ESP MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 2012 4.G Owners Manual

Introduction
N09200100862
Thank you for buying a MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE/ECLIPSE
SPYDER.
We are confident you will enjoy your vehicle. It has been engi-
neered for optimum performance, durability and comfort. By
thoroughly reading this Owner’s Manual, you will gain an
understanding of the many features that are included in the
ECLIPSE/ECLIPSE SPYDER. The Owner’s Manual contains
descriptions and illustrations that will assist in the operation
and maintenance of your vehicle.
Your Authorized Mitsubishi Motors Dealer will be happy to
assist you with any further questions you may have regarding
the operation of your vehicle.
Please note that this manual applies to all ECLIPSE/ECLIPSE
SPYDER models and explains all features including options.
Some features explained in this manual may not be installed on
your vehicle.
Please leave this Owner’s Manual in the vehicle at the time of
resale. The next owner will appreciate having access to the
information contained here.
This manual includes instructions for standard and optional
equipment available at the time of printing. Mitsubishi Motors
Corporation reserves the right to make changes in design and
specifications and to make additions or improvements in its
product without assuming any obligation to install these on
previously manufactured products.
Throughout this manual the words WA R N I N G and CAUTION
appear.
These are reminders to be especially careful. Failure to follow the
instructions could result in personal injury or damage to your
vehicle.
WA R N I N G
!
Indicates a strong possibility of severe personal injury or
death if instructions are not followed.
CAUTION
!
Points out hazards or unsafe practices that could cause minor
personal injury or damage to your vehicle.
You will see another important symbol:
NOTE Gives helpful information.
WA R N I N G
!

Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle
components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects and reproduc-
tive harm. In addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
©2011 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Printed in U.S.A.This vehicle is manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. in
U.S.A. under license from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.
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1-2 General information
1Fuel selection
N00301000808
Your vehicle is designed to use unleaded gasoline only. It is
equipped with a fuel filler tube especially designed to accept
only a small diameter unleaded gasoline dispensing nozzle. Gasoline detergent additivesIn the United States, fuel suppliers are required by law to add
detergents to their gasoline to minimize fuel-injector fouling
and minimize intake-valve deposits. Detergent gasoline helps
keep your engine in tune and your emission-control system
working properly.
Octane requirement2.4 liter engine modelYour vehicle is designed to operate on unleaded gasoline hav-
ing a minimum octane number of 87 [(MON+RON)/2], or 91
RON.3.8 liter engine modelUnleaded gasoline having an octane number of 87
[(MON+RON)/2] or 91 RON may be used, but Mitsubishi
Motors Corporation recommends that your vehicle be operated
on premium grade unleaded gasoline having a minimum octane
number of 91 [(MON+RON)/2], or 95 RON. For maximum
performance, premium gasoline is recommended.
MON: Motor Octane Number
RON: Research Octane Number Oxygenated gasoline Gasoline sold at some service stations contains oxygenates
such as ethanol and MTBE, although the oxygenates may not
be identified by those names. Oxygenates are required in some
areas of the country. Such fuel can be used in your vehicle.
WA R N I N G
!
Gasoline is highly flammable and explosive. You
could be burned, seriously injured or killed when
handling it. Whenever you refuel your vehicle, stop
the engine and keep flames, sparks, and smoking
materials away from the vehicle. Always handle fuel
in well-ventilated outdoor areas.
CAUTION
!
Using leaded gasoline in your vehicle will damage
the engine, catalytic converter, and the oxygen sen-
sors. Also, using leaded gasoline is illegal, and will
void your warranty coverage of the engine, catalytic
converter, and oxygen sensors.
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2-14 Seat and restraint systems
2
Seat belt instructions
N00406200314
All seats are equipped with a seat belt which uses one com-
bined lap-and-shoulder belt with an emergency locking retrac-
tor.
This system is designed to provide both comfort and safety. It
permits full extension and automatic retraction of the belts dur-
ing normal vehicle operation. A sensing device inside the belt
retractor is designed to lock the retractor in the event of a sud-
den change in the vehicle’s motion.NOTE
For instructions on installing a child restraint system using
a seat belt, refer to “Installing a child restraint system
using the seat belt” on page 2-31.

To reduce the risk to a front seat passenger of seri-
ous injury or death from a deploying air bag, make
sure the passenger always wears the seat belt prop-
erly, remains seated all the way back and upright in
their seat, and moves the seat as far back as possible.
Refer to “Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) -
air bag” on page 2-36 for additional information.
Never hold an infant or child in your arms or on
your lap when riding in this vehicle even when you
are wearing your seat belt. Never place any part of
the seat belt you are wearing around an infant or
child. Failure to follow these simple instructions cre-
ates a risk of serious injury or death to your child in
the event of an accident or sudden stop.
