engine overheat MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 2010 4.G Owners Manual

8 Quick index
Problem
Do this
Ref. page
The engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge indicator is at the
“H” (hot) position.
Steam comes out of the engine
compartment.
The engine is overheated.
Carefully stop the vehicle in a safe place.P. 6 - 6
The vehicle is stuck in sand,
mud, or snow.Move the gearshift lever or selector lever rhythmically between 1st and Reverse gears
(for vehicles with manual transaxle) or “Sports mode” and “R” (REVERSE) positions
(for vehicles with automatic transaxle), while pressing lightly on the accelerator pedal.P.6-22
WA R N I N G
!
When attempting to rock your vehicle out of a stuck position, be sure that no one is near the vehicle. The rocking
motion may cause the vehicle to suddenly lurch forward or backward, possibly injuring bystanders.
Avoid revving the engine or spinning the wheels. Prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle may result in overheating
and transaxle failure.
If the vehicle remains stuck after several rocking attempts, have a towing service pull the vehicle out.
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3-76 Features and controls
3
Selector lever positions (Main gate)
N00514200183
“P” PARKThis position locks the transaxle to prevent the vehicle from
moving. The engine can be started from the “PARK” position.“R” REVERSEMove the lever to this position only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop.
CAUTION
!
If a malfunction occurs in the automatic transaxle
while driving, the selector lever position indicator
will flash.
In this case, immediately park your vehicle in a safe
place and follow these procedures:
{The selector lever position indicator warning func-
tion does not operate with the selector lever in the
“P” (PARK), “R” (REVERSE) or “N” (NEUTRAL)
position.}
[The selector lever position indicator flashes rapidly
(twice per second)]
The automatic transaxle fluid is overheating.
Park your vehicle in a safe place but do not turn off
the engine. Move the selector lever to the “P”
(PARK) position and open the engine hood. Keep
the engine idling.
After a while, move the selector lever to the “D”
(DRIVE) position and confirm that the selector
lever position indicator stops flashing. It is safe to
continue driving if the selector lever position indica-
tor no longer flashes.
If the selector lever position indicator continues
flashing or flashes intermittently, have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors
dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
[The selector lever position indicator flashes slowly
(once per second)]
The automatic transaxle safety device may be oper-
ating due to a malfunction.
Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Mit-
subishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice as soon as possible.
CAUTION
!
Never shift into the “P” (PARK) or “R”
(REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in motion.
If the lever is shifted into the “P” (PARK) or “R”
(REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in motion,
the transaxle may be damaged.
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3-80 Features and controls
3
Passing acceleration
N00514900047
To gain extra acceleration in “D” (DRIVE) position (when
passing another vehicle) push the accelerator to the floor. The
automatic transaxle will automatically downshift.NOTE
In sports mode, downshifts do not take place when the
accelerator is depressed all the way to the floor.Waiting
N00515000058
For short waiting periods, such as at traffic lights, the vehicle
can be left in gear and held stationary with the service brake.
For longer waiting periods with the engine running, the selec-
tor lever should be placed in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Parking
N00515100017
To park the vehicle, first bring it to a complete stop, fully
engage the parking brake, and then move the selector lever to
the “P” (PARK) position.When the automatic transaxle makes no speed change
N00515300064
If the transaxle does not change gears while driving, or your
vehicle does not pick up enough speed when starting on an
uphill slope, it may be that there is something unusual happen-
ing in the transaxle, causing a safety device to activate. Have
your vehicle checked at an authorized Mitsubishi Motors
dealer or a repair facility of your choice as soon as possible.
1. If your vehicle has difficulty moving uphill, shift the
selector lever into 2nd gear of the sports mode.
This method might not work depending on the type of
transaxle malfunction.
2. Once the vehicle is moving on a level road, move the
selector lever back to “D” (DRIVE) position.NOTE
When the selector lever position indicator in the instru-
ment cluster flashes, it means that there is an abnormal
condition in the transaxle. Refer to “Selector lever posi-
tion indicator” on page 3-75.
CAUTION
!
To avoid transaxle overheating, never try to keep
your vehicle stationary on a hill by using the acceler-
ator pedal. Always apply the parking brake and/or
service brake.
Unexpected acceleration may occur if the selector
lever is in a position other than “P” (PARK) or “N”
(NEUTRAL).
Prior to moving off after having stopped the vehicle,
make sure that the selector lever is in “D” (DRIVE)
position or “Sports mode” position.
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3-100 Features and controls
3
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper
tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped
with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure.
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.

