2001 HONDA PASSPORT towing

Traile
r Towin g

You r Hond a vehicl e i s designe d
fo r passenger an d carg o
transportation . Wit h th e prope r
equipmen t installed , you r vehicl e
ca n als o to w a traile r unde r certai n
conditions , a s detaile d in thi s
section . B e sur e t o rea d thi s entire
sectio n an d follo w al l
requirements .
Towin g a traile r wil l hav e a n
effec t o n handling , performance ,
braking , durabilit y an d fue l
consumption .
Honda recommend s tha t yo u d o
no t to w a traile r wit h a ne w
Hond a vehicl e o r on e wit h a ne w
powertrai n componen t (engine ,
transmission , differential ) fo r th e
firs t 50 0 miles . Fo
r you r safet y an d th e safet y
o f others , us e equipmen t
specificall y designe d fo r you r
vehicle . Imprope r towin g
equipmen t an d imprope r
installatio n o f same ca n cause
damage to you r vehicl e an d ma y
als o resul t i n persona l injury .
Additiona l car e an d cautiou s
drivin g habit s ar e essentia l t o
traile r towing .
D o no t excee d 4 5 mp h o r th e
poste d towin g speed limit ,
whicheve r i s lower . Highe r spee d
ma y caus e los s o f vehicl e control .
Drivin g Tip s
Improperl
y loadin g you r

vehicl e an d traile r ca n

seriousl y affec t th e steerin g

an d brakin g performance ,

causin g a cras h i n whic h yo u

ca n b e seriousl y injured .

Chec k th e loadin g o f you r

vehicl e an d traile r carefull y

befor e startin g t o drive .

fin
d a leak , i t mus t b e repaire d
befor e yo u ca n continu e
driving . (Se e Towin g o n pag e
191 .)
I f yo u don' t fin d a n obviou s
leak , chec k th e coolan t leve l i n
th e radiator reserve tank . I f th e
leve l i s belo w th e MI N mark , ad d
coolan t t o halfwa y betwee n th e
MI N an d MA X marks .
I f ther e wa s n o coolan t i n th e
reserv e tank , yo u ma y als o
hav e t o ad d coolan t t o th e

radiator .

Le t th e engin e coo l dow n unti l
th e pointe r reache s th e middl e
o f th e temperatur e gauge , o r
lower , befor e checkin g th e

radiator .
I
f needed , ad d coolan t t o th e
radiato r t o brin g th e leve l u p t o
th e fille r neck , an d t o th e
reservoi r u p t o th e leve l
indicate d o n th e reservoi r tank .
Prope
r equipmen t mus t b e use d to
preven t damag e t o vehicle s durin g
an y towing . Stat e an d loca l law s
tha t appl y t o vehicle s i n to w mus t
b e followed . Ge t detaile d towin g
instruction s fro m you r Hond a

dealer .

Shoul d it becom e necessar y t o
to w you r vehicle , follo w thes e

directions .

Precaution s
Befor
e towing , mak e sur e tha t
th e powe r train , axle ,
transmission , wheel s an d
steerin g syste m ar e i n goo d
condition .
I f an y o f thes e item s ar e
damaged , a flatbe d traile r mus t
b e used .
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y
out , seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap . Towin
g

Us
e onl y towin g equipmen t
specificall y designe d fo r thi s

purpose , followin g th e

instruction s o f th e equipmen t
manufacturer . A separat e safet y

chai n syste m mus t b e used .

Fo r suc h towing , th e parkin g
brak e mus t b e released , th e
transmissio n mus t b e in neutra l
an d th e ke y switc h turne d to
th e "OFF " positio n (no t

"LOCK") .

Towin g attachment s mus t b e
mad e to mai n structura l
member s o f th e vehicle . D o no t
attac h to bumper s o r associated

brackets .

Remembe r tha t th e powe r
brak e assis t wil l no t b e
availabl e whe n th e engin e is

inoperative .
Towin
g Tip s

All Four Wheels on the Ground

1 . Transfe r cas e in 2 H (4W D
mode l only) .
2 . Transmissio n in Neutra l

position .

