NOTElDriving on rough roads can be hard on a ve-
hicle. Before you leave paved roads, be sure all scheduled maintenance and service has
been done, and that you have inspected your vehicle. Pay special attention to the condi- tion of the tyres, and check the tyre pres-
sures.
l MITSUBISHI
MOTORS is not responsible
to the operator for any damage or injury caused or liability incurred by improper and
negligent operation of a vehicle. All techni- ques of vehicle operation depend on the skill and experience of the operator and other par-
ticipating parties. Any deviation from the recommended operating instructions above
is at their own risk.
l Note that the stopping distance required of a
4-wheel drive vehicle differs very little from
that of a 2-wheel drive vehicle. When driv-
ing on a snow-covered road or a slippery, muddy surface, make sure that you keep a
sufficient distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you.
l The driving posture should be more upright;
adjust the seat to a good position for easy
steering and pedal operation. Be sure to wear
the seat belt.
l After driving on rough roads, check each
part of the vehicle and wash it thoroughlywith water. Refer to the “Inspection andmaintenance following rough road opera-
tion” section and “Maintenance” section.CAUTIONl Setting the drive mode-selector to “4WD
LOCK” to drive on dry paved road will in-
crease fuel consumption, with possible noise generation.
Turning sharp corners
When turning a sharp corner in “4WD
LOCK” position at low speed, a slight differ- ence in steering may be experienced similar
to as if the brakes were applied. This is called tight corner braking and results from each of
the 4 tyres being at a different distance from
the corner. The phenomenon is typical of 4- wheel drive vehicles. If this occurs, either
straighten out the steering wheel, or change to “2WD” or “4WD AUTO” mode.
On snowy or icy roads
Set the drive mode-selector to “4WD AUTO”
or “4WD LOCK” in accordance with the road conditions, and then gradually depress the accelerator pedal for a smooth start.
NOTEl The use of snow tyres is recommended.
l Maintain a safe distance between vehicles,
avoid sudden braking, and use engine brak- ing (downshifting).CAUTIONl Avoid sudden braking, sudden acceleration
and sharp turning. Skidding occurs and con-
trol of the vehicle could be lost.
Driving on sandy or muddy
roads
Set the drive mode-selector to “4WD LOCK”
and then gradually depress the accelerator pedal for a smooth start. Keep the pressure on
the accelerator pedal as constant as possible,
and drive at low speed.
CAUTIONl Do not force the vehicle or drive recklessly
on sandy surfaces. In comparison with nor-
mal road surfaces, the engine and other
drive-system components are put under ex- cessive strain when driving on such a sur-
face. This could lead to accidents.
l If the engine coolant temperature display
flashes on the information screen in the mul-
ti-information display or the engine power
drops suddenly while the vehicle is being driven, park your vehicle immediately in asafe place.
Refer to “Engine overheating” on page
8-04 for details and take the required meas-
ures.
4-wheel drive operation
6-42OGAE18E1Starting and driving6
CAUTIONlAvoid driving habits that cause heavy brak-
ing and never “ride” the brakes by resting
your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
It causes brake overheating and fade.
Brake system
The service brake is divided into two brake
circuits. And your vehicle is equipped with
power brakes. If one brake circuit fails, the other is available to stop the vehicle. If you
should lose the power assist for some reason, the brakes will still work. In these situations,
even if the brake pedal moves down to the very end of its possible stroke or resists being
depressed, keep depressing the brake pedal
down harder and further than usual; stop
driving as soon as possible and have the brake system repaired.
WARNINGl Do not turn off the engine while your ve-
hicle is in motion. If you turn off the en- gine while driving, the power assistance
for the braking system will stop working and your brakes will not work effectively.
l If the power assist is lost or if either brake
hydraulic system stops working properly,
have your vehicle checked immediately.Warning display
The brake warning lamp illuminates to indi-
cate a fault in the braking system. A warning
is also displayed on the multi-information display. Refer to “Brake warning lamp” on page 5-47 and “Brake warning display” on
page 5-48.
When brakes are wet
Check the brake system while driving at a
low speed immediately after starting, espe- cially when the brakes are wet, to confirmthey work normally.
A film of water can be formed on the brake
discs and prevent normal braking after driv-
ing in heavy rain or through large puddles, or after the vehicle is washed. If this occurs, dry
the brakes out by driving slowly while lightly depressing the brake pedal.
