2001 HONDA PASSPORT Owners Manual

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

Tes
t you r brake s fro m tim e t o
tim e to mak e sur e the y ar e
operatin g properly . Thi s wil l als o
giv e yo u a fee l fo r ho w muc h
tractio n yo u hav e o n a give n

surface .
Controllin
g Steerin g
Unlik
e drivin g o n pavement ,
off-roa d terrai n ha s a wa y o f
"kickin g back. " I f yo u hi t a rock ,
pothol e o r a sudde n chang e in
surface , i t ca n mak e th e steerin g
whee l tur n rapidl y an d
unexpectedly . T o maintai n
control , hol d th e outsid e o f th e
steerin g whee l firml y wit h bot h
hands . Don' t hol d th e spoke s o r
hoo k you r thumb s insid e th e
wheel . Yo u coul d hur t you r hand s
a s wel l a s los e control .
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 .

Turnin
g
Off-road , th e basi c turnin g
techniqu e i s t o driv e a t lo w spee d
an d graduall y adjus t th e amoun t
o f steerin g t o sui t th e surface .
Yo u shoul d hav e n o proble m
makin g shar p turn s o n leve l
groun d - if yo u kee p spee d low .
Bu t on e thin g yo u shoul d NO T do ,
off-roa d o r o n pavement , i s mak e abrup
t turn s a t highe r speeds .
Wit h a higher center o f gravity ,
you r vehicl e ca n mor e easil y ti p
o r rol l ove r i n a turn .
Brakin g
Th e bes t off-roa d brakin g
techniqu e t o us e wit h anti-loc k
brakes is to gently depress the
brak e peda l a t first , the n increas e
th e pressur e a s mor e brakin g is

needed.

Avoi d har d braking . Ligh t t o
moderat e brakin g i s usuall y al l
tha t i s necessar y o n sof t surface s
suc h a s sof t sand , loos e dir t o r
gravel , powder y snow , o r mud .
I f yo u nee d t o brak e har d becaus e
o f a n emergency , appl y stead y
eve n pressur e t o th e brak e pedal .
D o no t pum p th e brakes ; le t th e
anti-lock
braking system pump

them for you. If you pump the
brakes, the anti-lock cannot work

as efficiently, and your
stopping

distance
may be increased.

Keep in mind that, in general, you

need more time and distance to

brak e to a sto p whe n drivin g

off-road.

Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

Driving
in Hilly Terrain
Hills , an d trail s throug h hills ,
presen t som e o f th e greates t
challenge s an d mos t seriou s
hazard s off-road . I f you'r e ne w to
off-roa d driving , star t wit h gentl e
inclines , tak e tim e t o lear n ho w
you r vehicl e handle s o n slopes ,
an d rea d th e informatio n tha t
follows . I f you'r e a n experience d
off-roader , conside r th e guideline s
belo w a s importan t reminder s tha t
ca n enhanc e you r driving , o r eve n
sav e you r life . Approaching
a Hill

Whe n yo u approac h a hill , yo u

nee d to decid e whethe r it' s on e
tha t yo u an d you r vehicl e ca n
handle . Fo r example , as k yourself :
I s th e hil l to o steep ? I s th e
inclin e constant , o r ar e ther e
place s wher e it get s suddenl y
steeper ? I f a hil l i s to o stee p i n

an y section , yo u ma y ru n ou t o f

powe r an d no t b e abl e to continu
e forward . I f yo u
accelerat e suddenl y o n a ver y
stee p hill , th e vehicl e ma y ti p
ove r backwards . I
s ther e enoug h tractio n fo r yo u
t o mak e it t o th e top ? Withou t
adequat e traction,yo u ca n stal l
o r eve n slid e backwards .
Ar e ther e obstacles , suc h a s
rocks , rut s o r ditche s tha t coul d
bloc k you r path ? Hittin g a
bum p coul d upse t you r vehicle ,
an d turnin g to avoi d a n obstacl e
coul d mak e i t rol l over .
I f there' s n o saf e predetermine d
path , ca n yo u driv e straigh t u p
th e hil l withou t turning ? Unles s
a hil l i s ver y gentl y sloped , i t
ma y no t b e saf e to tur n o n a hill . D
o yo u kno w what' s o n th e
othe r sid e o f th e hill ? Onc e yo u
reac h th e top , you'l l nee d a saf e
rout e t o ge t dow n o r out .
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

I
f yo u don' t kno w th e answer s t o

thes e question s befor e beginnin g

a n ascent , stop , wal k u p th e hil l
an d fin d out .

I f yo u decid e tha t i t i s saf e t o

driv e u p a hill :
Select a suitable low gear and
firmly grip the steering wheel.

Approach th e hil l wit h
enoug
h

spee d t o smoothl y star t u p th e

hill .

