523
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or service brakes
are applied.
D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving
position. The transaxle will automati-
cally shift through a 6-gear
sequence, providing the best fuel
economy and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or climbing grades,
depress the accelerator pedal fully
(more than 80%) until the kick down
mechanism works with a clicking
noise, at which time the transaxle will
automatically downshift to the next
lower gear.
✽✽NOTICE
• Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into D (Drive).
• A clicking noise heard from the
kick down mechanism by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal fully is a
normal condition.
WARNING
• Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion will cause
the drive wheels to lock which
will cause you to lose control
of the vehicle.
• Do not use the P (Park) posi-
tion in place of the parking
brake. Always make sure the
shift lever is latched in the P
(Park) position and set the
parking brake fully.
• Never leave a child unattend-
ed in a vehicle.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transaxle if you shift into R
(Reverse) while the vehicle is in
motion, except as explained in
“Rocking the vehicle”, in this
manual.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged
if you shift into P (Park) while
the vehicle is in motion.
WARNING
Do not drive with the shift lever
in N (Neutral).
The engine brake will not work
and lead to an accident.
