2001 HONDA PASSPORT Owners Manual

You
r Vehicle' s Safet y Feature s

AIRBAG S

POWE R DOO R
LOCK S
SEA
T BELT S

SAFET Y CAG E

COLLAPSIBL E

STEERIN G
COLUM N
CRUSH
ZONE S You
r vehicl e i s equippe d wit h
man y feature s tha t wor k togethe r
t o protec t yo u an d you r
passengers during a crash .
Som e safet y feature s d o no t
requir e an y actio n o n you r part .
Thes e includ e a stron g stee l
framewor k tha t form s a safet y
cage aroun d th e passenger
compartment ; fron t an d rea r crus h
zone s tha t ar e designe d to
crumpl e an d absor b energ y durin g
a crash ; an d a collapsibl e steerin g

column .

Thes e safet y feature s ar e designe d
t o reduc e th e severit y o f injurie s
i n a crash . However , yo u an d you r
passengers can't tak e ful l
advantag e o f thes e safet y feature s
unles s yo u remai n sittin g in a
prope r positio n an d always wear

your seat belts properly. In fact ,

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

som
e safet y feature s ca n
contribut e t o injurie s i f the y ar e
no t use d properly .
Sea t Belt s
Fo r you r safety , an d th e safet y o f
you r passengers , you r vehicl e i s
equippe d wit h sea t belt s i n al l
seatin g positions .
You r sea t bel t syste m
als o include s a ligh t o n
th e instrumen t pane l t o remin d
yo u an d you r passenger s t o faste n
you r sea t belts .
Why Wear Seat Belts
Sea t belt s ar e th e singl e mos t
effectiv e safet y devic e fo r adult s
an d large r children . (Infant s an d
smalle r childre n mus t b e
restraine d i n chil d seats. ) No
t wearin g a sea t bel t properl y
increase s th e chanc e o f seriou s
injur y o r deat h i n a crash , eve n
thoug h you r vehicl e ha s airbags .
I n addition , mos t state s an d
Canadia n province s requir e yo u t o
wea r sea t belts . Whe
n properl y worn , sea t belts : Kee
p yo u connecte d t o th e
vehicl e s o yo u ca n tak e
advantag e o f th e vehicle' s
built-i n safet y features . Hel
p protec t yo u i n almos t
ever y typ e o f crash , includin g
sid e an d rea r impact s an d
rollovers . I n a rollove r crash ,
a n unbelte d perso n i s mor e
likel y t o di e tha n a perso n
wearin g a sea t belt . You r airba g
ca n onl y b e helpfu l i n a
moderat e t o sever e fronta l

collision .
Hel
p kee p yo u fro m bein g

throw n agains t th e insid e o f th e

vehicl e an d agains t othe r

occupants .
Kee
p yo u fro m bein g throw n

ou t o f th e vehicle .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y No
t wearin g a sea t bel t
properl y increase s th e chanc e
o f seriou s injur y o r deat h i n a
crash , eve n i f yo u hav e
airbags .

B e sur e yo u an d you r

passenger s alway s wea r sea t
belt s an d wea r the m properly .

Hel
p kee p yo u in a goo d
positio n shoul d th e airbag s eve r
deploy . A goo d positio n
reduce s th e ris k o f injur y fro m
a n inflatin g airbag , an d allow s
yo u t o ge t th e bes t advantag e
fro m th e airbag .
O f course , sea t belt s canno t
completel y protec t yo u i n ever y
crash . Bu t i n mos t cases , sea t belt s
ca n reduc e you r ris k o f seriou s

injury .

What you should do: Always
wea r you r sea t belt , an d mak e
sur e yo u wea r i t properly .
Airbag
s

You r vehicl e ha s a Supplementa l
Restrain t Syste m (SRS ) wit h
fronta l airbag s t o hel p protec t th e
drive r an d a fron t sea t passenger . Thi
s syste m als o
include s a n indicato r
ligh t o n th e instrumen t pane l t o
aler t yo u t o a possibl e proble m
wit h th e system .
Th e mos t importan t thing s yo u
nee d t o kno w abou t you r airbag s

are :
Airbags
do not replace seat

belts. The sea t belt s ar e th e
occupants ' primar y protectio n
i n al l type s o f collisions . Th e
airbag s supplemen t th e sea t
belt s b y providin g extr a
protectio n fo r th e hea d an d
ches t o f eac h fron t sea t
occupan t i n a moderat e t o
sever e fronta l collision .
Airbags offer no protection in
side impacts, rear impacts,
rollovers, or minor collisions.
Airbag s ar e designe d to deplo y
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

