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78Instruments and Controls
3 (Third) — When operating your
vehicle on slippery roads, on a
long descending slope, or on a
road with many sharp curves, you
will want to use engine braking.
At this time, put the shift lever
into this range.
2 (Second) — You may choose this
position when traveling down a
moderate grade where you want to
slow down a little without using
the brake itself. Change back to
the “
D” position to return to
normal driving. With the shift
lever in “2, ” the vehicle will start
in first gear and automatically shift
to second gear.
L (First) — This position may be
selected for maximum braking
down severe grades. Return the
selector lever to the “
D” position
to resume normal driving. It is
possible to move the lever into first gear at any speed. However,
the transmission will not actually
shift to first gear until vehicle
speed is below 35 mph (Power
Mode) or 25 mph (Normal Mode).
When starting out in “L,” the
transmission will not upshift.
Starting — Start the engine with
the lever in the “P” or “N”
position. It will not start in any
other position. If it does, have
your vehicle checked by your
Honda dealer.
Always apply the foot brake
before shifting into any driving
position. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
Do not press the accelerator pedal
while shifting from “
P” or “N” to
any driving position.
Shift Lock — As a safety measure
for vehicles with an automatic
transmission, you cannot shift
from “
P” (Park) position into any
other position unless the brake
pedal is depressed when the key
switch is in the “
ON” position or
the engine is running.
The shift lever may not move if
the pushbutton on the shift lever is
pressed before the brake pedal is
depressed. In this case, release
the pushbutton, press the brake
pedal and try again.
If the shift lever won’ t move from
the “
P” position even when these
instructions are followed, perform
the following steps:
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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)
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83Instruments and Controls
The transmission has five fully
synchronized forward speeds. The
gear shift pattern is provided on
the transmission lever knob. The
backup lights turn on when
shifted into the reverse gear.
Driving Tips
Always depress and release the
clutch pedal fully when shifting.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving; this can
cause the clutch to slip, resulting
in damage to the clutch.
When you are stopped on an
upgrade, do not hold the vehicle
in place by letting the clutch pedal
up part-way. Use the foot brake or
the parking brake.
Never shift into reverse gear until
the vehicle is completely stopped.
Do not
“over-speed ” the engine
when shifting down to a lower gear.
The shift lever cannot be shifted
directly from fifth gear into
Reverse. When shifting into
Reverse gear from fifth gear,
depress the clutch pedal and shift
completely into Neutral position,
then shift into Reverse gear.
5-Speed Manual Transmission
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFT SPEED CHART
Transmission Type
5-Speed Manual First to
Second Second to
Third Third to
Fourth Fourth to
Fifth
15 mph
(25 km/h) 25 mph
(40 km/h) 40 mph
(65 km/h) 45 mph
(70 km/h)
84Instruments and Controls
Shift Speed Chart
The lower gears of the
transmission are used for normal
acceleration of the vehicle to the
desired cruising speed. The
highest gear of the transmission is
used to maintain the desired
speed. The fifth gear is
recommended for use in
maintaining highway cruising
speeds. Use of the fifth gear in
city traffic is not recommended.
The shift speed chart shows the
speeds at which each upshift of
the transmission should be made
to get the best vehicle
performance and fuel economy. For cruising, choose the highest
gear for that speed (cruising speed
is defined as a relatively constant
speed operation).
The upshift indicator (
U/S) lights
to show recommended upshift
points. (Refer to “Indicator
Lights.”)
If the engine is “lugging” (the
speed you are traveling at is too
slow for the gear the transmission
is in), downshift to the next lower
gear. You may need to downshift
two or more gear positions to
keep the engine from “lugging” or
to keep the performance at a
satisfactory level.
Transfer Control
4WD Models
The “4WD” indicator light
illuminates when 4WD is engaged
with the 4WD-2WD switch.
“2H” (High Range, 2-Wheel
Drive)
Use this for normal driving on dry
pavement. This position gives
greater economy, quieter ride and
least drivetrain wear.
Page 90 of 294
87Instruments and Controls
parking brake first, then place the
transmission in “P” (Park)
position, even on level surfaces.
When parking a vehicle equipped
with a manual transmission on an
upward slope or on a level
surface, place the shift lever in the
“1” (first gear) position.
