2002 HONDA PASSPORT lock

Reading the Terrain

In nature, visual information comes in unpredictable ways. That means
you need to stay alert, constantly
survey

the terrain, and go slow
enough to analyze situations and make good decisions.
As your eyes search the terrainahead, watch for changes in
surface conditions. Surfaces can
vary

widely, and traction can
change quite suddenly. One
minute

you can be on firm soil
and

the next minute in soft sand
or deep mud. A trail or road can
quickly
change from level to
bumpy.

It can suddenly slope at a
dangerou

s angle, or even
disappear in an unexpected
drop-off. Road

s and trails aren't banked for
turns, and the edges can be steep
berms or drop-offs. When you
drive

down a graded road, watch
ahead for ruts, potholes and washouts.
Some trails can offer
more surprises. A smooth, inviting
trail can suddenly twist
up or down, become very narrow,
be blocked by a fallen tree,
tangled
with roots, or dwindle to a
tight dead-end.
Some areas don't have roads or
trails - just wide open spaces
where

you must carefully choose
your path.
Controlling Speed

Off-road, the general rule is to
keep your speed low. Of course,
you'll need enough spee
d to keep
moving
forward, especially on
sand,

mud, soft snow, and when
starting

up a hill. But too much
speed leads to problems.
At higher speeds you have less
time
to read the terrain and make
good

decisions. You'll also
bounce

more, which makes
controlling the vehicle more
difficult. And there's a greater
chance of sliding if you brake or turn quickly on wet soil, gravel orice

. In any situation, never go
faster
than conditions allow. Off-Road Driving Information

Turning

Off-road, the basic turning
technique is to drive at low speed
and gradually adjust the amount
of steering to suit the surface.
You
should have no problem
making sharp turns on level
ground - if you keep speed low.
But

one thing you should NOT do,
off-road

or on pavement, is make abrupt turns at higher speeds.
With a higher center of gravity,
your

vehicle can more easily tip
or roll over in a turn.

Braking

Th

e best off-road braking
technique
to use with anti-lock
brakes is to gently depress the
brake pedal at first, then increase the pressure as more braking is
needed.
Avoi

d hard braking. Light to
moderate braking is usually all
that

is necessary on soft surfaces
such as soft sand, loose dirt or
gravel, powdery snow, or mud.
If you need to brake hard because
of an emergency, apply steady
even
pressure to the brake pedal.
Do not pump the brakes; let the anti-loc
k 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
brake to a stop when driving

off-road

.
Off-Road Driving Information

Driving in Hilly Terrain

Hills, and trails through hills,
present
some of the greatest
challenges and most serious
hazards off-road. If you're new to
off-road driving, start with gentle inclines,
take time to learn how
your vehicle handles on slopes, and read the information that
follows.

If you're an experienced
off-roader,

consider the guidelines
below as important reminders that can

enhance your driving, or even
save your life.
Approaching a Hill

Whe
n you approach a hill, you
need
to decide whether it's one
that you and your vehicle can
handle.

For example, ask yourself:
Is the hill too steep? Is the incline

constant, or are there
places

where it gets suddenly
steeper? If a hill is too steep in
any section, you may run out of
power
and not be able to continue forward. If you
accelerate suddenly on a very
steep hill, the vehicle may tip
over backwards.
Is there enough traction for you
to make it to the top? Without
adequate

traction,you can stall
or even slide backwards.
Are

there obstacles, such as
rocks,

ruts or ditches that could
block

your path? Hitting a
bump could upset your vehicle, and turning to avoid an obstacle
could
make it roll over.
If there's no safe predetermined
path,
can you drive straight up
th

e hill without turning? Unless
a hil

l is very gently sloped, it
may

not be safe to turn on a hill.
D

o you know what's on the
other side of the hill? Once you
reac

h the top, you'll need a safe
route to get down or out.
Off-Road Driving Information

First (manual transmission),
then
turn the engine off. See
that any passengers carefully
get

out and clear of the vehicle,
then go get help.
Before

driving down a hill, as
wit

h driving up a hill, you need to
evaluate whether you can
make it safely to the bottom and away
from the slope. Ask:
Is the hill too steep to maintainspeed
and steering control?
Is the surface too rough or too slippery?
Ca

n you drive straight down
withou

t turning?
Is there a safe exit when you
reach
the bottom of the hill? If you decide you can safely
descend a hill:
Shift
into a low gear. This lets
engine compression (or engine
braking) help control speed and keep your brakes from
overheating.
Hol

d the steering wheel firmly
and

drive straight down the
hill.
Gentl

y apply the brakes to help

control speed, but do not "ride"

the brakes. If you smell hotbrakes

or feel brake fade, shift
to a lower gear or stop and let the
brakes cool down.
Try not to brake hard. If you do apply

the brakes hard, do not
pump

the brake pedal. Pumping
does

not allow the anti-lock
brake system to work as
Driving

Down a Hill
Off-Road Driving Information

Parking

When you decide to stop off-road,
whether for a brief rest or to
spend the night, choose a firm,
level

place to park. Do not park
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 Driving Information