2000 HONDA PASSPORT check engine

Depending on the type of problem,
the "CHECK TRANS" light will
flash but the transmission may continue to shift automatically. If
the transmission is shifting
normally, you do not have tochoose gears with the shift lever.
However, continued operation of the vehicle with this light flashingcan cause serious mechanical
damage. You should have the vehicle serviced by your Honda
dealer as soon as possible.
Winte r Driv e Indicato r
Automatic Transmission only

The "Winter Drive" light will

come on when you push the

Winter Drive button with the
engine running and the
transmission lever in the "D"

range.
It also comes on for a few seconds
when you turn the ignition switch
to the "ON" position.
Refer to "Driving PatternSelector" later in this section.
Powe r Driv e Indicato r
Automatic Transmission only
The "Power Drive" light will

come on when you push the
Power Drive button with the
engine running.
It also comes on for a few seconds
when you turn the ignition switch
to the "ON" position.
Refer to "Driving PatternSelector" later in this section.
Instrument s an d Control s

NOTIC
E

Automati
c Transmissio n
Flui d Temperatur e Indicato r
The "A/T OIL TEMP" indicator

light warns that the automatic
transmission fluid temperature is

high.
The indicator light should turn onwhen the ignition switch is turned
to the "ON" position, but should
go out after a few seconds. If this light comes on while you are
driving, slow down and pull off the
road. Stop the vehicle at a safe
place and put the shift lever in "P"
position. With the engine idling,
wait until the light goes off. If thelight goes off, you can drive the
vehicle again. If the light does not
go off, have the automatic
transmission lubricating system
checked as soon as possible by
your Honda dealer.
Driving with the "AIT OIL TEMP" light constantly on will cause
serious mechanical damage to the
automatic transmission. Windshiel
d Wiper/Washe r
The lever on the right side of the steering column controls the
windshield wipers. Move the lever
down to select the various windshield wiper speeds.
In INT, the wipers operate every
few seconds. In LO and HIGH, the
wipers run continuously.
In INT, you can vary how often the
Instrument s an d Control s
Switche
s

NOTIC E

3
(Third ) — When operating your
vehicle on slippery roads, on a
long descending slope, or on a
road with many sharp curves, you
will want to use engine braking. At this time, put the shift lever into this range.
2 (Second ) — You may choose this
position when traveling down a
moderate grade where you want to slow down a little without using
the brake itself. Change back to the
"D" position to return to normal
driving. With the shift lever in "2," the vehicle will start in first gear
and automatically shift to second

gear.

L (First ) — This position may be
selected for maximum braking
down severe grades. Return the
selector lever to the "D" position
to resume normal driving. It is
possible to move the lever into first gear at any speed. However,
the transmission will not actually
shift to first gear until vehicle
speed is below 35 mph (Power
Mode) or 25 mph (Normal Mode).
When starting out in "L," the transmission will not upshift.
Startin g — Start the engine with
the lever in the "P" or "N"
position. It will not start in any other position. If it does, have
your vehicle checked by your
Honda dealer.
Always apply the foot brake
before shifting into any driving
position. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
Do not press the accelerator pedal
while shifting from "P" or "N" to
any driving position. Shif
t Loc k — As a safety measure
for vehicles with an automatic
transmission, you cannot shift
from "P" (Park) position into any
other position unless the brake
pedal is depressed when the key switch is in the "ON" position or
the engine is running.
The shift lever may not move if
the pushbutton on the shift lever is
pressed before the brake pedal is
depressed. In this case, release the pushbutton, press the brake
pedal and try again.
If the shift lever won't move from
the "P" position even when theseinstructions are followed, perform
the following steps:
Instrument s an d Control s

1. Check that the parking brake
is fully applied.
2. Turn the key switch to "ACC" position.
3. Move the shift lever from "P" to "N" position, depress the
brake pedal, and start the
engine again.
4. Operate the shift lever.
Have the transmission checked by
your Honda dealer as soon as
possible. Drivin
g Tip s
Before going down a steep or long
grade, reduce speed and shift the
transmission into a lower gear or
range to control the vehicle's speed. This will provide engine
braking to help slow the vehicle.
Try not to hold the brake pedal
down too long or too often. This
could cause the brakes to get hot
and not work properly.
Downshifting to a lower gear is
especially important when towing a trailer in mountainous terrain.
Do not hold the vehicle on a hill
by pressing on the accelerator. Do
not press on the accelerator pedal and brake pedal at the same time.
Either of these actions can
overheat the automatic
transmission and cause damage. Always keep your foot off the
accelerator pedal when shifting
from "P" or "N" to another gear.
Do not shift to "P" (Park) when
the vehicle is moving; you could
damage the automatic
transmission. Always come to a
complete stop.
Be careful that you do not exceed
the following maximum allowable speeds when accelerating.
Instrument s an d Control s
mph (km/h)

Drivin
g Tip s
Before Driving ........... 152Starting the Engine ..... 153
New Vehicle Break-In ..... 154
Parking ................ 154 Brakes ................. 155
Tires .................. 159 Inflation ............. 160
Inspection ............ 161
Maintenance .......... 162
Tire Rotation .......... 162
Replacing Tires and Wheels .......... 162
Wheels and Tires ...... 163
Traction .............. 164 Tire Chains ......... 164
Wheel Replacement
Considerations ....... 165
Fuel Economy ........... 166
Three-Way Catalytic Converter ............. 168 Operation in
Foreign Countries ....... 169
Accessories & Modifications 169
Carrying Cargo ........... 171
Trailer Towing ........... 174 Trailer Hitches ........ 176Safety Chain .......... 177
Trailer Lights .......... 177
Tires ................. 177 Trailer Brakes ......... 177
Equipment Check ...... 178
Limited Slip Differential ... 178
Driving Tip s

switch is turned to the "ON"

or "START" position.

