2000 HONDA CR-V engine

Fue
l Econom y

Th e conditio n o f you r vehicl e an d
you r drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Vehicl e Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r vehicl e accord -
in g t o th e maintenanc e schedule .
Thi s wil l kee p it i n to p operating -
condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 195 ). Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r vehicle' s undersid e add s weigh t
an d rollin g resistance . Frequen t
cleanin g help s you r fue l mileag e an d
reduce s th e chanc e o f corrosion .Drivin
g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
Alway s driv e in th e highes t gea r tha t
allow s th e engin e t o ru n an d acceler -
at e smoothly .
Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r vehicl e use s extr a fuel . Us e th e
cruis e control , whe n appropriate , t o
increas e fue l economy . A
col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y in abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m u p faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t clow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e is
moderate .

Before Drivin g

Drivin
g
Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
5-spee d manua l an d automati c
transmissions . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r vehicle , th e brakin g system ,
an d fact s yo u nee d if yo u ar e plan -

nin g to to w a traile r o r driv e off -

highway . Drivin
g Guidelines........................ . 15 2
Preparin g to Drive........................ . 15 3
Stallin g th e Engine....................... . 15 4
Startin g i n Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitude.................... . 15 5
5-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 15 6
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 15 7
Maximu m Allowabl e Speeds... . 15 7
Automati c Transmission.............. . 15 8
Shif t Leve r Positio n Indicator. . 15 8
Shif t Leve r Positions................ . 15 8
Maximu m Allowabl e Speeds... . 16 1
Shif t Loc k Release.................... . 16 2

Parking........................................... . 16 3

Th e Brakin g System..................... . 16 4
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 16 4

Brak e Syste m Design............... . 16 5

Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 16 5
Importan t Safet y

Reminders......................... . 16 6

AB S Indicator........................ . 16 7
Drivin g i n Ba d Weather............... . 16 8
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 17 0
Towin g You r Vehicl e Behin d a
Motorhome................................ . 17 6 Off-Highwa
y Guidelines.............. . 17 8
Genera l Information................. . 17 8
Importan t Safet y

Precautions............................ . 17 9

Drivin g Tips............................... . 18 0

Drivin g

Startin
g th e Engin e

Startin g in Col d Weathe r a t Hig h
Altitud e (Abov e 8,00 0 feet /
2,40 0 meters )

A n engin e is harde r t o star t i n col d
weather . Th e thinne r ai r foun d a t
hig h altitud e abov e 8,00 0 fee t (2,40 0
meters ) add s t o th e problem .
Us e th e followin g procedure :
1 . Tur n of f al l electrica l accessorie s
t o reduc e th e drai n o n th e battery .
2 . Pus h th e accelerato r peda l half -
wa y t o th e floo r an d hol d it ther e
whil e startin g th e engine . D o no t
hol d th e ignitio n ke y i n STAR T
(III ) fo r mor e tha n 1 5 seconds .
Whe n th e engin e starts , releas e
th e accelerato r peda l graduall y a s
th e engin e speed s u p an d smooth s
out . 3
. I f th e engin e fail s t o star t i n ste p 2 ,
pus h th e accelerato r peda l t o th e
floo r an d hol d it ther e whil e yo u
tr y t o star t th e engin e fo r n o mor e
tha n 1 5 seconds . I f th e engin e
doe s no t start , retur n to ste p 2 .

Driving

5-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Recommende d Shif t Point s
Driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t let s
th e engin e ru n an d accelerat e
smoothly . Thi s wil l giv e yo u th e bes t
fue l econom y an d effectiv e emis -
sion s control . Th e followin g shif t
point s ar e recommended : Engin
e Spee d Limite r
I f yo u excee d th e maximu m spee d
fo r th e gea r yo u ar e in , th e engin e
spee d wil l ente r int o th e tachometer' s
re d zone . I f thi s occurs , yo u ma y fee l
th e engin e cu t i n an d out . Thi s i s
cause d b y a limite r i n th e engine' s
compute r controls . Th e engin e wil l
ru n normall y whe n yo u reduc e th e
RP M belo w th e re d zone .
Befor e downshifting , mak e sur e th e
engin e wil l no t g o int o th e
tachometer' s re d zone .

Driving

Automati
c Transmissio n

You r Honda' s transmissio n ha s fou r
forwar d speeds , an d is electronicall y
controlle d fo r smoothe r shifting . I t
als o ha s a "lock-up " torqu e converte r
fo r bette r fue l economy . Yo u ma y
fee l wha t seem s lik e anothe r shif t
whe n th e converte r locks . Shif
t Leve r Positio n Indicato r
Thi s indicato r o n th e instrumen t
pane l show s whic h positio n th e shif t
leve r i s in .
Th e "D " indicato r come s o n fo r a
fe w second s whe n yo u tur n th e
ignitio n switc h O N (II) . I f i t flashe s
whil e drivin g (i n an y shif t position) ,
i t indicate s a possibl e proble m in th e
transmission . Avoi d rapi d accelera -
tio n an d hav e th e transmissio n
checke d b y a n authorize d Hond a
deale r a s soo n a s possible . Shif
t Leve r Position s
Th e shif t leve r ha s si x positions . I t
mus t b e in Par k o r Neutra l t o star t
th e engine . Whe n yo u ar e stoppe d i n
D , 2 , 1 , N or R , pres s firml y o n th e
brak e pedal , an d kee p you r foo t of f
th e accelerato r pedal .

