2001 HONDA PASSPORT Owners Manual

Properl
y adjuste d hea d restraint s
wil l hel p protec t occupant s fro m
whiplas h an d othe r cras h injuries .
Se e pag e 9 3 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
hea d restraints . 5
. Faste n an d Positio n th e
Sea t Belt s
Using a Lap/Shoulder Belt
Inser t th e latc h plat e int o th e
buckle , the n tu g o n th e bel t t o
mak e sur e th e bel t i s securel y
latched . Als o chec k tha t th e bel t i s
no t twisted , becaus e a twiste d bel t
ca n caus e seriou s injurie s in a

crash .
Positio
n th e la p par t o f th e bel t a s
lo w a s possibl e acros s you r hips ,
the n pul l u p o n th e shoulde r par t
o f th e bel t s o th e la p par t fit s
snugly . Thi s let s you r stron g
pelvi c bone s tak e th e forc e o f a
crash and reduce s th e chanc e o f
interna l injuries .
I f necessary , pul l u p o n th e bel t
agai n t o remov e an y slac k fro m
th e shoulde r part , the n chec k tha t
th e bel t rest s acros s th e cente r o f
you r ches t an d ove r you r shoulder .
Thi s spread s th e force s o f a cras h
ove r th e stronges t bone s i n you r
uppe r body .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Improperl
y positionin g hea d

restraint s reduce s thei r
effectivenes s an d yo u ca n b e
seriousl y injure d in a crash .
Mak e sur e hea d restraint s ar e
i n plac e an d positione d
properl y befor e driving .
Improperly positionin g th e sea t
belt s ca n caus e seriou s injur y
o r deat h in a crash .

Mak e sur e al l sea t belt s ar e

properl y positione d befor e yo u

drive .

I
f th e sea t bel t touche s o r crosse s
you r neck , o r i f i t crosse s you r
ar m instea d o f you r shoulder , yo u
nee d t o adjus t th e sea t bel t ancho r
height . T
o adjus t th e heigh t o f a sea t bel t
ancho r i n th e fron t o r th e rear ,
pres s th e releas e butto n an d slid e
th e ancho r u p o r dow n a s neede d
(i t ha s fou r positions) .
Never place the shoulder portion
of a lap/shoulder belt under your
arm or behind your back. This
coul d caus e ver y seriou s injurie s
i n a crash . Using
the Lap Belt
Inser t th e latc h plat e int o th e
buckl e marke d CENTER .
I f th e bel t i s to o short , hol d th e
latc h plat e a t a righ t angl e an d
pul l o n th e plat e t o exten d th e
belt . The n inser t th e latc h plat e
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

int
o th e buckle , an d tu g o n th e
bel t t o mak e sur e th e bel t i s

securel y latched .

Positio n th e bel t a s lo w a s
possibl e acros s you r hips . Thi s
let s you r stron g pelvi c bone s tak e
th e forc e o f a cras h an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f interna l injuries .
Pul l o n th e loos e en d o f th e bel t
fo r a snu g bu t comfortabl e fit . If
a Seat Belt Doesn't Work

Properly

I f a sea t bel t doe s no t see m to
wor k a s i t should , i t ma y no t
protec t th e occupan t i n a crash .

No one should sit in a seat with

a n inoperative seat belt. Anyon e

usin g a sea t bel t tha t i s no t
workin g properl y ca n b e seriousl y
injure d o r killed . Hav e you r
Hond a deale r chec k th e bel t a s
soo n a s possible .
See pag e 4 1 fo r additiona l
informatio n abou t you r sea t bel t
syste m an d ho w to tak e car e o f
you r belts .
6
. Adjus t th e Steerin g Whee l

Adjus t th e steerin g wheel , i f
needed , s o tha t th e whee l point s
towar d you r chest , no t towar d
you r face .
Pointin g th e steerin g whee l
towar d you r ches t provide s
optima l protectio n fro m th e

airbag .

See pag e 11 5 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
steerin g wheel .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

7
. Maintai n a Prope r Sittin g

Positio n

Afte r al l occupant s hav e adjuste d
thei r seat s an d pu t o n sea t belts , i t
i s ver y importan t tha t the y
continu e t o si t upright , wel l bac k
i n thei r seats , wit h thei r fee t o n
th e floor , unti l th e vehicl e i s
parke d an d th e engin e
i s off .
Sittin g improperl y ca n increas e
th e chanc e o f injur y durin g a
crash . Fo r example , i f a n occupan t
slouches , lie s down , turns
sideways , sit s forward , lean s
forwar d o r sideways , o r put s on e
o r bot h fee t up , th e chanc e o f
injur y durin g a cras h is greatl y

increased .

