2002 HONDA PASSPORT tire type

4Driver and Passenger Safety
Yo u
’ll find many safety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this
manual. The recommendations on
this page are the ones we consider
to be the most important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
A seat belt is your best protection
in all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inflate only in a
moderate to severe frontal
collision. So even though your
vehicle is equipped with airbags,
make sure you and your
passengers always wear your seat
belts, and wear them properly.
(See page 13.)
Restrain All Children
Children are safest when they are
properly restrained in the back
seat, not the front seat. A child
who is too small for a seat belt must be properly restrained in a
child safety seat. (See page 18.)
Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
While airbags save lives, they can
cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to
them, or are not properly
restrained. Infants, young
children, and short adults are at
the greatest risk. Be sure to follow
all instructions and warnings in
this manual. (See page 7.)
Don’t Drink and Drive
Alcohol and driving don
’t mix.
Even one drink can reduce your
ability to respond to changing
conditions, and your reaction time
gets worse with every additional
drink. So don’ t drink and drive,
and don’ t let your friends drink
and drive either. Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor
in crash injuries and deaths.
Generally, the higher the speed
the greater the risk, but serious
accidents can also occur at lower
speeds. Never drive faster than is
safe for current conditions,
regardless of the maximum speed
posted.
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
Condition
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be
extremely hazardous. To reduce
the possibility of such problems,
check your tire pressure and
condition frequently, and perform
all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page 204.)
Important Safety Precautions

156 Driving Tips
Driving Guidelines
Your Honda has higher ground
clearance than a passenger car
designed for use only on
pavement. Higher ground
clearance has many advantages
for off-road driving. It allows you
to travel over bumps, obstacles,
and rough terrain. It also provides
good visibility so you can
anticipate problems earlier.
These advantages come at some
cost. Because your vehicle is
taller and rides higher off the
ground, it has a high center of
gravity. This means that your
vehicle can tip or roll over if you
make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other
types of vehicles. To prevent rollover or loss of
control:
•
Take corners at slower speeds
than you would with a
passenger car.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers whenever possible.
• Do not modify your vehicle in
any way that would raise the
center of gravity (see page 174).
•Do not carry heavy cargo on
the roof (see page 177).
For off-road driving guidelines,
see the Off-Road Driving
Information booklet that came
with your vehicle.
Before Entering the Vehicle
1. Check that the windows, mirrors, lights and reflectors
are clean and unobstructed. 2. Check the tires to see if they
are low or flat. You will need
a pressure gauge to tell if tires
are properly inflated.
3. Check that all lights work.
4. Check for fluid leaks.
5. Be sure everything is properly stowed.
6. Check the area behind the vehicle if you are about to
back up.
Before Driving the Vehicle
1. Lock all doors.
2. Adjust the seat and anymovable head restraints.
3. Adjust the inside and outside mirrors.
4. Check that all the indicator lights work when the key
Before Driving

163Driving Tips
distances will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, avoid maneuvers
involving sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking (including
engine braking due to shifting to
lower gear), that could cause the
tires to skid.
Drivers may not realize the
surface is slippery until the
vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning
clues—such as enough water or
ice on the road to make a
“mirrored surface”—and slow
down when there is any doubt.
Also see “Traction” under “Tires”
in this section.
Rapid slowing down or
speeding-up can cause loss
of control on slippery
surfaces. If you crash, you
can be injured.
Use extra care when driving
on slippery surfaces.
To safely operate your vehicle,
your tires must be the proper type
and size, in good condition with
adequate tread, and correctly
inflated. The following pages give
more detailed information on how
and when to check air pressure,
how to inspect your tires for
damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be
replaced.
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you
can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
Tires

167Driving Tips
We urge you not to install
oversize tires and wheels that
would change your vehicle’s
ride height and possibly affect
handling and stability.
Installing improper tires on
your vehicle can affect
handling and stability. This
can cause a crash in which
you can be seriously hurt or
killed.
Always use the size and type
of tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.
It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not
possible
or necessary, then replace
the two front tires or the two rear
tires as a pair. Replacing just one
tire can seriously affect your
vehicle’s handling.
The
ABS works by comparing the
speed of the wheels. When
replacing tires, use the same size
originally supplied with the
vehicle. Tire size and construction
can affect wheel speed and may
cause the system to work
inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a
wheel, make sure the
replacement’s specifications
match the wheels that originally
came on your Honda. Replacement wheels are available
at your Honda dealer.
Wheels and Tires
Wheels:
16 x 7 JJ
Tires:
Standard on
LX 2WD
225/75R16
Standard on all other models
245/70R16
See page 250 for information
about DOT Tire Quality Grading.

