manual transmission MITSUBISHI LANCER 2012 8.G User Guide

3-98 Features and controls
3Continuously variable transmission (CVT)

(if so equipped)
N00513200186
The CVT is capable of changing the engine speed to vehicle
speed ratio automatically and steplessly to suit driving condi-
tions in all phases of vehicle operation. It therefore realizes
smooth, shock-free operation and excellent fuel efficiency.DRIVING UPHILLThe transmission may not shift to a higher ratio if the computer
determines your current speed would be affected.
For smoother operation, the transmission may not shift if you
release the throttle while climbing a steep hill. This is normal
because the computer controls the shifting. After reaching the
top of the hill, your normal shift function will resume.DRIVING DOWNHILLWhen traveling down steep grades and using the brakes, the
computer may automatically shift to a lower ratio. This helps
engine braking efforts, reducing your need to use the brakes.
Selector lever operation
N00513800384
As an additional safety precaution, models equipped with a
continuously variable transmission have a shift-lock device
that holds the selector lever in the “P” (PARK) position. To
move the selector lever from the “P” (PARK) position to
another position, follow the steps below.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the selector lever to the desired position.NOTE
The selector lever cannot be moved from “P” (PARK) to
another position if the ignition switch is at the “LOCK” or
“ACC” position, or the key has been removed, or if the
brake pedal is not pressed and held down.
CAUTION
!
Automatic downshifts may not take place if the con-
tinuously variable transmission (CVT) fluid is still
cool immediately after you start driving. To cause a
downshift, depress the brake pedal or shift down
manually.
Always drive safely in accordance with road condi-
tions.
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3-100 Features and controls
3
NOTE
To ensure proper transmission operation, stop at each
detent position when shifting. After shifting, check the
position in the multi-information display.

If the brake pedal is not depressed and held, the shift-lock
device activates to prevent the selector lever from being
moved from the “P” (PARK) position.

For a shift indicated by in the illustration, depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector lever. If you
attempt to move the selector lever before depressing the
brake pedal, the selector lever will be immovable.
Vehicles with manual gateThe CVT has 2 forward selector positions and 1 reverse selec-
tor position.
The CVT selects an optimum ratio automatically when the
selector lever is in the “D” (DRIVE) position, depending on the
speed of the vehicle and the position of the accelerator pedal.
The selector lever (A) has 2 gates; the main gate (B) and the
manual gate (C).NOTE
In the main gate, the selector lever has 4 positions.

For information on manual gate operation, please refer to
“Sports mode” on page 3-106.
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Features and controls
3-105
3
“N” NEUTRALAt this position, the transmission is disengaged. It is the same
as the neutral position on a manual transaxle and should be
used when the vehicle is not moving for an extended length of
time during driving, such as in a traffic jam.
“D” DRIVEThis position is used for most city and highway driving. Engine
shifting and braking are done automatically as needed, depend-
ing on road conditions.“L” LOW (except for vehicles with manual gate)This position is for driving up very steep hills and for engine
braking at low speeds when driving down steep hills.NOTE
For information on manual gate operation, please refer to
“Sports mode” on page 3-106.
WA R N I N G
!
Never move the selector lever to the “N” (NEU-
TRAL) position while driving since you could acci-
dentally slip it into the “P” (PARK) or
“R”(REVERSE) position, damaging the transmis-
sion.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling when stopped on
a slope, the engine should be started in the “P”
(PARK) position, not in “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal when the
vehicle is in “N” (NEUTRAL) position, or when
shifting into or out of “N” (NEUTRAL) position, to
prevent rolling.
CAUTION
!
Never shift into the “D” (DRIVE) position from the
“R” (REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in
motion. Transmission damage will result.
WA R N I N G
!
This position can be used for maximum engine
braking.
Be very careful not to shift into “L” (LOW) sud-
denly. Sudden engine braking may cause the tires to
skid.
Select this position according to the road conditions
and vehicle speed.
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3-106 Features and controls
3
Sports mode
(if so equipped)
N00514400417
Vehicles with manual gateWhether the vehicle is stationary or in motion, sports mode is
selected by pushing the selector lever from the “D” (DRIVE)
position into the manual gate (1). To return to “D” (DRIVE)
operation, push the selector lever back into the main gate (2).
In sports mode, rapid shifting is possible simply by operating
the selector lever or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter.
Unlike the manual transaxle, sports mode allows shifting with
the accelerator pedal depressed.NOTE
For vehicles equipped with the sportronic steering wheel
paddle shifter, sports mode can be operated even when the
selector lever is in the main gate (2).
To return to “D” (DRIVE) operation, pull the sportronic
steering wheel paddle shifter on the + (UP) side for longer
than 2 seconds, or park the vehicle to change the selector
lever position indicator to “D” (DRIVE) and return to “D”
(DRIVE) operation.
+ (SHIFT UP)
Transmission shifts up once by each operation.
- (SHIFT DOWN)
Transmission shifts down once by each operation.
CAUTION
!
Upward shifts do not take place automatically in
sports mode. The driver must make upward shifts in
accordance with prevailing road conditions, making
sure the engine rpm remains below the red zone on
the tachometer.
SHIFT UP
SHIFT
DOWN
SHIFT
UP SHIFT
DOWN
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Features and controls
3-107
3
NOTE
Shift ranges can only be selected in a forward direction
from 1st to 6th. To reverse or park the vehicle, move the
selector lever to the “R” or “P” position.