Maintai n a steady speed as yo u
clim b th e

hill .
Reduc e spee d
a
s yo u approach
th e top , an d watc h fo r othe r
vehicle s tha t ma y b e
approachin g th e to p fro m th e
othe r sid e o f th e hill .

If You Stall Going Up a Hill

I f a hil l i s steeper than yo u
expected , tractio n is poorer ,
o r yo u don' t maintai n sufficien t
speed, you ma y begi n t o stall . I f
tha t happens:
Conside r downshiftin g i f yo u
ar e jus t beginnin g t o slo w

down .
I
f yo u can' t downshift , o r i f
downshiftin g doesn' t help , sto p
th e vehicl e an d se t th e parkin g

brake .

I f yo u hav e passengers, you
ma y wan t t o hav e the m ge t ou t
an d mov e awa y fro m th e

vehicle.

I f yo u ar e headed straight u p
th e hill , shif t int o reverse ,
releas e th e parkin g brake , an d
slowl y bac k straight down th e
hill , usin g th e brak e peda l t o
contro l speed .
I f yo u ar e no t heade d straigh t
uphil l o r yo u don' t fee l
comfortabl e backin g down ,
don't . I f th e engin e i s stil l
running , leav e th e parkin g
brak e on , shif t t o Par k
(automatic transmission ) o r
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n
Driving
Up a Hill

Firs
t (manua l transmission) ,
the n tur n th e engin e off . Se e
tha t an y passenger s carefull y
ge t ou t an d clea r o f th e vehicle ,
the n g o ge t help .

Driving Down a Hill

Befor e drivin g dow n a hill , a s

wit h drivin g u p a hill , yo u need to

evaluat e whethe r yo u ca n mak e it
safel
y t o th e botto m an d awa y
fro m th e slope . Ask : I
s th e hil l to o stee p t o maintai n
spee d an d steerin g control ?
I s th e surfac e to o roug h o r to o
slippery ?
Ca n yo u driv e straigh t dow n
withou t turning ?
I s ther e a saf e exi t whe n yo u
reac h th e botto m o f th e hill ? I
f yo u decid e yo u ca n safel y
descen d a hill :
Shif t int o a lo w gear . Thi s let s
engin e compressio n (o r engin e
braking ) hel p contro l spee d an d
kee p you r brake s fro m
overheating .
Hol d th e steerin g whee l firml y
an d driv e straigh t dow n th e

hill .

Gentl y appl y th e brake s t o hel p
contro l speed , bu t d o no t "ride "
th e brakes . I f yo u smel l ho t
brakes or fee l brak e fade , shif t
t o a lowe r gea r o r sto p an d le t
th e brake s coo l down .
Tr y no t t o brake hard. I f yo u d o
appl y the brakes hard, d o no t
pum p th e brake pedal . Pumpin g
doe s no t allo w th e anti-loc k
brake system to wor k a s

Off-Roa d
Drivin g Informatio n

efficiently
, whic h ma y increas e

you r stoppin g distance .

Driving Across Slopes

Ther e ma y b e time s whe n yo u
notic e a trai l begi n t o slop e t o on e
sid e o r another . O r yo u ma y b e
drivin g in ope n countr y an d se e a
hil l o r slop e yo u wan t t o conside r
crossin g a t a n angle . Crossin g o r
drivin g o n a smooth , low-angl e dir t slop
e o r trai l ma y b e n o problem .
Bu t befor e yo u driv e o n an y slope d
terrain , conside r thes e facts :
A slop e tha t yo u ca n driv e
straigh t u p o r dow n ca n b e to o
stee p to driv e across .
Whe n yo u driv e straigh t u p o r
dow n a slope , th e lengt h o f th e
whee l bas e reduce s th e chanc e
o f you r vehicl e tippin g ove r
backwar d o r forward . Whe
n yo u driv e acros s a slope ,
you r vehicle' s highe r cente r o f
gravit y an d narrowe r trac k
increase s th e chanc e o f tippin g
o r rollin g over .
Drivin g acros s a slop e put s
mor e weigh t o n th e downhil l
wheels , whic h increase s th e
chanc e o f tipping . I
f yo u driv e acros s a slop e an d
a n uphil l whee l hit s a bump , o r
i f a downhil l whee l drop s int o a
ru t o r hole , you r vehicl e wil l
ti p downwar d eve n more .
I f yo u can' t clearl y se e al l terrai n
condition s (goo d traction , n o
bumps , hole s o r othe r obstacles , a
saf e wa y dow n an d out , etc.) , sto p
an d wal k th e slop e o r trai l befor e
yo u driv e o n it . I f yo u hav e an y
doub t whethe r yo u ca n safel y
driv e acros s a slop e o r slopin g
trail , don't do it. Fin d anothe r

route .

Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n