2001 HONDA PASSPORT trailer

Chec
k Automati c
Transmissio n Indicato r

Th e indicato r ligh t come s o n fo r a

fe w second s whe n th e ignitio n

switc h is turne d to th e "ON "

position .
I f th e ligh t flashes , i t mean s th e
compute r controllin g th e
transmissio n ha s foun d a problem .
Hav e th e automati c transmissio nchecke
d b y you r Hond a deale r a s
soo n a s possible . Yo u ca n safel y
driv e th e vehicl e whil e th e ligh t i s
flashing , bu t th e compute r ma y
pu t th e transmissio n int o it s
"backu p mode. "
I n th e backu p mode , th e
transmissio n ma y no t shif t
automatically . I f th e transmissio n
does not shif t automatically , yo u
mus t mov e th e shif t leve r t o
chang e gears. This char t show s
th e shif t Sever positio n an d th e
gear rang e tha t wil l result . "L
" positio n Firs t gea r "2
" positio n Thir d gea r "3
" positio n Fourt h gea r "D
" positio n Fourt h gea r
Whe
n th e transmissio n is i n
backu p mod e an d doe s no t shif t

automatically , yo u shoul d mov e

th e selecto r leve r t o th e
appropriate position fo r you r

drivin g needs , a s follows :

Select "3" o r "D " fo r hig h spee d

drivin g (ove r 5 0 mph , 8 0 km/h) .

Selec t "2 " fo r moderat e speed

drivin g (betwee n 1 5 mp h [2 5

km/h ] an d 5 0 mp h [8 0 km/h]) .

Selec t "L " whe n startin g fro m a

stop , drivin g u p o r dow n a stee p

hill , o r fo r engin e brakin g whe n

towin g a traile r downhill .

D o no t excee d 6 5 mp h (4 5 mp h if

towin g a trailer) .

Instrument s an d Control s

Loa
d Limi t

Th e maximu m loa d fo r you r

vehicl e is :

LX2W D

manua l trans : 89 5 I b (40 7 kg )
automati c trans : 84 0 I b (38 2 kg )

LX4W D

manua l trans : 90 5 I b (41 1 kg )
automati c trans : 85 0 I b (38 6 kg )
E X
manua l trans : 93 0 I b (42 3 kg )
automati c trans : 87 5 I b (39 8 kg )
Thi s figur e include s th e tota l weigh t
o f al l occupants , cargo , accessories,
an d th e tongu e weigh t i f yo u ar e
towin g a trailer .
T
o figur e ou t ho w muc h carg o

yo u ca n carry :
Ad
d u p th e weigh t o f al l

occupants .
I
f yo u ar e towin g a trailer , ad d

th e tongu e weigh t t o th e

numbe r above .
Subtrac
t th e tota l fro m th e

maximu m loa d figure .

Th e fina l numbe r i s th e tota l

weigh t o f carg o yo u ca n carry .

Drivin g Tip s
Overloadin
g o r imprope r
loadin g ca n affec t handlin g
an d stabilit y an d caus e a
cras h i n whic h yo u ca n b e
hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l loa d limit s an d
othe r loadin g guideline s i n
thi s manual .

Tongu
e loa d shoul d b e betwee n
9 percen t an d 1 1 percen t o f th e
tota l traile r weight . However , i t
shoul d neve r excee d 45 0 pounds .
Neve r loa d a traile r wit h mor e
weigh t i n th e rea r tha n in th e
front . Th e fron t shoul d b e
loade d wit h approximatel y
6 0 percen t an d th e rea r wit h
approximatel y 4 0 percen t o f
th e tota l traile r load .
Neve r excee d th e maximu m
weigh t limit s o f th e traile r
o r traile r towin g equipment .
Imprope r loadin g ca n resul t i n
damag e t o you r vehicl e an d
possibl e persona l injury .
Chec k th e vehicl e an d traile r
loadin g an d th e weight s o n
eac h axl e a t a commercia l scal e
o r a highwa y patro l offic e
equippe d wit h a scale .
Traile
r Hitche s

A Clas s 3 hitc h ki t (u p t o
4,50 0 Ib ) i s availabl e fro m you r
Hond a dealer .
Use a trailer equipped with
electric brakes and a "Weight
Distributing Hitch Attachment"
when the gross trailer weight

exceeds 3,500 pounds.

