2001 HONDA PASSPORT Owners Manual

an
d th e forwar d drivin g ranges .

Th e shif t leve r ca n b e shifte d
freel y int o an y positio n indicate d b
y th e arro w
Th e leve r

canno t b e shifte d int o an y positio n
indicate
d b y th e arro w

withou t pushin g th e butto n

locate d o n th e en d o f th e shif t

lever .
I
n this 4-spee d automati c
transmission , th e followin g thre e
mode s ca n b e selecte d b y pressin g
th e "POWER " o r "WINTER "
switc h o n th e floo r console , wit h
th e ke y switc h in th e "ON "

position :
NORMA
L mod e POWE
R mod e WINTE
R mod e
P (Park ) — Use d t o loc k th e
transmissio n whe n th e vehicl e is
parke d o r whil e startin g th e
engine . Neve r mov e th e shif t leve r
t o Par k unti l you r vehicl e is full y
stopped . Us e this positio n
togethe r wit h th e parkin g brake .
Th e shif t leve r ca n b e move d fro m
PAR K positio n if th e regula r brak e
i s applied .
Refe r t o "Starting " i n thi s section .
R (Reverse) — Used for backing

the vehicle . Brin g you r vehicl e t o
a complet e sto p befor e shiftin g to

Reverse .

N (Neutral ) — Th e out-of-gea r
position . Yo u ma y restar t a stalle d
engin e whil e th e vehicl e is stil l
movin g wit h th e selecto r i n
Neutral . Refe r t o "Starting " i n thi s
section . Thi s positio n is als o use d
whe n towin g th e vehicle . Se e "I n
Cas e o f Emergency " fo r towin g
information .

D (Drive ) (Firs t t o Fourt h

Gear ) — Thi s positio n is fo r al l

norma l forwar d driving . Fo r

norma l driving , w e recommen d

tha t yo u pu t th e shif t leve r i n th e
"D " range . Thi s wil l reduc e
vehicl e nois e an d improv e fue l

economy .

Instrument s an d Control s

3
(Third ) — Whe n operatin g you r
vehicl e o n slipper y roads , o n a
lon g descendin g slope , o r o n a
roa d wit h man y shar p curves , yo u
wil l wan t t o us e engin e braking .
A t thi s time , pu t th e shif t leve r
int o thi s range .
2 (Second ) — Yo u ma y choos e thi s
positio n whe n travelin g dow n a
moderat e grad e wher e yo u wan t t o
slo w dow n a littl e withou t usin g
th e brak e itself . Chang e bac k t o
th e "D " positio n to retur n to
norma l driving . Wit h th e shif t
leve r i n "2, " th e vehicl e wil l star t
i n firs t gea r an d automaticall y shif t
t o secon d gear .
L (First) — This position may be

selecte d fo r maximu m brakin g
dow n sever e grades . Retur n th e
selecto r leve r t o th e "D " positio n
t o resum e norma l driving . I t i s
possibl e t o mov e th e leve r int o firs
t gea r a t an y speed . However ,
th e transmissio n wil l no t actuall y
shif t t o firs t gea r unti l vehicl e
spee d is belo w 3 5 mp h (Powe r
Mode ) o r 2 5 mp h (Norma l Mode) .
Whe n startin g ou t i n "L, " th e
transmissio n wil l no t upshift .
Startin g — Star t th e engin e wit h
th e leve r i n th e "P " o r "N "
position . I t wil l no t star t i n an y
othe r position . I f i t does , hav e
you r vehicl e checke d b y you r
Hond a dealer .
Alway s appl y th e foo t brak e
befor e shiftin g int o an y drivin g
position . Thi s prevent s th e vehicl e
fro m creeping .
D o no t pres s th e accelerato r peda l
whil e shiftin g fro m "P " o r "N " t o
an y drivin g position . Shif
t Loc k — As a safet y measur e
fo r vehicle s wit h a n automati c
transmission , yo u canno t shif t
fro m "P " (Park ) positio n int o an y
othe r positio n unles s th e brak e
peda l i s depresse d whe n th e ke y
switc h is i n th e "ON " positio n o r
th e engin e is running .
Th e shif t leve r ma y no t mov e i f
th e pushbutto n o n th e shif t leve r i s
presse d befor e th e brak e peda l i s
depressed . I n thi s case , releas e
th e pushbutton , pres s th e brake
peda l an d tr y again .
I f th e shif t leve r won' t mov e fro m
th e "P " positio n eve n whe n thes e
instruction s ar e followed , perfor m
th e followin g steps :
Instrument s an d Control s

