Page 163 of 322
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
Page 165 of 322

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
Page 169 of 322
Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Brak e Syste m Desig n
Th e hydrauli c syste m tha t operate s
th e brake s ha s tw o separat e circuits .
Eac h circui t work s diagonall y acros s
th e vehicl e (th e left-fron t brak e i s
connecte d wit h th e right-rea r brake ,
etc.) . I f on e circui t shoul d develo p a
problem , yo u wil l stil l hav e brakin g
a t tw o wheels .
Anti-loc
k Brake s
U.S. EX, and Canadian LX and EX
models
AB S help s t o preven t th e wheel s
fro m lockin g u p an d skiddin g durin g
har d braking , allowin g yo u t o retai n
steerin g control . Whe
n th e fron t tire s skid , yo u los e
steerin g control ; th e vehicl e
continue s straigh t ahea d eve n
thoug h yo u tur n th e steerin g wheel .
Th e AB S help s t o preven t lock-u p
an d help s yo u retai n steerin g contro l
b y pumpin g th e brake s rapidly ; muc h
faste r tha n a perso n ca n d o it .
CONTINUED
Fron
t
Driving
Page 170 of 322

Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Yo u shoul d neve r pum p th e
brak e pedal , thi s defeat s th e
purpos e o f th e ABS . Le t th e AB S
wor k fo r yo u b y alway s keepin g firm ,
stead y pressur e o n th e brak e peda l
a s yo u stee r awa y fro m th e hazard .
Thi s is sometime s referre d to a s
"stomp and steer."
Yo u wil l fee l a pulsatio n in th e brak e
peda l whe n th e AB S activates , an d
yo u ma y hea r som e noise . Thi s i s
normal , i t i s th e AB S rapidl y
pumpin g th e brakes .
Activatio n varie s wit h th e amoun t o f
tractio n you r tire s have . O n dr y
pavement , yo u wil l nee d t o pres s o n
th e brak e peda l ver y har d befor e yo u
activat e th e ABS . However , yo u ma y
fee l th e AB S activat e immediatel y i f
yo u ar e tryin g t o sto p o n sno w o r ice .
Important Safety Reminders
AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e o r
distanc e i t take s t o sto p th e
vehicle , i t onl y help s wit h steerin g
contro l durin g braking . Yo u shoul d
alway s maintai n a saf e followin g
distanc e fro m othe r vehicles .
AB S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t
result s fro m changin g directio n
abruptly , suc h a s tryin g to tak e a
corne r to o fas t o r makin g a sudde n
lan e change . Alway s driv e a t a safe ,
pruden t spee d fo r th e roa d an d
weathe r conditions .
AB S canno t preven t a los s o f
stability . Alway s stee r moderatel y
whe n yo u ar e brakin g hard . Sever e
o r shar p steerin g whee l movemen t
ca n stil l caus e you r vehicl e t o vee r
int o oncomin g traffi c o r of f th e road .A
vehicl e wit h AB S ma y requir e a
longe r distanc e t o sto p o n loos e o r
uneve n surfaces , suc h a s grave l o r
snow , tha n a vehicl e withou t anti -
lock . Slo w dow n an d allo w a greate r
distanc e betwee n vehicle s unde r
thos e conditions .
Drivin g
Page 171 of 322
Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Drivin g
ABS Indicator
ABS INDICATOR *
Th e AB S is self-checking . I f anythin g
goe s wrong , th e AB S indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l come s o n (se e
pag e 55 ). Thi s mean s th e anti-loc k
functio n o f th e brakin g syste m ha s
shu t down . Th e brake s stil l wor k lik e
a conventiona l syste m withou t anti -
lock , providin g norma l stoppin g
ability . Yo u shoul d hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r a s soo n a s possible.
*U.S
. indicato r show n
Page 180 of 322

