2001 HONDA PASSPORT 4WD

ai
r cleaner , s o it' s importan t t o
replac e th e ai r cleane r filte r a t
require d intervals . Se e "Car e an d
Maintenance. " A dirt y ai r cleane r
filte r reduce s engin e performanc e

an d ca n wast e fuel .

Air Conditioning
Tur n of f th e ai r conditionin g whe n
i t i s no t needed . Th e ai r
conditionin g compresso r i s no t o n
i n thi s positio n an d th e reduce d
engin e loa d ca n improv e fue l

economy .

Tuned Engine

A n engin e tha t i s properl y
maintaine d wil l provid e bette r
fue l econom y tha n on e tha t i s not .
On e misfirin g spar k plu g wil l cu t
fue l econom y significantly , an d
wil l mak e a differenc e in th e
amoun t o f pollutio n emitte d fro m
you r vehicle .
Excessive
Weight

Fue l econom y i s relate d t o th e
wor k th e engin e mus t do . Th e
heavie r th e load , th e mor e fue l i t
take s t o ru n you r vehicle . Kee p
weigh t t o a minimu m b y removin g
unnecessar y luggag e o r cargo .
Tire Inflation
Underinflatio n no t onl y cause s
needles s tir e wea r bu t ca n als o
wast e fuel . It' s a goo d ide a to
chec k tir e pressur e ofte n an d kee p
you r tire s inflate d t o th e pressure s
show n o n th e tir e placar d locate d
o n th e driver' s doorjamb .
Wheel
Alignment

Imprope r alignmen t wil l cause the
fron t tire s t o rol l a t a n angl e tha t
wil l resul t i n faste r tir e wear . I t
take s powe r t o overcom e thi s
imprope r alignment , which , i n
turn , waste s fuel .
Use of 4-Wheel Drive
I n norma l driving , pu t th e

4WD-2W D switc h i n th e 2W D

position .
Drivin g Tip s

Follo
w th e recommendation s i n
thi s manua l an d as k you r Hond a
deale r fo r furthe r detail s befor e
yo u to w a traile r wit h you r

Passport .

Towin g a traile r affect s vehicl e
maintenanc e requirement s du e
t o th e additiona l load . Mor e
frequen t maintenanc e interval s
wil l b e require d to assur e
continue d satisfactio n wit h
you r vehicle . Consul t you r
Hond a deale r fo r recommende d
maintenanc e an d service .
Th e gros s traile r weigh t (traile r
weigh t plu s carg o load ) mus t
neve r excee d 4,50 0 Ib .
Additiona l equipmen t wil l b e
required , dependin g o n th e
specifi c model/loa d combination .
See "Traile r Hitches " i n thi s

section .
Exceedin
g th e weigh t limi t wil l
caus e damag e t o you r vehicl e an d
possibl y resul t i n persona l injury . Th
e Gros s Vehicl e Weigh t
Ratin g (GVWR ) i s th e
combine d weigh t o f th e
unloade d vehicle , passengers,
cargo , traile r hitch , traile r
tongu e load , an d optiona l
equipment . Thi s valu e is
indicate d o n th e F.M.V.S.S .
Certificatio n Labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb . Th
e Gros s Combine d Weigh t
Ratin g (GCWR ) equal s th e
combine d weigh t o f you r
vehicl e (includin g passengers
an d cargo ) plu s th e tota l traile r
load . Th e followin g limit s

apply .

2WD : 8,70 0 Ib
4WD : 8,95 0 Ib

Th e Gros s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g
(GAWR ) i s als o indicate d o n
th e Certificatio n Label . Th e
loa d o n eithe r th e fron t o r rea r
axl e resultin g fro m distributio n
o f th e gross vehicl e weigh t o n
bot h axle s mus t no t excee d th e
value s listed . Remembe r t o
accoun t fo r additiona l
equipmen t an d tongu e load .

Drivin g Tip s

Ther
e ar e n o provision s i n you r
vehicl e t o ta p int o it s hydrauli c
brakin g system . An y attemp t t o
attac h th e trailer' s brake s t o you r
vehicle' s hydrauli c brakin g
system , n o matte r ho w successfu l
i t ma y seem , wil l lowe r brakin g
effectivenes s an d creat e a
potentia l hazard .

Equipmen t Chec k

Befor e operatin g you r vehicle ,
chec k al l safet y equipmen t t o
ensur e saf e operation . B e sur e
you r vehicl e i s properl y service d
t o avoi d mechanica l failure .
Chec k tha t you r vehicl e remain s
leve l whe n th e loade d o r unloade d
traile r i s hitched . D o no t driv e i f
th e rea r en d o f you r vehicl e i s
abnormall y highe r o r lower .
Chec k fo r prope r tongu e weight ,
overload , imprope r weigh t
distribution
, wor n suspension , o r

othe r possibl e causes .

Mak e sur e th e traile r loa d is
properl y positione d an d secure d
s o it s doe s no t shif t aroun d whil e

driving .

Chec k i f you r rearvie w mirror s

compl y wit h federal , stat e an d

loca l regulations . I f not , confir m

th e prope r mirror s require d fo r

towin g an d hav e the m installed .

