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uuBefore Driving uDriving Preparation
Driving
• Store or secure all items on board properly.
u Carrying too much cargo, or improperly storing it, can affect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, sto pping distance, and tires, and make it unsafe.
2Maximum Load Limit P. 433
•Do not pile items higher than the seat height.
u They can block your view and may be thrown forward in the event of sudden
braking.
• Do not place anything in the front seat footwells. Make sure to secure the floor
mat.
u An object or unsecured floor mat can in terfere with your brake and accelerator
pedal operation while driving.
• If you have any animals on board, do not let them move around in the vehicle.
u They may interfere with driving and a crash could occur.
• Securely close and lock all doors and the trunk.
2 Locking/Unlocking the Doors from the Inside P. 166
•Adjust your seating position properly.
u Adjust the front h ead restraint, too.
2Seats P. 198
2 Adjusting the Front Head Restraints P. 204
•Adjust the mirrors and steering wheel properly.
u Adjust them while sitting in the proper driving position.
2 Mirrors P. 196
2 Adjusting the Steering Wheel P. 195
■Interior Checks1Interior Checks
The headlight aim is set by the factory, and does not
need to be adjusted. Howeve r, if you regularly carry
heavy items in the trunk, have the aiming readjusted
at a dealer or by a qualified technician.
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uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
Driving
1Remote Engine Start*
The engine may stop whil e it is running if:•You do not start the vehicl e within 10 minutes of
starting the engine with the remote key.
•The engine is stopped by using the remote key.•The security system alarm is not set.
•The door is unlocked with the built-in key.
•The hood is open, or any door, or the trunk is
unlocked.
•You press the shift lever release button.
•The engine coolant temper ature is extremely high.•The battery is low.
•The engine oil pressure is low.
•The malfunction indicator la mp comes on if there is
a problem with the emissions control systems.
While the engine is running, the vehicle will
automatically preconditi on inside the vehicle.
When it is cold outside:
•The defroster is activated at a moderately warm
temperature.
•The rear defogger, heated door mirrors*, front seat
heaters* and heated steering wheel* are activated.
2 Rear Defogger/Heated Door Mirror*
Button P. 192
2 Front Seat Heaters
* P. 220
2 Heated Steering Wheel* P. 219
* Not available on all models
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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.
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.
■In Rain
■Other Precautions
1Precautions 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 in
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 power mode is set to ACCESSORY while
driving, the engine will shut down and all steering
and brake power assist functi ons will stop, making it
difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not select
( N while driving as you will lose engine
braking (and accelera tion) performance.
During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as not to damage the engine or powertrain.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km)
after purchasing your new vehicle or replacing the
brake pads or rotors, to allow for proper break-in.
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uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 7th speeds without releasing
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 transmi ssion 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 transmi ssion is in (D with SPORT mode:
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 m ode, use the drive mode switch to select
other than SPORT mode or pull the
(+ paddle shifter for a few seconds. When the
7-speed manual shift mode is canceled, the M indicator and shift indicator will turn
off.
■7-Speed Manual Shift Mode1 7-Speed Manual Shift Mode
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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uuWhen Driving uAuto Idle Stop
Driving
■Auto Idle Stop m ay not activate when:
• The vehicle is stopped by braking suddenly.
• The steering wheel is operated.
• The vehicle is repeated ly accelerated and dece lerated at a low speed.
• The fan speed is high.
• The climate control system is in use, and there is a significant difference between
the set temperature and the actual interior temperature.
• The climate control system is in use, and humidity in the interior is high.
• Altitude is high.
1.5 L engine models
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uuWhen Driving uAuto Idle Stop
Driving
• The brake pedal is released (without the automatic brake hold system activated).
• The accelerator pedal is depressed (w ith the automatic brake hold system
activated).
2 Automatic Brake Hold P. 558
•When the transmission is put into (P from (D or (N on a slope.
■The engine restarts even if the brake pedal is depressed*1 when:
• The Auto Idle Stop OFF button is pressed.
• The steering wheel is operated.
• The transmission is put into
(R, (S*, or (L*, or when it is set from (N to (D.
u If you put the tra nsmission into
(P after the Auto Idle Stop activates, the Auto
Idle Stop continues to operate. In this case, the engine restarts when you
depress the brake pedal.
• The pressure on the brake pedal is reduced and the vehicle starts moving while
stopped on an incline.
• The pressure on the brake pedal is repeated ly applied and released slightly during
a stop.
• The battery charge becomes low.
• The accelerator pedal is depressed.
• The driver’s seat belt is unlatched.
• is ON (indicator on).
• The climate control system is in use, and the difference between the set
temperature and actual interior temperature becomes significant.
• The climate control system is being used to dehumidify the interior.
• The vehicle ahead of you starts again when your vehicle stops automatically with
Adaptive Cruise Control ( ACC) with Low Speed Follow.
• The SPORT mode is selected by using the drive mode switch.
■The Engine Automatically Restarts When:1The Engine Automatically Restarts When:
If you are using an electroni c device during Auto Idle
Stop, the device may tempor arily be turned off when
the engine restarts.
1 The engine restarts even if the brake pedal is depressed*1 when:
*1: With the automatic brake hold system activated,
you can release the brake pedal while Auto Idle Stop
is in operation.
If the automatic brake hold system has been turned
off, or if there is a problem with the system, the
engine will restart automatically when you release
the brake pedal. 2 Automatic Brake Hold P. 558
Models with Drive Mode Switch
* Not available on all models
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uuWhen Driving uVehicle Stability AssistTM (VSA ®), aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), System
460
Driving
This button is on the driver side control panel.
To partially disable VSA ® functionality/
features, press and hold it until you hear a
beep.
Your vehicle will have normal braking and
cornering ability, but traction control function
will be less effective.
To restore VSA ® functionality/features, press
the (VSA ® OFF ) button until you hear a
beep.
VSA ® is turned on every time you start the
engine, even if you turned it off the last time
you drove the vehicle.
*1 : Models with A-type meter
*2 : Models with B-type meter
■VSA ® On and Off1 Vehicle Stability AssistTM (VSA ®), aka Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), System
In certain unusual conditions when your vehicle gets
stuck in shallow mud or fr esh snow, it may be easier
to free it with the VSA ® temporarily switched off.
When the button is pressed, the traction control
function becomes less effective. This allows for the
wheels to spin more freely at low speed. You should
only attempt to free your vehicle with the VSA ® off if
you are not able to free it when the VSA ® is on.
Immediately after freeing your vehicle, be sure to
switch VSA ® on again. We do not recommend driving
your vehicle with the VSA ® system switched off.
You may hear a motor sound coming from the
engine compartment while system checks are being
performed immediately after starting the engine or
while driving. This is normal.
VSA ® OFF
Indicator
*1
*2
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uuWhen Driving uAgile Handling Assist
Driving
Agile Handling Assist
Lightly brakes the front wheels, as needed , when you turn the steering wheel, and
helps support the vehicle’s stability and performance during cornering.1 Agile Handling Assist
The agile handling assist ca nnot enhance stability in
all driving situations. You still need to drive and
corner at speeds appropriate for the conditions and
always leave a sufficient margin of safety.
When the VSA ® system indicator comes on and stays
on while driving, the agil e handling assist does not
activate.
You may hear a sound coming from the engine
compartment while the agile handling assist is
activated. This is normal.