2002 HONDA PASSPORT towing

68Instruments and Controls
Check Automatic
Transmission Indicator
The indicator light comes on for a
few seconds when the ignition
switch is turned to the “
ON”
position.
If the light flashes, it means the
computer controlling the
transmission has found a problem.
Have the automatic transmission checked by your Honda dealer as
soon as possible. You can safely
drive the vehicle while the light is
flashing, but the computer may
put the transmission into its
“backup mode.”
In the backup mode, the
transmission may not shift
automatically. If the transmission
does not shift automatically, you
must move the shift lever to
change gears. This chart shows
the shift lever position and the
gear range that will result.
“L” position
First gear
“2” position
Third gear
“3” position
Fourth gear
“
D” position
Fourth gear When the transmission is in
backup mode and does not shift
automatically, you should move
the selector lever to the
appropriate position for your
driving needs, as follows:
Select “
3” or “D” for high speed
driving (over 50 mph, 80 km/h).
Select “2” for moderate speed
driving (between 15 mph [25
km/h] and 50 mph [80 km/h]).
Select “L” when starting from a
stop, driving up or down a steep
hill, or for engine braking when
towing a trailer downhill.
Do not exceed 65 mph (45 mph if
towing a trailer).

77Instruments and Controls
and the forward driving ranges.
The shift lever can be shifted
freely into any position indicated
by the arrow “
”. The lever
cannot be shifted into any position
indicated by the arrow “
”
without pushing the button
located on the end of the shift
lever.
PARK
REV
NEUT
DRIVE
3RD
2ND
1ST
In this 4-speed automatic
transmission, the following three
modes can be selected by pressing
the “
POWER” or “WINTER”
switch on the floor console, with
the key switch in the “
ON”
position:
•NORMAL mode
•POWER mode
•WINTER mode
P (Park)
— Used to lock the
transmission when the vehicle is
parked or while starting the
engine. Never move the shift lever
to Park until your vehicle is fully
stopped. Use this position
together with the parking brake.
The shift lever can be moved from
PARK position if the regular brake
is applied.
Refer to “Starting” in this section. R (Reverse)
— Used for backing
the vehicle. Bring your vehicle to
a complete stop before shifting to
Reverse.
N (Neutral) — The out-of-gear
position. You may restart a stalled
engine while the vehicle is still
moving with the selector in
Neutral. Refer to “Starting” in this
section. This position is also used
when towing the vehicle. See “In
Case of Emergency ” for towing
information.
D (Drive) (First to Fourth
Gear)
— This position is for all
normal forward driving. For
normal driving, we recommend
that you put the shift lever in the
“
D” range. This will reduce
vehicle noise and improve fuel
economy.

79Instruments and Controls
1. Check that the parking brake
is fully applied.
2. Turn the key switch to “
ACC”
position.
3. Move the shift lever from “P”
to “
N” position, depress the
brake pedal, and start the
engine again.
4. Operate the shift lever.
Have the transmission checked by
your Honda dealer as soon as
possible.
Driving Tips
Before going down a steep or long
grade, reduce speed and shift the
transmission into a lower gear or
range to control the vehicle ’s
speed. This will provide engine
braking to help slow the vehicle.
Try not to hold the brake pedal
down too long or too often. This
could cause the brakes to get hot
and not work properly.
Downshifting to a lower gear is
especially important when towing
a trailer in mountainous terrain.
Do not hold the vehicle on a hill
by pressing on the accelerator. Do
not press on the accelerator pedal
and brake pedal at the same time.
Either of these actions can
overheat the automatic
transmission and cause damage. Always keep your foot off the
accelerator pedal when shifting
from “P” or “N” to another gear.
Do not shift to “P” (Park) when
the vehicle is moving; you could
damage the automatic
transmission. Always come to a
complete stop.
Be careful that you do not exceed
the following maximum allowable
speeds when accelerating. mph (km/h)
RangeAutomatic TransmissionRange“L”“2”“3”
“2H”35 (56)65
(105)–
“4H”35 (56)65
(105)65
(105)
“4L”15 (24)30 (48)50 (81)

155Driving Tips
Before Driving156
. . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the Engine157 . . . . .
New Vehicle Break-In 158 . . . . .
Parking 158 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brakes 159 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tires 163 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inflation 164 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inspection 165 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maintenance 166 . . . . . . . . . .
Tire Rotation 166 . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing Tires
and Wheels 166 . . . . . . . . . .
Wheels and Tires 167 . . . . . .
Traction 168 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tire Chains 168 . . . . . . . . .
Wheel Replacement
Considerations 169 . . . . . . .
Fuel Economy 170 . . . . . . . . . . .
Three-Way Catalytic
Converter 172 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Operation in
Foreign Countries 173
. . . . . . .
Accessories & Modifications173
Carrying Cargo175 . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer Towing 178 . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer Hitches 180 . . . . . . . .
Safety Chain181 . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer Lights181 . . . . . . . . . .
Tires181 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer Brakes181 . . . . . . . . .
Equipment Check182 . . . . . .
Limited Slip Differential 182 . . .
Driving Tips