I n addition , a n occupan t wh o i s
ou t o f positio n i n th e fron t sea t
ca n b e seriousl y o r fatall y injure d
b y strikin g interio r part s o f th e
vehicle
, o r b y bein g struc k b y a n

inflatin g airbag .

Remember , t o ge t th e bes t
protectio n fro m you r vehicle' s
airbag s an d othe r safet y features ,
yo u mus t si t properl y an d wea r
you r sea t bel t properly . Advic
e fo r Pregnan t Wome n
Becaus e protectin g th e mothe r i s
th e bes t wa y t o protec t he r unbor n
child , a pregnan t woma n shoul d
alway s wea r a sea t bel t wheneve r
sh e drive s o r ride s i n a vehicle .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet ySittin
g improperl y o r ou t o f
positio n ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h in a crash .
Alway s si t upright , wel l bac k i n
th e seat , wit h you r fee t o n th e

floor .

W
e recommen d tha t a pregnan t
woma n us e a lap/shoulde r bel t
wheneve r possible . Remembe r t o
kee p th e la p portio n o f th e bel t a s
lo w a s possibl e acros s you r hips .
Pregnan t wome n shoul d als o si t a s
fa r bac k a s possibl e fro m th e
steerin g whee l o r dashboard . Thi s
wil l reduc e th e ris k o f injurie s t o
bot h th e mothe r an d he r unbor n
chil d tha t ca n b e cause d b y a
cras h o r a n inflatin g airbag .
Eac h tim e yo u hav e a checkup ,
ask you r docto r i f it' s oka y fo r
yo u t o drive .

Additiona l Safet y
Precaution s
Two
people should never use

the same seat belt. If the y do ,

the y coul d b e ver y seriousl y
injure d in a crash .
Do
not put any accessories on

seat belts. Device s intende d to
improv e occupan t comfort , o r
repositio n th e shoulde r par t o f a
sea t belt , ca n severel y
compromis e th e protectiv e
capabilit y o f th e sea t bel t an d
increas e th e chanc e o f seriou s
injur y i n a crash .
Do
not place hard or sharp

objects between yourself and

a n airbag. Carryin g har d o r
shar p object s o n you r lap , o r
drivin g wit h a pip e o r othe r
shar p objec t i n you r mouth , ca n
resul t i n injurie s i f you r airbag s

inflate .

Keep your hands and arms
away from the airbag covers.

I f you r hand s o r arm s ar e clos e

t o th e SR S cover s i n th e cente r
o f th e steerin g whee l o r o n to p
o
f th e dashboard , the y coul d b e
injure d if th e airbag s inflate .

Never let passengers ride in

the cargo area or on top of a
folded-down back seat. All

passenger s mus t si t i n locked ,

uprigh t seat s an d b e properl y

restraine d b y sea t belts .
Do
not attach or place objects
o n the airbag covers. Any
objec t attache d t o o r place d o n
th e cover s marke d "SR S
AIRBAG " i n th e cente r o f th e
steerin g whee l an d o n to p o f
th e dashboar d coul d interfer e
wit h th e prope r operatio n o f th e
airbags . Or , i f th e airbag s
inflate , th e object s coul d b e
propelle d insid e th e ca r an d
hur t someone .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Childre n depen d o n adult s t o
protec t them . However , despit e
thei r bes t intentions , man y parent s
an d othe r adult s ma y no t kno w
ho w to properly protect youn g

passengers .

S o i f yo u hav e children , o r i f yo u
eve r nee d t o driv e wit h a
grandchil d o r othe r childre n i n
you r vehicle , b e sur e t o rea d thi s

section .
A
H Childre n Mus t B e
Restraine d

Eac h year , man y childre n ar e
injure d o r kille d in vehicl e crashe s
becaus e the y ar e eithe r
unrestraine d o r no t properl y
restrained . I n fact , vehicl e
accident s ar e th e numbe r on e
caus e o f deat h o f childre n age s 1 2
an d under . T
o reduc e th e numbe r o f chil d
death s an d injuries , ever y stat e
require s tha t infant s an d childre n
b e restraine d wheneve r the y rid e
i n a vehicle .
Any child who is too small to

wear a seat belt should be

properly restrained in a child

seat. (See pag e 21 .)

