MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
Five–Speed Manual Transmission
WARNING! You or others could be injured if you leave the vehicle unattended without having the parking brake fully applied. The parking brake should al- ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle, especially on an incline.
Fully press the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As you release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator pedal.
Use each gear in numerical order, do not skip a gear. Be sure the transmission is in first gear, (not third), when starting from a standing position. Damage to the clutch can result from starting in third gear.
For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light accelerations, fifth gear is recommended. Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, and never try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear on the clutch. Never shift into REVERSE until the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
NOTE: During cold weather, until the transmission lubricant is warm, you may experience slightly higher shift efforts. This is normal and not harmful to the transmission.
Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for optimal fuel economy, it should be upshifted as listed in the following table.
Manual Transmission Recommended Shift Speeds Units in mph (km/h)
Engine Size
Accel- eration
Rate
1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5
All En- gines
Accel 14 (23) 23 (37) 29 (47) 45 (72) Cruise 12 (19) 18 (29) 25 (40) 32 (52)
Downshifting
Proper downshifting will improve fuel economy and prolong engine life.
CAUTION! If you skip more than one gear while downshifting or downshift at too high a vehicle speed, you could damage the engine, transmission, or clutch.
To maintain a safe speed and prolong brake life, shift down to second or first gear when descending a steep grade. When turning a corner or driving up a steep grade, downshift early so that the engine will not be overburdened.
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