2001 HONDA PASSPORT brake

Off-Roa
d Driving Considerations

Whe n yo u leav e pave d roads , yo u
leav e a generall y predictabl e an d
orderl y worl d behind . Yo u won' t
fin d lan e marker s o r traffi c
signals . N o on e wil l b e ther e t o
war n yo u o f troubl e ahead . It' s u p
t o yo u t o asses s situation s an d
driv e withi n limits . Th e terrai n
ha s limit s (som e hill s ar e to o
steep , fo r example) . Yo u hav e
limit s (i n skill s an d comfor t
level) . An d off-roa d vehicle s als o
hav e limit s (traction , stability , an d
power , fo r instance) .
Followin g ar e som e importan t tip s
o n ho w to dea l wit h som e o f th e
challenge s o f drivin g off-road .
Usin
g You r Senses

You nee d t o us e you r senses a
littl e differentl y off-road . Kee p
you r eye s moving , constantl y
watchin g fo r obstacle s an d
evaluatin g th e terrain . Chec k you r
gauge s frequently . Liste n fo r
unusua l sound s fro m you r engin e
an d tires . Pa y attentio n t o th e
smel l o f overheate d brakes . An d
whe n yo u fee l excessiv e
vibration s o r bouncing , th e terrai n
i s tellin g yo u t o slo w down .
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

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

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

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