2002 HONDA PASSPORT ESP

and other useful information.
Recreational
vehicle clubs can put
you in touch with other drivers,
and

off-road magazines publish
first-hand

descriptions of driving

locations.

To help keep off-road driving areas open, stay on roads, trails
and open areas approved for
off-highway

vehicles (OHVs).
Please respect no trespassing
signs, and don't drive on private

property

without permission. Check Out Your Vehicle
Off-road driving can be hard on a
vehicle, requiring extra attention to maintenance. Before driving
off-road,
be sure all scheduled
maintenance

and service has been
done, and that you have also inspected

your vehicle. Pay
special

attention to the condition
of the tires and use a gauge to
check

the tire pressures. Improperly
inflated tires can be
more

easily damaged by rocks
and

other hard or sharp objects.
Do not let air out of your tires unless

you can reinflate them
soon after returning to pavement,
and remember to periodically
inspect the tires for signs of
damage

, especially if you hit a
large or sharp rock. 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

Driving Off-Road
Driving off-road can be hazardous if you fail to take the proper
precautions.
For example, you can
have an accident or roll over during maneuvers such as turning,
driving
on hills, or over obstacles.
The following pages contain
practical

tips on basic off-road
operations. They also give important guidelines about
driving

on hills, avoiding
obstacles,

and other situations you
may encounter.
Improperly
operating this

vehicle off-road can cause an
accident

or rollover in which

you and your passengers

could be seriously injured or

killed

.

Follow all instructions and

guidelines in this booklet.

Keep your speed low and

don't drive faster than

conditions permit.

Don't take chances and be

especially
careful on hills
and rough terrain. Starting
Off
For better traction on all surfaces, accelerate slowly and gradually
build up speed. If you start too
fast

on wet soil, mud, snow or ice,
you might not have enough tractio
n to get underway. On soft
sand, you could dig yourself into
a hole. Off-Road
Driving Information

Get a tow from another vehicle
by using a towing rope, strap or
chain.
To be successful, the
pulling vehicle will need adequate

power and traction.
Be sure the rope, strap or chain is attached to the frames (not
bumpers
) of both vehicles, and
keep

people away in case the
connecting device breaks. Use a winch. If you have a
winch, you might be able to
attach it to another vehicle or a
sturdy, fixed object (such as a
tree).

Or another vehicle with a
winch may be able to attach it to your vehicle and pull you

out
.

Get experienced help. This is
often
the best solution,
especially if you have dug in deep, are stuck in mud or on
sloped terrain. Grounded
on a Bump or Log
You have fewer options if you bottom

out (or high-center) on a
bump,

log, or other raised

obstacle. You can try getting a
tow

(forward or backward) from
another vehicle, use a winch (see
above

for additional tips), or get
experienced help.
Flat Tire
Change a flat tire only if the vehicle

is on firm, level ground
that can safely support the jack. If

this is not the case, your options
are:

drive slowly and carefully
until you reach firm, level ground;
get a tow from another vehicle (as
described
above); or send for
experienced help. Off-Road Driving Information