When driving downhill
It is important to take advantage of the en-
gine braking by shifting to a lower shift posi- tion while driving on steep downhill roads in order to prevent the brakes from overheating.
WARNINGl Do not leave any objects near the brake
pedal or let a floor mat slide under it; do- ing so could prevent the full pedal stroke
that would be necessary in an emergency. Make sure that the pedal can be operated freely at all times. Make sure the floor mat is securely held in place.
Brake pad
l Avoid hard braking situations.
New brakes need to be broken-in by
moderate use for the first 200 km (124 miles).
l The disc brakes are provided with a
warning device which emits a shrieking
metallic sound while braking if the brake pads have reached their wear limit. Ifyou hear this sound, have the brake padsreplaced immediately.
WARNINGl Driving with worn brake pads will make
it harder to stop, and can cause an acci-
dent.
Braking
6-45OGAE18E1Starting and driving6
Hill start assist*E00628000155
The hill start assist makes it easy to start off on a steep uphill slope by preventing the ve-
hicle from moving backwards. It keeps the
braking force for about 2 seconds when you move your foot from the brake pedal to the
accelerator pedal.CAUTIONl Do not overly rely on the hill start assist to
prevent backwards movement of the vehicle. Under certain circumstances, even when hill
start assist is activated, the vehicle may
move backwards if the brake pedal is not sufficiently depressed, if the vehicle is heav-
ily loaded, or if the road is very steep or slip- pery.
l The hill start assist is not designed to keep
the vehicle stopped in place on uphill slopes for more than 2 seconds.
l When facing uphill, do not rely on using the
hill start assist to maintain a stopped position as an alternative to depressing the brake ped-
al.
Doing so could result in an accident.CAUTIONl Do not perform the following operation
while the hill start assist is operating.
[Except for vehicles equipped with keyless operation system]
Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK” or
“ACC” position.
[Vehicles equipped with keyless operation
system]
Put the operation mode in OFF or ACC.
The hill start assist could stop operating, which could result in an accident.To operate
E00628100374
1. Stop the vehicle completely using the
brake pedal.
2. On vehicles equipped with M/T, place
the gearshift lever into the 1 st
position.
On vehicles equipped with A/T, CVT,
place the selector lever into the “D” po- sition.
NOTEl When reversing on an uphill slope, place the
gearshift lever or the selector lever into the
“R” position.
3. Release the brake pedal and the hill start
assist will maintain the braking force ap-
plied while stopping for approximately 2 seconds.
4. Depress the accelerator pedal and the
hill start assist gradually will decrease the braking force as the vehicle startsmoving.NOTEl The hill start assist is activated when all of
the following conditions are met.
• The engine is running.
(The hill start assist will not be activated
while the engine is starting or immediate-
ly after the engine is started.)
• On vehicles equipped with
M/T, the gear-
shift lever is in the following position.
[When starting an uphill slope forwards.]
The gearshift lever is in any position other
than “R”.
(The hill start assist will operate, even if
the gearshift lever is in the “N” position.)
[When starting an uphill slope back-
wards.]
The gearshift lever is in the “R” position.
(The hill start assist will not operate when the gearshift lever is in the “N” position.)
• On vehicles equipped with
A/T, CVT, the
selector lever is in any position other than “P” or “N”.
• The vehicle is completely stationary, with
the brake pedal depressed.
• The parking brake is released.
l The hill start assist will not operate if the ac-
celerator pedal is depressed before the brake pedal is released.
Hill start assist*
6-46OGAE18E1Starting and driving6
NOTElThe hill start assist also operates when re-
versing on an uphill slope.Warning display
E00628200199
If an abnormal condition occurs in the sys-
tem, the following display/indicator will turn
on.
-ASC indicatorWarning display type 1Warning display type 2NOTEl The combination of items shown on the dis-
play varies depending on the vehicle model.CAUTIONl If the warning is displayed, the hill start as-
sist will not operate. Start off carefully.
l Park your vehicle in a safe place and stop
the engine.
Restart the engine and check whether the
warning display went out, in which case the hill start assist is again working normally.
If the warning remains displayed or reap-
pears frequently, it is not necessary to stop
the vehicle immediately, but the vehicle should be inspected at a MITSUBISHI
MOTORS Authorized Service Point as soon
as possible.Brake assist system
E00627001588
The brake assist system is a device assistingdrivers who cannot depress the brake pedalfirmly when it is necessary to do so (such as
in emergency stop situations) and provides
greater braking force.
