maintenance MITSUBISHI iMiEV 2012 1.G Owners Manual

Introduction
N09200100934
Thank you for buying a Mitsubishi i-MiEV powered by MiEV
(Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) technology.
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 i-
MiEV. The Owner’s Manual contains descriptions and illustra-
tions that will assist in the operation and maintenance of your
vehicle.
A Certified i-MiEV 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 i-MiEV 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
!

Certain fluids contained in vehicles and certain
products of component wear contain or emit chemi-
cals known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
©2011 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Printed in Japan
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Table of contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Overview
Quick index
General information/
Charging
Seat and restraint systems
Features and controls
Driving safety
Comfort controls
For emergencies
Vehicle care and maintenance
Customer assistance/
Reporting Safety Defects
Specifications
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General information/Charging
1-7
1 Modifications to and racing of your vehicle
N01200500017
This vehicle should not be modified with non-Mitsubishi
Motors genuine parts. Mitsubishi Motors designs and manufac-
tures high quality vehicles with an emphasis on safety and
durability. Modifications using non-Mitsubishi Motors genuine
parts may affect the performance, safety and/or durability of
your vehicle, and may violate applicable state and/or federal
regulations.
DAMAGE OR PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS RESULT-
ING FROM MODIFICATIONS TO OR RACING OF
YOUR VEHICLE ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WAR-
RANTY.
Examples of modifications to your vehicle that can cause dam-
age or performance problems include the following:

Failure to use Mitsubishi Motors genuine parts

Failure to use required fluids (refer to “Refill capacities”
on page 9-10)

Failure to use proper size tires and wheels

Modification of the suspension, electric motor, drive train,
batteries (main drive lithium-ion battery and 12V starter
battery), charging systems or electrical wiring systems

Modification of any onboard computer/control module,
including reprogramming, or replacing/adding chips to
any onboard computer/control module
Review the Warranty and Maintenance Manual for further
details regarding warranty coverage.
Installation of accessories
N01200600018

The installation of accessories, optional parts, etc., should
only be carried out within the limits prescribed by law in
the driving area and in accordance with the guidelines and
warnings contained within the documents accompanying
this vehicle.
Only Mitsubishi Motors approved accessories should be
fitted to your vehicle.

Improper installation of electrical parts could cause fire.
Refer to the “Modification/alterations to the electrical sys-
tems” section within this owner’s manual.

