2000 HONDA PASSPORT check engine

distances will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, avoid maneuvers involving sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking (including
engine braking due to shifting to
lower gear), that could cause the
tires to skid.
Drivers may not realize the surface is slippery until the
vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water or ice on the road to make a
"mirrored surface"— and slow
down when there is any doubt.
Also see "Traction" under "Tires" in this section. To safely operate your vehicle,
your tires must be the proper type
and size, in good condition with
adequate tread, and correctly
inflated. The following pages give
more detailed information on how
and when to check air pressure,
how to inspect your tires for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be

replaced.

Driving Tip s

Rapid slowing down or

speeding-up can cause loss
of control on slippery
surfaces. If you crash, you

can be injured.

Use extra care when driving

on slippery surfaces.
Using tires that are excessivelyworn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you
can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.

Tire
s

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

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.

find a leak, it must be repaired
before you can continue
driving. (See
Towing on page
187.)
If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level inthe radiator reserve tank. If the
level is below the MIN mark, add
coolant to halfway between the
MIN and MAX marks.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may also
have to add coolant to the
radiator.
Let the engine cool down until
the pointer reaches the middle
of the temperature gauge, orlower, before checking the
radiator. If needed, add coolant to the
radiator to bring the level up to the filler neck, and to the
reservoir up to the level indicated on the reservoir tank. Proper equipment must be used to
prevent damage to vehicles during
any towing. State and local laws
that apply to vehicles in tow must
be followed. Get detailed towing
instructions from your Honda

dealer.

Should it become necessary to
tow your vehicle, follow these

directions.

Precaution s

Before towing, make sure that
the power train, axle,
transmission, wheels and steering system are in good
condition.
If any of these items are
damaged, a flatbed trailer must
be used.
In Cas e o f Emergenc y

Towin
g

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out, seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine andradiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

Rear Wheels off the Ground
1. Transfer case in 2H (4WD model only).
2. Transmission in Neutral position.
3. Maximum speed 30 mph (50 km/h).
4. Maximum distance 50 miles (80 kilometers).
If you need to tow your vehicle by
this method, secure the steering
wheel to keep the front wheels
pointed straight ahead. Do not
rely on the steering column lock; it is not strong enough to hold the
front wheels straight while
towing. The ignition switch must
be in the OFF position.
Inoperativ
e Electrica l Device s

If you have electrical problems without extreme damage to any
electrical parts, check for burned out fuses, broken wires, poor
connections or poor grounding. Correct as necessary.
The fuse boxes are located under
the left hand side of theinstrument panel and in the right
hand side of the engine compartment. (See "Fuses" on
page 236.)
Replacing a fuse with one that has

a higher rating greatly increases
the chances of damaging the
electrical system. If you do not

have a replacement fuse with the

proper rating for the circuit,
install one with a lower rating.

In Cas e o f Emergenc y

NOTIC
E

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

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

To Close

1. Lift the hood slightly to remove tension from the support rod.
2. Place the support rod in its retaining clip and lower the

hood.

Always make sure the hood is securely latched before you begin

driving.
Engin
e Oi l Dipstic k
Check the oil level when the
engine is off and the oil is warm, such as during a fuel stop. See
page 209. Your Honda operates most
effectively on unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number of 86
or higher. Use of a lower octane
gasoline can cause a persistent, heavy metallic rapping noise in
the engine that can lead to
mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
fuel system and engine deposits.
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your vehicle's emission
controls. This contributes to air
pollution and can void certain parts
of your warranty.

Oxygenate d Fuel s

Some conventional gasolines are
being blended with alcohol or an
ether compound. These gasolines are collectively referred to as
oxygenated fuels. To meet clean air
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Fue
l Requirement s