■Shift Lever Operation
Fully depress the clutch pedal to operate the shift lever and change gears, then slowly release the pedal.
Depress the clutch pedal, and pause for a few seconds before shifting into (R), or shift into one of the forward gears for a moment. This stops the gears so they do not "grind."
NOTICE
Do not shift to (R) before the vehicle comes to a complete stop.
Shifting to (R) before stopping can damage the transmission.
NOTICE
Before downshifting, make sure the engine will not go into the tachometer's red zone. Should this occur, it can severely damage your engine
When you are not shifting, do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal. This can cause your clutch to wear out faster.
Recommended Shift Points
Driving in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and accelerate smoothly helps to optimize fuel economy and effective emissions control. The following shift points are recommended:
If you exceed the maximum speed for the gear you are in, the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's red zone. When this happens, you may experience a slight jolt.
■Reverse Lockout
The manual transmission has a lockout mechanism that stops you from accidentally shifting into (R) from a forward gear while the vehicle is moving above a certain speed.
If you cannot shift to (R) when the vehicle is stopped, do the following:
1. Depress the clutch pedal, move the shift lever all the way to the left, and shift to (R).
2. If you still cannot shift into (R), apply the parking brake, and turn the ignition switch to ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0)*1.
3. Depress the clutch pedal and shift into (R).
4. Keep depressing the clutch pedal and start the engine.
Have your vehicle checked by a dealer if you have to go through this procedure repeatedly.
*1: Models with the smart entry system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.
ECON Button
The ECON button turns the ECON mode on and off. The ECON mode helps you improve your fuel economy by adjusting the performance of the engine, transmission, heating and cooling system*/climate control system*, and cruise control.
Models with climate control system
While in ECON mode, the climate control system has greater temperature fluctuations.