AI
R

BA G

onl
y durin g a moderat e to
sever e fronta l collision .
Airbags
can pose serious

hazards. To d o thei r job ,
airbag s mus t inflat e wit h
tremendou s forc e an d speed . S o
whil e airbag s sav e lives , the y
ca n caus e seriou s injurie s t o
adult s an d large r childre n wh o
ar e no t wearin g sea t belts , ar e
no t wearin g the m properly , ar e
sittin g to o clos e t o th e airbag ,
o r ar e no t sittin g in a prope r
position . Infant s an d smal l
childre n ar e a t a n eve n greate r
ris k o f injur y o r death .
What you should do: Always
wea r you r sea t bel t properly , an d
si t uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s
possibl e fro m th e steerin g whee l

o r dashboard .
Seat
s an d Seat-Back s

You r vehicle' s seat s ar e designe d
t o kee p yo u in a comfortable ,
uprigh t positio n s o yo u ca n tak e
ful l advantag e o f th e protectio n
offere d b y sea t belt s an d th e
energy-absorbin g material s i n th e

seats.

Ho w yo u adjus t you r seat s an d
seat-back s ca n als o affec t you r
safety . Fo r example , sittin g to o
clos e t o th e steerin g whee l o r
dashboar d increase s th e ris k o f
yo u o r you r passenge r bein g
injure d b y strikin g th e insid e o f
th e vehicle , o r b y a n inflatin g

airbag .
Reclinin
g a seat-bac k to o fa r
reduce s th e sea t belt' s
effectivenes s an d increase s th e
chanc e tha t th e seat' s occupan t
wil l slid e unde r th e sea t bel t i n a
cras h an d b e seriousl y injured .

What you should do: Mov e th e

fron t seat s a s fa r bac k a s possible ,
an d kee p adjustabl e seat-back s i n
a n uprigh t positio n wheneve r th e
vehicl e i s moving .

Hea d Restraint s

Hea d restraint s ca n hel p protec t
yo u fro m whiplas h an d othe r
injuries . Fo r maximu m protection ,
th e bac k o f you r hea d shoul d res t
agains t th e cente r o f th e hea d
restraint .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Doo
r Lock s

Keepin g you r door s locke d
reduce s th e chanc e o f bein g
throw n ou t o f th e vehicl e durin g
a crash . I t als o help s preven t
occupants from accidentall y
openin g a doo r an d fallin g out ,
an d outsider s fro m unexpectedl y
openin g you r doors .

Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklis t

T o mak e sur e yo u an d you r
passenger s ge t th e maximu m
protectio n fro m you r vehicle' s
safet y features , chec k th e
followin g eac h tim e befor e yo u
driv e away .
Al l adults , an d childre n wh o
hav e outgrow n chil d safet y
seats , ar e wearin g thei r sea t
belt s an d wearin g the m
properl y (se e pag e 13 ). An
y infan t o r smal l chil d is
properl y restraine d in a chil d
sea t i n th e bac k sea t (se e pag e

18 ).

Fron t sea t occupant s ar e sittin g
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s
possibl e fro m th e steerin g
whee l an d dashboar d (se e pag e

10 ).

Seat-back s ar e uprigh t (se e
pag e 11 ).
Hea d restraint s ar e properl y
adjuste d (se e pag e 12 ).
Al l door s an d th e tailgat e ar e
close d an d locke d (se e pag e

10 ).

Al l carg o i s properl y store d o r
secure d (se e pag e 175 ). Th
e res t o f thi s sectio n give s mor e
detaile d informatio n abou t ho w
yo u ca n maximiz e you r safety .
Remember , however , tha t n o
safet y syste m ca n preven t al l
injurie s o r death s tha t ca n occu r i n
sever e crashes , eve n whe n sea t
belt s ar e properl y wor n an d th e
airbag s deploy .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s

Introductio n

Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s o n ho w to properl y
protec t th e drive r an d othe r adul t

occupants .

