Various Lockouts:

Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal to shift (The ignition switch must be in the ACC or ON position).

Indicates the shift lever can be shifted freely into any position.

NOTE:
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transmission giving the
driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the transmission to shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic transmission functions as a traditional automatic, you should also be aware that you can inadvertently shift into manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be retained as the vehicle speed increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the
engine racing, confirm you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode.

Transmission Ranges

The shift lever must be in P or N to operate the starter.

P (Park)

P locks the transmission and prevents the rear wheels from rotating.

WARNING:
Always set the shift lever to P and set the parking brake:
Only setting the shift lever to the P position without using the parking brake to hold the vehicle is dangerous. If P fails to hold, the vehicle could move and cause an accident.

CAUTION:
Shifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage your transmission.

Shifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running faster than idle can damage the transmission.

R (Reverse)

In position R, the vehicle moves only backward. You must be at a complete stop before shifting to or from R, except under rare circumstances as explained in Rocking the Vehicle.

N (Neutral)

In N, the wheels and transmission are not locked. The vehicle will roll freely even on the slightest incline unless the parking brake or brakes are on.

WARNING:
If the engine is running faster than idle, do not shift from N or P into a driving gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P into a driving gear when the engine is running faster than idle. If this is done, the vehicle could move suddenly, causing an accident or serious injury.

Do not shift into N when driving the vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is dangerous. Engine braking cannot be applied when decelerating which could lead to an accident or serious injury.

CAUTION:
Do not shift into N when driving the vehicle. Doing so can cause transmission damage.

NOTE

Apply the parking brake or depress the brake pedal before moving the shift lever from N to prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly.

D (Drive)

D is the normal driving position. From a stop, the transmission will automatically shift through a 6-gear sequence.

Temporary use of the direct mode is possible.

Refer to Direct Mode.

M (Manual)

M is the manual shift mode position.

Gears can be shifted up or down by operating the shift lever or steering shift switches.

Refer to Manual Shift Mode.

Shift-Lock System

The shift-lock system prevents shifting out of P unless the brake pedal is depressed.

To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.

2. Start the engine.

3. Move the shift lever.

NOTE:
- When the ignition switch is in the LOCK position, the shift lever cannot be shifted from P.

- To be sure the vehicle is in park, the ignition key cannot be removed unless the shift lever is in P.

- (With Advanced Key).

The ignition switch cannot be turned from the ACC to the LOCK position when the shift lever is not in P.

Manual Shift Mode

This mode gives you the feel of driving a manual transmission vehicle by operating the shift lever and allows you to control engine rpm and torque to the rear wheels much like a manual transmission when more control is desired.

To change to manual shift mode, shift the lever from D to M.

NOTE:
Changing to manual mode can be done while driving the vehicle with no damage occurring to the transmission.

To return to automatic shift mode, shift the lever from M to D.

NOTE:
If you change to manual shift mode when the vehicle is stopped, the gear will shift to M1.

Indicators

Shift position indicator

In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift position indicator in the instrument panel illuminates.

Gear position indicator

The numeral for the selected gear illuminates.

NOTE:
If the gears cannot be shifted down when driving at higher speeds, the gear position indicator will flash twice to signal that the gears cannot be shifted down.

Shifting

You can shift gears up and down by operating the shift lever or the steering shift switches.

NOTE:
- If the steering shift switches on both sides (left and right) are operated simultaneously, the gear will shift once.

- The gear will not shift if: - The steering shift switch and the shift lever are operated simultaneously.

- The UP switch and DOWN switch are operated simultaneously.

Manually Shifting up

(M1→M2→M3→M4→M5→M6).

To shift up to a higher gear, tap the shift lever back ( ) once.

To shift up to a higher gear with the steering shift switches, tap either of the UP switches toward you once with your fingers.

WARNING:
Keep your hands on the steering wheel rim when using fingers or thumbs on the steering shift switches: Putting your hands inside the rim of the steering wheel when using the steering shift switches is dangerous.

