2000 HONDA PASSPORT maintenance

air cleaner, so it's important to
replace the air cleaner filter at
required intervals. See "Care and Maintenance." A dirty air cleaner
filter reduces engine performance
and can waste fuel.

Air Conditioning
Turn off the air conditioning whenit is not needed. The air
conditioning compressor is not on
in this position and the reduced
engine load can improve fuel

economy.

Tuned Engine

An engine that is properly
maintained will provide better
fuel economy than one that is not.
One misfiring spark plug will cut
fuel economy significantly, and
will make a difference in the
amount of pollution emitted from
your vehicle.
Excessive Weight

Fuel economy is related to thework the engine must do. The
heavier the load, the more fuel it takes to run your vehicle. Keep
weight to a minimum by removing
unnecessary luggage or cargo.

Tire Inflation

Underinflation not only causes
needless tire wear but can also
waste fuel. It's a good idea to
check tire pressure often and keep your tires inflated to the pressures
shown on the tire placard located
on the driver's doorjamb.
Wheel Alignment

Improper alignment will cause the
front tires to roll at an angle that
will result in faster tire wear. It takes power to overcome this
improper alignment, which, inturn, wastes fuel.

Use of 4-Wheel Drive

In normal driving, put the 4WD-2WD switch in the 2WD
position.
Driving Tip s

Three-Wa
y Catalyti c Converte r
The three-way catalytic converter is an emissions control device
added to the exhaust system to
reduce exhaust gas pollutants. The
converter contains a ceramic material coated with noble metal
catalysts. To prevent contamination
of the catalysts, unleaded gasoline must be used. Unleaded gasoline
also reduces combustion chamber
deposits and exhaust system

corrosion.

The three-way catalytic converter requires the use of unleaded
gasoline. Use of leaded gasolinewill cause the converter to lose its
effectiveness.
T o Hel p Preven t Damag e
1. Keep your engine properly maintained. Engine
malfunctions involving the electrical, electronic fuel
injection or ignition systems
may result in unusually high
converter and exhaust system
temperatures. Do not keep
driving your vehicle if you
detect engine misfire,
noticeable loss of performance, or other unusual operating
conditions. Have it serviced
promptly. A properly
maintained engine willminimize malfunctions that
could damage the converter. It
will also help provide good
emissions control and fuel economy. (See theMaintenance Schedule on page
200 for information on inspecting and maintaining the
engine, exhaust system and
other components.) 2. Do not push or tow your
vehicle to start it. This could
damage the converter.
3. Do not park your vehicle over high grass, dry leaves or othercombustible materials. The
catalytic converter gets very
hot and could set fire to these materials.
Drivin g Tip s

Follow the recommendations in
this manual and ask your Honda
dealer for further details before
you tow a trailer with your

Passport.

Towing a trailer affects vehicle
maintenance requirements due
to the additional load. More
frequent maintenance intervals
will be required to assure
continued satisfaction with
your vehicle. Consult yourHonda dealer for recommended
maintenance and service.
The gross trailer weight (trailer weight plus cargo load) must
never exceed 4,500 Ib.
Additional equipment will be
required, depending on the specific model/load combination.
See "Trailer Hitches" in this

section.
Exceeding the weight limit will
cause damage to your vehicle and
possibly result in personal injury. The Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) is the
combined weight of the
unloaded vehicle, passengers,
cargo, trailer hitch, trailer
tongue load, and optional
equipment. This value is indicated on the F.M.V.S.S.
Certification Label on the
driver's doorjamb. The Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR) equals the combined weight of your
vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) plus the total trailer
load. The following limits

apply.

2WD: 8,700 Ib
4WD: 8,950 Ib
The Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) is also indicated on
the Certification Label. The
load on either the front or rear
axle resulting from distribution
of the gross vehicle weight on both axles must not exceed the
values listed. Remember to
account for additional
equipment and tongue load.
Driving Tip s

Car
e an d Maintenanc e
This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle
well maintained and to follow
basic maintenance safety
precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for
normal driving and severe driving
conditions, a Maintenance
Record, and instructions for simple maintenance tasks you
may want to take care of yourself.
If you have the skills and tools
required to perform more complex
maintenance tasks on your Honda,
you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See page 249 for
information on how to obtain a
copy, or see your Honda dealer. Service Station Information . 193
Fuel Fill Cap .......... 193Fuel Recommendation ... 194
Fuel Tank Capacity ..... 194
Engine Oil Recommendation ...... 194
Windshield Washer ..... 194
Tire Inflation Pressures .. 194 Battery ............... 194
Hood Release .......... 195
Engine Oil Dipstick ..... 196
Fuel Requirements ........ 196 Oxygenated Fuels ...... 196
Maintenance Safety ....... 197 Important Safety
Precautions .......... 198
Maintenance Schedule ..... 199
Required Maintenance Record 202
Owner Safety Checks ...... 204
Engine Oil and Filter ...... 207 Proper Quality Oil ...... 207 Change Interval ........ 207
Oil
Change ........... 208
Oil Filter Installation . 208
Oil Viscosity .......... 209
Oil Level Check ....... 209
Engine Oil Additives ... 210
Air Cleaner Filter ........ 210
Manual Transmission Fluid 211
Automatic Transmission Fluid .................. 212
Front (4WD) and Rear Axles ............. 212
Engine Cooling System ... 213
Other Required Maintenance 215 Brake Master Cylinder . . 215
Shift-on-the-Fly System
. 216
Front Whee
l Bearings ... 216
Hood Latch and Hinges . 217
Air Conditioning ....... 217 Body Lubrication ...... 217
Car e an d Maintenanc e

