2001 HONDA PASSPORT ESP

an
d othe r usefu l information .
Recreationa l vehicl e club s ca n pu t
yo u i n touc h wit h othe r drivers ,
an d off-roa d magazine s publis h
first-han d description s o f drivin g
locations .
T o hel p kee p off-roa d drivin g
areas open , sta y o n roads , trail s
an d ope n areas approve d fo r
off-highwa y vehicle s (OHVs) .
Please respec t n o trespassing
signs , an d don' t driv e o n privat e
propert y withou t permission .Chec
k Ou t You r Vehicl e
Off-roa d drivin g ca n b e har d o n a
vehicle , requirin g extr a attentio n
t o maintenance . Befor e drivin g
off-road , b e sur e al l schedule d
maintenanc e an d servic e ha s bee n
done , an d tha t yo u hav e als o
inspecte d you r vehicle . Pa y
specia l attentio n t o th e conditio n
o f th e tire s an d use a gauge to
check the tire pressures. Improperl
y inflate d tire s ca n b e
mor e easil y damage d b y rock s
an d othe r har d o r shar p objects .
D o no t le t ai r ou t o f you r tire s
unles s yo u ca n reinflat e the m
soo n afte r returnin g t o pavement ,
an d remembe r t o periodicall y
inspect the tire s fo r sign s o f
damage , especiall y i f yo u hi t a
larg e o r shar p rock .

Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

Readin
g th e Terrai n
I n nature , visua l informatio n come s
i n unpredictabl e ways . Tha t mean s
yo u nee d t o sta y alert , constantl y
surve y th e terrain , an d g o slo w
enoug h t o analyz e situation s an d
mak e goo d decisions .
A s you r eye s searc h th e terrai n
ahead , watc h fo r change s i n
surfac e conditions . Surface s ca n
var y widely , an d tractio n ca n
chang e quit e suddenly . On e
minut e yo u ca n b e o n fir m soi l
an d th e nex t minut e i n sof t san d
o r dee p mud . A trai l o r roa d ca n
quickl y chang e fro m leve l t o
bumpy . I t ca n suddenl y slop e a t a
dangerou s angle , o r eve n
disappea r i n a n unexpecte d

drop-off .
Road
s an d trail s aren' t banke d fo r
turns , an d th e edges can be steep
berm s o r drop-offs . Whe n yo u
driv e dow n a grade d road , watc h
ahea d fo r ruts , pothole s an d
washouts . Som e trail s ca n offe r
mor e surprises . A smooth ,
invitin g trai l ca n suddenl y twis t
u p o r down , become very narrow ,
b e blocke d b y a falle n tree ,
tangle d wit h roots , o r dwindl e t o a
tigh t dead-end .
Som e areas don't hav e road s o r
trail s - jus t wid e ope n spaces
wher e yo u mus t carefull y choos e
you r path . Controllin
g Spee d
Off-road , th e genera l rul e i s t o
kee p you r speed low. O f course ,
you'l l nee d enoug h speed to kee p
movin g forward , especiall y o n
sand , mud , sof t snow , an d whe n
startin g u p a hill . Bu t to o muc h
speed leads to problems .
A t highe r speeds you hav e les s
tim e t o rea d th e terrai n an d mak e
goo d decisions . You'l l als o
bounc e more , whic h make s
controllin g th e vehicl e mor e
difficult . An d there' s a greate r
chanc e o f slidin g i f yo u brak e o r
tur n quickl y o n we t soil , grave l o r
ice . In an y situation , neve r go
faste r tha n condition s allow .

Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

Drivin
g Off-Roa d

Drivin g off-roa d ca n b e hazardou s
i f yo u fai l t o tak e th e prope r
precautions . Fo r example , yo u ca n
hav e a n acciden t o r rol l ove r
durin g maneuver s suc h a s turning ,
drivin g o n hills , o r ove r obstacles .
Th e followin g page s contai n
practica l tip s o n basi c off-roa d
operations . The y als o giv e
importan t guideline s abou t
drivin g o n hills , avoidin g
obstacles , an d othe r situation s yo u
ma y encounter .
Startin
g Of f

Fo r bette r tractio n o n al l surfaces ,
accelerate slowly an d graduall y
buil d u p speed. If yo u start too
fas t o n wet soil , mud , sno w o r ice ,
yo u migh t no t hav e enoug h
tractio n t o ge t underway . O n soft
sand , yo u coul d di g yoursel f int o
a hole.
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n
Improperl
y operatin g thi s
vehicl e off-roa d ca n caus e a n
acciden t o r rollove r i n whic h
yo u an d you r passenger s
coul d b e seriousl y injure d o r
killed .
Follo w al l instruction s an d
guideline s i n thi s booklet .
Kee p you r spee d lo w an d
don' t driv e faste r tha n
condition s permit .
Don' t tak e chance s an d b e
especiall y carefu l o n hill s
an d roug h terrain .

Ge
t a to w fro m anothe r vehicl e
b y usin g a towin g rope , stra p o r
chain . T o b e successful , th e
pullin g vehicl e wil l nee d
adequat e powe r an d traction .
B e sur e th e rope , stra p o r chai n
i s attache d t o th e frame s (no t
bumpers ) o f bot h vehicles , an d
kee p peopl e awa y i n cas e th e
connectin g devic e breaks . Us
e a winch . I f yo u hav e a
winch , yo u migh t b e abl e t o
attac h i t t o anothe r vehicl e o r a
sturdy , fixe d objec t (suc h a s a
tree) . O r anothe r vehicl e wit h a
winc h ma y b e abl e t o attac h it
t o you r vehicl e an d pul l yo u
out .
Ge t experience d help . Thi s i s
ofte n th e bes t solution ,
especiall y i f yo u hav e du g i n
deep , ar e stuc k i n mu d o r o n
slope d terrain .
Grounde
d o n a Bum p o r Lo g

Yo u hav e fewe r option s i f yo u
botto m ou t (o r high-center ) o n a
bump , log , o r othe r raise d
obstacle . Yo u ca n tr y gettin g a
to w (forwar d o r backward ) fro m
anothe r vehicle , us e a winc h (se e
abov e fo r additiona l tips) , o r ge t
experience d help .
Fla t Tir e
Chang e a fla t tir e onl y i f th e
vehicl e i s o n firm , leve l groun d
tha t ca n safel y suppor t th e jack . I f
thi s i s no t th e case , you r option s
are : driv e slowl y an d carefull y
unti l yo u reac h firm , leve l ground ;
ge t a to w fro m anothe r vehicl e (a s
describe d above) ; o r sen d fo r
experience d help .
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

abrasion
s o r bruises . Dependin g o n th e angl e
o f impac t an d othe r factors , yo u ca n als o ge t
bumps , cuts , o r eve n broke n bone s fro m
strikin g th e windshiel d o r othe r vehicl e parts .
O f course , ver y sever e collision s ca n
caus e mor e seriou s injuries , includin g fata l
injuries—eve n whe n sea t belt s ar e properl y
wor n an d th e airbag s deploy .
After
an airbag deploys, there is smoke in the

air. Is this harmful?

Th e smok e o r powde r yo u ma y se e i s no t
harmfu l t o mos t people . However , peopl e
wit h breathin g problem s ma y experienc e som e
respirator y distress . I f thi s i s th e case , ge t ou t
o f th e car , o r ope n th e window s o r doors , a s

soo n a s i t i s saf e t o d o so .
Can
an airbag be used more than once?
Airbag s ar e designe d fo r one-tim e us e only .
I n a collisio n wit h multipl e impacts , th e
airbag s wil l deplo y onl y durin g th e firs t
sever e fronta l impact . Afte r airbag s deploy ,
th e bag s an d associate d part s mus t b e
replaced . An y sea t belt s wor n wil l als o
nee d t o b e replaced .