Children 12 years old and under should always ride
in the rear seat and be properly restrained. This
reduces their risk of serious injury or death in an
accident, especially due to a deploying front passen-
ger air bag. Refer to “Child restraints” on page 2-24
for additional information.
Any child who is too small to properly wear a seat
belt must be properly restrained in an appropriate
child restraint system. Children 12 years old and
under should be seated only in the rear seat to
reduce their risk of serious injury or death in an
accident, especially from the deployment of a front
passenger air bag.
Infants MUST be placed in a rear-facing child safety
seat and positioned in the rear seat.
In the event of an accident, all seat belt assemblies,
including retractors and attachment hardware,
should be inspected by an authorized Mitsubishi
Motors dealer to determine whether replacement is
necessary.
WA R N I N G
!
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Seat and restraint systems
2-23
2
The seat belt pre-tensioner system includes the following com-
ponents:
The air bag control unit monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in the “ON”
or “START” position. These include all of the items listed
above and all related wiring.
The pre-tensioner seat belts will operate only when the ignition
switch is in the “ON” or “START” position.When the seat belt pre-tensioners activate, some smoke is
released and a loud noise will be heard. The smoke is not harm-
ful, but care should be taken not to intentionally inhale it, as it
may cause some temporary irritation to people with respiratory
problems.
Even in the event of a severe frontal impact, the pre-tensioners
will not operate if the seat belts are not fastened. The seat belt
pre-tensioners may not activate in certain frontal collisions,
even though the vehicle may appear to be severely damaged.
Such non-activation does not mean something is wrong with
the seat belt pre-tensioner system, but rather that the collision
forces were not severe enough or not of the type to activate the
system.1- SRS warning light
2- Front impact sensors
3- Seat belt pre-tensioners
4- Seat belt buckle switches
5- Air bag control unit
WA R N I N G
!
The seat belt pre-tensioner system is designed to
work only once. After the seat belt pre-tensioners
have been activated, they will not work again. They
must promptly be replaced and the entire seat belt
pre-tensioner system inspected by an authorized
Mitsubishi Motors dealer.
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Seat and restraint systems
2-35
2
Children who have outgrown child restraint sys-
tems
N00407600490
Children who have outgrown a child restraint system should be
seated in the rear seat and wear the seat belt. If the shoulder
belt crosses their face or neck, and/or the lap belt crosses their
stomach, a commercially available booster seat (including a
booster cushion) must be used, to raise the child so that the
shoulder belt crosses their shoulder and the lap belt remains
positioned low across their hips. The booster seat (including a
booster cushion) should fit the vehicle seat and have a label
certifying compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards or Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster Cush-
ions Safety Regulations.
Maintenance and inspection of seat belts
N00407000221
The seat belt webbing may be cleaned with mild soap or deter-
gent solution. Do not use an organic solvent. Allow the belts to
dry in the shade. Do not allow them to retract until completely
dry. Do not attempt to bleach or re-dye the belts. The color may
rub off and the webbing strength may be affected.
Regularly check your seat belt buckles and their release mech-
anisms for positive engagement and release of the latch plate.
Check the retractors for automatic locking when in the Auto-
matic Locking Retractor function.
The entire seat belt assembly should be replaced if the webbing
shows any obvious cuts, tears, increase in thickness in any sec-
tion of the webbing from broken fibers, or severe fading from
sunlight. All of these conditions indicate a weakening of the
belt, which may adversely affect seat belt performance in an
accident.
WA R N I N G
!
Any child who is too small to properly wear a seat
belt must be properly restrained in an appropriate
child restraint system, to reduce their risk of serious
injury or death in an accident.
A child should never be left unattended in, or unsu-
pervised, around your vehicle. When you leave the
vehicle always take the child out as well.
Children can die from heat stroke if left or trapped
inside the vehicle, especially on hot days.
Keep your vehicle locked and the trunk (ECLIPSE
SPYDER) closed when not in use. Keep your vehicle
keys away from children.
For ECLIPSE SPYDER, never allow children to
play in the trunk of your vehicle.
WA R N I N G
!
Do not attempt to repair or replace any part of the
seat belt assemblies. This work should be done by an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer. Failure to
have an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer per-
form the work could reduce the effectiveness of the
belts and could result in a serious injury or death in
an accident.
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2-38 Seat and restraint systems
2
WA R N I N G
!
Infants and small children should never ride unre-
strained, or lean against the instrument panel. They
should never ride held in your arms or on your lap.
