Honda Fit (2019 year). Manual — part 27

415

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When Driving

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Precautions While Driving

Continued

Driving

Precautions While Driving

Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine or
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.

■

In Rain

1

Precautions While Driving

NOTICE

Do not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.

NOTICE

If you repeatedly turn the steering wheel at an
extremely low speed, or hold the steering wheel in
the full left or right position for a while, the electric
power steering (EPS) system heats up. The system
goes into a protective mode, and limits its
performance. The steering wheel becomes harder
and harder to operate. Once the system cools down,
the EPS system is restored. Repeated operation under
these conditions can eventually damage the system.

If the ignition switch is turned to ACCESSORY

(

q

*1

while driving, the engine will shut down and all
steering and brake power assist functions will stop,
making it difficult to control the vehicle.

Do not put the transmission into

(

N, as you will lose

engine braking (and acceleration) performance.

During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as to not damage the engine or powertrain.

Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
You should also follow this when the brake pads are
replaced.

*1: Models with the smart entry system have an ENGINE
START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.

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When Driving

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Continuously Variable Transmission

*

416

Driving

If there is a strong impact with something under the vehicle, stop in a safe location.
Check the underside of the vehicle for damage or any fluid leaks.

Continuously Variable Transmission

*

The engine runs at a higher idle speed and creeping increases.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.

Quickly depressing the accelerator pedal while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower ratio, unexpectedly increasing vehicle speed.
Depress the accelerator pedal carefully, especially on slippery roads and curves.

■

Other Precautions

■

Creeping

■

Kickdown

1

Precautions While Driving

NOTICE

The following can damage the under spoiler:

•

Parking the vehicle by a parking block

•

Parallel parking along the road shoulder

•

Driving towards the bottom of a hill

•

Driving up or down to a different surface level
(such as a road shoulder)

•

Driving on a rutted or bumpy road

•

Driving on a road with potholes.

* Not available on all models

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When Driving

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Shifting

Continued

Driving

Shifting

Change the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.

■

Shift lever positions

*1 : Models with the smart entry system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.

Continuously variable transmission models without paddle shifters

1

Shifting

You cannot turn the ignition switch to LOCK

(

0

*1

and remove the key unless the shift lever is in

(

P.

The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in

(

N while the engine is cold.

Depress the brake pedal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.

When shifting positions in extremely low
temperatures (-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short
delay before the shift position is displayed. Always
confirm you are in the correct shift position before
driving.

Park
Used when parking or starting the engine

Reverse
Used when reversing

Neutral
Transmission is not locked

Drive
Used for normal driving

Drive (S)
Used:

●

For better acceleration

●

To increase engine braking

●

When going up or down hills

Release Button

Low

●

Used to further increase engine braking

●

Used when going up or down hills

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Shifting

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Driving

■

Shift Lever Operation

1

Shift Lever Operation

NOTICE

When you change the shift lever from

(

D to

(

R and

vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever before the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.

Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position before pulling away.

If the transmission indicator blinks when driving, in
any shift position, there is a problem with the
transmission.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.

The fuel supply may be cut off if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happens, you may experience a
slight jolt.

It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is held down.
Depress the brake pedal first.

Tachometer’s red zone

Depress the brake pedal and press
the shift lever release button to shift.

Shift without pressing the shift lever
release button.

Press the shift lever release button
and shift.

Shift Lever Position Indicator
(Transmission Indicator)

Models with information display

Models with multi-information display

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When Driving

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Shifting

Continued

Driving

Shifting

Change the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.

■

Shift lever positions

*1 : Models with the smart entry system have an ENGINE START/STOP button instead of an ignition switch.

Continuously variable transmission models with paddle shifters

1

Shifting

You cannot turn the ignition switch to LOCK

(

0

*1

and remove the key unless the shift lever is in

(

P.

The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in

(

N while the engine is cold.

Depress the brake pedal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.

When shifting positions in extremely low
temperatures (-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short
delay before the shift position is displayed. Always
confirm you are in the correct shift position before
driving.

