Driving the Vehicle - Automatic Transmission

The automatic transmission in your vehicle is an electronically controlled 4-speed (gasoline engines) or 5-speed (diesel engines) transmission. Fourth (gasoline engines) or fifth (diesel engines) gear is an overdrive gear.

Shifting from “P” (Park) Your vehicle is equipped with a Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) system that is linked to the brake pedal.

Before moving the shift lever out of “P” (Park), turn the ignition on and fully depress the brake pedal. If the shift lever cannot be moved from “P” with the ignition on and the brake pedal depressed, do the following:

1. Turn the ignition off and remove the key.

2. Press and hold the brake pedal.

3. Insert the ignition key into the slot of the shift lock release device.

4. Move the shift lever to the neutral “N” position.

5. Remove the ignition key from the slot of the shift lock release device.

6. Start the engine and move the shift lever to the required position.

7. Have the vehicle repaired at the first opportunity.

Gear shifts in new vehicles may feel jerky at first.

This is not a transmission malfunction; the automatic control system has not yet been fine-tuned.

Shifts will become smoother as the number of shifts increases, since the automatic transmission control system has adaptive functions.

To prevent transmission damage, observe the following precautions:

• Do not depress the accelerator pedal when shifting from P or N to R, D4, 2 or 1. This may not only damage the transmission but also cause loss of vehicle control.
• Use D4 or D positions as often as possible.
• Never shift from P to R while the vehicle is moving.
• When stopped on a hill, do not hold the vehicle in place by pressing the accelerator pedal. Use the parking brake.
• When shifting from P or N to R or to a forward gear, depress the brake pedal.

Otherwise, the transmission may be damaged or the vehicle may react unexpectedly, which may cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle and result in injury or damage to your vehicle or other property.