2001 HONDA PASSPORT Owners Manual

Obstacle
s

It' s ver y commo n t o encounte r
rocks , bumps , holes and logs
off-road . Her e ar e a fe w tip s o n
ho w to dea l wit h them . Rocks
: Larg e rock s ca n
damag e you r suspensio n o r
othe r components , an d eve n
small , shar p rock s ca n cu t you r
tires . Alway s g o slo w in rock y
terrain , an d carefull y maneuve r
aroun d an y roc k tha t ma y b e
to o large .
Bump s an d Holes : Larg e
bump s an d hole s ca n bounc e
yo u aroun d an d caus e yo u t o
los e contro l o r ge t stuck . Slo w
dow n whe n th e terrai n get s
roug h s o yo u ca n kee p contro l
o f th e vehicle . Logs
: Drivin g ove r a larg e lo g
migh t damage your vehicl e o r
caus e yo u t o ge t stuck . I f yo u
can' t driv e aroun d th e log , yo u
ma y b e able to bac k u p an d
loo k fo r a bette r path .
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

Crossin
g a Strea m

Before driving throug h water , sto p
an d mak e sur e that : Th
e wate r i s neve r dee p enoug h
t o cove r you r whee l hubs , axle s
o r exhaus t pipe . Yo u coul d
stall , an d no t b e abl e to restar t
th e engine . Th e wate r coul d
als o damag e importan t vehicl e

components .
Th
e wate r i s no t flowin g to o
fast . Dee p rushin g wate r ca n
swee p yo u downstream . Eve n
ver y shallo w rushin g wate r
ca n was h th e groun d fro m
unde r you r tire s an d caus e yo u
t o los e tractio n an d possibl y
rol l over . Th
e bank s ar e slope d s o yo u
ca n driv e out . Th
e bank s an d surfac e unde r
th e wate r provid e goo d
traction . Th e wate r ma y hid e
hazard s suc h a s rocks , holes , o r

mud .

I f yo u decid e it' s saf e t o driv e
throug h water , choos e a lo w gea r
an d suitabl e speed , the n procee d
withou t shiftin g o r changin g
speed . A t fas t speeds , wate r ca n
mor e easil y splas h o n you r
ignitio n system , whic h coul d
mak e th e engin e stall .
Afte r drivin g throug h water , tes t
you r brakes . I f th e brake s go t wet ,
driv e slowl y whil e gentl y
pumpin g th e brake s unti l the y
operat e normally .
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

Driving
in Ba d Weathe r
Drivin g i n ligh t rai n shoul d caus e
n o specia l drivin g problems . Bu t
heav y rai n ca n impai r visibility ,
mak e off-roa d surface s slippery ,
swel l stream s an d caus e flooding .
Avoi d streambed s an d canyon s
wheneve r rai n i s heav y o r ther e
ar e thunderstorm s i n flash-floo d
areas . Fin d a safe plac e t o stop if
yo u can' t continu e drivin g safely . Driving
in sno w ca n als o impai r
visibility . A s sno w cover s th e
ground , i t ca n concea l rocks , ruts ,
ditche s an d othe r hazards . Sno w
ca n mak e i t impossibl e t o follo w a
trai l o r choos e a saf e path . I f sno w
threaten s t o becom e heavy , w e
recommen d tha t yo u leav e th e
are a a s soo n a s possibl e an d retur n
t o pavement . Shoul d yo u nee d t o
sto p whil e it' s snowing , d o no t le t
th e engin e idl e fo r a prolonge d
tim e unles s yo u hav e goo d
ventilation . Carbo n monoxid e ca n
collec t i n th e vehicl e an d cause
illnes s or death .
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

I
f yo u Ge t Stuc k

I f yo u eve r ge t stuc k off-road ,
stop , asses s th e situation , conside r
al l you r options , the n choos e a
saf e an d appropriat e cours e o f

action .