Drivin g
SHIF
T LEVE R

Automati
c Transmissio n

Par k (P ) — Thi s positio n mechani -
call y lock s th e transmission . Us e
Par k wheneve r yo u ar e turnin g of f o r
startin g th e engine . T o shif t ou t o f
Park , yo u mus t pres s o n th e brak e
peda l an d hav e you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal . Pul l th e shif t leve r
toward s you , the n mov e it ou t o f

Park .
I
f yo u hav e don e al l o f th e abov e an d
stil l canno t mov e th e leve r ou t o f
Park , se e Shif t Loc k Releas e o n pag e

162 .

Yo u mus t als o pul l th e shif t leve r
toward s yo u t o shif t int o Park . T o
avoi d transmissio n damage , com e to
a complet e sto p befor e shiftin g int o
Park . Th e shif t leve r mus t b e in Par k
befor e yo u ca n remov e th e ke y fro m
th e ignitio n switch .

CONTINUED

Drivin g

Automati
c Transmissio n

Revers e (R ) — To shif t t o Revers e
fro m Park , se e th e explanatio n unde r
Park . T o shif t t o Revers e fro m
Neutral , com e t o a complet e sto p an d
the n shift . Pul l th e shif t leve r
toward s yo u befor e shiftin g int o
Revers e fro m Neutral .
Neutra l (N ) — Us e Neutra l i f yo u
nee d t o restar t a stalle d engine , o r i f
i t i s necessar y t o sto p briefl y wit h
th e engin e idling . Shif t t o Par k posi -
tio n if yo u nee d t o leav e th e vehicl e
fo r an y reason . Pres s o n th e brak e pe -
da l whe n yo u ar e movin g th e shif t
leve r fro m Neutra l t o anothe r gear . Driv
e (D ) — Us e thi s positio n fo r
you r norma l driving . Th e transmis -
sio n automaticall y select s a suitabl e
gea r fo r you r spee d an d acceleration .
Yo u ma y notic e th e transmissio n
shiftin g up at highe r speed s whe n
th e engin e is cold . Thi s help s th e
engin e war m u p faster .
Fo r faste r acceleration , yo u ca n ge t
th e transmissio n t o automaticall y
downshif t b y pushin g th e accelerato r
peda l t o th e floor . Th e transmissio n
wil l shif t dow n on e o r tw o gears ,
dependin g o n you r speed .
Over-Drive (O/D) Mode

Th e Over-Driv e (O/D ) i s o n
wheneve r yo u tur n the ignitio n O N
(II) . Yo u ca n tur n i t of f b y pressin g
th e O/ D switc h o n the edg e o f th e
shif t lever . Th e O/ D OF F indicato r
o n the instrumen t pane l nex t t o th e
shif t leve r positio n indicato r wil l

com e on .

Drivin g

Automati
c Transmissio n

Whe n th e Over-Driv e i s of f th e
transmissio n select s onl y th e firs t
thre e gears , bu t no t th e fourth . Tur n
th e O/ D of f t o provid e engin e
brakin g whe n goin g dow n a stee p hill .
Yo u ca n als o avoi d the transmissio n
fro m cyclin g betwee n thir d an d
fourt h gear s i n stop-and-g o driving .Secon
d (2 ) — To shif t t o Second ,
pul l th e shif t leve r toward s you , the n
shif t t o th e lowe r gear . Thi s positio n
lock s th e transmissio n in secon d
gear . I t doe s no t downshif t t o firs t
gea r whe n yo u com e t o a stop .
Secon d give s yo u mor e powe r whe n
climbing , an d increase d engin e
brakin g whe n goin g dow n stee p hills .
Us e secon d gea r whe n startin g ou t
o n a slipper y surfac e o r i n dee p snow .
I t wil l hel p reduc e wheelspin .
Firs t (1 ) — To shif t fro m Secon d t o
First , pul l th e shif t leve r toward s you ,
the n shif t t o th e lowe r gear . Wit h th e
leve r i n thi s position , th e transmis -
sio n lock s i n Firs t gear . B y upshift -
in g an d downshiftin g throug h 1 , 2 , D ,
yo u ca n operat e thi s transmissio n
muc h lik e a manua l transmissio n
withou t a clutc h pedal . Engin
e Spee d Limite r
I f yo u excee d th e maximu m spee d
fo r th e gea r yo u ar e in , th e engin e
spee d wil l ente r int o th e tachometer' s
re d zone . I f thi s occurs , yo u ma y fee l
th e engin e cu t i n an d out . Thi s is
cause d b y a limite r i n th e engine' s
compute r controls . Th e engin e wil l
ru n normall y whe n yo u reduc e th e
RP M belo w th e re d zone .

Drivin g