2001 HONDA PASSPORT Owners Manual

Oi
l Viscosit y

Engin e oi l viscosit y (thickness ) ha s
a n effec t o n fue l economy . Lowe r
viscosit y engin e oil s ca n provid e
increase d fue l economy ; however ,
highe r temperatur e weathe r
condition s requir e highe r viscosit y
engin e oil s fo r satisfactor y
lubrication . T o ge t th e bes t fue l
econom y wit h you r vehicle , yo u
shoul d us e a fuel-savin g engin e oi l
o f th e prope r viscosity . Thes e oil s
ca n b e foun d in servic e station s an d othe
r retai l stores . The y ar e
identifie d b y word s suc h a s
"Energ y Saving, " "Conserve s
Gasoline, " "Ga s Saving, "
"Gasolin e Saving, " "Frictio n
Reducing, " "Improve d Gasolin e
Mileage " o r "Fue l Saving. "
Th e char t list s th e recommende d
engin e oi l viscositie s fo r th e
temperatur e rang e yo u expec t
befor e th e nex t oi l change . Fo r

temperature s abov e 0° F ( — 18°C) ,

SA E 10W-3 0 i s th e preferre d viscosit
y grade . I f cold-weathe r
startin g problem s ar e encountere d
a t temperature s belo w 0° F

( — 18°C) , SA E 5W-3 0 viscosit y

oil s ma y b e required .

Oi l Leve l Chec k

I t i s th e owner' s responsibilit y t o
kee p th e engin e oi l a t th e prope r
level . Chec k th e oi l leve l a t regula r
interval s (suc h a s ever y othe r fue l
stop ) an d kee p i t abov e th e
"minimum " leve l mark .
Remember , you r engin e ma y us e
mor e oi l whe n i t i s new .
Th e bes t tim e t o chec k the engin e
oi l leve l i s whe n the oi l i s warm ,
suc h a s durin g a fue l stop . Shu t of f
th e engin e and wai t about 5 minute s
fo r the oi l t o drai n bac k t o th e oi l
pan . Pul l ou t th e dipstick , wip e i t
clean , and pus h i t bac k dow n al l th e
way . No w pul l ou t th e dipstic k an d
Car e an d Maintenanc e

loo
k a t th e oi l leve l o n th e dipstick .
Th e dipstic k ha s tw o marking s
whic h indicat e th e minimu m an d
maximu m allowabl e oi l level . I f th e
oi l leve l i s lowe r tha n th e marke d
area , i t indicate s th e nee d fo r
additiona l oil . Pus h th e dipstic k
bac k dow n al l th e wa y afte r takin g

th e reading .
I
f yo u chec k th e oi l leve l whe n
th e oi l i s cold , d o no t ru n th e
engin e first . Th e col d oi l wil l
no t drai n int o th e pa n fas t
enoug h to giv e a tru e reading .

Engin e Oi l Additive s

Ther e ar e man y extr a engin e oi l
additive s fo r sale . You r engin e
shoul d no t nee d thes e extr a
additive s if yo u us e recommende d
qualit y engin e oi l an d chang e it a s
suggested . I f yo u thin k you r

engin e ha s a n oil-relate d problem ,

tal k t o you r Hond a dealer . Ai
r Cleane r Filte r
See you r Maintenanc e Schedul e fo r
change intervals . I f th e vehicl e i s
operate d in dust y area s i t wil l
requir e mor e frequen t elemen t
replacement . You r Hond a deale r
ca n b e o f assistanc e i n determinin g
th e prope r replacemen t frequenc y
fo r th e condition s unde r whic h yo u
operat e you r vehicle .
D o no t attemp t t o clea n th e ai r
filter . Th e filte r i s designe d t o
provid e norma l filterin g
efficienc y betwee n replacemen t
intervals .
Fo r maximu m protection , i t i s
advisabl e to us e genuin e Hond a ai r
cleane r filter s a s replacements .
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

Th
e engin e coolin g syste m is
designe d to maintai n th e engin e a t
th e prope r operatin g temperatures .
Th e coolin g syste m wa s fille d a t
th e factor y wit h a qualit y engin e
coolant . Th e engin e coolin g syste m
i s designe d to us e coolan t ( a
mixtur e o f wate r an d ethylen e
glyco l antifreeze ) rathe r tha n plai n
water . Th e engin e coolan t solutio n
shoul d b e use d year-round . I t ha s
man y advantage s suc h as : provide
s freezin g protectio n a s
lowas-33°F(-36°C ) provide
s boilin g protectio n u p

to262°F(128°C )

protect s agains t rus t an d
corrosio n in th e coolin g syste m maintain
s th e prope r engin e
temperatur e fo r efficien t
operatio n an d emissio n contro l allow
s prope r operatio n o f th e
engin e coolan t temperatur e gaug eSe
e th e Maintenanc e Schedul e in
thi s sectio n t o fin d ou t whe n th e
engin e coolan t mus t b e replaced .
Checkin g th e Coolan t Leve l
Chec k th e engin e coolan t leve l a t
th e interva l show n in th e
Maintenanc e Schedul e unles s ther e
i s evidenc e o f leakin g o r
overheating . Th e engin e coolan t
leve l shoul d b e betwee n th e
maximu m an d th e minimu m leve l
mark s o n th e radiato r reserv e tank .
Car e an d Maintenanc e

Recommende
d Lubrican tEngin
e Coolin g Syste m

Yo
u usuall y d o no t nee d t o remov e
th e radiato r ca p to chec k th e engin e
coolan t level .

