2000 HONDA PASSPORT tow

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

Befor
e Drivin g

Drivin g Guideline s

Your Honda has higher ground
clearance than a passenger car
designed for use only on
pavement. Higher ground clearance has many advantages
for off-road driving. It allows you
to travel over bumps, obstacles,
and rough terrain. It also provides
good visibility so you can
anticipate problems earlier.
These advantages come at some
cost. Because your vehicle is
taller and rides higher off the
ground, it has a high center of
gravity. This means that your
vehicle can tip or roll over if you make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. To prevent rollover or loss of

control:
Take corners at slower speeds
than you would with a
passenger car. Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers whenever possible.
Do not modify your vehicle in
any way that would raise the
center of gravity (see page 170). Do not carry heavy cargo on
the roof (see page 173).
For off-road driving guidelines, see the Off-Road Driving
Information booklet that came with your vehicle.
Befor e Enterin g th e Vehicl e

1. Check that the windows,
mirrors, lights and reflectors

are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the tires to see if they
are low or flat. You will need
a pressure gauge to tell if tires
are properly inflated.
3. Check that all lights work.
4. Check for fluid leaks.
5. Be sure everything is properly
stowed.

6. Check the area behind the vehicle if you are about to
back up.

Befor e Drivin g th e Vehicl e

1. Lock all doors.
2. Adjust the seat and any movable head restraints.
3. Adjust the inside and outside mirrors.
4. Check that all the indicator lights work when the key

Drivin g 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

Carryin
g Carg o

Your vehicle has several
convenient storage areas so you
can stow cargo safely.
The glove box, the console
compartment, and the pockets in the front doors, seat-backs, and
cargo area are designed for small,
lightweight items. The cargo area is intended for larger, heavier
items. In addition, the back seat
can be folded down to allow you
to carry more cargo or longer

items.

However, carrying too much
cargo, or improperly storing it,
can affect your vehicle's handling,
stability, and operation and make
it unsafe. Before carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
following pages.
Drivin g Tip s

Loa
d Limi t
The maximum load for your
vehicle is:
LX2WD
manual trans:
automatic trans:

LX4WD
manual trans:
automatic trans:

EX
manual trans:automatic trans:
895 Ib (407 kg)

840
Ib
(382
kg)
905
Ib
(411
kg) 850 Ib (386 kg)
930 Ib (423 kg) 875 Ib (398 kg)
This figure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer. To figure out how much cargo
you can carry: Add up the weight of all

occupants.

If you are towing a trailer, add
the tongue weight to the
number above. Subtract the total from the
maximum load figure.
The final number is the total weight of cargo you can carry.
Drivin g Tip s

Overloading o
r improper
loading can affect handling
and stability and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and
other loading guidelines in
this manual.

Traile
r Towin g

Your Honda vehicle is designed
for passenger and cargo transportation. With the proper
equipment installed, your vehicle
can also tow a trailer under certain
conditions, as detailed in this section. Be sure to read this entire
section and follow all
requirements.
Towing a trailer will have an
effect on handling, performance,
braking, durability and fuel
consumption.
Honda recommends that you do
not tow a trailer with a new Honda vehicle or one with a new
powertrain component (engine, transmission, differential) for the
first 500 miles. For your safety and the safety
of others, use equipment
specifically designed for your
vehicle. Improper towing
equipment and improper installation of same can cause
damage to your vehicle and may also result in personal injury.
Additional care and cautious
driving habits are essential to trailer towing.
Do not exceed 45 mph or the
posted towing speed limit, whichever is lower. Higher speed
may cause loss of vehicle control.
Drivin g Tip s
Improperly loading your
vehicle and trailer can seriously affect the 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.

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

Tongue load should be between
9 percent and 11 percent of the
total trailer weight. However, itshould never exceed 450 pounds. Never load a trailer with more
weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately
60 percent and the rear with
approximately 40 percent of
the total trailer load. Never exceed the maximum
weight limits of the trailer
or trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in damage to your vehicle and
possible personal injury. Check the vehicle and trailer
loading and the weights on
each axle at a commercial scale
or a highway patrol office
equipped with a scale.
Traile
r Hitche s

A Class 3 hitch kit (up to 4,500 Ib) is available from your
Honda dealer.
Use a trailer equipped with
electric brakes and a "Weight
Distributing Hitch Attachment" when the gross trailer weight
exceeds 3,500 pounds.

A special attachment that replaces the draw bar/ball assembly is used
to distribute the proper weight to
the front axle. It uses a pair ofspring bars that are adjusted to
accomplish the distribution of the weight.
Consult your trailer's
manufacturer for assistance withselecting the proper weight
distributing hitch attachment. Check with a recreational vehicle
dealer for additional required
equipment. Have this equipment installed by a trained mechanic.
Improper equipment or installation
can damage your vehicle and cause
personal injury.
Do not use axle-mounted hitches
or equipment not designed for
your vehicle.
Do not make any modifications to
the vehicle's exhaust, braking, or
electrical system other than those
that are shown in the instructions
for the Honda Trailer Hitch Kit.
Improper modifications can affect
vehicle durability.
Periodic inspection of all added-on trailer towing equipment is
necessary to assure continued safe
operation.
Drivin g Tip s