Park
Used when parking or starting the engine

Reverse
Used when reversing

Neutral
Transmission is not locked

Drive
Used:

●

For normal driving

●

When temporarily driving in the
7-speed manual shift mode

Release Button

Drive (S)
Used for:

●

For better acceleration

●

To increase engine braking

●

When going up or down hills

●

When driving in the 7-speed manual
shift mode

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When Driving

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Shifting

420

Driving

■

Shift Lever Operation

1

Shift Lever Operation

NOTICE

When you change the shift lever from

(

D to

(

R and

vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever before the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.

Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position before pulling away.

If the transmission indicator blinks when driving, in
any shift position, there is a problem with the
transmission.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.

The fuel supply may be cut off if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happens, you may experience a
slight jolt.

It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is held down.
Depress the brake pedal first.

M (7-Speed Manual Shift Mode)
Indicator/Shift Indicator

Tachometer’s red zone

Depress the brake pedal and press
the shift lever release button to shift.

Shift without pressing the shift lever
release button.

Press the shift lever release button
and shift.

Shift Lever Position Indicator
(Transmission Indicator)

Models with information display

Models with multi-information display

Continued

421

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When Driving

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Shifting

Driving

Use the paddle shifters to change between 1st and 7th speeds without releasing
your hands from the steering wheel. The transmission switches to the 7-speed
manual shift mode when you pull a paddle shifter while driving. This mode is useful
when engine braking is needed.

■

When the shift lever is in

(

D:

The shift mode goes into the 7-speed manual shift mode temporarily, and the
number is displayed in the shift indicator.
The 7-speed manual shift mode is canceled automatically if you drive at constant
speed or accelerate, and the number in the shift indicator goes off.
You can cancel this mode by pulling the

paddle shifter for a few seconds.

The 7-speed manual shift mode is especially useful when reducing the vehicle speed
temporarily before making a turn.

■

When the shift lever is in

(

S:

The shift mode goes into the 7-speed manual shift mode. The M indicator and the
speed number are displayed in the shift indicator. As the vehicle speed slows down,
the transmission automatically shifts down accordingly. When the vehicle comes to
a stop, it automatically shifts down into 1st.

If the vehicle speed increases and the engine speed reaches near the tachometer’s
red zone, the transmission automatically shifts up.

■

7-Speed Manual Shift Mode

1

7-Speed Manual Shift Mode

In the 7-speed manual shift mode, the transmission
shifts up or down by operating either paddle shifter
under the following conditions:
Shift Up: The engine speed reaches the lowest
threshold of the higher speed position.
Shift Down: The engine speed reaches the highest
threshold of the lower speed position.

When the engine speed reaches near the
tachometer’s red zone, the transmission shifts up
automatically.
When the engine speed reaches the lowest threshold
of the selected speed position, the transmission shifts
down automatically.

Operating the paddle shifters on slippery surfaces
may cause the tires to lock up. In this case, the 7-
speed manual shift mode is canceled and goes back
to the normal

(

D driving mode.

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When Driving

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Shifting

422

Driving

You can only pull away in 1st speed.

When canceling the 7-speed manual shift mode, move the shift lever from

(

S to

(

D. When the 7-speed manual shift mode is canceled, the M indicator and shift

indicator will turn off.

■

7-Speed Manual Shift Mode Operation

1

7-Speed Manual Shift Mode Operation

Each paddle shift operation makes a single speed
change.
To change continuously, release the paddle shifter
before pulling it again for the next speed.

The shift indicator blinks when you cannot shift up or
down. It indicates that your vehicle speed is not in its
allowable shifting range.
Slightly accelerate to shift up and decelerate to shift
down while the indicator is blinking.

Upshifting when pulling
the

paddle shifter

(Changes to higher speed
number)

Downshifting when pulling
the

paddle shifter (Changes

to lower speed number)

Paddle Shifter

(Shift down)

Paddle Shifter

(Shift up)

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When Driving

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Shifting

Continued

Driving

Shifting

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.”

■

Shift Lever Operation

Manual transmission models

1

Shifting

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.

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When Driving

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Shifting

424

Driving

When you are not shifting, do not rest your
foot on the clutch pedal. This can cause your
clutch to wear out faster.

