrasives,
cutting compounds or cleaners that may dam-
age the vehicle finish.
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on a
base coat/clear coat paint finish may dull the finish
or leave swirl marks.
CLEANING EXTERIOR
7-2
Appearance and care

Some day-to-day and regular maintenance is essen-
tial to maintain your vehicle’s good mechanical con-
dition, as well as its emission and engine perfor-
mance.
It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure that the
specified maintenance, as well as general mainte-
nance, is performed.
As the vehicle owner, you are the only one who can
ensure that your vehicle receives the proper mainte-
nance care.
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
For your convenience, the required scheduled main-
tenance items are described and listed in aseparate
Warranty Information and Maintenance booklet. You
must refer to that booklet to ensure that necessary
maintenance is performed on your vehicle at regular
intervals.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
General maintenance includes those items which should be checked during normal day-to-day opera-
tion of the vehicle. They are essential if your vehicle
is to continue to operate properly. It is your respon-
sibility to perform these procedures regularly as pre- scribed.
Performing general maintenance checks requires
minimal mechanical skill and only afew general au-
tomotive tools.
These checks or inspections can be done by your-
self, aqualified technician, or if you prefer, your
approved dealer or qualified workshop. WHERE TO GO FOR SERVICE
If maintenance service is required or your vehicle
appears to malfunction, have the systems checked
and tuned by an authorised approved dealer or
qualified workshop.
During normal day-to-day operation of the vehicle,
general maintenance should be performed regularly
as prescribed in this section. If you detect any un-
usual sounds, vibrations or smells, be sure to check
for the cause or have an approved dealer or quali-
fied workshop do it promptly. In addition, you should
notify an approved dealer or qualified workshop if
you think that repairs are required.
When performing any checks or maintenance work,
closely observe “Maintenance precautions” later in
this section.
EXPLANATION OF GENERAL
MAINTENANCE ITEMS
Additional information on the following items with
“*” is found later in this section.
Outside vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be per-
formed from time to time, unless otherwise speci-
fied.
Doors and bonnet:
Check that all doors and the bonnet operate
smoothly as well as the tailgate. Also make sure that
all latches lock securely. Lubricate if necessary.
Make sure that the secondary latch keeps the bon-
net from opening when the primary latch is released.
When driving in areas using road salt or other cor-
rosive materials, check lubrication frequently.
MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
8-2 Maintenance and do-it-yourself

Windscreen wiper and washer*:
Check that the wipers and washer operate properly
and that the wipers do not streak.
Under bonnet and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically (for example, each time you
check the engine oil or refuel).
Battery (except for maintenance free batter-
ies)*:
Check the fluid level in each cell. It should be be-
tween the
operated in high temperatures or under severe con-
ditions require frequent checks of the battery fluid
level.
Brake (and clutch) fluid level(s)*:
For Manual Transmission (MT) model: make sure
that the brake and clutch fluid levels are between
the
Except for Manual Transmission (MT) model: make
sure that the brake fluid level is between the
and
Engine coolant level*:
Check the coolant level when the engine is cold.
Make sure that the coolant level is between the
Engine drive belt(s)*:
Make sure that drive belt(s) is/are not frayed, worn,
cracked or oily. Engine oil level*:
Check the level after parking the vehicle (on
alevel
ground) and turning off the engine.
Fluid leaks:
Check under the vehicle for fuel, oil, water or other
fluid leaks after the vehicle has been parked for a
while. Water dripping from the air conditioner after
use is normal. If you should notice any leaks or if fuel
fumes are evident, check for cause and have it cor-
rected immediately.
Power steering fluid level and lines*:
Check the level when the fluid is cold, with the en-
gine off. Check the lines for proper attachment,
leaks, cracks, etc.
Windscreen washer fluid*:
Check that there is adequate fluid in the reservoir.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
When performing any inspection or maintenance
work on your vehicle, always take care to prevent
serious accidental injury to yourself or damage to
the vehicle. The following are general precautions
which should be closely observed. WARNING
• Park the vehicle on
alevel surface, apply the
parking brake securely and block the wheels
to prevent the vehicle from moving. Move the
shift lever to the P(Park) position (AT model)
or the shift lever to the N(Neutral) position
(MT model). •
Be sure the ignition switch is in the LOCK
position when performing any parts replace-
ment or repairs.
• Do not work under the bonnet while the en-
gine is hot. Always turn off the engine and
wait until it cools down.
• If you must work with the engine running,
keep your hands, clothing, hair and tools away
from moving fans, belts and any other moving
parts.
• It is advisable to secure or remove any loose
clothing and any jewellery, such as rings,
watches, etc. before working on your vehicle.
• If you must run the engine in an enclosed
space such as
agarage, be sure there is
proper ventilation for exhaust gasses to es-
cape.
• DO NOT GET UNDER
AVEHICLE THAT IS
SUPPORTED BY AJACK.
• Keep smoking materials, flame and sparks
away from fuel and the battery.
• Never connect or disconnect either the bat-
tery or any transistorised component connec-
tor while the ignition switch is in the ON posi-
tion.
8-4 Maintenance and do-it-yourself