Console Shift Lever

Your vehicle's automatic transaxle may have a shift lever on the steering column or on the console between the seats.

There is also a display located on the instrument panel cluster that will indicate the gear the vehicle is in.

Caution: It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll.

Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into Park . If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer .

The positions for the shift lever are:

PARK (P) : This position locks the vehicle's front wheels. It is the best position to use when the engine is started because the vehicle cannot move easily.

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control system. You must fully apply the regular brakes first and then press the shift lever button before shifting from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever by pushing it all the way into PARK (P) while keeping the brake pedal pushed down. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting Out of Park

Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is moving forward could damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is stopped.

REVERSE (R) : Use this gear to back up.

To rock the vehicle back and forth in order to get it out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging the transaxle, see If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow .

NEUTRAL (N): In this position, the engine does not connect with the wheels. To restart when you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when the vehicle is being towed.

Caution: Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed.

Notice: Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while the engine is running at high speed may damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speeds when shifting your vehicle.

Notice: If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly or not shift gears when you go faster, and you continue to drive your vehicle that way, you could damage the transaxle. Have your vehicle serviced right away. You can drive in SECOND (2) when you are driving less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) for higher speeds until then.

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) : This position is for normal driving. If more power is needed for passing, and the vehicle is:

By doing this the vehicle will automatically shift down to the next gear and have more power.

THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).

Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) :

Notice: Driving in SECOND (2) for more than 25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h) may damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into SECOND (2) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2).

SECOND (2) : This position gives the vehicle more power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control the speed going down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use the brakes off and on.

FIRST (1) : This position gives the vehicle even more power but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle will not shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.

Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking brake to hold the vehicle in place.

SE Model

GT Model

Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on the console between the seats.

PARK (P): This position locks your front wheels. It is the best position to use when you start your engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.

Caution: It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll.

Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into Park . If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer .

Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control system. You have to apply your regular brake and press the shift lever button before you can shift from PARK (P) while the ignition key is in ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting Out of Park later in this section.

REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.

Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is moving forward could damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is stopped.

To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging your transaxle, see If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow .

NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine does not connect with the wheels. To restart when you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.

Caution: Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear while the engine is running at high speed.

Notice: Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while the engine is running at high speed may damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speeds when shifting your vehicle.

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and you are:

You will shift down to the next gear and have more power.

Notice: If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly or not shift gears when you go faster, and you continue to drive your vehicle that way, you could damage the transaxle. Have your vehicle serviced right away. You can drive in LOW (L) when you are driving less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) for higher speeds until then.

THIRD (3): This position, available on the SE model, is also used for normal driving. However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):

LOW (L): This position, available on the SE model, gives you more power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use LOW (L) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. You can use LOW (L) on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in LOW (L), the transaxle will not shift into first gear until the speed of the vehicle is slow enough.

Notice: Driving in LOW (L) for more than 25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h) may damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into LOW (L) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) instead of LOW (L).

Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking brake to hold the vehicle in place.

MANUAL MODE (M): This position, available on the GT model, allows you to change gears similar to a manual transmission. If your vehicle has this feature, see Driver Shift Control (DSC) next.

Driver Shift Control (DSC)

To use this feature, do the following:

1. Move the shift lever from AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) rearward into the MANUAL MODE (M) of the DSC area.

When the transaxle is in the DSC mode the manual mode light in the instrument panel cluster will come on.

2. If you do not move the shift lever forward or rearward, the vehicle will be in manual mode, THIRD (3) gear. While driving in manual mode, the transaxle may remain in a gear longer than it would in normal driving mode based on braking, throttle input and vehicle lateral acceleration.
3. Press the shift level forward to upshift or rearward to downshift.

The odometer on the instrument panel cluster will change to show the requested gear range when moving the shift lever forward or rearward. While using the DSC feature the vehicle will have firmer shifting and increased performance. You can use this for sport driving or when climbing hills to stay in gear longer or to downshift for more power or engine braking.

The transaxle will only allow you to shift into gears appropriate for the vehicle speed and RPM. The transmission will not automatically shift to the next higher gear if the engine RPM is too high.