Thes e instruction s als o appl y t o
childre n wh o hav e outgrow n chil d
seat s an d ar e larg e enoug h t o wea r
lap/shoulde r belts . (Se e pag e 3 4
fo r importan t additiona l
guideline s o n ho w to properl y
protec t large r children. )

1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Door s

Afte r everyon e ha s entere d th e
vehicle , b e sur e th e door s an d
tailgat e ar e close d an d locked .
Fo r safety , lockin g th e door s
reduce s th e chanc e tha t a
passenger , especiall y a child , wil l
ope n a doo r whil e th e vehicl e is
movin g an d accidentall y fal l out . I
t als o reduce s th e chanc e o f
someon e bein g throw n ou t o f th e
vehicl e durin g a crash .
Fo r security , locke d door s ca n
preven t a n outside r fro m
unexpectedl y openin g a doo r
whe n yo u com e t o a stop .
Se e pag e 10 4 fo r ho w to loc k th e

doors .
2
. Adjus t th e Fron t Seat s

An y drive r wh o sit s to o clos e t o
th e steerin g whee l i s a t ris k o f
bein g seriousl y injure d o r kille d
b y strikin g th e steerin g wheel , o r
fro m bein g struc k b y th e inflatin g
airba g durin g a crash .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

T
o reduc e th e chanc e o f injury ,
wea r you r sea t bel t properly , si t
uprigh t wit h you r bac k agains t th e
seat , an d mov e th e sea t a s fa r bac k
a s possibl e fro m th e steerin g
whee l whil e stil l maintainin g ful l
contro l o f th e vehicle . Als o mak e
sur e you r fron t sea t passenge r
move s th e sea t a s fa r t o th e rea r a s

possible .

Most shorte r driver s ca n ge t fa r
enoug h awa y fro m th e steerin g
whee l an d stil l reac h th e pedals .
However , i f yo u ar e concerned
abou t sittin g to o close , w e
recommen d tha t yo u investigat e
whethe r som e typ e o f adaptiv e
equipmen t ma y help .
Onc e you r sea t i s adjuste d
correctly , roc k i t bac k an d fort h t o
mak e sur e th e sea t i s locke d in

position .

See pages 9 1 an d 9 2 fo r ho w to
adjus t th e fron t seats .
3
. Adjus t th e Seat-Back s

Adjus t th e driver' s seat-bac k t o
a comfortable , uprigh t position ,
leavin g ampl e space betwee n you r
ches t an d th e airba g cove r i n th e
cente r o f th e steerin g wheel . I f
yo u si t to o clos e t o th e steerin g
wheel , yo u coul d b e injure d if th e
airba g inflates .
A fron t passenger should als o
adjus t th e seat-bac k t o a n uprigh t
position , bu t a s fa r fro m th e

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Sittin
g to o clos e t o th e airba g

ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r

deat h i f th e airbag s inflate .

Alway s si t a s fa r bac k fro m th e

airbag s a s possible .

dashboar
d a s possible . A
passenge r wh o sit s to o clos e t o th e
dashboar d coul d b e injure d i f th e
airba g inflates .
Reclinin g a seat-bac k s o tha t th e
shoulde r par t o f th e bel t n o longe r
rest s agains t th e occupant' s chest
reduce s th e protectiv e capabilit y
o f th e belt . I t als o increase s th e
chanc e o f slidin g unde r th e bel t i n
a cras h an d bein g seriousl y
injured . Th e farthe r a seat-bac k i s
reclined , th e greate r th e ris k o f

injury .
Se
e page s 9 2 an d 9 3 fo r ho w to

adjus t seat-backs .
4
. Adjus t th e Hea d Restraint s
Befor e driving , mak e sur e
everyon e wit h a n adjustabl e hea d
restrain t ha s properl y positione d
th e hea d restraint . Th e restrain t
shoul d b e positione d s o th e bac k
o f th e occupant' s hea d rest s
agains t th e cente r o f th e restraint .
A talle r perso n shoul d adjus t th e
restrain t a s hig h a s possible .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y Reclinin
g th e seat-bac k to o fa r
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h in a crash .
Adjus t th e seat-bac k t o a n

uprigh t positio n an d si t wel l

bac k i n th e seat .