2002 HONDA PASSPORT traction control

Get to Know Your Vehicle

Because
every vehicle operates a
little

differently, be sure to read
your owner's manual and get acquainted with your vehicle
before

you drive off-road. If you have 4-wheel drive, you can
use it for better traction and greater
mobility

off-road, but remember to
switch

back to 2-wheel drive before
you return to pavement.
Whether you have 2-wheel or
4-wheel drive, you need to know
that

your vehicle has higher ground
clearance

than passenger cars
designed for use only on pavement.
Higher

ground clearance has many
advantages off-road. It allows you
t

o travel over bumps, obstacles and
rough

terrain and helps protect
undercarriage

components. Since
you sit higher off the ground, you have
a better view of the

surroundings.
Thes

e advantages come at some
cost. Because your vehicle is taller and rides higher off theground,

it has a higher center of
gravity than conventional cars.
This means your vehicle can more
easil
y tip or roll over if you make
abrupt turns or drive on sloped
terrain.
Utilit

y vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. To
avoid

loss of control or rollover,
be sure to follow all
recommendations
and precautions
in this booklet. Off-Road Driving Information

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

Test your brakes from time to
time
to make sure they are
operating properly. This will also
give you a feel for how much
traction you have on a given surface. Controllin

g Steering
Unlike driving on pavement,
off-road
terrain has a way of
"kicking back." If you hit a rock,
pothole

or a sudden change in
surface
, it can make the steering
wheel
turn rapidly and
unexpectedly. To maintain
control, hold the outside of the
steering wheel firmly with both
hands.

Don't hold the spokes or
hook your thumbs inside the wheel.
You could hurt your hands
as well as lose control. 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