5. Check all gauges (including
the fuel gauge).

6. Release the parking brake
(and make sure the "BRAKE"

light turns off).

See related topics in this manual if

you find any problems.

Startin g th e Engin e

1. Apply the parking brake.

2. Manual Transmission: Press
the clutc
h pedal to the floor
and shift the transmission to
the Neutral position. Hold the
clutch pedal to the floor while
you are starting the engine. A starter safety switch keeps the
starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully

depressed.
Automatic Transmission:
Place the shift lever in "P"
or "N" position ("P" is
preferred). A starter safety switch prevents the starter
from operating if the shift lever is in any drive position.
If it is necessary to restart the
engine with the vehicle
moving, place the shift lever in "N" (never in "P").
3. Do not touch the accelerator pedal. Start the engine byturning the ignition switch to
"START."
If the engine does not start in 10 seconds, wait 15 seconds to let
the starter cool down. Then crank
the engine at wide open throttle
for a maximum of 10 seconds. If
the engine still does not start, wait
another 15 seconds and repeat the
entire procedure. Do not crank the engine for more
than 10 seconds at a time. Wait 15
seconds before trying again.
4. Return the ignition switch to
the "ON" position as soon as
the engine starts.
5. Apply the regular brakes and shift into the proper gear.
Release the parking brake and
brake pedal and drive off.
In models with an automatic
transmission, you cannot shift
from "P" (Park) position to any other position unless the
brake pedal is applied.
Driving Tip s

Ne
w Vehicl e Break-I n

You may drive your new vehicle
from its very first mile/kilometer without following a formal
"break-in" schedule. However,
there are things you can do during
the first few hundred miles/
kilometers of driving that will add
to the future performance and
economy of your vehicle.
It is recommended that your speed
during the first 500 miles (800
kilometers) be limited to a
maximum of 55 mph (90 km/h) and that you do not drive for long
periods at any one constant speed, either fast or slow. During this
period, avoid full-throttle starts and, if possible, avoid hard stops;
especially during the first 200
miles (320 kilometers) of driving.
Always drive at moderate speed
until the engine has completely warmed up.
Parkin
g

When leaving your vehicle

unattended:
Set the parking brake.
Place the shift lever in "P" (Park) position for automatic

transmission.
When parking a vehicle equipped
with a manual transmission on an
upward slope, or on a level surface, place the shift lever in
the "1st" position.
When parking a vehicle
equipped with a manual
transmission on a downward slope, place the shift lever in
the "R" (Reverse) position. Turn the key to the "LOCK"

position.

Remove the key. The beeper
will remind you. Close all windows and lock all

doors.
Check to make certain the
lights are turned off. The
beeper will remind you. If your vehicle is equipped with

a transfer case (4WD), make

sure the shift lever is in 4H or

4L.

Parkin g Tip s

Never drive the vehicle with
the parking brake set. This can

overheat the rear brakes,

reducing their effectiveness and
causing excessive wear or

damage.
Always apply the parking brake

whenever you leave the vehicle,

whether it is equipped with a

manual or automatic transmission.

Drivin g Tip s

hazard. This is sometimes referred
to as "stomp and steer."
You will feel a pulsation in the
brake pedal when the ABS activates, and you may hear some
noise. This is normal, it is theABS rapidly pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount
of traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on the brake pedal very hard
before you activate the ABS. However, you may feel the ABSactivate immediately if you are
trying to stop on snow or ice.
Important Safety Reminders AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e
o r distanc e it take s t o sto p th e
vehicle , it only helps with steering
control during braking. You
should always maintain a safe following distance from other
vehicles.
AB
S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t

result s fro m changin g directio n

abruptly , such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden lane change. Always drive
at a safe, prudent speed for the
road and weather conditions.
AB S canno t preven t a los s o f
stability . Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe or sharp steering wheel
movement can still cause your
vehicle to veer into oncoming traffic or off the road.
A vehicl e wit h AB S ma y requir e
a longe r distanc e t o sto p o n
loose or uneven surfaces, such as
gravel or snow, than a vehicle
without anti-lock. Slow down and allow a greater distance between
vehicles under those conditions.
AB S Indicato r
The ABS is self-checking. You may feel a slight movement of the
brake pedal just after you start the engine. This is the ABS performing
a check. It also checks itself
whenever you use the brakes.
Drivin g Tip s