3 . Maximu m speed 3 0 mp h
(5 0 km/h) .
4 . Maximu m distanc e 5 0 mile s
(8 0 kilometers) .
I f yo u ar e towin g th e vehicl e a t
distance s an d speeds greate r tha n
shown , disconnec t th e propelle r
shaf t fro m th e rea r axl e carrier .
O n 4W D models , als o disconnec t
th e fron t propelle r shaft . Safel y
secur e th e propelle r shaft s s o the y
wil l no t fal l an d scrape th e

ground .
Front
Wheels off the Ground
1 . Transfe r cas e in 2 H (4W D
mode l only) .
2 . Transmissio n in Neutra l

position .

3 . Maximu m spee d 3 0 mp h
(5 0 km/h) .
4 . Maximu m distanc e 5 0 mile s
(8 0 kilometers) .
I f yo u ar e towin g th e vehicl e a t
distance s an d speeds greate r tha n
shown , disconnec t th e propelle r
shaf t fro m th e rea r axl e carrier .
Safel y secur e th e propelle r shaf t
s o it wil l no t fal l an d scrap e th e

ground .

I n Cas e o f Emergenc y

Rear
Wheels off the Ground

1 . Transfe r cas e in 2 H (4W D
mode l only) .
2 . Transmissio n in Neutra l

position .

3 . Maximu m speed 3 0 mp h
(5 0 km/h) .
4 . Maximu m distanc e 5 0 mile s
(8 0 kilometers) .
I f yo u nee d t o to w you r vehicl e b y
this method , secur e th e steerin g
whee l t o kee p th e fron t wheel s
pointe d straigh t ahead . D o no t
rel y o n th e steerin g colum n lock ;
i t i s no t stron g enoug h t o hol d th e
fron t wheel s straigh t whil e
towing . Th e ignitio n switc h mus t
b e in th e OF F position .
Inoperativ
e Electrica l Device s

I f yo u hav e electrica l problem s
withou t extrem e damag e to an y

electrica l parts , chec k fo r burne d

ou t fuses , broke n wires , poo r

connection s o r poo r grounding .

Correc t a s necessary .

Th e fus e boxe s ar e locate d unde r
th e lef t han d sid e o f th e
instrumen t pane l an d in th e righ t
han d sid e o f th e engin e

compartment . (Se e "Fuses " o n

pag e 240 .)
Replacing
a fuse with one that has
a higher rating greatly increases

the chances of damaging the

electrical system. If you do not
have a replacement fuse with the
proper rating for the circuit,
install one with a lower rating.
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y

NOTIC
E

R
— Replac e L — Lub e I — Inspec t Afte r inspection , clean , adjust , repai r o r replac e i f necessary .

Chec k oi l an d coolan t leve l a t eac h fue l stop . Unde
r sever e drivin g conditions , servic e thes e item s mor e often . Thes e condition s are : Service fo r sever e drivin g condition s Repeate
d shor t trip s i n col d weathe r Frequen t idlin g and/o r frequen t low-spee d operatio n Chang e engin e oi l an d filte r - Ever y 3,75 0 mile s (6,00 0 km ) Drivin
g i n dust y area s Towing a traile r or 3 month s
Chang e rea r axl e oi l - Every 15,00 0 mile s (24,00 0 km )

Car e an d Maintenanc e

Secure all items so they cannot
fly forward and injure
you
or
your passengers if you brake
hard, hit an obstacle,
or
are
involved in a collision.
If yo u wan t t o
pu
t carg o o n th e
roof , us e a roo f rack , secur e al l
items , an d mak e sur e th e carg o
does not exceed 200 pounds.

Towing a Trailer

Yo u ma y
b
e abl e t o safel y to w a
lightweigh t traile r (suc h a s a
motorcycl e traile r o r smal l ten t
trailer ) off-roa d i f yo u follo w
thes e guidelines :
Do not exceed a trailer weight
of 1,00 0 pound s (includin g
cargo) or a tongue weight of
100 pounds. (Tongue weight shoul
d b e abou t 10 % o f th e
traile r weight. )
Tr y t o sta y o n smooth , leve l
dir t roads , an d avoi d drivin g i n
hill y terrain . Allo
w extr a roo m fo r starting ,
stopping , an d turning .
Slo w dow n i f yo u encounte r
bump s o r othe r obstacles .

Extra Equipment and Supplies

W e strongl y recommen d tha t yo u
D O NO T carr y extr a fuel . Gasolin e
i s highl y flammabl e an d
explosive . I t canno t b e safel y
carrie d insid e th e vehicl e o r
strappe d to th e to p o r rear . Th e
bes t thin g t o d o is fil l u p you r tan k
befor e yo u leav e pavement .
Off-Roa d Drivin g Informatio n