If a malfunction is detected in the tire pressure mon-
itoring system, the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light will blink for approximately 1 minute
and then remain continuously illuminated. The
warning light will issue further warnings each time
the engine is restarted as long as the malfunction
exists.
Check to see whether the warning light goes off after
few minutes of driving.
If it then goes off during driving, there is no prob-
lem.
However, if the warning light does not go off, or if it
blinks again when the engine is restarted, have the
vehicle inspected by an authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer.
In such situations, a malfunctioning of the system
may be preventing the monitoring of the tire pres-
sure. For safety reasons, when the warning light
appears while driving, avoid sudden braking, sharp
turning and high-speed driving.
CAUTION
!
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Features and controls
3-111
3
Engine coolant temperature gauge
N00519700112
This gauge shows the engine coolant temperature. If the tem-
perature is low when the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position, the indicator will remain at the “C” (cold) position
until the engine begins to warm up.
The indicator will normally stay near the center while driving,
but may rise slightly in stop-and-go traffic or when the engine
is under a heavy load.
Light dimmer control (meter illumination con-
trol)
N00552700030
The rheostat can be adjusted while the headlights or tail lights
are on.
Turn the dial to adjust the illumination (meter, multi center dis-
play, audio system’s control panel, heater control panel, etc.) to
the desired brightness.
CAUTION
!
Take care to keep the engine operating temperature
within the normal range while driving. If the indica-
tor enters the “H” (hot) position, the engine is over-
heating (Refer to “Engine overheating” on page 6-
6).
1- To reduce brightness
2- To increase brightness
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Driving safety
4-5
4 Driving during cold weather
N00629400168

Check the battery, including terminals and cables. During
extremely cold weather, the battery will not be as strong.
Also, the battery power level may drop because more
power is used for cold starting and driving.
Before driving the vehicle, check to see if the engine runs
at the proper speed and if the headlights are as bright as
normally. Charge or replace the battery if necessary. Dur-
ing extreme cold weather, it is possible that a very low
battery could freeze.

Warm the engine sufficiently. After starting the engine,
allow a short warm-up time to distribute oil to all cylin-
ders. Then drive your vehicle slowly.

Stay at low speeds at first so that the manual transaxle oil
or the automatic transaxle fluid has time to spread to all
the lubrication points.