Addin g Engin e Coolan t

T o ad d engin e coolant , remov e th e
ca p o n th e radiato r reserv e tan k
an d fil l th e tan k u p t o th e
maximu m leve l mark . Ad d a
50/5 0 mixtur e o f wate r an d a goo d
qualit y ethylen e glyco l antifreeze .I
f yo u nee d t o ad d engin e coolan t
frequently , se e you r Hond a deale r
fo r a coolin g syste m check .
I f th e prope r qualit y antifreez e
i s used , ther e is n o nee d t o ad d
extr a inhibitor s o r additives . The y
ma y b e harmfu l t o th e prope r
operatio n o f th e system .

Coolin g Syste m Servic e

Th e coolin g syste m shoul d b e

service d a t th e interval s specifie d
i n th e Maintenanc e Schedul e a s

follows :
Was
h th e radiato r ca p an d fille r

nec k wit h clea n water .
Chec
k th e engin e coolan t leve l

i n th e radiato r an d hav e i t teste d
fo r freez e protection . Ad d
ethylen e glyco l antifreeze , i f
needed , t o maintai n freez e
protectio n a t -33° F (-36°C) . Hav
e th e coolin g syste m an d
radiato r ca p teste d fo r a
pressur e capacit y of 15 ps i (10 5
kPa) . I f a replacemen t ca p i s
needed , us e a ca p specifie d fo r
you r model . Tighte
n al l radiato r an d heate r
hos e clamp s an d inspec t al l
hoses . Replac e th e hose s i f the y
ar e swollen , "checked, " o r
otherwis e worn . Carefull y
tighte n th e hos e clamp s a t th e
radiator . Overtightenin g coul d
ben d o r collaps e th e radiato r

fittings .
Clean
the fron t o f the radiato r
core and ai r conditionin g

condenser.

I t i s th e owner' s responsibilit y to : Maintai
n th e coolin g syste m
freez e protectio n a t -33° F
Car e an d Maintenanc e

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p

whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n

caus e th e coolan t t o spra y
out , seriousl y scaldin g you .

Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e

removin g th e radiato r cap .

(-36°C
) t o ensur e protectio n
agains t corrosio n an d los s o f
engin e coolan t fro m boiling .
Thi s shoul d b e don e eve n i f
freezin g temperature s ar e no t

expected .

Ad d ethylen e glycol-base d
antifreez e whe n antifreez e ha s
t o b e adde d becaus e o f engin e
coolan t los s o r i f mor e
protectio n agains t freezin g a t
temperature s lowe r tha n -33° F
(-36°C ) i s needed . D o no t us e
a n alcohol-base d o r
methanol-base d antifreeze , o r
plai n water . The y boi l a t a
lowe r point , an d d o no t provid e
corrosio n protection .
Thermosta
t

Th e engin e coolan t temperatur e i s
controlle d b y a thermostat , whic h
stop s engin e coolan t flo w throug h
th e radiato r unti l a prese t
temperatur e is reached . Thi s
thermosta t i s installe d i n th e
engin e coolan t inle t o n th e fron t
o f th e engin e block . Th e sam e
thermosta t i s use d i n bot h winte r
an d summer . Othe
r Require d

Maintenanc e

Brak e Maste r Cylinde r

Chec k th e maste r cylinde r flui d
leve l i n th e reservoi r ever y tim e
yo u chec k th e engin e oi l level .
Th e leve l shoul d b e betwee n th e
MA X an d AD D leve l line . I f th e
leve l i s lowe r tha n th e AD D leve l
line , fil l t o th e MA X leve l lin e
wit h DOT- 3 o r DOT- 4 fluid .

Car e an d Maintenanc e

I
f th e diaphrag m insid e th e
reservoi r ca p i s deformed , retur n
i t t o th e origina l (collapsed )
condition , the n tighte n th e cap .
I t i s norma l fo r th e brak e flui d
leve l t o g o dow n slightl y a s th e
fron t brak e pad s wear . S o b e sur e
t o kee p th e reservoi r flui d a t th e
prope r level .
I f th e reservoi r need s frequen t
refilling , i t ma y indicat e a seriou s
mechanica l problem .
Brak e flui d absorb s wate r fro m
th e air . Neve r us e brak e flui d tha t
ha s bee n ope n t o th e ai r fo r a n
extende d period . Thro w it awa y
an d us e ne w brak e flui d fro m a
seale d container .

Brake fluid can damage your

vehicle's paint. Thoroughly clean

up any brake fluid spills.
Shift-on-the-Fl
y Syste m

Th e flui d leve l i n th e syste m shoul d
b e checke d a t th e interval s show n
i n th e Maintenanc e Schedule .

FILLE R
PLU G

Remov e th e fille r plu g an d mak e
sur e th e flui d leve l i s u p t o th e
edge o f th e hole . I f i t i s not , ad d
GL- 5 gea r oi l t o brin g t o tha t
level . Us e th e sam e GL- 5 gea r oi l
specifie d fo r th e fron t axl e (see
pag e 216 ). Fron
t Whee l Bearing s
Clea n an d repac k th e fron t whee l
bearing s wheneve r th e fron t brak e
pad s ar e replaced . Du e t o th e
weigh t o f th e tir e an d whee l
assembl y i t i s recommende d tha t
the y b e remove d fro m th e hu b
befor e lubricatin g th e bearing s t o
preven t damag e t o th e oi l seal .
"Lon g Fiber " greas e shoul d no t b e
use d t o lubricat e th e whee l bearings .
I t ca n caus e damage . Clea n th e ol d
greas e ou t o f th e bearing s an d hub s
befor e repacking .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E