To maintain good running performance, the transmission
may refuse to perform an upshift when the selector lever
or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter is moved to the
“+ (SHIFT UP)” position at certain vehicle speeds. Also,
to prevent over-revving of the engine, the transmission
may refuse to perform a downshift when the shift lever or
sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter is moved to the “-
(SHIFT DOWN)” position at certain vehicle speeds.
When this happens, a buzzer sounds to indicate that a
downshift is not going to take place.

Move the selector lever gently between the manual and
main gates and between positions in the manual gate. And
do not operate sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter
violently. Excessive force could damage the selector lever
or sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter.
Except for vehicles with manual gateWhile driving with the selector lever in the “D” (DRIVE),
sports mode can be selected by pulling one of the sportronic
steering wheel shifters toward you.
In sports mode, rapid shifting is possible simply by operating
the sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter.
Unlike the manual transaxle, sports mode allows shifting with
the accelerator pedal depressed.NOTE
To return to “D” (DRIVE) operation, pull the sportronic
steering wheel paddle shifter on the + (UP) side for longer
than 2 seconds, or park the vehicle to change the selector
lever position indicator to “D” (DRIVE) and return to “D”
(DRIVE) operation.

When the sportronic steering wheel paddle shifter is oper-
ated with the selector lever in the “L” (LOW) position,
gear is not shifted because the selectable shift range is
limited.

By rapidly moving the selector lever or sportronic
steering wheel paddle shifter to the “- (SHIFT
DOWN)” side twice, it is possible to skip one shift
range (i.e., 3rd to 1st or 4th to 2nd). Since sudden
engine braking or acceleration can cause a loss of
traction, downshifts must be made carefully in
accordance with the vehicle’s speed.
On vehicles with a sportronic steering wheel paddle
shifter, shift ranges may not change when the lateral
paddle shifters are operated at the same time.
CAUTION
!
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3-112 Features and controls
3Twin Clutch SST (Sportronic Shift Trans-
mission)
(if so equipped)
N00539700059
The Twin Clutch SST is a transmission that, through integrated
control of the engine and transmission, is able to achieve both
the smooth shifting of an automatic transaxle and the accelera-
tion and fuel economy close to a manual transaxle. In addition,
the control mode can be selected from two types to suit the
driving conditions.
Together with manual shifting, the transmission is capable of
responding to a variety of driving circumstances.
Twin Clutch SST control mode→ P.3-120
Manual shift → P.3-122
Gearshift lever operation
N00539800050
As an additional safety precaution, models equipped with a
Twin Clutch SST have a shift-lock device that holds the gear-
shift lever in the “P” (PARK) position. To move the gearshift
lever from the “P” (PARK) position to another position, follow
the steps below.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the gearshift lever to the desired position.NOTE
The gearshift lever cannot be moved from “P” (PARK) to
another position if the ignition switch is at the “LOCK” or
“ACC” position, or the key has been removed, or if the
brake pedal is not pressed and held down.
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Features and controls
3-119
3
“N” NEUTRALAt this position, the transmission is disengaged. It is the same
as the neutral position on a manual transaxle and should be
used when the vehicle is not moving for an extended length of
time during driving, such as in a traffic jam.
“D” DRIVEThis position is used for most city and highway driving. Engine
shifting and braking are done automatically as needed, depend-
ing on road conditions.NOTE
For information on manual shift gate operation, please
refer to “Manual shift” on page 3-122.