176Driving Tips
Load Limit
The maximum load for your
vehicle is:
LX 2WD
manual trans: 895 lb (407 kg)
automatic trans: 840 lb (382 kg)
LX 4WD
manual trans: 905 lb (411 kg)
automatic trans: 850 lb (386 kg)
EXmanual trans: 930 lb (423 kg)
automatic trans: 875 lb (398 kg)
This figure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer. To figure out how much cargo
you can carry:
•Add up the weight of all
occupants.
•If you are towing a trailer, add
the tongue weight to the
number above.
•Subtract the total from the
maximum load figure.
The final number is the total
weight of cargo you can carry.
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling
and stability and cause a
crash in which you can be
hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and
other loading guidelines in
this manual.

178Driving Tips
Your Honda vehicle is designed
for passenger and cargo
transportation. With the proper
equipment installed, your vehicle
can also tow a trailer under certain
conditions, as detailed in this
section. Be sure to read this entire
section and follow all
requirements.
Towing a trailer will have an
effect on handling, performance,
braking, durability and fuel
consumption.
Improperly loading your
vehicle and trailer can
seriously affect the steering
and braking performance,
causing a crash in which you
can be seriously injured.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
before starting to drive.
Honda recommends that you do
not tow a trailer with a new
Honda vehicle or one with a new
powertrain component (engine,
transmission, differential) for the
first 500 miles.
For your safety and the safety
of others, use equipment
specifically designed for your
vehicle. Improper towing
equipment and improper
installation of same can cause
damage to your vehicle and may
also result in personal injury.
Additional care and cautious
driving habits are essential to
trailer towing.
Do not exceed 45 mph or the
posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Higher speed
may cause loss of vehicle control.
Trailer Towing

179Driving Tips
Follow the recommendations in
this manual and ask your Honda
dealer for further details before
you tow a trailer with your
Passport.
Towing a trailer affects vehicle
maintenance requirements due
to the additional load. More
frequent maintenance intervals
will be required to assure
continued satisfaction with
your vehicle. Consult your
Honda dealer for recommended
maintenance and service.
The gross trailer weight (trailer
weight plus cargo load) must
never exceed 4,500 lb.
Additional equipment will be
required, depending on the
specific model/load combination.
See “Trailer Hitches” in this
section.
Exceeding the weight limit will
cause damage to your vehicle and
possibly result in personal injury.
•The Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (
GVWR) is the
combined weight of the
unloaded vehicle, passengers,
cargo, trailer hitch, trailer
tongue load, and optional
equipment. This value is
indicated on the
F.M.V.S.S.
Certification Label on the
driver ’ s doorjamb.
•The Gross Combined Weight
Rating (
GCWR) equals the
combined weight of your
vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) plus the total trailer
load. The following limits
apply.
2WD: 8,700 lb
4WD: 8,950 lb
•The Gross Axle Weight Rating
(
GAWR) is also indicated on
the Certification Label. The
load on either the front or rear
axle resulting from distribution
of the gross vehicle weight on
both axles must not exceed the
values listed. Remember to
account for additional
equipment and tongue load.

180Driving Tips
•Tongue load should be between
9 percent and 11 percent of the
total trailer weight. However, it
should never exceed 450 pounds.
•Never load a trailer with more
weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately
60 percent and the rear with
approximately 40 percent of
the total trailer load.
•Never exceed the maximum
weight limits of the trailer
or trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and
possible personal injury.
•Check the vehicle and trailer
loading and the weights on
each axle at a commercial scale
or a highway patrol office
equipped with a scale.
Trailer Hitches
A Class 3 hitch kit (up to
4,500 lb) is available from your
Honda dealer.
Use a trailer equipped with
electric brakes and a “Weight
Distributing Hitch Attachment”
when the gross trailer weight
exceeds 3,500 pounds.
A special attachment that replaces
the draw bar/ball assembly is used
to distribute the proper weight to
the front axle. It uses a pair of
spring bars that are adjusted to
accomplish the distribution of the
weight.
Consult your trailer’s
manufacturer for assistance with
selecting the proper weight
distributing hitch attachment. Check with a recreational vehicle
dealer for additional required
equipment. Have this equipment
installed by a trained mechanic.
Improper equipment or installation
can damage your vehicle and
cause personal injury.
Do not use axle-mounted hitches
or equipment not designed for
your vehicle.
Do not make any modifications to
the vehicle’
s exhaust, braking, or
electrical system other than those
that are shown in the instructions
for the Honda Trailer Hitch Kit.
Improper modifications can affect
vehicle durability.
Periodic inspection of all added-
on trailer towing equipment is
necessary to assure continued safe
operation.