1
. Chec k tha t th e parkin g brak e
i s full y applied .
2 . Tur n th e ke y switc h t o "ACC "
position .
3 . Mov e th e shif t leve r fro m "P "
t o "N " position , depres s th e
brak e pedal , an d star t th e
engin e again .
4 . Operat e th e shif t lever .
Hav e th e transmissio n checke d b y
you r Hond a deale r a s soo n a s

possible .
Drivin
g Tip s
Befor e goin g dow n a stee p o r lon g
grade , reduc e spee d an d shif t th e
transmissio n int o a lowe r gea r o r
rang e t o contro l th e vehicle' s
speed . Thi s wil l provid e engin e
brakin g t o hel p slo w th e vehicle .
Tr y no t t o hol d th e brak e peda l
dow n to o lon g o r to o often . Thi s
coul d caus e th e brake s t o ge t ho t
an d no t wor k properly .
Downshiftin g t o a lowe r gea r i s
especiall y importan t whe n towin g
a traile r i n mountainou s terrain .
D o no t hol d th e vehicl e o n a hil l
b y pressin g o n th e accelerator . D o
no t pres s o n th e accelerato r peda l
an d brak e peda l a t th e sam e time .
Eithe r of thes e action s ca n
overhea t th e automati c
transmissio n an d caus e damage . Alway
s kee p you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r peda l whe n shiftin g
fro m "P " o r "N " t o anothe r gear .
D o no t shif t t o "P " (Park ) whe n
th e vehicl e is moving ; yo u coul d
damag e th e automati c
transmission . Alway s com e t o a
complet e stop .
B e carefu l tha t yo u d o no t excee d
th e followin g maximu m allowabl e
speed s whe n accelerating .

Instrument s an d Control s

Transfe
r Contro l

4WD Models

Th e "4WD " indicato r ligh t
illuminate s whe n 4W D i s engage d
wit h th e 4WD-2W D switch .
"2H" (High Range, 2-Wheel

Drive)
Us e thi s fo r norma l drivin g o n dr y
pavement . Thi s positio n give s
greate r economy , quiete r rid e an d
th e leas t drivetrai n wear . "4H"
(High Range, 4-Wheel
Drive)
Us e thi s fo r norma l drivin g o n
gravel , wet , ic y o r snow-covere d
roads . Thi s positio n provide s
greate r tractio n tha n two-whee l
drive . To p spee d is limite d t o 6 5
mp h (10 5 km/h) .
"4L" (Low Range, 4-Wheel
Drive)
Us e thi s fo r maximu m powe r an d
traction . To p spee d is limite d t o 6
5 mp h (10 5 km/h) . Us e "4L " fo r
climbin g o r descendin g stee p
hills , off-roa d driving , an d har d
pullin g i n sand , mu d o r dee p

snow .

Operating the 4WD-2WD Switch
2
H 4H : T o shif t betwee n

ranges , pus h th e switc h

wit h th e vehicl e goin g in

a straigh t lin e a t an y

spee d belo w 6 5 mp h

(10 5 km/h) . Th e 4W D

indicato r wil l blin k fo r a

shor t tim e a s th e syste m

complete s th e shift .

Takin g you r foo t of f th e

accelerato r peda l fo r a

momen t wil l hel p t o

engag e th e ne w range .
I f th e vehicl e i s stopped ,
yo u shoul d le t i t rol l
forwar d slightl y t o
complet e th e shift .
Instrument s an d Control s

Shifting
the Transfer Control

Lever
4
H 4L : Sto p th e vehicle . Plac e
th e transmissio n leve r i n
"N " (Neutral ) position .
The n mov e th e transfe r
contro l leve r fro m 4 H to
4L , o r 4 L t o 4H .
Mov e th e transfe r contro l leve r
quickl y an d securel y betwee n
positions . Do not sto p midway .
Th e transfe r gea r bo x ca n b e
damage d i f th e contro l leve r i s no t
firml y i n gear . Som e nois e i s
norma l whe n shifting .
Alway s sto p th e vehicl e befor e
shiftin g betwee n lo w an d hig h rang
e (4 H 4 L o r 4 L 4H) .
I f th e 4W D indicato r continue s t o
blin k rapidly , i t indicate s tha t th e
syste m wa s shifte d ou t o f
sequence . Sto p th e vehicle , selec t
4W D wit h th e 4WD-2W D switch ,shif
t th e leve r fro m 4 L t o 4H , the n
selec t 2WD . Driv e i n a straigh t
lin e t o rese t th e system . I f th e
indicato r continue s t o blink , se e
you r Hond a dealer .
D o no t us e 4-whee l driv e fo r
drivin g o n dr y pavement . Thi s
cause s nois e an d wear , an d takin g
tigh t turn s ca n damag e th e
transfe r cas e an d driveshafts . I t
als o reduce s fue l economy .
B e carefu l tha t yo u d o no t excee d
th e followin g maximu m allowabl e
speed s whe n accelerating .
Drivin
g Patter n Selecto r

Yo u ca n selec t a drivin g patter n
suitabl e fo r existin g drivin g

conditions .