Front (4WD Only) and
Rear Propeller Shaft ... 218
Exhaust System ....... 218 Fuel Line and Fuel Tank/Cap ............ 218
Drive Belt ............ 218
Timing Belt ........... 218 Valve Clearance ........ 218SparkPlugs ........... 219
Clutch ............... 219
Fluid or Lubricant Levels 219
Power Steering ........ 219 Accelerator Pedal Linkage 220
Wheel Alignment ...... 220
Exterior ................ 220 Washing Your Vehicle . . 220
Polishing and Waxing Your Vehicle ......... 220
Protection of Exterior Bright Metal Parts ..... 220
Care of Aluminum Wheels 220 Foreign Material Deposits 220
Finish Damage ........ 221
Corrosion Protection .... 221
Sheet Metal Damage .... 221
Underbody Maintenance 221
Interior ................ 222 Basic StepsBefore Cleaning ...... 222
Cleaning Fabric ........ 223 Cleaning General Soilageor Water Spots From
Fabric Trim ........ 223
Spot Cleaning Fabric With Solvent Cleaner 223
Removal of Specific Stains ...... 224
Cleaning Vinyl or Leather Trim ....... 225
Seat Belt Care ......... 225
Cleaning Glass Surfaces . 226
Car e an d Maintenanc e

Fue
l Recommendatio n
Use only unleaded gasoline. For additional information see "Fuel
Requirements" in this section.
Fue l Tan k Capacit y
21.2 U.S. gallons (80 liters)
Engin e Oi l Recommendatio n
Use only SJ quality oil.
The chart shown under "Engine Oil and Filter" in this section willserve as a guide for choosing the
proper viscosity oil.
Windshiel d Washe r
Check the reservoir fluid level
regularly. Use a commercially available windshield washer fluid.
The windshield washer reservoir is located on the front right side of
the engine compartment. Tir
e Inflatio n Pressure s
Check at least monthly, including
the spare. Keep inflated to the
pressure shown on the tire placard on the driver's doorjamb. Batter
y
Your new vehicle has a low maintenance battery.

You will never have to add water.

The hydrometer (test indicator) in
the top of the battery provides information for testing purposes

only.

Car e an d Maintenanc e LABE
L CHARG
E TES T INDICATO R
UPPE R LEVE L
LOWE R LEVE L
CHARGIN G
NECESSAR Y
BLU E COLORLES
S
O
K

standards, some areas of the United
States and Canada use oxygenated
fuels to help reduce emissions.
If you use an oxygenated fuel, be sure it is unleaded and meets the
minimum octane rating requirement.
Before using an oxygenated fuel,
try to confirm the fuel's contents. Some states/provinces require this
information to be posted on the
pump.
The following are the EPA-approved
percentages of oxygenates:
ETHANOL (ethyl or grain alcohol). You may use gasoline containing up
to 10% ethanol by volume. Gasoline
containing ethanol may be marketed under the name "Gasohol."
MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl
Ether). You may use gasoline
containing up to 15% MTBE by
volume. METHANOL (methyl or wood
alcohol). Your vehicle was not
designed to use fuel that contains
methanol. Methanol can corrode
metal parts in the fuel system, and also damage plastic and rubber
components. This damage woul d not
be covere
d by your warranties.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Fuel system damage or performance
problems resulting from the use of an oxygenated fuel containing
more than the percentages of oxygenates given above are not
covered under warranty. Regularly maintaining your
vehicle is the best way to protect
your investment. Proper maintenance is essential to yoursafety and the safety of your
passengers. It will also reward you with more economical,
trouble-free driving and help
reduce air pollution.
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Maintenanc
e Safet y

Improperly maintaining this
vehicle or failing to correct a problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you
can be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance recommendations and

schedules in this owner's
manual.

This section includes instructions
for simple maintenance tasks,
such as checking and adding oil.
Any service items not detailed in
this section should be performed
by a Honda technician or other qualified mechanic.
Some of the most important safety
precautions are given below. However, we cannot warn you of
every conceivable hazard that can arise in performing maintenance.
Only you can decide whether or
not you should perform a given

task.
Importan
t Safet y Precaution s

Before you begin any
maintenance, make sure your
vehicle is parked on level ground and that the parking brake is on.
Also, be sure the engine is off.
This will help to eliminate several
potential hazards:
Carbo
n monoxid e poisonin g

fro m engin e exhaust . Be sure

there is adequate ventilation

whenever you operate the engine.
Burn
s fro m ho t parts . Let the

engine and exhaust system cool

before touching any parts.

Injur y fro m movin g parts . D o
not run the engine unless instructed to do so.
Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have
the tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or
explosion, be careful when
working around gasoline or
batteries. Use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and
all fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection
and protective clothing when
working near the battery or when
using compressed air.
Car e an d Maintenanc e

Failure t
o properly follow

maintenance instructions and

precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures and precautions in this owner's
manual.