When the engine is cold, upshifts occur at a higher vehicle
speed than when the engine is warm.
This control is performed to quickly warm up the engine.
It does not indicate a malfunction. After the vehicle has
been driven for a while, upshifts will occur at the regular
engine speeds.
WA R N I N G
!
Never move the gearshift lever to the “N” (NEU-
TRAL) position while driving since you could acci-
dentally slip it into the “P” (PARK) or
“R”(REVERSE) position and the engine speed
could rise, damaging the transmission.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling when stopped on
a slope, the engine should be started in the “P”
(PARK) position.
Although the engine can be started when the vehicle
is in the “N” (NEUTRAL) position, for safety rea-
sons, do not start the engine in the “N” (NEUTRAL)
position.
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal when the
vehicle is in “N” (NEUTRAL) position, or when
shifting into or out of “N” (NEUTRAL) position, to
prevent rolling.
CAUTION
!
Never shift into the “D” (DRIVE) position from the
“R” (REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in
motion.
If the lever is shifted into the “D” (DRIVE) from the
“R” (REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in
motion, the transmission may be damaged.
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3-120 Features and controls
3
Twin Clutch SST control mode
N00540200070
Select the control mode from the following two types to suit
the driving conditions.
NOTE
When continuously driving on closed circuit tracks or at
other locations where the engine is operated at high
speeds and under a heavy load, the Twin Clutch SST fluid
temperature will have a tendency to rise.
In this case, if the temperature rises too high, the warn-
ing display will appear on the information screen in the
multi-information display to alert the driver.
If the warning display appears, be sure to refer to
“Warning display” on page 3-116 and follow the appropri-
ate measures.

The Twin Clutch SST control mode can be selected both
when “D” range operation is selected and when manual
shifting is selected.

If you select “Sport” mode while the engine is cold, the
transmission may shift up at different speeds compared to
that when the engine is warm.
This is simply the operation of the control system to warm
the engine quickly. It does not indicate a malfunction.

For slippery road surfaces, such as roads with accumu-
lated snow, “Normal” mode is recommended for smooth
shifting at low engine speeds.
Tw i n C l u t c h
SST control
mode
Characteristic
Normal
(Control mode
when engine is
started)Control mode for normal driving on local
roads, freeways, and the like.
Smooth shifting is performed at low engine
speeds for economical driving with good ride
quality.
SportControl mode for driving on mountain roads,
roads with uphill and downhill slopes, and
freeways with long downhill slopes where
engine braking is necessary.
Compared to “Normal” mode, shifting occurs
at higher engine speeds and is quicker. In
addition, quick downshifting is possible when
the accelerator pedal is depressed for quick
acceleration or when the brakes are applied.
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Features and controls
3-123
3
NOTE
Only the forward gears 1 to 6 can be selected.
To reverse or park, place the gearshift lever in the “R”
(REVERSE) or “P” (PARK) position.

During manual shifting, downshifting will be performed
automatically when the vehicle slows down and the trans-
mission will downshift to 1st gear before the vehicle
stops.

If the gearshift lever or sportronic steering wheel shifters
are operated repeatedly, the transmission will also shift
repeatedly.

In order to ensure driving performance, upshifting may
not occur depending on the vehicle speed even if the gear-
shift lever or sportronic steering wheel shifters are oper-
ated. In addition, in order to prevent excessive engine
speed, the buzzer sounds and downshifting may not occur
depending on the vehicle speed even if the gearshift lever
or sportronic steering wheel shifters are operated.

When driving in an aggressive manner involving high
engine rpm, sudden acceleration and/or deceleration, the
Twin Clutch SST could take longer to shift due to higher
fluid temperatures.
CAUTION
!
When manually shifting while the vehicle is being
driven, select the correct shift position to control the
engine speed so that the tachometer indicator does
not enter the red zone.
Sudden engine braking and rapid acceleration can
cause the vehicle to skid. Shift down according to
road conditions and vehicle speed.
If both the left and right sportronic steering wheel
shifters are operated at the same time, the transmis-
sion may not change gears.
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3-124 Features and controls
3
Shifting using the gearshift lever
N00540600032
Selecting manual shifting
While the vehicle is stopped or being driven, move the gear-
shift lever from the “D” (DRIVE) position in the main shift
gate toward the driver’s seat to select manual shifting.Shifting up and shifting down
Each time the gearshift lever is pulled rearward, the transmis-
sion shifts up 1 gear.
In addition, each time the gearshift lever is pushed forward, the
transmission shifts down 1 gear.
NOTE
After manual shifting is selected using the gearshift lever,
shifting up and down can also be performed using the
sportronic steering wheel shifters.
SHIFT DOWN
SHIFT UP
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