5-94
Driving your vehicle
Information
The ESC system must be turned OFF
before rocking the vehicle.
If you are still stuck after rocking
the vehicle a few times, have the
vehicle pulled out by a tow vehicle
to avoid engine overheating, pos-
sible damage to the transmission,
and tire damage. See "Towing" in
chapter 6.
Smooth Cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are
wet. Ideally, corners should always
be taken under gentle acceleration.
Driving at Night
Night driving presents more hazards
than driving in the daylight. Here are
some important tips to remember:
Slow down and keep more dis-tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver's head-
lamps.
Keep your headlamps clean and properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlamps will make it
much more difficult to see at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head- lamps of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous. Here are a few things to
consider when driving in the rain or
on slick pavement:
Slow down and allow extra follow-ing distance. A heavy rainfall
makes it harder to see and increas-
es the distance needed to stop
your vehicle.
Turn OFF your Cruise Control. (if equipped)
Replace your windshield wiper blades when they show signs of
streaking or missing areas on the
windshield.
Tires should be properly main- tained with at least 2/32nds of an
inch of tread depth. If your tires do
not have enough tread, making a
quick stop on wet pavement can
cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. See "Tire Tread" in
chapter 7.
Turn on your headlamps to make it easier for others to see you.
NOTICE
i
5-97
Driving your vehicle
5
Information
• Install tire chains on both left andright front tires. It should be noted
that installing tire chains on the
tires will provide a greater driving
force, but will not prevent side
skids.
• Do not install studded tires without first checking local, state and
municipal regulations for possible
restrictions against their use.
Chain installation
When installing tire chains, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly possible. Drive
slowly (less than 20 mph (30 km/h))
with chains installed. If you hear the
chains contacting the body or chas-
sis, stop and tighten them. If they still
make contact, slow down until the
noise stops. Remove the tire chains
as soon as you begin driving on
cleared roads.
When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away
from traffic. Turn on the vehicle
Hazard Warning Flasher and place a
triangular emergency warning device
behind the vehicle (if available).
Always place the vehicle in P (Park),
apply the parking brake and turn off
the engine before installing snow
chains.i
The use of tire chains may
adversely affect vehicle han-
dling:
Drive less than 20 mph
(30 km/h) or the chain manu-
facturer's recommended speed
limit, whichever is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid
bumps, holes, sharp turns,
and other road hazards, which
may cause the vehicle to
bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked
wheel braking.
WARNING
7-15
7
Maintenance
Dual Clutch Transmission
Fluid
The dual clutch transmission fluid
should be inspected according to the
intervals specified in the mainte-
nance schedule.
Engine Clutch Actuator Fluid
The engine clutch actuator fluid level
should be inspected or replaced to
the intervals specified in the mainte-
nance schedule.
Brake Hoses and Lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and
any leakage. Replace any deteriorat-
ed or damaged parts immediately.
Brake Fluid
Check the brake fluid level in the
brake the fluid reservoir. The level
should be between the MIN and the
MAX marks on the side of the reser-
voir. Use only hydraulic brake fluid
conforming to DOT 3 or DOT 4 spec-
ification.
Parking Brake
Inspect the parking brake system
including the parking brake pedal
and cables.
Brake Discs, Pads, Calipers
and Rotors
Check the pads for excessive wear,
discs for run out and wear, and
calipers for fluid leakage.
Exhaust Pipe and Muffler
Visually inspect the exhaust pipes,
muffler and hangers for cracks, dete-
rioration, or damage. Start the engine
and listen carefully for any exhaust
gas leakage. Tighten connections or
replace parts as necessary.
Suspension Mounting Bolts
Check the suspension connections
for looseness or damage. Retighten
to the specified torque.
Steering Gear Box, Linkage &
Boots / Lower Arm Ball Joint
With the vehicle stopped and the
engine off, check for excessive free-
play in the steering wheel. Check the
linkage for bends or damage. Check
the dust boots and ball joints for
deterioration, cracks, or damage.
Replace any damaged parts.
Drive Shafts and Boots
Check the drive shafts, boots and
clamps for cracks, deterioration, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts and, if necessary, repack the
grease.
Air Conditioning Refrigerant
Check the air conditioning lines and
connections for leakage and dam-
age.
7-69
7
Maintenance
Bright-metal maintenance
To remove road tar and insects,use a tar remover, not a scraper or
other sharp object.
To protect the surfaces of bright- metal parts from corrosion, apply a
coating of wax or chrome preser-
vative and rub to a high luster.
During winter weather or in coastal areas, cover the bright metal parts
with a heavier coating of wax or
preservative. If necessary, coat the
parts with non-corrosive petroleum
jelly or other protective compound.
Underbody maintenance
Corrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may
collect on the underbody. If these
materials are not removed, acceler-
ated rusting can occur on underbody
parts such as the fuel lines, frame,
floor pan and exhaust system, even
though they have been treated with
rust protection. Thoroughly flush the vehicle under-
body and wheel openings with luke-
warm or cold water once a month,
after off-road driving and at the end
of each winter. Pay special attention
to these areas because it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to wet down
the road grime without removing it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker
panels, and frame members have
drain holes that should not be
allowed to clog with dirt; trapped
water in these areas can cause rust-
ing.
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated
with a clear protective finish.
Do not use abrasive cleaner, pol-
ishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum
wheels.
Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent, and rinse thoroughly
with water. Also, clean the
wheels after driving on salted
roads.
Do not wash the wheels with high-speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any cleaners con- taining acid or alkaline deter-
gents.
NOTICE
After washing the vehicle, test
the brakes while driving slowly
to see if they have been affected
by water. If braking performance
is impaired, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly while
maintaining a slow forward
speed.
WARNING
H52
If an Accident Occurs
When a submersion in water
occurs:
When your vehicle is flooded in
water, a high-voltage battery
may cause shock or fires. Thus,
turn the hybrid system OFF, take
the key in your possession and
escape to a safe place. Never
attempt physical contact with
your flooded vehicle.
Immediately contact an emer-
gency response team and
advise them that a hybrid vehi-
cle is involved.
WARNING
For your safety, do not touch
high voltage cables, connec-
tors and package modules.
High voltage components are
orange in color.
Exposed cables or wires may
be visible inside or outside of
the vehicle. Never touch the
wires or cables, because it
can cause an electrical shock,
injury or death may occur.
Any gas or electrolyte leakage
from your vehicle is not only
poisonous but also flamma-
ble. Upon witnessing one of
those, open the windows, and
remain a safe distance from
the vehicle out of the road.
Immediately contact an emer-
gency response team and
advise them that a hybrid vehi-
cle is involved.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
When the vehicle is severely
damaged, remain a safe dis-
tance of 50 feet (15 meter) or
more between your vehicle and
other vehicles/flammables.
If a fire occurs :
If a small scale fire occurs, use
a fire extinguisher (ABC, BC)
that is meant for electrical fires.
If it is impossible to extinguish
the fire in the early stage,
remain a safe distance from the
vehicle and immediately call
911. Also, advise them that an
electric vehicle is involved.
If the fire spreads to the high
voltage battery, large amount of
water is needed to put out the
fire. Using small amount of
water or fire extinguishers not
meant for electrical fires could
cause serious injury or death
from electrical shocks.
WARNING
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