If the brake pedal is depressed suddenly, the brakes will be applied with more force thanusual.
CAUTIONl The brake assist system is not a device de-
signed to exercise braking force greater than its capacity. Make sure to always keep a suf-
ficient distance between vehicles in front of
you without relying too much on the brake
assist system.NOTEl Once the brake assist system is operational,
it maintains great braking force even if the
brake pedal is lightly released.
To stop its operation, completely remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
l The brake assist system may become opera-
tional when the brake pedal is fully de- pressed even if it has not been depressed suddenly. [Except for vehicles equipped
with Active Stability Control (ASC)]
l When the brake assist system is in use, you
may feel as if the depressed brake pedal issoft, the pedal moves in small motions inconjunction with the sound of the ABS oper- ation, or the vehicle body and the steering
wheel vibrate. This occurs when the brake
assist system is operating normally and does not indicate faulty operation. Continue to
firmly depress the brake pedal.
l You may hear an operation noise when the
brake pedal is suddenly or fully depressed
while stationary. This does not indicate a malfunction and the brake assist system is
operating normally.
Brake assist system
6-47OGAE18E1Starting and driving6
NOTElWhen the ABS warning lamp/display or on-
ly ASC warning display illuminate, the
brake assist system in not functioning. [Ve- hicles equipped with Active Stability Con-
trol (ASC)]Emergency stop signal
system* E00626001190
This is a device that reduces the possibility ofrear end collisions by the rapid and automatic blinking of the hazard warning lamps to alert
vehicles approaching from behind during sudden braking. When the emergency stop
signal system operates, the hazard warning indication lamp in the instrument cluster
blinks rapidly at the same time.
CAUTIONl If the ABS warning or ASC warning is dis-
played, the emergency stop signal system may not operate.
Refer to “ABS warning lamp/display” on
page 6-49.
Refer to “ASC warning display” on page 6-53.NOTEl [Activating condition for the emergency stop
signal system]
It activates when all of the following condi-
tions are met.
• The vehicle speed is approximately
55 km/h (34 mph) or higher.
• The brake pedal has been depressed, and
the system judges that it was sudden brak- ing from the vehicle deceleration and theoperating condition of the anti-lock brake
system (ABS).
[Deactivating condition for the emergency
stop signal system]
It deactivates when one of the following conditions is met.
• The brake pedal is released.
• The hazard warning flasher switch is
pressed.
• The system judges that it was not sudden
braking from the vehicle deceleration and
the operating condition of the anti-lock
brake system (ABS).Anti-lock brake system
(ABS) E00607101046
The anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps pre-vent the wheels from locking up when brak-
ing. This helps maintain vehicle drivability and steering wheel handling.
Driving hints
l Always keep a safe distance from the ve-
hicle in front of you. Even if your vehi- cle is equipped with ABS, leave a great-
er braking distance when: • Driving on gravel or snow-covered
roads.
• Driving with tyre chains installed.
• Driving on uneven road surfaces.
l Operation of ABS is not restricted to sit-
uations where brakes are applied sud-
denly. This system may also prevent the
wheels from locking when you drive over manholes, steel roadwork plates, road markings, or any uneven road sur-
face.
l When the ABS is activated, you may
feel the brake pedal pulsation and the vi- brations of the vehicle body and steering
wheel. It may also feel as if the pedal re-
sists being pressed.
In this situation, simply hold the brake pedal down firmly. Do not
pump the brake, which will result in reduced braking performance.Emergency stop signal system*
6-48OGAE18E1Starting and driving6
lAn operation noise is emitted from the
engine compartment or you can feel a shock from the brake pedal when start
driving immediately after starting the en-
gine. These are normal sounds or opera- tions that the ABS makes when perform-ing a self-check. It does not indicate a
malfunction.
l The ABS can be used after the vehicle
has reached a speed over approximately 10 km/h (6 mph). It stops working when the vehicle slows below approximately5 km/h (3 mph).CAUTIONl The ABS cannot prevent accidents. It is your
responsibility to take safety precautions and to drive carefully.
l To prevent failure of the ABS, be sure all 4
wheels and tyres are the same size and the same type.
l Do not install any aftermarket limited-slip
differential (LSD) on your vehicle. The ABS may stop functioning properly.ABS warning lamp/display
E00607201135
Warning lampWarning display type 1Warning display type 2
If there is a malfunction in the system, the
ABS warning lamp will come on and the
warning display will appear on the informa- tion screen in the multi-information display.
