2002 HONDA PASSPORT engine

Off-Road Driving Considerations
When
you leave paved roads, you
leave a generally predictable and
orderly world behind. You won't
find lane markers or traffic
signals. No one will be there to
warn

you of trouble ahead. It's up
to you to assess situations and
drive

within limits. The terrain
has limits (some hills are too steep,

for example). You have
limits (in skills and comfort
level).

And off-road vehicles also
have limits (traction, stability, and
power,

for instance).
Following
are some important tips
on

how to deal with some of the
challenges
of driving off-road.
Using
Your Senses

You need to use your senses a
little
differently off-road. Keep
your eyes moving, constantly
watching

for obstacles and
evaluating the terrain. Check your
gauges frequently. Listen for unusual sounds from your engine
and tires. Pay attention to the
smell

of overheated brakes. And
when you feel excessive
vibrations or bouncing, the terrain is telling you to slow down. Off-Road Driving Information

If you don't know the answers to
these questions before beginning
an ascent, stop, walk up the hill
and find out.

If you decide that it is safe to drive up a hill:
Selec

t a suitable low gear and
firmly grip the steering wheel. Approach
the hill with enough
speed to smoothly start up the
hill.
Maintain a steady speed as you
climb the hill.
Reduce

speed as you approach
the

top, and watch for other
vehicle

s that may be
approaching

the top from the
other

side of the hill.

// You Stall Going Up a Hill
If a hill is steeper than you
expected,

traction is poorer,
or you don't maintain sufficient speed,
you may begin to stall. If
that happens:
Consider downshifting if you
are just beginning to slow
down. If you can't downshift, or if
downshifting
doesn't help, stop
the vehicle and set the parking
brake.
I

f you have passengers, you
may want to have them get out
and

move away from the
vehicle.
I

f you are headed
straight up
the hill, shif
t into reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly back straight down the
hill,

using the brake pedal to
control

speed.
If you
are not headed straight
uphill or you don't feel
comfortable backing down,
don't. If the engine is still
running,
leave the parking
brake

on, shift to Park
(automatic transmission) or 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

Crossing a Stream

Before driving through water, stop
and
make sure that:
The water is never deep enough
to cover your wheel hubs, axles
or exhaust pipe. You could stall
, and not be able to restart
the engine. The water could
also

damage important vehicle
components. The water is not flowing too
fast. Deep rushing water can
sweep

you downstream. Even
very

shallow rushing water
can wash the ground from under

your tires and cause you
to lose traction and possibly
roll
over. The banks are sloped so you
can

drive out.
The

banks and surface under
the water provide good
traction.
The water may hide

hazards such as rocks, holes, or
mud.

If you decide it's safe to drive
through
water, choose a low gear
and suitable speed, then proceed
without shifting or changing
speed. At fast speeds, water can
more easily splash on your
ignition system, which could
make the engine stall.
After driving through water, test
your brakes. If the brakes got wet,
drive

slowly while gently
pumping

the brakes until they
operate

normally. Off-Road Driving Information

Driving in Bad Weather
Driving in light rain should cause
no special driving problems. But heavy

rain can impair visibility,
make off-road surfaces slippery,
swell streams and cause flooding.
Avoid

streambeds and canyons
whenever rain is heavy or there are

thunderstorms in flash-flood
areas. Find a safe place to stop if
you can't continue driving safely. Driving
in snow can also impair
visibility. As snow covers the
ground, it can conceal rocks, ruts,
ditches

and other hazards. Snow
can make it impossible to follow a trail
or choose a safe path. If snow
threatens
to become heavy, we
recommend

that you leave the
area

as soon as possible and return
to pavement. Should you need to
stop

while it's snowing, do not let
the engine idle for a prolonged
time

unless you have good
ventilation.
Carbon monoxide can
collect in the vehicle and cause illness

or death. Off-Road Driving Information