2001 HONDA PASSPORT tow

Drivin
g Tip s

Before Drivin g .......... . 15 6
Startin g th e Engin e .... . 15 7
Ne w Vehicl e Break-I n .... . 15 8

Parkin g ............... . 15 8

Brake s ................ . 15 9

Tire s ................. . 16 3
Inflatio n ............ . 16 4

Inspectio n ........... . 16 5
Maintenanc e ......... . 16 6
Tir e Rotatio n ......... . 16 6
Replacin g Tire s

an d Wheel s ......... . 16 6

Wheel s an d Tire s ..... . 16 7

Tractio n ............. . 16 8

Tir e Chain s ........ . 16 8
Whee l Replacemen t
Consideration s ...... . 16 9
Fue l Econom y .......... . 17 0
Three-Wa y Catalyti c
Converte r ............ . 17 2 Operatio
n i n
Foreig n Countrie s ...... . 17 3
Accessorie s & Modification s 17 3
Carryin g Carg o .......... . 17 5
Traile r Towin g .......... . 17 8
Traile r Hitche s ....... . 18 0
Safet y Chai n ......... . 18 1
Traile r Light s ......... . 18 1
Tire s ................ . 18 1
Traile r Brake s ........ . 18 1
Equipmen t Chec k ..... . 18 2
Limite d Sli p Differentia l .. . 18 2
Drivin g Tip s

Befor
e Drivin g
Drivin g Guideline s

You r Hond a ha s highe r groun d
clearanc e tha n a passenge r ca r
designe d fo r us e onl y o n
pavement . Highe r groun d
clearanc e ha s man y advantage s
fo r off-roa d driving . I t allow s yo u
t o trave l ove r bumps , obstacles ,
an d roug h terrain . It als o provide s
goo d visibilit y s o yo u ca n
anticipat e problem s earlier .
Thes e advantage s com e a t som e
cost . Becaus e you r vehicl e is
talle r an d ride s highe r of f th e
ground , i t ha s a hig h cente r o f
gravity . Thi s mean s tha t you r
vehicl e ca n ti p o r rol l ove r i f yo u
mak e abrup t turns . Utilit y
vehicle s hav e a significantl y
highe r rollove r rat e tha n othe r
type s o f vehicles . T
o preven t rollove r o r los s o f
control :
Tak e corner s a t slowe r speed s
tha n yo u woul d wit h a
passenger car .
Avoi d shar p turn s an d abrup t
maneuver s wheneve r possible .
D o no t modif y you r vehicl e i n
an y wa y tha t woul d rais e th e
cente r o f gravit y (see page 174 ).
D o no t carr y heav y carg o o n
th e roo f (see page 177 ).
Fo r off-roa d drivin g guidelines ,
se e th e Off-Road Driving
Information booklet tha t cam e
wit h you r vehicle .

Befor e Enterin g th e Vehicl e

1 . Chec k tha t th e windows ,
mirrors , light s an d reflector s
ar e clea n an d unobstructed .2
. Chec k th e tire s t o se e i f the y
ar e lo w o r flat . Yo u wil l nee d
a pressure gaug e t o tel l i f tire s
ar e properl y inflated .
3 . Chec k tha t al l light s work .
4 . Chec k fo r flui d leaks .
5 . B e sur e everythin g is properl y

stowed .

6 . Chec k th e are a behin d th e
vehicl e i f yo u ar e abou t t o
bac k up .

Befor e Drivin g th e Vehicl e

1 . Loc k al l doors .
2 . Adjus t th e sea t an d an y
movabl e hea d restraints .
3 . Adjus t th e insid e an d outsid e
mirrors .
4 . Chec k tha t al l th e indicato r
light s wor k whe n th e ke y
Drivin g Tip s

Loa
d Limi t

Th e maximu m loa d fo r you r

vehicl e is :

LX2W D

manua l trans : 89 5 I b (40 7 kg )
automati c trans : 84 0 I b (38 2 kg )

LX4W D

manua l trans : 90 5 I b (41 1 kg )
automati c trans : 85 0 I b (38 6 kg )
E X
manua l trans : 93 0 I b (42 3 kg )
automati c trans : 87 5 I b (39 8 kg )
Thi s figur e include s th e tota l weigh t
o f al l occupants , cargo , accessories,
an d th e tongu e weigh t i f yo u ar e
towin g a trailer .
T
o figur e ou t ho w muc h carg o

yo u ca n carry :
Ad
d u p th e weigh t o f al l

occupants .
I
f yo u ar e towin g a trailer , ad d

th e tongu e weigh t t o th e

numbe r above .
Subtrac
t th e tota l fro m th e

maximu m loa d figure .

Th e fina l numbe r i s th e tota l

weigh t o f carg o yo u ca n carry .

Drivin g Tip s
Overloadin
g o r imprope r
loadin g ca n affec t handlin g
an d stabilit y an d caus e a
cras h i n whic h yo u ca n b e
hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l loa d limit s an d
othe r loadin g guideline s i n
thi s manual .

