Transmission Ranges

The indicator in the instrument cluster shows the position of the shift lever when the ignition key is in the ON position.

P (Park)

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into P (Park).

To shift out of P (Park), you must firmly depress the brake pedal and make sure your foot is not on the accelerator pedal.

If you have done all of the above and still cannot move the shift lever out of P (Park), refer to "Shift-Lock Release" in this chapter.

The shift lever must be in P (Park) before the engine is turned off.

WARNING

• Shifting to P (Park) while the vehicle is moving may cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
• After the vehicle has stopped, always make sure the shift lever is in P (Park), apply the parking brake, and turn the engine off.
• When parking on a slope, place the shift lever in P (Park) and apply the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling downhill.
• For safety, always apply the parking brake with the shift lever in P (Park), except in emergency situations.

R (Reverse)

Use this position to drive the vehicle in reverse.

NOTICE

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into or out of R (Reverse). You may damage the transmission if you shift into R (Reverse) while the vehicle is moving.

N (Neutral)

The wheels and transmission are disengaged.

Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart a stalled engine, or if you need to stop with the engine running. Shift into P (Park) if you need to leave your vehicle for any reason.

Always depress the brake pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) into another gear.

WARNING

Do not shift into gear while your foot is firmly on the brake pedal. Shifting into gear while the engine is running at high speed may cause the vehicle to move very quickly. You could lose control of the vehicle and strike people or objects.

D (Drive)

This is the normal driving position. The transmission will shift automatically through the 6-speed sequence, providing better fuel economy and power.

For additional power when passing another vehicle or driving uphill, press the accelerator fully. The transmission will automatically downshift to the next lower gear (or gears, as appropriate).

Manual Shift Mode

Whether the vehicle is stationary or moving, manual shift mode is selected by moving the shift lever from the D (Drive) position to the manual gate. To return to the D (Drive) range, move the shift lever back to the main gate.

In manual shift mode, moving the shift lever forward and backward allows you to select the desired gear for the current driving conditions.

+ (Up): Push the lever forward once to upshift one gear.
- (Down): Pull the lever back once to downshift one gear.

Information

• Only the six forward gears can be selected in manual shift mode. To reverse or park the vehicle, move the shift lever to R (Reverse) or P (Park) as required.
• Downshifting occurs automatically when the vehicle decelerates. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear is automatically selected.
• When the engine speed approaches the red zone, the transmission will upshift automatically.
• If the driver pushes the lever to + (Up) or - (Down), the transmission may not carry out the requested shift if the next gear is outside the permissible engine speed range. The driver should upshift or downshift according to road conditions, trying to keep engine speed below the red zone.
• When driving on a slippery road, push the shift lever forward to the + (Up) position. This causes the transmission to shift to 2nd gear, which is better for smooth driving on slippery roads. Push the shift lever to the - (Down) position to return to 1st gear.