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Driving
This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important information on
parking your vehicle and the braking system, and facts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer. Preparing to Drive......................... 140
Starting the Engine........................ 141
Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 141
Automatic Transmission............... 142 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 142
Shift Lever Positions................. 142
Maximum Allowable Speeds.... 145
Shift Lock Release..................... 145
Parking............................................ 146
The Braking System...................... 147 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 147
Brake System Design................ 147
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 148 Important SafetyReminders.......................... 149
ABS Indicator......................... 149
Driving in Bad Weather................ 150
Towing a Trailer............................ 152
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Automatic Transmission
Park (P) — This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the accelerator pedal. Pull the shift lever
towards you, then move it out of Park.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shift Lock Release on page
123.
You must also pull the shift lever towards you to shift into Park. Toavoid transmission damage, come to
a complete stop before shifting into
Park. The shift lever must be in Park
before you can remove the key from
the ignition switch. Reverse (R) — To shift to Reverse
from Park, see the explanation under
Park. To shift to Reverse from
Neutral, come to a complete stop and
then shift. Pull the shift lever
towards you before shifting into Reverse from Neutral.
CONTINUED
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Automatic Transmission
Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the vehicle
for any reason. Press on the brake pe- dal when you are moving the shift
lever from Neutral to another gear.
Drive (D4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps theengine warm up faster.
Drive (D3) —This position is similar
to D4, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D3 when towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D3 or
D4, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshift by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one or two gears, depending on your
speed.
Second (2) — To shift to Second,
pull the shift lever towards you, then shift to the lower gear. This position
locks the transmission in second
gear. It does not downshift to first gear when you come to a stop.Second gives you more power when
climbing, and increased engine
braking when going down steep hills.
Use second gear when starting out on a slippery surface or in deep snow.
It will help reduce wheelspin. First (1) — To shift from Second to
First, pull the shift lever towards you,
then shift to the lower gear. With the
lever in this position, the transmis- sion locks in First gear. By upshift-
ing and downshifting through 1, 2, D3 and D4, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual
transmission without a clutch pedal.
Driving
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Automatic Transmission
Maximum Allowable Speeds
The speeds in this table are the maximum allowable speeds in each
position. If you exceed these speeds, the engine speed will enter into the
tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
you will feel the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter in the
engine's computer controls. The engine will run normally when you
reduce the RPM below the red zone.
Before downshifting, make sure the
vehicle will not exceed the maximum allowable speed in the chart in the
lower gear to avoid engine damage. Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pulling the shift lever doesnot work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Insert the key in the Shift Lock Release slot on the steering
column.
4. Push down on the key while you pull the shift lever towards youand move the shift lever out of
Park to Neutral. 5. Remove the key from the Shift
Lock Release slot. Depress the
brake pedal and restart the engine.
If you need to use the Shift Lock
Release, it means your vehicle is developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your Honda dealer.
Driving
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Parking
Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not fully
released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is firmly set. Make sure the parking brake is set firmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
Set the parking brake before you put
the transmission in Park. This keeps
the vehicle from moving and putting
pressure on the parking mechanism
in the transmission — making it
easier to move the shift lever out of
Park when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the curb.
If the vehicle is facing downhill, turn
the front wheels toward the curb.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Parking Tips Make sure the sunroof and the
windows are closed. Turn off the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the cargo area or take them
with you. Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
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Towing a Trailer
Your Honda is designed primarily to carry passengers and their cargo.
You can use it to tow a trailer if you carefully observe some general rules. The total weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed the weights shown in the
table below.
* 1: Including driver. Based on 150 Ibs (70 kg)
per passenger
* 2 : Seven-passenger model only The "tongue load" should never
exceed 160 Ibs (72 kg). This is the
amount of weight the trailer puts on the hitch when it is fully-loaded.
As a rule of thumb, the tongue load should be 10 percent of the
total trailer package.For example, if the trailer and its
load weigh 1,000 Ibs (450 kg), the
tongue load should be 100 Ibs (45
kg). Adjust the trailer's cargo to change the tongue load. Start by
putting approximately 60 percent of the cargo toward the front and
40 percent toward the rear. Never
load the trailer so the back is
heavier than the front.
The combined weight of the
vehicle, all passengers and theirluggage, and tongue load must not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. The GVWR is printed on
the Certification label attached to
the driver's doorjamb (see page
246).
The combined weight of the vehicle, all passengers and theirluggage, and tongue load also
must not exceed the Gross Axle
Weight Rating. The GAWR is also shown on the Certification label. It
tells you the maximum load for the
front and rear axles. It is possible
that your towing package does not
exceed the GVWR but does
exceed the GAWR. Improper
trailer loading, and/or too much
luggage in the trunk can overload the rear axle. Redistribute the loadand check the axle weights again.
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Towing a Trailer
The best way to confirm that your total towing package is within thesespecifications is to get it weighed.
Load the vehicle and trailer as you
normally would while towing, and
take them to a public scale. Have
them check the total weight and the
weight at each axle, then compare
the weights to the specifications.
Trailer Hitches
The trailer hitch must be the proper size and construction for your
vehicle and the trailer you intend to tow. Consult with an expert before
you purchase a trailer hitch, andhave it installed by a qualified
mechanic.
The hitch should bolt to the underbody of the vehicle, anddistribute the load over a wide area.
Never use a hitch that mounts only
to the rear bumper. The bumper is
not designed to handle that type of
load.
A trailer hitch that is not adequate for the size of the trailer, or a hitch that is
improperly installed, can cause damage
to the underside of your vehicle.
Driving
NOTICE
Improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can seriously affect
its steering and braking
performance, causing a crash
in which you can be seriously
injured.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
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Towing a Trailer
Mirrors
Many states and provinces have laws
requiring special outside mirrors
when you are towing a trailer. Check
the laws in your area. You may want
to install mirrors, even if they are not
required. Hook up the trailer and see
how much it obscures your ability to see behind you with the standard
mirrors. If you cannot see directly
behind you, or have a large blind spot next to the trailer or the vehicle,
you should install mirrors intended for towing. Connecting the Trailer
Most trailers that have a gross
weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) do not
have their own braking system. If
you are thinking of getting a trailer that does have brakes, make sure
they are electrically-operated. Thereare no provisions in your vehicle to
tap into its hydraulic braking system.
Any attempt to attach the trailer's brakes to your vehicle's hydraulicsystem, no matter how successful it
may seem, will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential
hazard.
Always use a safety chain when
towing a trailer. Connect the safetychain securely at both ends. Make
sure the chain crosses under the
tongue so it will catch the trailer if it becomes unhitched. Leave enoughslack in the chain so it can't bind in a
sharp turn. Do not let it drag on the
ground.
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