2000 HONDA PASSPORT catalytic converter

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W
OI L

PRESSUR E
INDICATO R TUR
N SIGNA L INDICATOR S
MALFUNCTIO N
INDICATO R
overheating of the engine could
result. Have the system checked as soon as possible.

Malfunctio n Indicato r

Lam p

The indicator light should turn on when the key is turned to the
"ON" position, but should go out
after the engine is started. (The
light will stay on a short time afterthe engine starts.) If the light stays
on, or comes on while driving, it indicates a problem in the engine
emissions control system. Have your Honda dealer inspect thesystem and correct the problem. If
this indicator starts flashing as
you drive, engine misfiring has
been detected. Misfiring can
damage the catalytic converter and the engine. Stop as soon as it
is safe, turn off the engine, and
call for assistance.
Instrument s an d Control s

LO
W FUE L
INDICATO R
REDUCE
D
POWE R
INDICATO R CHEC
K
ENGIN E

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

If your vehicle is equipped with
an automatic transmission, set
the parking brake before you
leave the driver's seat. If the
vehicle is parked on a grade and the transmission shift leveris placed in "P" (Park) position
before you set the parking
brake, the weight of the vehicle may exert so much force on the
transmission that you may have
difficulty moving the shift
lever out of "P" (Park)
position. To prevent this, apply the parking brake BEFORE
moving the shift lever to "P" (Park). When you want to drive
away, move the shift lever out
of the "P" (Park) position
BEFORE releasing the parking
brake. It is good driving
practice to set the parking
brake first, then place the
transmission in "PARK"
position, even on level

surfaces.

If the parking brake does not
seem to hold the vehicle as

well as before, have the vehicle
serviced by your Honda dealer.
Do not park your vehicle over
high grass, dry leaves or other

combustible materials. The
catalytic converter gets very

hot and could set fire to these

materials.
Anti-Loc
k Brake s

Your vehicle has an Anti-lock
Brake System (ABS) as standard
equipment. ABS helps to prevent
the wheels from locking up and skidding during hard braking,
allowing you to retain steering

control.

When the front tires skid, you lose steering control; the vehicle
continues straight ahead even
though you turn the steering
wheel. The ABS helps to prevent
lock-up and retain steering control
by pumping the brakes rapidly;
much faster than a person can do it.

Yo u shoul d neve r pum p th e

brak e pedal , this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS work for you by always keeping
firm, steady pressure on the brake
pedal as you steer away from the
Driving Tip s

Brake
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

If you are planning to take your
Honda outside the U.S. or
Canada, contact the tourist
bureaus in the areas you will be
traveling in to find out about the availability of unleaded gasoline
with the proper octane rating.
If unleaded gasoline is not
available, be aware that using
leaded gasoline in your Honda
will affect performance and fuel
mileage, and damage its
emissions controls. It will no longer comply with U.S. and
Canadian emissions regulations,
and will be illegal to operate in
North America. To bring your
vehicle back into compliance will
require the replacement of several components, such as the oxygen sensor and the three-way catalyticconverter. These replacements
are not covered under warranty.
Accessorie
s & Modification s

Modifying your vehicle, or installing some non-Honda
accessories, can make your vehicle
unsafe. Before you make any
modifications or add any accessories, be sure to read the
following information.

Accessories
Your dealer has Genuine Honda
accessories that allow you to
personalize your vehicle. These accessories have been designed and
approved for your vehicle, and are
covered by warranty.
Non-Honda accessories are
usually designed for universal
applications. Although
aftermarket accessories may fit on
your vehicle, they may not meet
factory specifications, and could adversely affect your vehicle's
handling and stability. (See "Modifications" on the next page
for additional information.)
When properly installed, car
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and low-powered audio systems
should not interfere with your
vehicle's computer-controlled
Driving Tip s

Operatio
n i n

Foreig n Countrie s

Improper accessories or
modifications can affect
your vehicle's handling,
stability and performance,
and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in
this owner's manual regarding accessories and
modifications.

