Using the Clutch

The clutch pedal must be fully depressed to the floor before:

- Starting the engine: The engine will not start without fully depressing the clutch pedal.
- Shifting gears: Shift to the next higher gear or to the next lower gear when downshifting.
- Stopping the engine: Stop the vehicle safely, depress the brake pedal and clutch pedal. Then shift to N (Neutral) and turn off the engine.

Release the clutch pedal slowly. The clutch pedal must always be released while driving.

NOTICE

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 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.
• Be sure to fully depress the clutch pedal until the engine has completely started. If the clutch pedal is released before the engine has completely started, the engine may stall.

WARNING

• If the vehicle is not equipped with an ignition switch lock, the vehicle may suddenly move when starting the engine under the following conditions.
  - The parking brake is released.
  - The shift lever is not in the N (Neutral) position.
  - The clutch pedal is not fully depressed.

Downshifting

Downshift when you need to reduce speed in heavy traffic or climb a steep hill to prevent overloading the engine.

In addition, downshifting reduces the possibility of stalling and helps you accelerate when you need to increase speed again.

When driving downhill, downshifting helps maintain a safe speed by providing engine braking and results in less 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 shift lever to the side and engage 2nd gear. Abrupt downshifting may cause the engine speed to increase to the point where the tachometer enters the red zone.
• Do not downshift more than two gears at a time, and do not downshift when the engine is running at high speed (5000 rpm and above). Such downshifting may damage the engine, clutch, and transaxle.