Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
. Do not shift from the “D” position
into the “R” position or vice
versa until the vehicle has completely stopped. Such shifting
may cause damage to the transmission.
. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the select lever in
the “P” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the select
lever in any other position as
doing so could result in a dead
battery.
& Continuously variable transmission features
The continuously variable transmission is
electronically controlled and provides an
infinite number of forward speeds and 1
reverse speed. It also has a manual mode.
NOTE
. When the engine coolant temperature is still low, the transmission will
upshift or downshift at higher engine
speeds than when the coolant temperature is sufficiently high in order to
shorten the warm-up time and improve
driveability. The gearshift timing will
automatically shift to the normal timing
after the engine has warmed up.
. Immediately after transmission fluid
is replaced, you may feel that the
transmission operation is somewhat
unusual. This results from invalidation
of data which the on-board computer
has collected and stored in memory to
allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the current
condition of your vehicle. Optimized
shifting will be restored as the vehicle
continues to be driven for a while.
. When driving under continuous heavy load conditions such as when towing a camper or climbing a long, steep
hill, the hybrid system speed or the
vehicle speed may automatically be
reduced. This is not a malfunction. This
phenomenon results from the engine
control function maintaining the cooling performance of the vehicle. The
hybrid system and vehicle speed will
return to a normal speed when the
hybrid system is able to maintain the
optimum cooling performance after the
heavy load decreases. Driving under a
heavy load must be performed with
extreme care. Do not try to pass a
vehicle in front when driving on an
uphill slope while towing.
. The continuously variable transmission is a chain type system that
provides superior transmission effi-
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ciency for maximum fuel economy. At
times, depending on varying driving
conditions, a chain operating sound
may be heard that is characteristic of
this type of system.
& Select lever
! Select lever positions
1)
Select lever button
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