Jum
p Startin g

Do not push or tow your vehicle to start it. Under some conditions
this may damage the three-way catalytic converter or other parts
of the vehicle.
If your vehicle has a discharged
battery, it can be started by using the battery in another vehicle; a
procedure called "jump starting." To jump start your vehicle:
1. Position the vehicle with the good (charged) battery so that
the jump-starting cables will
reach. Do not allow the vehiclesto touch. Check to see that the
bumpers do not touch.
2. Turn off all electric motors and accessories in both
vehicles. Turn off all lights
except hazard flashers and
lights needed to light up the
work area. Turn off theignition, apply the parking
brake firmly, and shift an automatic transmission to
"P" (Park) and a manual
transmission to "N" (Neutral)
in both vehicles.
3. Check fluid level of the battery before attempting to
charge or jump start. (Do not use an open flame to check,
and do not smoke.)CHARG ETEST
INDICATO R

BLUE

COLORLES S
If the battery is a sealed type
and if the fluid level is below
the lower level line on the side
of the battery, do not try to
jump start the vehicle or charge or test the battery. Do
not add fluid. Instead, install a new battery.
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y

A battery can explode if you

do not follow the correct
procedure, seriously injuring

anyone nearby.

Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
CHARGIN G
NECESSAR Y
LOWE
R
LEVE L
O K

UPPERLEVEL

Sit in the driver's seat and
perform these checks:
1. With the engine stopped, depress the brake pedal severaltimes; the travel distance and
effective pedal stroke should
remain unchanged.
2. Start the engine with the brake pedal fully depressed.
The brake pedal should go downa little as the engine starts.
3. Depress the brake pedal, stop the engine and hold the pedal
depressed for about 30
seconds; the brake pedal
should remain in position
without rising or going down.
4. Restart the engine and run it for about a minute, then turn it
off and depress the brake
pedal firmly several times; the
brake pedal travel should decrease each time the brake

pedal is depressed.

If the brakes do not operate
normally, have them checked and
corrected by your Honda dealer.
Exhaus t syste m — Be alert to any
changes in the sound of the exhaust system or any smell of fumes.
These are signs the system may be leaking or overheating. Have the
system checked and/or repaired at

once if these conditions exist. (Also see "Carbon Monoxide Hazard" in
the "Driver and Passenger Safety"

section and "Three-Way Catalytic

Converter" in the "Driving Tips"
section.)

Windshiel d wiper s an d
washer s — Check the operation

and condition of the wiper blades.

Check the flow and aim of the

washer spray.
Defroster
s — Check performance
by moving the controls to the
defrost setting and noting the amount of air directed against the

windshield.

Rea r vie w mirror s an d su n

visor s — Check that the friction
joints hold the mirrors and sun visors firmly in place.
Hor n — Blow the horn now and
then to be sure it works.

La p an d shoulde r belt s — Check

the belt system, including
webbing, buckles, latch plates,
retractors, guide loops and anchors for proper operation and

damage.

Sea t adjuster s — When adjusting
a seat, be sure the seat adjusters
latch securely by pushing the seat
forward and backward.
Car e an d Maintenanc e

maintain them. This section
summarizes how the emissions
controls work. Scheduled
maintenance is on page 200.
Crankcas e Emission s
Contro l Syste m
Your vehicle has a Positive
Crankcase Ventilation System.
This keeps gasses that build up in the engine's crankcase from goinginto the atmosphere. The Positive
Crankcase Ventilation valve
routes them from the crankcase
back to the intake manifold. They are then drawn into the engine and

burned.

Evaporativ e Emission s
Contro l Syste m
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel
tank, an evaporative emission
control canister filled with charcoal adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this canister while the
engine is off. After the engine is
started and warmed up, the vapor
is drawn into the engine and
burned during driving.
Exhaus t Emission s Control s
The exhaust emission controls include four systems: Fuel
Injection, Ignition Timing Control, Exhaust Gas
Recirculation, and Three-Way Catalytic Converter. These four
systems work together to control
the engine's combustion and
minimize the amount of HC, CO,
and NOx that comes out the
tailpipe. The exhaust emission
control systems are separate fromthe crankcase and evaporative
emission control systems. Fuel Injection System
The Fuel Injection System uses sequential multiport fuel injection.
It has three subsystems: Air
Intake, Engine Control, and Fuel
Control. The Engine Control Module (ECM) uses various
sensors to determine how much
air is going into the engine. It then
controls how much fuel to inject
under all operating conditions.
Ignition Timing Control System This system constantly adjusts theignition timing, reducing the amount
of HC, CO and NOx produced.
Owne r Assistanc e