Transmission Ranges

The indicator in the instrument cluster shows the position of the shift lever when the ignition switch 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 but still cannot move the shift lever out of P (Park), see "Shift Lock Release" in this chapter.

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

WARNING

• Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is moving may cause you to lose control of the vehicle. WARNING
• After stopping the vehicle, always make sure the shift lever is in P (Park), apply the parking brake, and turn off the engine.
• When parking on a slope, shift the lever to P (Park) and apply the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling down the slope.
• For safety, always apply the parking brake when the shift lever is in P (Park), except in an emergency parking situation.

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 not engaged.

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

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

D (Drive)

This is the normal driving position. The transmission will automatically shift through the 7-speed sequence, providing the best fuel economy and performance.

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

Manual Shift Mode

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

In manual shift mode, moving the shift lever back and forth allows you to shift gears quickly.

Up (+): Push the lever forward once to shift up one gear.

Down (-): Pull the lever back once to shift down one gear.

Information

• In manual shift mode, only the seven forward gears can be selected. To reverse or park the vehicle, move the shift lever to R (Reverse) or P (Park) as needed.
• Downshifting occurs automatically when the vehicle decelerates. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear is selected automatically.
• When the engine speed approaches the red zone, the transmission upshifts automatically.
• If the driver pushes the lever to + (up) or - (down), the transmission may not perform the requested shift if the next gear is outside the permissible engine speed range. The driver should shift to a higher gear according to road conditions, making sure the engine speed does not exceed the red zone.