A specia l attachmen t tha t replace s
th e dra w bar/bal l assembl y i s use d
t o distribut e th e prope r weigh t t o
th e fron t axle . I t use s a pai r o f
sprin g bar s tha t ar e adjuste d t o
accomplis h th e distributio n o f th e
weight .
Consul t you r trailer' s
manufacture r fo r assistanc e wit h
selectin g th e prope r weigh t
distributin g hitc h attachment .Chec
k wit h a recreationa l vehicl e
deale r fo r additiona l require d
equipment . Hav e thi s equipmen t
installe d b y a traine d mechanic .
Imprope r equipmen t o r installatio n
ca n damage you r vehicl e an d
cause persona l injury .
D o no t us e axle-mounte d hitche s
o r equipmen t no t designe d fo r
you r vehicle .
D o no t mak e an y modification s t o
th e vehicle' s exhaust , braking , o r
electrica l syste m othe r tha n thos e
tha t ar e show n in th e instruction s
fo r th e Hond a Traile r Hitc h Kit .
Imprope r modification s ca n affec t
vehicl e durability .
Periodi c inspectio n o f al l added -
o n traile r towin g equipmen t i s
necessar y t o assur e continue d saf e

operation .

Drivin g Tip s

Safet
y Chai n

Alway s use suitabl e safet y chain s
betwee n you r vehicl e an d the

trailer .

Chec k wit h you r traile r
manufacture r fo r th e require d
equipment . Cros s th e safet y
chain s unde r th e hitc h an d attac h
the m to th e traile r hitc h hardware .
Thi s wil l preven t th e traile r fro m
droppin g t o th e groun d i n the
even t th e hitc h disengages. Fo r
prope r us e an d installation ,
consul t you r traile r manufacturer .

Traile r Light s

Traile r light s an d equipmen t mus t
compl y wit h federal , stat e an d
loca l regulations . Chec k wit h you r
loca l recreationa l vehicl e deale r
fo r th e requirement s i n you r area . Us
e onl y equipmen t designe d fo r
you r vehicle .
Imprope r equipmen t o r
installatio n ca n caus e damage to
you r vehicle' s electrica l syste m
an d affec t you r vehicl e warranty .
Consul t you r Hond a deale r fo r
installation .

Tire s

Alway s chec k th e conditio n o f
you r vehicle' s tire s an d trailer' s
tire s befor e operation . Replac e
wor n o r damage d tire s befor e

operation .

Inflat e tir e pressur e t o th e
recommende d col d tir e pressur e
indicate d i n th e tir e
manufacturer' s warrant y bookle t
i n th e glov e bo x packet . Chec
k th e tir e manufacturer' s
requirement s whe n replacemen t
tire s ar e installe d o n you r vehicle .
Traile r tir e condition , size , loa d
rating , an d prope r inflatio n
pressur e shoul d b e i n accordanc e
wit h th e tir e manufacturer' s
specifications . Imprope r tir e siz e
an d inflatio n ca n caus e tir e
failure , possibl y resultin g i n
vehicl e damag e an d persona l

injury .

Traile r Brake s

Trailer s wit h a tota l weigh t o f
1,00 0 pound s o r mor e requir e
traile r brakes . I f you r traile r i s
equippe d wit h a brakin g system ,
mak e sur e i t conform s t o federal ,
state , an d loca l equipmen t
regulations .
Drivin g Tip s

Ther
e ar e n o provision s i n you r
vehicl e t o ta p int o it s hydrauli c
brakin g system . An y attemp t t o
attac h th e trailer' s brake s t o you r
vehicle' s hydrauli c brakin g
system , n o matte r ho w successfu l
i t ma y seem , wil l lowe r brakin g
effectivenes s an d creat e a
potentia l hazard .

Equipmen t Chec k

Befor e operatin g you r vehicle ,
chec k al l safet y equipmen t t o
ensur e saf e operation . B e sur e
you r vehicl e i s properl y service d
t o avoi d mechanica l failure .
Chec k tha t you r vehicl e remain s
leve l whe n th e loade d o r unloade d
traile r i s hitched . D o no t driv e i f
th e rea r en d o f you r vehicl e i s
abnormall y highe r o r lower .
Chec k fo r prope r tongu e weight ,
overload , imprope r weigh t
distribution
, wor n suspension , o r

othe r possibl e causes .

Mak e sur e th e traile r loa d is
properl y positione d an d secure d
s o it s doe s no t shif t aroun d whil e

driving .

Chec k i f you r rearvie w mirror s

compl y wit h federal , stat e an d

loca l regulations . I f not , confir m

th e prope r mirror s require d fo r

towin g an d hav e the m installed .

Perfor m an equipmen t chec k o f

al l braking, lighting an d safet y

equipmen t t o ensur e the y ar e
workin g properly .
You r safet y depends o n prope r
operatio n an d installatio n o f
equipment . Neve r operat e a
vehicl e wit h fault y equipment .Standard
on 4WD models
Th e limite d sli p differentia l i s
designe d t o improv e tractio n b y
limitin g wheelspin . I f one rear
whee l begin s t o spi n o n a slipper y
surface , th e limite d sli p
differentia l wil l automaticall y
transmi t drivin g forc e t o th e othe r
rea r wheel .
Drivin g Tip s
Limite
d Sli p Differentia l

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