When parking a vehicle equipped
with a manual transmission on a
downward slope, place the shift
lever in the “R” (Reverse)
position.
The accelerator pedal is used to
vary engine power and thus
regulate engine and vehicle speed.
ACCELERATOR
PEDAL
Manual Transmission
The clutch pedal is used to engage
or disengage the clutch, thereby
connecting or disconnecting the
engine from the manual
transmission and driveline to the
driving wheels.
CLUTCH
PEDAL
When the pedal is fully released,
the clutch is engaged, driving the
transmission and the drive wheels.
Do not allow your foot to rest on
the clutch pedal when not using
the clutch.
Accelerator PedalClutch Pedal
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101Interior Features
Your Passport comes with two
keys.
METAL PLATE
WITH KEY CODE
The key code number is stamped
on the metal plate attached to the
key ring.
For vehicle security:
•Record the key code number.
•Keep the key code number
plate in a safe place,
NOT IN
THE VEHICLE
. If the original keys are lost,
duplicates can be made using the
key code number. Contact any
Honda dealer or a locksmith.
Steering Column
Lock/Ignition Switch
The ignition switch, on the right
side of the steering column, has
five positions:
LOCK
— The normal parking
position. This locks the steering
and prevents normal use of the
steering wheel.
The key can be removed only
when the ignition is in this
position. On automatic
transmission models, the ignition
switch cannot be turned to the
“
LOCK” position unless the shift
lever has first been placed in the
“P” position. The shift lever is
then locked.
ACC (Accessory)—In this
position, you can use some
electrical accessories when the
engine is not running.
ON—The normal driving
position.
START—This position starts the
engine. The switch returns to
ON
when you release the key.
Keys and Ignition
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102Interior Features
The anti-theft steering column
lock is not interconnected with the
parking brake. You must always
set the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle.
To prevent discharging the battery,
avoid use of electrical accessories
with the engine shut off.
For easier key operation when
unlocking, rotate the steering
wheel slightly to relieve pressure
on the steering lock.
Key Removal
Manual Transmission
With the vehicle fully stopped,
remove the key from the switch
by turning it to the “
LOCK”
position and removing it.
Removing the key from the
ignition switch while driving
locks the steering. This can
cause you to lose control.
Remove the key from the
ignition switch only when
parked.
Automatic Transmission
With the vehicle fully stopped, place
the automatic transmission shift
lever in “P” (Park) position. Turn
the key to the “
LOCK” position.
Key Reminder
The key reminder circuit causes a
beeper to sound when the door is
held open with the key left in the
ignition switch. This is to help
prevent accidentally locking the
key inside the vehicle. The beeper stops when the door is
closed or when the key is removed.
Guard Against Theft
Your new Passport has features to
help prevent theft of the vehicle,
its equipment, and its contents.
These anti-theft features work
depending on how well you use
them.
•Park in a well-lighted area
whenever possible.
•Lock the steering column and
take the key with you.
–
Turn the ignition switch to
“
LOCK” and remove the key.
This locks both the ignition
switch and steering control.
Page 123 of 294

FACEFOOT
DEFROST
FOOT/DEFROST
AIR SELECTOR KNOB
BI-LEVEL
AIR-SOURCE
OUTSIDE AIR
FAN CONTROL LEVER
AIR CONDITIONING BUTTON
TEMPERATURE
SELECTOR LEVER
USE BI-LEVEL IN THIS
RANGE FOR COOL
UPPER LEVEL AIR AND
WARM FLOOR LEVEL AIR
CONTROL KNOB
RECIRCULATED AIR
120Comfort and Convenience Features This system combines heating and
cooling capabilities for comfort in
all weather conditions.
During air conditioning operation,
slight increases and decreases in
engine speed/power may be
noticed. This is normal, as the
system is designed to cycle the
compressor
ON and OFF to
maintain desired cooling. The
reduced compressor operation
should benefit fuel economy.
Air Conditioning Switch
Push this switch to operate the air
conditioning system. The light-
emitting diode in this switch lights
to show the system is operating.
To turn off the air conditioning,
push this switch in again.
Air conditioning will not operate
without the fan control lever in
one of the “
ON” positions.
Heating and Cooling