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Starting the engine

WARNING

  • Always wear appropriate shoes when operating your vehicle. Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski boots, etc.) may interfere with your ability to use the brake and accelerator pedal.

  • Do not start the vehicle with the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle can move and lead to an accident.

  • Wait until the engine rpm is normal. The vehicle may suddenly move if the brake pedal is released when the rpm is high.

NOTICE

Kick down mechanism (if equipped)

If your vehicle is equipped with a kick down mechanism in the accelerator pedal, it prevents you from driving at full throttle unintentionally by making the driver require increased effort to depress the accelerator pedal. However, if you depress the pedal more than approximately 82%, the vehicle can be at full throttle and the accelerator pedal will be easier to depress. This is not a malfunction but a normal condition.

CAUTION

You can also start the engine when the gear is in the N (neutral) position, but for safety, be sure to start the engine only when the gear is in the P (Park) position.

Starting the gasoline engine

  1. Make sure the parking brake is applied.

  2. Make sure the gear is changed to P (Park) position. Depress the brake pedal fully.

  3. Turn the ignition switch to START and hold it there until the engine starts (a maximum of 10 seconds), then release the key.

    It should be started without depressing the accelerator pedal.

  4. Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving at moderate engine speeds. (Steep accelerating and decelerating should be avoided.)