Towin
g You r Vehicl e Behin d a Motorhom e
You r CR- V ca n b e towe d behin d a
motorhom e a t lega l highwa y speed s
u p to 6 5 mp h (10 0 km/h) . D o no t
excee d 6 5 mp h (10 0 km/h) .
Otherwise , sever e transmissio n
damag e wil l occur . T o avoi d damag e
t o th e 4W D system , i t mus t b e towe d
wit h al l fou r wheel s o n th e groun d
(fla t towing) .
Whe n purchasin g a to w bar , mak e
sur e yo u selec t a reputabl e
manufacture r an d installer . Follo w
th e manufacturer' s attachmen t
instruction s carefully .
Afte r attachin g th e to w ba r t o you r
motorhome , d o th e followin g t o
prepar e you r CR- V fo r "fla t towing" :
5-speed Manual Transmission Mak
e sur e th e transmissio n i s
fille d t o th e correc t leve l (se e pag e
208 ). D o no t overfill . Releas
e th e parkin g brake . Shif
t th e transmissio n t o Neutral . Leav
e th e ke y i n th e ignitio n
switc h an d th e ignitio n switc h in
ACCESSOR Y (I ) s o th e steerin g
whee l doe s no t lock . Mak e sur e
th e radi o an d an y item s plugge d
int o th e accessor y powe r socket s
ar e turne d of f s o yo u d o no t ru n
dow n th e battery .
Automatic Transmission
Whe n preparin g t o to w you r CR-V ,
chec k th e transmissio n flui d leve l
(se e pag e 20 7 ) . Maintainin g th e
correc t leve l i s ver y important . D o
not overfill. Do th e followin g ever y
da y immediatel y befor e yo u begi n
towing . Follo w th e procedur e exactly .
Otherwise , sever e automati c
transmissio n damag e wil l occur . Star
t th e engine . Pres
s o n th e brak e pedal . Shif t th e
leve r throug h al l th e position s (P ,
R , N , D , 2,1 ) Shif
t t o D , the n t o N . Le t th e
engin e ru n fo r thre e minutes , the n
tur n of f th e engine . Releas
e th e parkin g brake . Leav
e th e ignitio n switc h in
ACCESSOR Y (I ) s o th e steerin g
whee l doe s no t lock . Mak e sur e
th e radi o an d an y item s plugge d
int o th e accessor y powe r socket s
ar e turne d of f s o yo u d o no t ru n
dow n th e battery .
Extended Towing
I f yo u to w mor e tha n 30 0 mile s (50 0
km ) i n on e day , yo u shoul d repea t
th e abov e procedur e a t leas t ever y
30 0 mile s (50 0 km) , (whe n yo u sto p
fo r fuel , etc. )
Drivin g
Page 181 of 322
Towin
g You r Vehicl e Behin d a Motorhom e
The steering system can be damaged if
the steering wheel is locked. Leave the
ignition switch in Accessory (I), and
make sure The steering wheel turns
freel y before you begin towing.
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shift the transmission or start the
engine, your vehicle must be
transported on a flat-bed or trailer. I
f yo u lo w you r CR- V an d i t i s
equippe d wit h a n automati c
transmission , replac e th e
transmissio n flui d ever y tw o year s o r
30,00 0 mile s (50,00 0 km) , whicheve r
come s first .
Driving
NOTIC
E
NOTIC E
Page 206 of 322
Coolin
g Syste m
RADIATO R CA P
2 . Tur n th e radiato r ca p counter -
clockwise , withou t pressin g dow n
o n it , unti l i t stops . Thi s relieve s
an y pressur e remainin g in th e
coolin g system .
3 . Remov e th e radiato r ca p b y
pushin g dow n an d turnin g
counterclockwise . RESERV
E TAN K
4 . Th e coolan t leve l shoul d b e u p to
th e bas e o f th e fille r neck . Ad d
coolan t i f i t i s low .
5 . Pu t th e radiato r ca p bac k on .
Tighte n i t fully .
6 . Pou r coolan t int o th e reserv e tank .
Fil l i t t o halfwa y betwee n th e MA X
an d MI N marks . Pu t th e ca p bac k
o n th e reserv e tank .
D
o no t ad d an y rus t inhibitor s o r
othe r additive s t o you r vehicle' s
coolin g system . The y ma y no t b e
compatibl e wit h th e coolan t o r
engin e components .
Maintenanc e