Alway s pu t you r safet y an d you r
passengers ' safet y first . Ther e
ma y b e time s whe n quic k actio n is
necessary , bu t it' s generall y bes t i f
yo u d o no t over-react . Tryin g t o
muscl e you r wa y ou t b y
continuin g t o spi n th e wheel s
rarel y helps , an d it ca n mak e it
eve n harder to ge t out . Othe
r thing s yo u shoul d no t d o

are:
D
o no t us e a jack . A jac k onl y
work s o n firm , leve l terrain .
Also , you r vehicl e coul d easil y
sli p of f th e jac k an d hur t yo u o r
someon e else . D
o no t "rock " th e vehicl e
forwar d an d backwar d b y
shiftin g bac k an d fort h betwee n
Firs t an d Reverse . Thi s ca n
damag e you r transmission .
Followin g ar e a fe w tip s o n ho w
yo u migh t dea l wit h thre e
differen t situations . Stuc
k in Mud or Loose

Terrai n

Her e ar e som e option s fo r yo u t o
conside r i f yo u ge t stuc k i n sof t
sand , loos e soi l o r gravel , o r dee p

mud :
Shif
t int o 4-whee l driv e i f yo u
hav e 4-wheel drive an d aren' t
alread y i n it . I f yo u aren' t i n
to o deep , thi s ma y b e al l yo u
nee d t o ge t going . Lettin
g som e ai r ou t o f th e tire s
ma y hel p yo u ge t bette r

traction .
Yo
u ma y wan t t o use a shove l
t o di g ou t som e soi l aroun d th e
tires. If yo u do , kee p a safe
distanc e fro m th e vehicl e i n
case it moves .
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n

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

Whe
n yo u decid e t o sto p off-road ,
whether for a brief rest or to
spend the night, choose a firm,
leve l plac e t o park . D o no t par k
on a soft surface, on damp,
marshy land, or in streambeds or
gullies in flash-flood areas. If the
ground is not level, you should
block the wheels to prevent the
vehicle from rolling.
Off-Road Drivin g Informatio n
Parking

Befor
e returnin g t o pavement :
Chec k th e conditio n o f you r
tires . Damage d tire s ar e mor e
likel y t o fai l an d shoul d no t b e
use d o n pavement .
I f yo u le t ai r ou t o f you r tires ,
inflat e the m to th e
recommende d level s befor e
goin g an y distanc e o n
pavement . I f yo u must drive
wit h underinflate d tires , d o no t
excee d 3 0 mph . Remov
e an y mu d tha t ma y
hav e stuc k t o th e tires , wheels ,
o r driveshafts . Mu d ca n caus e
imbalanc e an d damag e
importan t vehicl e components .
Remov e an y twigs , rock s o r
othe r object s yo u migh t hav e
picke d u p alon g th e way . Follo
w al l procedure s fo r
shiftin g bac k t o 2-whee l driv e
i f you'v e been travelin g i n
4-whee l drive .
Whe n yo u ge t home , thoroughl y
was h you r vehicl e an d inspec t i t
closel y fo r sign s o f damage . Giv e
specia l attentio n t o th e tires , rims ,
suspensio n an d othe r underbod y
components , an d correc t an y
proble m yo u find . Als o mak e sur e
al l nuts , bolt s an d othe r critica l
fastener s ar e properl y secured . Drivin
g off-roa d cause s mor e
wear-and-tea r o n th e pain t an d
exterio r trim . Stones and other
debri s throw n u p b y you r tires ,
an d th e tire s o f othe r off-roa d
vehicle s yo u ar e following , ca n
chi p th e pain t an d chrome . Bushe s
an d tre e branche s ca n cause
hairlin e scratches . Althoug h ther e
ar e som e protectiv e device s
availabl e (mu d guards , etc. ) a
vehicl e tha t i s drive n off-roa d will
incu r mor e damag e tha n on e tha t
i s not . Frequen t washin g an d
waxin g ma y hel p t o minimiz e th e
damage caused b y off-roa d

driving .

Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n
Inspectio
n an d Cleanin g