Manual Transmission Operation

The manual transmission has 6 forward speeds. The transmission is fully synchronized in all forward gears, allowing smooth shifting to higher or lower gears.

WARNING

Before leaving the driver's seat, always make sure the gear shift lever is in 1st gear when the vehicle is parked on an uphill grade, or in R (Reverse) when parked on a downhill grade. Apply the parking brake and turn the ignition key to the LOCK/OFF position. Failure to observe these precautions may cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly.

To shift into R (Reverse), make sure the vehicle has come to a complete stop, then move the gear shift lever to the neutral position before engaging R (Reverse).

When the vehicle is completely stopped and you have difficulty engaging 1st or R (Reverse):

1. Move the gear shift lever to the neutral position and release the clutch pedal.

2. Depress the clutch pedal, then engage 1st or R (Reverse) gear.

NOTICE

In cold weather, shifting may be difficult until the engine warms up.

Using the Clutch

The clutch pedal must be fully depressed before:

- Starting the engine

The engine will not start unless the clutch pedal is depressed.

- Shifting into a gear, upshifting to the next higher gear, or downshifting to the next lower gear.

When releasing the clutch pedal, release it slowly. The clutch pedal must always be fully released while driving.

CAUTION

To avoid unnecessary wear or damage to the clutch:

• Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving.
• Do not hold the vehicle on a slope with the clutch pedal depressed while waiting at a traffic light, etc.
• Always fully depress the clutch pedal to prevent noise or damage.
• Do not depress the clutch pedal again until it has been fully released.
• Do not start the vehicle in 2nd (second) gear, except when starting on a slippery road.
• Do not drive with a load exceeding the rated load capacity.

Downshifting

Downshift when decelerating in heavy traffic or when driving up a steep hill to prevent excessive engine load.

Downshifting also reduces the chance of stalling and helps the vehicle accelerate again when you need to increase speed.

When driving downhill, downshifting helps maintain a safe speed by providing engine braking and reduces brake wear.

NOTICE

To avoid damage to the engine, clutch, and transmission:

• When downshifting from 5th to 4th gear, be careful not to push the gear shift lever sideways into 2nd gear. Abrupt downshifting may increase engine speed to the point where the tachometer enters the red zone and may damage the engine.
• Do not downshift more than two gears at a time, and do not downshift when the engine is running at high speed (5000 rpm or above).

Such downshifting may damage the engine, clutch, and transmission.