MITSUBISHI iMiEV 2012 1.G Owners Manual

6-22 For emergencies
6Operation under adverse driving conditions
N00837200747
If your vehicle becomes stuck in sand, mud or
snow If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand, or mud, it can
often be moved by a rocking motion. Rock your vehicle back
and forth to free it.
Do not spin the wheels. Constant efforts to free a stuck vehicle
can cause transmission failure.
If your vehicle is still stuck after several rocking attempts, call
for a commercial tow truck service.
On wet roads
WA R N I N G
!
When trying to rock your vehicle out of a stuck posi-
tion, make sure that there are no people nearby. The
rocking motion can make your vehicle suddenly
lurch forward or backward, and injure any
bystanders.
CAUTION
!
Do not drive on a flooded road. If you drive on a
flooded road, not only the electric motor unit stops
but also a failure like electric leakage or short circuit
may occur.
If you inevitably had to run on a flooded road and
the vehicle was exposed to water, be sure to have
your vehicle inspected by a certified i-MiEV dealer.
When driving in rain, on water-covered roads, or
through a car wash, water could get into the brake
discs and make them fail temporarily. In such cases,
lightly press the brake pedal to see if they are work-
ing properly. If they are not, press the pedal lightly
several times while driving to dry the brake pads or
linings, then check them again.
When driving in rain, a layer of water may form
between the tires and the road surface (aquaplan-
ing). This loosens your tires’ grip on the road, mak-
ing it difficult to steer or brake properly. When
driving on a wet road:
• Drive your vehicle at a safe speed.
• Do not drive on worn tires.
• Always keep the tires at the correct inflation pres-
sures.
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For emergencies
6-23
6
On snowy or icy roads
When driving on a road covered with snow or ice, use
snow tires. Tire chains cannot be used on your vehicle.
There may be state or local regulations about using snow
tires. Always check the regulations in your local area
before using them. Refer to the section entitled “Snow
tires” on page 7-24 and “Tire chains” on page 7-24.

Drive slowly. Do not make sudden starts or stops, sharp
turns, or slam on the brakes.

Allow extra distance between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you, and avoid sudden braking.

If a skid occurs when the accelerator pedal is depressed,
take your foot off the pedal. Steer gently in the direction
of the skid.

Your vehicle is equipped with an anti-lock braking system
(ABS), hold the brake pedal down firmly and keep it
depressed. Do not pump the brake pedal which will result
in reduced braking performance.

