2002 HONDA PASSPORT wheel

efficiently, which may increase

your stopping distance.

Driving Across Slopes

There may be times when you
notice
a trail begin to slope to one
side

or another. Or you may be
driving in open country and see a
hill or slope you want to consider
crossing
at an angle. Crossing or
driving

on a smooth, low-angle dirt slope or trail may be no problem.
But

before you drive on any sloped
terrain,

consider these facts:
A slope that you can drive straight

up or down can be too
steep to drive across.
When you drive straight up or
down

a slope, the length of the
wheelbase

reduces the chance
of your vehicle tipping over
backward

or forward.
When you drive across a slope,
your

vehicle's higher center of
gravity and narrower track
increases
the chance of tipping
or rolling over.
Driving
across a slope puts
more weight on the downhill
wheels,

which increases the
chance of tipping. If you drive across a slope and
an uphill wheel hits a bump, or
if a downhill wheel drops into a
rut or hole, your vehicle will
tip downward even more.
If

you can't clearly see all terrain
conditions
(good traction, no
bumps, holes or other obstacles, a safe way down and out, etc.), stop
and walk the slope or trail before
you drive on it. If you have any
doubt

whether you can safely
drive across a slope or sloping
trail, don't do it. Find another
route. 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

If you Get Stuck
If you ever get stuck off-road, stop,

assess the situation, consider
all

your options, then choose a
safe and appropriate course of
action.
Alway

s put your safety and your
passengers' safety first. There may be times when quick action is
necessary,

but it's generally best if
you do not over-react. Trying to
muscle

your way out by
continuing

to spin the wheels
rarely helps, and it can make it
even

harder to get out. Other
things you should not do
are:
Do not use a jack. A jack only
works

on firm, level terrain.
Also, your vehicle could easily slip off the jack and hurt you or
someone
else.
Do not "rock" the vehicle
forward

and backward by
shifting back and forth between
First

and Reverse. This can
damage your transmission.
Following are a few tips on how
you

might deal with three
different

situations. Stuck in Mud or Loose

Terrain

Here are some options for you to
consider if you get stuck in softsand,

loose soil or gravel, or deep

mud:

Shift into 4-wheel drive if you
have 4-wheel drive and aren't
already in it. If you aren't in
too

deep, this may be all you
need

to get going.
Letting some air out of the tires may help you get better
traction.
Yo

u may want to use a shovel
to dig out some soil around the
tires.
If you do, keep a safe
distance from the vehicle in
case

it moves. 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

Inspection and Cleaning

Check the condition of your
tires. Damaged tires are more
likely to fail and should not be

used on pavement.

If you let air out of your tires,inflate them to the
recommended
levels before
going

any distance on
pavement.
If you must drive
wit

h underinflated tires, do not
exceed
30 mph. Remove
any mud that may
have

stuck to the tires, wheels,
or driveshafts. Mud can cause
imbalance
and damage
important vehicle components.
Remove any twigs, rocks or
other objects you might have
picked up along the way.
Follow

all procedures for
shifting back to 2-wheel drive
if you've been traveling in
4-wheel
drive.
When you get home, thoroughly wash your vehicle and inspect it
closely

for signs of damage. Give
special attention to the tires, rims,
suspension and other Underbody
components, and correct any
problem you find. Also make sure all

nuts, bolts and other critical
fasteners

are properly secured. Driving off-road causes more
wear-and-tear

on the paint and
exterior trim. Stones and other debris

thrown up by your tires,
and

the tires of other off-road
vehicles you are following, can
chip

the paint and chrome. Bushes
and tree branches can cause
hairline

scratches. Although there
are some protective devices available
(mud guards, etc.) a
vehicle that is driven off-road will
incur

more damage than one that
is not. Frequent washing and
waxing may help to minimize the
damage caused by off-road
driving.
Befor

e returning to pavement:
Off-Road Driving Information