If the driver's air bag were to deploy in a collision, your hands could be impacted causing injury.

NOTE:
- When driving slowly, the gears may not shift up depending on vehicle speed.

- In manual shift mode, gears do not shift up automatically. Do not run the engine with the tachometer needle in the RED ZONE. If the tachometer needle enters the RED ZONE, you may feel engine-braking because the fuel delivery will be stopped to protect the engine. However, this does not indicate an abnormality.

- When depressing the accelerator fully, the transmission will shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle speed (Except M2→M1).

Manually Shifting down

(M6→M5→M4→M3→M2→M1).

To shift down to a lower gear, tap the shift lever forward ( ) once.

To shift down to a lower gear with the steering shift switches, press either of the DOWN switches away from you once with your thumb.

WARNING:
Do not use engine braking on slippery road surfaces or at high speeds: Shifting down while driving on wet, snowy, or frozen roads, or while driving at high speeds causes sudden engine braking, which is dangerous.

The sudden change in tire speed could cause the tires to skid. This could lead to loss of vehicle control and an accident.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel rim when using fingers or thumbs on the steering shift switches: Putting your hands inside the rim of the steering wheel when using the steering shift switches is dangerous.

If the driver's air bag were to deploy in a collision, your hands could be impacted causing injury.

NOTE:
- When driving at high speeds, the gear may not shift down depending on vehicle speed.

- During deceleration, the gear may automatically shift down depending on vehicle speed.

- When depressing the accelerator fully, the transmission will shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle speed (Except M2→M1).

Second gear fixed mode

When the shift lever is tapped back ( ).

while the vehicle is stopped, the transmission is set in the second gear fixed mode. The gear is fixed in second while in this mode for easier starting and driving on slippery roads. If the shift lever is tapped back ( ) or forward ( ) while in the second gear fixed mode, the mode will be canceled.

Shifting specification

Shifting up

If the vehicle speed is lower than the speed specified for each gear, the gear cannot be shifted up to a higher gear.

Shifting down

If the vehicle speed is higher than the speed specified for each gear, the gear cannot be shifted to a lower gear so as to protect the transmission.

During deceleration, the gears shift down automatically when speed is reduced to the following:

NOTE:
The gear does not shift down to M1 automatically while in the second gear fixed mode.

If the vehicle is kicked down at the following speeds or lower, the gears shift down automatically:

Recommendations for shifting

Upshifting

For normal acceleration, we recommend these shift points.

For cruising

Downshifting

When you must slow down in heavy traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift before the engine starts to overwork. This gives better acceleration when you need more speed.

On a steep downgrade, downshifting helps maintain safe speed and prolongs brake life.

Direct Mode

Direct mode can be used for temporarily switching gears by operating the steering shift switch while the vehicle is being driven with the selector lever in the D range.

While in direct mode, the D and M indicator lights illuminate and the gear position in use is illuminated.

Direct mode is canceled (released) under the following conditions.

- The vehicle is driven at a constant speed.

- The needle in the tachometer approaches the red zone.

- The vehicle is driven at a constant speed and the accelerator pedal is heavily depressed.

- The vehicle is stopped or moving at a slow speed.

NOTE:
Shifting up and down while in direct mode may not be possible depending on the vehicle speed. In addition, because direct mode is canceled (released) depending on the rate of acceleration or if the accelerator is fully depressed, use of the manual shift mode is recommended if you need to drive the vehicle in a particular gear for long periods.

Driving Tips

Passing

For extra power when passing another vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress the accelerator fully. The transmission will shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle speed.

Climbing steep grades from a stop

To climb a steep grade from a stopped position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.

2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the load weight and grade steepness.

3. Release the brake pedal while gradually accelerating.

Descending steep grades

When descending a steep grade, shift to lower gears, depending on load weight and grade steepness. Descend slowly, using the brakes only occasionally to prevent them from overheating.