They can be seriously injured or killed in an acci-
dent, especially when the air bags inflate. Infants
and children should be properly seated in the rear
seat in an appropriate child restraint system. Refer
to “Child restraints” on page 2-24.
WA R N I N G
!
NEVER put REAR-FACING CHILD
RESTRAINTS or INFANT RESTRAINTS in the
front passenger seat. This places the infant too close
to the passenger air bag. During deployment of that
air bag, the infant can be seriously injured or killed.
Rear-facing child restraints or infant restraints must
only be used in the rear seat.
Air bag cover
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2-40 Seat and restraint systems
2
The air bag control unit monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in the “ON”
or “START” position. These include all of the items listed
above and all related wiring.
The air bags will operate only when the ignition switch is in the
“ON” or “START” position. When the impact sensors detect a sufficient front or side impact
to deploy the air bag(s), the appropriate air bag(s) will be
deployed.
When air bags deploy, some smoke is released accompanied by
a loud noise. The smoke is not harmful, but do not intentionally
inhale the smoke as it may cause temporary irritation to people
with respiratory problems.
After deployment, the air bags will quickly deflate, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bags inflated.
Air bag inflation does not prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, and does not prevent people
from leaving the vehicle.9- Side air bag modules
10- Curtain air bag modules (ECLIPSE only)
11- Side impact sensors
CAUTION
!
Air bags inflate very quickly and with great force. In
certain situations, contact with an inflating air bag
may cause small cuts, abrasions, and bruises.
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Features and controls
3-13
3 Door locks
N00509200202
To lock or unlock the door with the key (driver’s
door only)Turn the key toward the front of the vehicle to lock the door.
After checking that the door is locked, turn the key back to the
center and remove it.
WA R N I N G
!
Make sure all doors are tightly closed and locked
while driving.
• Locked doors, in combination with the use of seat
belts, can help reduce the risk of ejection in an
accident.
• Locked doors can help keep passengers, especially
small children, from opening doors and falling out
of moving vehicles.
• Locked doors can help prevent outsiders from
gaining access to your vehicle when you slow or
come to a stop.

Lock your vehicle whenever you leave it. Children
who get into unlocked vehicles may not be able to
get out. Children trapped inside vehicles can quickly
be overcome by heat and suffer serious injury or
death due to heat stroke.
Never leave children unattended inside a vehicle. In
addition to the risk of heat stroke, children can acti-
vate switches and controls, resulting in an injury or
fatal accident.
1- Insert or remove the key
2- Lock
3- Unlock
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Features and controls
3-21
3
You and your family should familiarize yourselves with the
location and operation of the emergency trunk lid release han-
dle. Children should be taught not to play in or around vehi-
cles.To open the trunk from the inside, pull the handle in the direc-
tion of the arrow on the handle. Push up on the trunk lid to
open the trunk and climb out.
WA R N I N G
!
Children should never be left unsupervised in or
around vehicles.
Unsupervised children could lock themselves in an
open vehicle or trunk.
People trapped inside a vehicle or trunk, even if only
for a short period of time, can quickly die from suf-
focation or heat stroke, especially on hot days. Inte-
rior temperatures in vehicles can rise in minutes.
Keep your vehicle doors locked and the trunk lid
closed when not in use. Keep your vehicle keys away
from children.
CAUTION
!
When loading the trunk, place your things so that
they will not touch the emergency trunk lid release
handle when you close the trunk. Otherwise you
could damage the handle and make it unusable.
Always keep the handle in its holder when driving so
that your cargo cannot accidentally bump it and
open the trunk.
Handle
Holder
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3-78 Features and controls
3
Operation of the automatic transaxle
N00514500346
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.
CAUTION
!
Before selecting a gear with the engine running and
the vehicle stationary, fully depress the brake pedal
to prevent the vehicle from creeping.
The vehicle will begin to move as soon as the gear is
engaged, especially when the engine speed is high, at
fast idle or with the air conditioning operating, the
brakes should only be released when you are ready
to drive away.
Depress the brake pedal with the right foot at all
times.
Using the left foot could cause driver movement
delay in case of an emergency.
To prevent sudden acceleration, never run the
engine at high rpms when shifting from the “P”
(PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Operating the accelerator pedal while the other foot
is resting on the brake pedal will affect braking effi-
ciency and may cause premature wear of brake
pads.
Do not rev the engine with the brake pedal pressed.
This can damage the transaxle.
Use the gearshift lever in the correct shift position in
accordance with driving conditions.
Never coast downhill backward in the driving shift
position {“D” (DRIVE) or sports mode} or coast for-
ward in the “R” (REVERSE) position.
Engine stopping and increased brake pedal and
steering effort could lead to an accident.
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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