Manual transaxle can be harder to shift in cold weather
conditions. This is normal and shifting will get easier as
the transaxle warms up.
Check the engine antifreeze.
If there is not enough coolant because of a leak or from
engine overheating, add high-quality ethylene glycol anti-
freeze and water. The recommended blend is about 50 %
water and 50 % anti-freeze. Use a higher concentration
(not over 60 %) when the outside temperature is -31 °F
(-35 °C) or lower. When the engine is working very hard
(for example, during mountain driving and/or when the
outside temperature is high), use a 50 % concentration.
This blend will provide adequate protection from corro-
sion and boiling.
WA R N I N G
!
The battery gives off explosive hydrogen gas. Any
spark or flame can cause the battery to explode,
which could cause serious injury or death.
Always wear protective clothes and a face mask
when working with your battery, or let a skilled
mechanic do it.
WA R N I N G
!
Never open the radiator cap when the radiator is
hot. You could be seriously burned.
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4-6 Driving safety
4Braking
N00629500260
All the parts of the brake system are critical to safety. Have the
vehicle serviced by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or
a repair facility of your choice at regular intervals according to
the “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.When brakes are wetCheck the brake system while driving at a low speed immedi-
ately after starting, especially when the brakes are wet, to con-
firm they work normally.
A film of water can be formed on the brake discs and prevent
normal braking after driving in heavy rain or through large
puddles, or after the vehicle is washed. If this occurs, dry the
brakes out by driving slowly while lightly depressing the brake
pedal.When driving in cold weatherOn snowy roads, ice can form on the braking system, making
the brakes less effective. While driving in such conditions, pay
close attention to preceding and following vehicles and to the
condition of the road surface. From time to time, lightly
depress the brake pedal and check how effective the brakes are.When driving downhillIt is important to take advantage of the engine braking by shift-
ing to a lower gear while driving on steep downhill roads in
order to prevent the brakes from overheating.
Parking
N00629600274
Parking on a hillWhen parking on a hill, set the parking brake, and turn the
front wheels toward the curb on a downhill, or away from the
curb on an uphill.
If necessary, apply chocks to wheels.For vehicles with manual transaxlePlace the gearshift lever into the “R” (Reverse) position when
parking on a downhill slope, into the 1st position when parking
on an uphill slope.For vehicles with automatic transaxleBe sure that the parking brake is firmly set when parked and
that the selector lever is in the “P” (PARK) position.
When parking on a hill, it is important to set the parking brake
before moving the selector lever to the “P” (PARK) position.
This prevents loading the parking brake against the transaxle
gear. When this happens, it is difficult to move the selector
lever out of the “P” (PARK) position.
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6
For emergencies
If the vehicle breaks down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 2
Jump-starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 2
Engine overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 6
Tools and jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 8
How to change a tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 9
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6- 20
Operation under adverse driving conditions . . . . .6- 22
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6-2 For emergencies
6If the vehicle breaks down
N00836300073
If your vehicle breaks down on the road, move to the shoulder
and turn on the hazard warning flashers. If there is no shoulder,
or the shoulder is not safe, drive in the right lane slowly, with
the hazard lights flashing, until you come to a safe stopping
place. Keep the flashers flashing. If the engine stops/fails If the engine stops, there will be no power assist to the steering
and brakes, making these difficult to use.

The brake booster will not work, so the brakes will not
grip well. The brake pedal will be harder to press than
usual.

Since there is no power steering assist, the steering wheel
will be hard to turn. Turning the steering wheel requires
more effort than usual. When the engine fails at the intersection Get help from your passengers, bystanders, etc. to push the
vehicle and move it to a safe zone.
Jump-starting the engine
N00836400638
If the engine cannot be started because the battery is weak or
dead, you can start it with the battery from another vehicle
using jumper cables.
1. Take off any metal jewelry such as watch bands or brace-
lets that might make an accidental electrical contact.
2. Position the vehicles close enough together so that the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t
touching each other.
WA R N I N G
!
When using jumper cables to start a vehicle, follow
the procedures and be very cautious.
CAUTION
!
Do not try to start your vehicle by pushing or tow-
ing. Vehicles with automatic transaxles cannot be
started this way. Pushing or towing a vehicle that
has a manual transaxle may overheat and damage
the catalytic converter. Also, there is more risk of an
accident when a vehicle is being pushed or towed.
CAUTION
!
Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt bat-
tery. If the other system isn’t 12-volt, both systems
can be damaged.
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6-6 For emergencies
6Engine overheating
N00836500222
If the engine coolant temperature gauge indicator moves to the
“H” (hot) position (red zone), the engine may be overheated. If
this happens:
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place. Turn on the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
2. With the engine still running, carefully raise the engine
hood to vent the engine compartment.
3. Check that the cooling fan is running. If the fan is not
turning, stop the engine immediately and contact an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of
your choice for assistance.
4. If you see steam or spray coming from under the hood,
turn off the engine.5. If you do not see steam or spray coming from under the
hood, leave the engine on until the temperature indicator
on the instrument panel moves below the red zone. When
it is in the middle of the normal zone, you can start driving
again. If the indicator stays in the red zone, turn off the
engine.
WA R N I N G
!
To avoid personal injury, keep hands, hair, jewelry
and clothes away from the cooling fan. The cooling
fan can start at any time.
WA R N I N G
!
Before raising the engine hood, check to see if there
is steam or spray coming from under the hood.
Steam or spray coming from an overheated engine
could seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood until there is no steam or
spray.
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