Perfor m an equipmen t chec k o f

al l braking, lighting an d safet y

equipmen t t o ensur e the y ar e
workin g properly .
You r safet y depends o n prope r
operatio n an d installatio n o f
equipment . Neve r operat e a
vehicl e wit h fault y equipment .Standard
on 4WD models
Th e limite d sli p differentia l i s
designe d t o improv e tractio n b y
limitin g wheelspin . I f one rear
whee l begin s t o spi n o n a slipper y
surface , th e limite d sli p
differentia l wil l automaticall y
transmi t drivin g forc e t o th e othe r
rea r wheel .
Drivin g Tip s
Limite
d Sli p Differentia l

Car
e an d Maintenanc e

Thi s sectio n explain s wh y i t i s
importan t t o kee p you r vehicl e
wel l maintaine d an d t o follo w
basi c maintenanc e safet y
precautions .
Thi s sectio n als o include s
Maintenanc e Schedule s fo r
norma l drivin g an d sever e drivin g
conditions , a Maintenanc e
Record , an d instruction s fo r
simpl e maintenanc e task s yo u
ma y wan t t o tak e care o f yourself .
I f yo u hav e th e skill s an d tool s
require d t o perfor m mor e comple x
maintenanc e tasks o n you r Honda ,
yo u ma y wan t t o purchas e th e
Servic e Manual . See page 25 3 fo r
informatio n o n ho w to obtai n a
copy , o r se e you r Hond a dealer . Servic
e Statio n Informatio n . 19 7
Fue l Fil l Ca p ......... . 19 7
Fue l Recommendatio n . . . 198
Fue l Tan k Capacit y .... . 19 8
Engin e Oi l
Recommendatio n ..... . 19 8
Windshiel d Washe r .... . 19 8
Tir e Inflatio n Pressure s . . 19 8
Batter y .............. . 19 8
Hoo d Releas e ......... . 19 9
Engin e Oi l Dipstic k .... . 200
Fue l Requirement s ....... . 200
Oxygenate d Fuel s ..... . 200
Maintenanc e Safet y ...... . 20 1
Importan t Safet y
Precaution s ......... . 20 2
Maintenanc e Schedul e .... . 20 3
Required Maintenance Record 206
Owne r Safet y Check s ..... . 20 8
Engin e Oi l an d Filte r ..... . 21 1
Prope r Qualit y Oi l ..... . 21 1 Chang
e Interva l ....... . 21 1
Oi l Chang e .......... . 21 2
Oi l Filte r Installatio n . 21 2
Oi l Viscosit y ......... . 21 3
Oi l Leve l Chec k ...... . 21 3
Engin e Oi l Additive s . . . 21 4
Ai r Cleane r Filte r ....... . 21 4
Manua l Transmissio n Flui d 21 5
Automati c Transmissio n
Flui d ................. . 21 6
Fron t (4WD ) an d
Rea r Axle s ............ . 21 6
Engin e Coolin g Syste m . . . 21 7
Othe r Require d Maintenanc e 21 9
Brak e Maste r Cylinde r . . 21 9
Shift-on-the-Fl y Syste m . 22 0
Fron t Whee l Bearing s . . . 22 0
Hoo d Latc h an d Hinge s . 22 1
Ai r Conditionin g ...... . 22 1
Bod y Lubricatio n ..... . 22 1
Car e an d Maintenanc e

Neve
r ru n th e engin e wit h th e ai r
cleane r filte r removed . I f th e
engin e shoul d backfire , i t coul d
possibl y caus e a n engin e
compartmen t fire .
B e sur e t o reinstal l th e ai r cleane r
filte r an d assembl y correctly . I f i t
i s installe d incorrectly , engin e
damag e coul d result .
Manua
l Transmissio n Flui d

See th e Maintenanc e Schedul e t o
fin d ou t ho w ofte n th e lubrican t
leve l shoul d b e checked .
Chec k tha t th e flui d leve l reaches
th e plu g hol e b y removin g th e
fille r plu g o n th e transmissio n an d
transfe r case . I f th e flui d leve l i s
low , refil l th e case u p t o th e fille r
plu g hole .
Us e a high-qualit y engin e oi l
labele d S G o r S F tha t i s o f th e
correc t viscosit y fo r existin g
ambien t temperature s a s follows . (2WD)
OIL FIL L PLU G

DRAI N PLU G
DRAI N PLU G

Car e an d Maintenanc e
(4WD)
RIGH T SID E

LEF T SID E

OIL FIL L PLU G

Automati
c Transmissio n Flui d
Prope r Flui d

Hav e th e flui d leve l i n th e

automati c transmissio n checke d

durin g th e regularl y schedule d
maintenanc e a t you r Hond a

dealer .

I f yo u suspec t a n automati c
transmissio n flui d leak , tak e th e
vehicl e t o you r Hond a dealer fo r
inspectio n an d repair .
Transmissio n damage coul d resul t
i f yo u le t th e flui d leve l ge t to o
low .
Drai
n Interval s

Th e automati c transmissio n drai n

interva l i s no t tim e o r mileag e
dependent . I t wil l var y accordin g
t o you r drivin g habit s and vehicl e

usage .

You r deale r wil l chec k th e

transmissio n fluid' s conditio n an d

lif e expectanc y durin g regularl y

schedule d maintenance , and

infor m yo u a t wha t mileag e it

shoul d b e changed .
Fron
t (4WD )

an d Rea r Axle s

Se e th e Maintenanc e Schedul e
Lis t t o determin e ho w ofte n th e
lubrican t shoul d b e changed . Ad d
lubricant , i f needed , b y fillin g to
th e leve l o f th e fille r plu g hole .
Us e GL- 5 gear lubrican t o f th e
prope r viscosit y a s show n in th e

chart .

I f you r vehicl e i s equippe d wit h
th e optiona l limite d sli p
differentia l (o n th e rea r axle) , us e
GL- 5 Limite d Sli p Differentia l
Gear Lubrican t togethe r wit h
Limite d Sli p Differentia l Gear
Lubrican t Additiv e (Par t No .
8-01052-358-0 ) o r equivalent .
Us e th e correc t viscosit y fo r th e
existin g ambien t temperatures .

Car e an d Maintenanc e