A larger child should always be

restrained with a seat belt. (See

pag e 34 .)

Additional Precautions to

Parents
Never hold an infant or child

o n your lap. If yo u ar e no t
wearin g a sea t bel t i n a crash ,
yo u coul d b e throw n forwar d
int o th e dashboar d an d crus h
th e child .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Childre
n wh o ar e unrestraine d

o r improperl y restraine d ca n b e
seriousl y injure d o r kille d in a

crash .

An y chil d to o smal l fo r a sea t
bel t shoul d b e properl y
restraine d in a chil d seat . A
large r chil d shoul d b e properl y
restraine d wit h a sea t belt .

I
f yo u ar e wearin g a sea t belt ,
th e chil d ca n b e tor n fro m you r
arms . Fo r example , i f you r
vehicl e crashe s int o a parke d
vehicl e a t 3 0 mp h (4 8 km/h) , a
2 0 I b ( 9 kg ) infan t wil l becom e
a 60 0 I b (27 5 kg ) force , an d
yo u wil l no t b e abl e t o hol d on . Never
put a seat belt over
yourself and an infant or
child. Durin g a crash , th e bel t
coul d pres s dee p int o th e chil d
an d caus e ver y seriou s injuries .Childre
n Shoul d Si t i n th e

Bac k Sea t

Accordin g t o acciden t statistics ,
childre n o f al l ages and size s ar e
safe r whe n the y are restraine d i n
th e bac k seat , no t th e fron t seat .
Th e Nationa l Highwa y Traffi c
Safet y Administratio n
recommend s tha t al l childre n ages
1 2 an d unde r b e properl y
restraine d i n th e bac k seat .
I n th e bac k seat , childre n are les s
likel y t o b e injure d b y strikin g
har d interio r part s durin g a
collisio n o r har d braking . Also ,
childre n canno t b e injure d b y a n
inflatin g airba g whe n the y rid e i n
th e back .
Th
e Passenger's Airbag

Poses Seriou s Risk s to

Childre n

Airbag s hav e bee n designe d t o
hel p protec t adult s i n a moderat e
t o sever e fronta l collision . T o d o
this , th e passenger' s airba g is
quit e large , an d i t inflate s wit h
tremendou s speed .
Infants
Never put a rear-facing child
seat in the front seat of a vehicle

equipped with a passenger's

airbag. If th e airba g inflates , i t
ca n hi t th e bac k o f th e chil d sea t
wit h enoug h forc e t o kil l o r ver y
seriousl y injur e a n infant .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Small
Children

Placing a forward-facing child

seat in the front seat of a vehicle

equipped with a passenger's

airbag can be hazardous. If th e
vehicl e sea t i s to o fa r forward , o r
th e child' s hea d is throw n forwar d
durin g a collision , a n inflatin g
airba g ca n strik e th e chil d wit h
enoug h forc e t o kil l o r ver y
seriousl y injur e a smal l child .
Larger Children

Children who have outgrown

child seats are also at risk of

being injured or killed by an

inflating passenger's airbag.

Wheneve r possible , large r

childre n shoul d si t i n th e bac k
seat , properl y restraine d wit h a
sea t belt . (Se e pag e 3 4 fo r

importan t informatio n abou t
protectin g large r children. )
T
o remin d yo u o f th e passenger' s

airba g hazards , an d tha t childre n

mus t b e properl y restraine d in th e
bac k seat , you r vehicl e ha s

warnin g label s o n th e dashboard ,

an d o n th e driver' s an d fron t

passenger' s visors . Pleas e rea d

an d follo w th e instruction s o n

thes e labels .
I
f Yo u Mus t Driv e Wit h
Severa l Childre n

You r vehicl e ha s thre e seatin g
position s i n th e bac k sea t wher e
childre n ca n b e properl y

restrained .

I f yo u eve r hav e t o carr y mor e
tha n thre e childre n in you r
vehicle : Plac
e th e larges t chil d in th e
fron t seat , provide d th e chil d is
larg e enoug h to wea r a sea t bel t
properl y (se e pag e 34 ).
Mov e th e vehicl e sea t a s fa r t o
th e rea r a s possibl e (se e pag e

10 ).

Hav e th e chil d si t uprigh t an d
wel l bac k in th e sea t (se e pag e

16 ).

Mak e sur e th e sea t bel t i s
properl y positione d an d
secure d (se e pag e 13 ).

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y