Traile
r Towin g

You r Hond a vehicl e i s designe d
fo r passenger an d carg o
transportation . Wit h th e prope r
equipmen t installed , you r vehicl e
ca n als o to w a traile r unde r certai n
conditions , a s detaile d in thi s
section . B e sur e t o rea d thi s entire
sectio n an d follo w al l
requirements .
Towin g a traile r wil l hav e a n
effec t o n handling , performance ,
braking , durabilit y an d fue l
consumption .
Honda recommend s tha t yo u d o
no t to w a traile r wit h a ne w
Hond a vehicl e o r on e wit h a ne w
powertrai n componen t (engine ,
transmission , differential ) fo r th e
firs t 50 0 miles . Fo
r you r safet y an d th e safet y
o f others , us e equipmen t
specificall y designe d fo r you r
vehicle . Imprope r towin g
equipmen t an d imprope r
installatio n o f same ca n cause
damage to you r vehicl e an d ma y
als o resul t i n persona l injury .
Additiona l car e an d cautiou s
drivin g habit s ar e essentia l t o
traile r towing .
D o no t excee d 4 5 mp h o r th e
poste d towin g speed limit ,
whicheve r i s lower . Highe r spee d
ma y caus e los s o f vehicl e control .
Drivin g Tip s
Improperl
y loadin g you r

vehicl e an d traile r ca n

seriousl y affec t th e steerin g

an d brakin g performance ,

causin g a cras h i n whic h yo u

ca n b e seriousl y injured .

Chec k th e loadin g o f you r

vehicl e an d traile r carefull y

befor e startin g t o drive .

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

Tongu
e loa d shoul d b e betwee n
9 percen t an d 1 1 percen t o f th e
tota l traile r weight . However , i t
shoul d neve r excee d 45 0 pounds .
Neve r loa d a traile r wit h mor e
weigh t i n th e rea r tha n in th e
front . Th e fron t shoul d b e
loade d wit h approximatel y
6 0 percen t an d th e rea r wit h
approximatel y 4 0 percen t o f
th e tota l traile r load .
Neve r excee d th e maximu m
weigh t limit s o f th e traile r
o r traile r towin g equipment .
Imprope r loadin g ca n resul t i n
damag e t o you r vehicl e an d
possibl e persona l injury .
Chec k th e vehicl e an d traile r
loadin g an d th e weight s o n
eac h axl e a t a commercia l scal e
o r a highwa y patro l offic e
equippe d wit h a scale .
Traile
r Hitche s

A Clas s 3 hitc h ki t (u p t o
4,50 0 Ib ) i s availabl e fro m you r
Hond a dealer .
Use a trailer equipped with
electric brakes and a "Weight
Distributing Hitch Attachment"
when the gross trailer weight

exceeds 3,500 pounds.

A specia l attachmen t tha t replace s
th e dra w bar/bal l assembl y i s use d
t o distribut e th e prope r weigh t t o
th e fron t axle . I t use s a pai r o f
sprin g bar s tha t ar e adjuste d t o
accomplis h th e distributio n o f th e
weight .
Consul t you r trailer' s
manufacture r fo r assistanc e wit h
selectin g th e prope r weigh t
distributin g hitc h attachment .Chec
k wit h a recreationa l vehicl e
deale r fo r additiona l require d
equipment . Hav e thi s equipmen t
installe d b y a traine d mechanic .
Imprope r equipmen t o r installatio n
ca n damage you r vehicl e an d
cause persona l injury .
D o no t us e axle-mounte d hitche s
o r equipmen t no t designe d fo r
you r vehicle .
D o no t mak e an y modification s t o
th e vehicle' s exhaust , braking , o r
electrica l syste m othe r tha n thos e
tha t ar e show n in th e instruction s
fo r th e Hond a Traile r Hitc h Kit .
Imprope r modification s ca n affec t
vehicl e durability .
Periodi c inspectio n o f al l added -
o n traile r towin g equipmen t i s
necessar y t o assur e continue d saf e

operation .

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

I
n Cas e o f Emergenc y

This sectio n cover s th e mos t
commo n problem s tha t motorist s
experienc e wit h thei r vehicles . I t
give s yo u informatio n o n ho w to
safel y evaluat e thos e problems ,
wit h tip s t o hel p ge t yo u goin g
again . Lastly , i t tell s yo u ho w to
hav e you r vehicl e towed . Jum
p Startin g ........... . 18 4
Changin g a Tir e ......... . 18 6
Liftin g Point s ......... . 18 7
Too l Location s .......... . 18 8
Engin e Overheatin g ...... . 19 0
Towin g ............... . 19 1
Precaution s .......... . 19 1
Towin g Tip s .......... . 19 2
Al l Fou r Wheel s
o n th e Groun d ..... . 19 2
Fron t Wheel s
of f th e Groun d ..... . 19 2
Rea r Wheel s
of f th e Groun d ..... . 19 3
Inoperativ e Electrica l
Device s ............... . 19 3
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y