Under normal conditions, the ABS warning
lamp only comes on when the ignition switch
is turned to the “ON” position or the opera- tion mode is put in ON and goes off a few
seconds later.
CAUTIONl Any of the following indicates that the ABS
is not functioning and only the standard brake system is working. (The standardbrake system is functioning normally.) If
this happens, we recommend you to have
your vehicle inspected as soon as possible.
• When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position or the operation mode is put in ON, the warning lamp does notcome on or it remains on and does not go
off.
• The warning lamp comes on while driv-
ing.
• The warning display appears while driv-
ing.If the warning lamp/display il-
luminate while driving
E00607301295
If only the ABS warning lamp/ display illuminate
Avoid hard braking and high-speed driving.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Restart the engine and check to see whether the lamp goes out after a few minutes driv-
ing; if it then remains off during driving,
there is no problem.
However, if the warning lamp/display do not disappear, or if they come on again when the
vehicle is driven, we recommend you to have the vehicle checked.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
6-49OGAE18E1Starting and driving6
If the ABS warning lamp/display and brake warning
lamp/display illuminate at the same timeWarning lampWarning display type 1Warning display type 2
The ABS and brake force distribution func- tion may not work, so hard braking could
make the vehicle unstable.
Avoid hard braking and high-speed driving.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and we rec-
ommend you to have it checked.
NOTEl The ABS warning lamp and brake warning
lamp illuminate at the same time and the
warning displays appear alternately on the information screen in the multi-informationdisplay.After driving on icy roads
E00618800150
After driving on snow or icy roads, remove
any snow and ice which may have accumula-
ted around the wheels. On vehicles that have
an ABS, be careful not to damage the wheel
speed sensors (A) or the cables located at each wheel.
FrontRear
Electric power steering
system (EPS) E00629200226
The power steering system operates while theengine is running. It helps reduce the effort
needed to turn the steering wheel.
The power steering system has mechanical
steering capability in case the power assist is lost. If the power assist is lost for some rea-
son, you will still be able to steer your vehi-
cle, but you will notice it takes much more effort to steer. If this happens, have your ve-hicle inspected at a MITSUBISHI MOTORS
Authorized Service Point.
Electric power steering system (EPS)
6-50OGAE18E1Starting and driving6
WARNINGlDo not stop the engine while the vehicle is
moving. Stopping the engine would make the steering wheel extremely hard to turn,
possibly resulting in an accident.NOTEl During repeated full-lock turning of the
steering wheel (for example, while you are manoeuvring the vehicle into a parking space), a protection function may be activa-
ted to prevent overheating of the power steering system. This function will make the
steering wheel gradually harder to turn. In
this event, limit your turning of the steering wheel for a while. When the system has
cooled down, the steering action will return to normal.
l If you turn the steering wheel while the vehi-
cle is stationary with the headlamps on, the
headlamps may become dim. This behaviour is not abnormal. The headlamps will returnto their original brightness after a shortwhile.Electric power steering system
warning displayType 1Type 2
When there is a malfunction in the system, the warning display will appear on the infor-
mation screen in the multi-information dis-
play.
CAUTIONl If the warning display appears while engine
is running, have the vehicle inspected by a
MITSUBISHI MOTORS Authorized Serv-
ice Point as soon as possible. It may become
harder to turn the steering wheel.Active stability control
(ASC)* E00616700331
The Active Stability Control (ASC) takes
overall control of the anti-lock brake system, traction control function and stability control
function to help maintain the vehicle’s con-
trol and traction. Please read this section in conjunction with the page on the anti-lock
brake system, traction control function and stability control function.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) ® p. 6-48
Traction control function ® p. 6-52
Stability control function ® p. 6-52CAUTIONl Do not over-rely on the ASC. Even the ASC
cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle.
This system, like any other system, has lim-
its and cannot help you to maintain traction and control of the vehicle in all circumstan- ces. Reckless driving may lead to accidents. It is the driver’s responsibility to drive care-
fully. This means taking into account the traffic, road and environmental conditions.
l Be sure to use the same specified type and
size of tyre on all 4 wheels. Otherwise, the ASC may not work properly.
Active stability control (ASC)*
6-51OGAE18E1Starting and driving6