After parking on snowy or icy road, it may be difficult to
move your vehicle due to freeze-up of the brake. Depress
the accelerator pedal little by little to move the vehicle
after confirming safety of the vehicle.
On a bumpy or rutted road
Drive as slow as possible when driving on bumpy or rut-
ted roads or over potholes etc.
CAUTION
!
Do not depress the accelerator pedal rapidly. The
vehicle could start moving when it breaks free from
the ice, possibly resulting in an accident.
CAUTION
!
Driving on bumpy, rutted roads or over potholes can
damage the tires and wheels.
Wheels with low-profiles tires or under-inflated tires
are especially at risk for damage.
The vehicle’s body, bumper, muffler and other parts
may be damaged if the vehicle is:
• driven over a step (for example, at the entrance or
exit of a parking lot);
• parked too closely against a curb or parking block,
or by the side of a road with curbstones;
• driven on a steep slope.
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7
Vehicle care and maintenance
Service precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 2
Hood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 4
View under the hood and
electric motor unit room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 6
Coolant/Hot water heater fluid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 7
Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 11
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 12
12V starter battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 13
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 18
Brake pedal free play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 25
Parking brake lever stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 25
Wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 26
General maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 27
For cold and snowy weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 28
Fusible links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 28
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 29
Replacement of light bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 35
Vehicle care precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 49
Cleaning the inside of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . .7- 50
Cleaning the outside of your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . .7- 52
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7-2 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Service precautions
N00937300361
Taking regular care of your vehicle helps preserve its value and
appearance as long as possible.
This vehicle is an electric vehicle and is equipped with many
high-voltage components. Refer to “High-voltage compo-
nents” on page 1-41.
You can do some of the maintenance work described in this
manual by yourself, but the rest must be performed only by a
certified i-MiEV dealer.
If you discover a malfunction or other problem, have it cor-
rected by a certified i-MiEV dealer.
Also follow the instructions and take note of the precautions
for each procedure.High voltage components and wiring cables are located as
shown in the figure below.
WA R N I N G
!
Never touch, remove or disassemble the high- volt-
age components including high- voltage wires col-
ored orange and their connectors. Doing so can
result in a fire, property damage, electrocution and
serious injury or death.
These components are affixed with a label indicating
precautions for handling. Follow the instructions on
the label. Take your vehicle to a certified i-MiEV
dealer for any necessary maintenance.
1- Regular charge port
2- MCU
3- Main drive lithium-ion battery
4- Heater
5- Air conditioner compressor
6- High voltage connector
7- Service plug
8- Electric motor (Electric motor unit)
9- On board charger/DC-DC converter
10- Quick charge port
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-3
7
Have you purchased the Mitsubishi Motors Diamond Care Pro-
tection Plan? The Plan supplements your new vehicle warran-
ties. See a certified i-MiEV dealer for details.
WA R N I N G
!
When servicing the vehicle, make sure that the elec-
tric motor switch is in the “LOCK” position and the
charging cable is disconnected. Failure to do so
could result in an electric shock.
When checking or servicing under the hood or the
coolant reserve tank, be sure the electric motor unit
is stopped and it has had a chance to cool down.
If you need to work under the hood with the electric
motor unit on, be careful that your clothing, hair,
etc. does not get caught in the fan or other moving
parts.
The fan can turn on automatically even if the elec-
tric motor unit is not running. Turn the electric
motor switch to the “LOCK” position to be safe
while you are working under the hood.
Do not smoke or allow open flames around the 12V
starter battery.
Be extremely careful when working around the 12V
starter battery. It contains poisonous and corrosive
sulfuric acid.
Handling your vehicle’s parts and materials in the
wrong way can injure you. Ask a certified i-MiEV
dealer if you have questions.
CAUTION
!
The components inside the electric motor unit room
may be very hot to the touch.
Make sure all components have sufficiently cooled
before beginning an inspection.
These components are affixed with a label indicating
precautions for handling. Follow the instructions on
the label.
When replacing the 12V starter battery, remove the
positive (+) and negative (-) terminals after turning
the electric motor switch to the “LOCK” position
and waiting at least 2 minutes. If the 12V starter
battery terminal is removed just after the electric
motor switch is turned to the “LOCK” position, this
may cause damage to electric components.
If the electric motor unit warning light illuminates,
do not replace the 12V starter battery. Contact a
certified i-MiEV dealer.
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7-4 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Hood
N00937500549
To openUse the hood release lever (located under the instrument panel
near the passenger’s door) to unlock the hood.
Pull the lever toward you to release the hood latch.Release the safety lever (A) and lift the hood.
NOTE
To prevent damage to the hood and wipers, make sure the
wipers are at resting position when you open the hood.
WA R N I N G
!
Never use the release lever to unlatch the hood while
the vehicle is in motion.
Do not drive your vehicle unless the hood is locked.
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-5
7
Support the hood by inserting the support prop (B) into its slot
on the underside of the hood arm.
To closeMake sure the hood is securely locked by softly lifting the cen-
tre of the hood.
Slowly lower the hood about 12 inches (30 cm), then let it drop
from its own weight.
CAUTION
!
Always insert the support prop into the hole spe-
cially made for it. Propping the hood at any other
place could cause the prop to slip out and lead to an
accident.
The hood prop can fall out if the hood is lifted by a
strong wind.
CAUTION
!
Be careful not to trap your hands or fingers when
closing the hood.
Make sure the hood is firmly closed before driving.
If you drive without the hood completely closed, it
could open up while driving.
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7-6 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
NOTE
If this does not close the hood properly, drop it again from
a slightly higher position.

Do not push down strongly on the hood. Depending on
how strongly or where you push down, you could create a
dent in the hood.
View under the hood and electric motor unit
room
N00937600696
Under the hood
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-7
7 Coolant/Hot water heater fluid
N00937800539
To check the coolant levelCoolant1. Open the liftgate.
1- Windshield washer fluid reservoir
2- 12V starter battery
3- Hot water heater reservoir
4- Brake fluid reservoir
5- Coolant reservoirElectric motor unit room
WA R N I N G
!
Before checking the coolant level, make sure the
electric motor switch is in the “Lock” position to
avoid the risk of an electrical shock that can result in
serious injury or death.
The room under the hood and the electric motor
unit room (located under the luggage room carpet)
can be very hot after driving. Wait until they have
cooled down.
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