Whe n neithe r "POWER " no r
"WINTER " light s ar e illuminated ,
th e norma l drivin g progra m fo r
genera l drivin g condition s i s

operative .

Instrument s an d Control s

Whe
n mor e powerfu l acceleratio n
i s needed , selec t th e "POWER "
drivin g program . Th e "POWE R
DRIVE " indicato r ligh t come s o n
whe n th e drivin g patter n selecto r
i s se t i n th e "POWER " position .
Pus h th e butto n agai n t o tur n it
off .
Unde r inclemen t weathe r
condition s tha t caus e slipper y
roads , activatin g th e "WINTER "mod
e wil l improv e drivin g
operation. The "WINTER " mod e
ma y b e activate d whil e drivin g a t
speed s o f 6 mp h (1 0 km/h ) o r less .
Wit h th e transmissio n leve r i n th e
"P, " "R, " "N, " o r "D " position ,
pus h th e "WINTER " butto n o n th e

console .

Th e "WINTE R DRIVE " indicato r
ligh t wil l illuminat e wheneve r th e
"WINTER " mod e syste m is
activated , an d th e vehicl e wil l
star t of f i n thir d gear .
Th e "WINTER " mod e i s
deactivate d whe n th e vehicl e
reache s approximatel y 1 9 mp h
(3 0 km/h) , whe n th e transmissio n
i s shifte d int o "3, " "2, " o r "L, " b y
pushin g th e "WINTER " butto n
again , o r b y turnin g th e ignitio n
ke y t o th e "OFF " position . Operatio
n o f th e "WINTER "
mod e shoul d b e limite d t o
slipper y roa d condition s only .
Operatio n o f th e "WINTER "
mod e durin g norma l drivin g
condition s wil l caus e decrease d
performanc e an d sluggis h

acceleration .

Instrument s an d Control s

5-Spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Th e transmissio n ha s fiv e full y

synchronize d forwar d speeds . Th e

gea r shif t patter n is provide d o n
th e transmissio n leve r knob . Th e
backu p light s tur n o n whe n
shifte d int o th e revers e gear .
Drivin
g Tip s

Alway s depres s an d releas e th e
clutc h peda l full y whe n shifting .
D o no t res t you r foo t o n th e clutc h
peda l whil e driving ; thi s ca n
caus e th e clutc h t o slip , resultin g
i n damag e t o th e clutch .
Whe n yo u ar e stoppe d o n a n
upgrade , d o no t hol d th e vehicl e
i n plac e b y lettin g th e clutc h peda l
u p part-way . Us e th e foo t brak e o r
th e parkin g brake .
Neve r shif t int o revers e gea r unti l
th e vehicl e is completel y stopped .D
o no t "over-speed " th e engin e
whe n shiftin g dow n to a lowe r gear .
Th e shif t leve r canno t b e shifte d
directl y fro m fift h gea r int o
Reverse . Whe n shiftin g int o
Revers e gea r fro m fift h gear ,
depres s th e clutc h peda l an d shif t
completel y int o Neutra l position ,
the n shif t int o Revers e gear .

Instrument s an d Control s

Shift Speed Chart

The lower gears of the
transmission are used for normal
acceleration of
the vehicle to the
desired cruising

speed. The
highest gear of the transmission is
used to maintain the desired
speed. The
fifth gear is
recommended for

use in
maintaining highway cruising
speeds. Use of the fifth gear in
city traffic

is not recommended.
The shif

t speed chart shows the
speeds a

t which each upshift of
the transmission

should be made
to get the best vehicle performance and
fuel economy. For cruising,
choose the highest
gear for

that speed (cruising speed
is defined as a relatively constant
speed operation).
Th

e upshift indicator (U/S) lights
to show recommended upshift points. (Refer
to "Indicator
Lights.")
If th

e engine is "lugging" (the
speed you are traveling at is too
slow for the gear the transmission
is in),

downshift to the next lower
gear. You

may need to downshift
two or more gear positions to keep the engine from "lugging" or
to keep the performance at a
satisfactory level.
Transfe

r Control

4WD Models
The "4WD" indicator lightilluminates when
4WD is engaged

with the 4WD-2WD switch.

"2H" (High Range, 2-Wheel

Drive)

Us

e this for normal driving on dry
pavement. This

position gives
greater economy, quieter ride and
least drivetrain

wear.
Instruments and Controls