1

Shifting

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.

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When Driving

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Shifting

Continued

Driving

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

(

q or LOCK

(

0

*1

.

3. Depress the clutch pedal and shift into

(

R.

4. Keep depressing the clutch pedal and start

the engine.

Have the 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.

■

Reverse Lockout

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When Driving

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Shifting

426

Driving

Come on to inform you that upshifting or
downshifting is necessary to prevent the
engine from over revving or stalling.

The shift up indicator:
Comes on when upshifting is recommended.
The shift down indicator:
Comes on when downshifting is
recommended.

■

Shift Up/Down Indicators

*

1

Shift Up/Down Indicators

*

This indicator will not prompt you to downshift to
increase engine braking. It is up to you to downshift
to increase engine braking when driving downhill.

Always shift down at the appropriate vehicle speed.

Ambient meter color may change if you do not
change gears when a shift indicator illuminates.

Road and traffic conditions may require you to shift
at times other than those indicated.

* Not available on all models

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When Driving

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ECON Button

*

Driving

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,
climate control system

*

, and cruise control

*

.

1

ECON Button

*

While in ECON mode, the climate control system has
greater temperature fluctuations.

Models with climate control system

* Not available on all models

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When Driving

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Cruise Control

*

Driving

Cruise Control

*

Maintains a constant vehicle speed without having to keep your foot on the
accelerator. Use cruise control on freeways or open roads where you can travel at a
constant speed with little acceleration or deceleration.

1

Cruise Control

*

It may not be possible to maintain a constant speed
when driving uphill or downhill.

When not using cruise control:
Turn off cruise control by pressing the CRUISE
button.

While in ECON mode, it may take relatively more time
to accelerate to maintain the set speed.

When the engine speed slows down, try to
downshift.
You can maintain the set speed if you change gear
within five seconds.

3

WARNING

Improper use of the cruise control can lead
to a crash.

Use the cruise control only when traveling
on open highways in good weather.

Models with ECON system

Manual transmission models

■

Shift positions for cruise control:
In

(

D or

(

S

When to use

Always keep sufficient distance
between you and the vehicle in
front of you.

Continuously variable transmission models

■

Vehicle speed for cruise control:
Desired speed in a range above
roughly 25 mph (40 km/h) ~

How to use

CRUISE MAIN is on in the
instrument panel.
Cruise control is ready to use.

■

Press the

CRUISE

button on the
steering wheel.

* Not available on all models

429

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When Driving

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Cruise Control

*

Continued

Driving

Take your foot off the pedal and press the -/SET button when you reach the desired
speed.

The moment you release the -/SET button, the set speed is fixed, and cruise control
begins. The CRUISE CONTROL indicator comes on.

■

To Set the Vehicle Speed

-/SET Button

On when cruise control begins

Press and release

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When Driving

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Cruise Control

*

430

Driving

Increase or decrease the vehicle speed using the RES/+ or -/SET buttons on the
steering wheel.

• Each time you press the button, the vehicle speed is increased or decreased by

about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).

• If you keep the button pressed, the vehicle speed increases or decreases until you

release it. This speed is then set.

To cancel cruise control, do any of the following:
• Press the CANCEL button.
• Press the CRUISE button.
• Depress the brake pedal.

• Depress the clutch pedal for five seconds or

more.

The CRUISE CONTROL indicator goes off.

■

To Adjust the Vehicle Speed

1

To Adjust the Vehicle Speed

You can set the vehicle speed using the -/SET button
on the steering wheel when adjusting the speed with
the accelerator and brake pedals.

■

To Cancel

To decrease speed

To increase speed

1

To Cancel

Resuming the prior set speed:
After cruise control has been canceled, you can still
resume the prior set speed by pressing the RES/+
button while driving at a speed of at least 25 mph (40
km/h) or more.

You cannot set or resume in the following situations:

•

When vehicle speed is less than 25 mph (40 km/h)

•

When the CRUISE button is turned off

At vehicle speeds of 22 mph (35 km/h) or less, cruise
control is canceled automatically.

CRUISE Button

CANCEL
Button

Manual transmission models