Tires and wheels which do not meet specifications must
not be used.
Refer to the “Specifications” section for information
regarding wheel and tire sizes.
CAUTION
!
Before any electrical or electronic accessories are
installed, consult a certified i-MiEV dealer.
WA R N I N G
!
If you choose to use a cellular phone while driving,
you must not allow that usage to distract you in the
safe operation of your vehicle. Anything, including
cellular phone usage, that distracts you from the
safe operation of your vehicle increases your risk of
an accident.
Refer to and follow all local laws in your area
regarding cellular phone usage while driving.
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General information/Charging
1-9
1 Mitsubishi Motors genuine parts
N01200800010
Mitsubishi Motors Genuine Parts are designed and manufac-
tured to meet high standards of performance, and are recom-
mended for all of your maintenance needs. Also available from
a certified i-MiEV dealer are a wide variety of accessories to
personalize your new vehicle. Each Mitsubishi vehicle has a
selection of Mitsubishi Motors authorized accessories to
choose from to tailor your new vehicle to your own personal
preference. A certified i-MiEV dealer’s Parts Manager has
information on various audio systems, protection items, as well
as interior and exterior accessories available for your specific
model.
California Perchlorate Materials Require-
ments
N01200900011
Certain components of this vehicle, such as airbag modules,
seat belt pretensioners, and button cell batteries, may contain
perchlorate materials.
Special handling may apply. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
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General information/Charging
1-41
1 High-Voltage components
N01205700014
High voltage components and wiring cables are located as
shown in the figure below.
WA R N I N G
!
The EV (Electric Vehicle) system uses high voltage
up to DC 330 volt. The system can be hot during and
after starting and when the vehicle is shut off. Be
careful of both the high voltage and the high temper-
ature. Follow the warning labels that are attached to
the vehicle.
Never disassemble, remove or replace high-voltage
parts, cables or connectors. Failure to follow this
instruction can result in severe burns or electric
shock causing serious injury or death. High-voltage
cables are colored orange. The vehicle high voltage
system has no user serviceable parts. Take your
vehicle to a Certified i-MiEV dealer for any neces-
sary 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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2
Seat and restraint systems
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 2
Seats and restraint systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 3
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 3
Rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 8
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 10
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 13
Seat belt use during pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 21
Seat belt pre-tensioner and
force limiter systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 21
Child restraint systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2- 23
Maintenance and inspection of seat belts. . . . . . . .2- 34
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) - airbag . . .2- 35
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2-34 Seat and restraint systems
2
Children who have outgrown child restraint sys-
tems
N00407600591
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
N00407000351
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 when not in use. Keep
your vehicle keys away from children.
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 a
certified i-MiEV dealer. Failure to have a certified i-
MiEV dealer perform 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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Seat and restraint systems
2-57
2
The side airbag and curtain airbag ARE NOT
DESIGNED TO DEPLOY when …The side airbag and curtain airbag are not designed to deploy in
situations where they cannot provide protection to the occu-
pants. Some typical situations are shown in the illustrations.
Because the side airbags and curtain airbags do not protect the
occupants in all types of collisions, be sure to always wear your
seat belts properly.
SRS servicing
N00408500715
Head-on collision
Rear end collision
WA R N I N G
!
Any maintenance performed on or near the compo-
nents of the SRS should be performed only by a cer-
tified i-MiEV dealer. Do not permit anyone else to
do any service, inspection, maintenance or repair on
any SRS components or wiring. Similarly, no part of
the SRS should ever be handled, removed or dis-
posed by anyone except a certified i-MiEV dealer.
Improper work methods on the SRS components or
wiring could result in an accidental airbag deploy-
ment or could make the SRS inoperable. Either of
these situations could result in serious injury or
death.
Do not modify your steering wheel or any other SRS
component or related vehicle part. For example,
replacement of the steering wheel, or modifications
to the front bumper or body structure can adversely
affect SRS performance and may lead to injury.
If your vehicle has received any damage, you should
have the SRS inspected by a certified i-MiEV dealer
to make sure it is in proper working order.
Do not modify your front seats, center pillar or cen-
ter console. Such modifications can adversely affect
SRS performance and may lead to injury.
Also, if you discover any tear or open seam in the
seat fabric near the side airbag, have the seat
inspected by a certified i-MiEV dealer.
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3-52 Features and controls
3
Under-inflation also reduces alternative fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure tell-
tale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash
for approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent
vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels
on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replac-
ing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
If the warning light illuminates while driving
N00532800484
1. If the low tire pressure monitoring system warning light
illuminates, avoid hard braking, sharp steering maneuvers
and high speeds. You should stop and adjust the tires to
the proper inflation pressure as soon as possible. Refer to
“Tires” on page 7-18.NOTE
When inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure, to avoid
breakage, do not apply excessive force to the valve stem.

After inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure, always
reinstall the valve cap on the valve stem.
Without the valve cap, dirt or moisture could get into the
valve, resulting in damage to the tire inflation pressure
sensor.

Do not use metal valve caps, which may cause a metal
reaction, resulting in corrosion and damage of the tire
inflation pressure sensors.

Once adjustments have been made, the warning light will
go off after a few minutes of driving.
2. If the tire pressure monitoring system warning light
remains illuminated after you have been driving for about
20 minutes after you adjust the tire inflation pressure, one
or more of the tires may have a puncture. Inspect the tire
and if it has a puncture, have it repaired by a certified i-
MiEV dealer as soon as possible.
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Features and controls
3-63
3
Trip odometer
N00572400020
The trip odometer shows the distance traveled since the last
time it was reset.
There are two trip odometer displays: and .
Trip odometer can be used to measure the distance traveled
since the current trip began.
At the same time, Trip odometer can be used to measure
the distance from a second location.NOTE
Even if the electric motor switch is turned to “ACC” or
“LOCK” position, the trip odometer will be displayed for
about 30 seconds after the reset button is pressed.
To reset the trip odometer
To zero the counter, press and hold the reset button for more
than 1 second. Only the currently displayed value will be reset.
If trip odometer is displayed, for example, only trip odom-
eter will be reset. NOTE
Both trip odometer and trip odometer can measure
trips up to 9999.9 miles/kilometers.

If the 12V starter battery is disconnected for a long time,
both of these displays will be reset to “0”.
Service reminder
N00572500021
The service reminder shows the driving distance or number of
months remaining until the next recommended periodic main-
tenance inspection is required.
When the next inspection is nearly due, the display shows “----
--”.NOTE
The service reminder time can be modified by a certified
i-MiEV dealer, to adjust for severe usage, etc. Refer to
“Severe maintenance schedule” in your vehicle’s War-
ranty and Maintenance Manual. For further information,
please contact a certified i-MiEV dealer.

Even if the electric motor switch is turned to “ACC” or
“LOCK” position, the service reminder will be displayed
for about 30 seconds after reset button is pressed.
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