168Driving Tips
Traction
A decrease in driving, cornering,
and braking traction occurs when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
materials are on the road. Vehicle
speed should be adjusted to the
road conditions.
When driving on wet or slushy
roads, a wedge of water can build
up between the tire and road. This
is known as hydroplaning and
may cause partial or complete loss
of traction, vehicle control, and
stopping ability. To reduce the
chance of traction loss, follow
these tips:
1. Slow down during rainstormsor when roads are slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles. 3. Replace tires when they are
worn to a point where 1/16
inch (1.6 mm) or less tread
remains, or cord or fabric
can be seen.
4. Keep the tires properly inflated.
If your vehicle has snow tires, be
sure they are the same size, load
range and construction type as your
other tires. Vehicle speed should be
limited to a maximum of 75 mph
(120 km/h) when equipped with
either passenger vehicle-type or
truck-type snow tires.
Tire Chains
To prevent tire chains from
damaging your vehicle:
•Install the chains on the rear
tires as tightly as possible. Tighten them again after
driving 1/4 to 1/2 mile (0.4 to
0.8 kilometer). Using chains on
the front tires is not
recommended. They may
contact the body and possibly
damage the vehicle. If you
intend to use chains on the
front tires, be sure there is
enough clearance.
•Do not exceed 45 mph
(70 km/h) or the chain
manufacturer ’
s suggested speed
limit if it is lower.
•Drive in a restrained manner
and avoid large bumps,
potholes, severe turns or other
maneuvers that could cause the
vehicle to bounce up and down.
•Follow the chain
manufacturer ’ s instructions.

169Driving Tips
Wheel Replacement
Considerations
Damaged wheels must be
replaced. For example, replace
wheels if they are bent, cracked or
heavily rusted, or if wheel nuts
often become loose. Also replace
wheels that leak air (except some
aluminum wheels that can be
repaired). See your Honda dealer.
Do not use bent wheels that have
been straightened, and do not use
tubes in leaking wheels designed
for tubeless tires. Such wheels
may have structural damage and
could fail without warning.
Maximum loads, maximum
inflation pressures, wheel
identification codes, and wheel
sizes are stamped on each wheel.
Service-tested and approvedwheels are available from your
Honda dealer.
When obtaining wheels for any
reason from any other source, the
replacement wheels should be
equal in load capacity, inflation
pressure capacity, diameter, width,
offset and mounting configuration
to those originally installed on
your vehicle. A wheel of the
wrong size or type may adversely
affect load carrying capacity,
wheel and bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, stopping ability,
headlight aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance, and tire
or tire chain clearance to the body
and chassis. Replacement with
used wheels is not advised: They
may have been subjected to harsh
treatment or very high mileage and
could fail without warning.
Installing wheels and/or tires that
have a higher load carrying limit
than those that originally came on
your vehicle does not increase the
GAWR or GVWR of the vehicle.

226Care and Maintenance
been coated with corrosion
protectants.
At least every spring, flush these
materials from the underbody
with plain water. Take care to
thoroughly clean any areas where
mud and other debris can collect.
Sediment packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened
before being flushed.
With the use of modern trim
materials it is very important that
proper cleaning techniques and
cleaners be used. Failure to do
this on the first cleaning may
result in water spots, spot rings or
setting of stains, all of which
make it more difficult to remove
on a second cleaning.
The portion of the following
cleaning instructions that are in
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are
especially important and
MUST
be followed.
Dust and loose dirt that
accumulate on interior fabrics
should be removed often with a
vacuum cleaner or soft brush.
Vinyl or leather trim should be
wiped regularly with a clean
damp cloth. Normal trim soil,
spots or stains can be cleaned with
conventional cleaners.
Remember These Basic Steps
Before Cleaning
1. Remove stains as quickly as possible before they become
“set.”
2. Use a clean cloth or sponge and change to a clean area
often. (
A SOFT brush may be
used if stains persist.)
3. Use solvent-type cleaners only in a well ventilated area; also,
do not saturate the stained
area.
4. If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire area
IMMEDIATELY.
5. Follow specific instructions onthe cleaning products’ labels.
Interior

228Care and Maintenance
•Gently scrape the stain off trim
material with a clean,
DULL
knife or scraper. USE VERY
LITTLE CLEANER
, light
pressure, and a clean cloth
(preferably cheesecloth).
Cleaning should be from the
outside of the stain,
“
FEATHERING” towards the
center. Keep changing to a clean
section of the cloth.
•When the stain is cleaned from
the fabric, immediately dry the
area with an air hose, heat dryer
or heat lamp to help prevent a
cleaning ring. (Use caution with
a heat dryer or lamp to prevent
damage to fabric.)
•If a ring forms, immediately
repeat the cleaning operation
over a slightly larger area with
emphasis on “
FEATHERING”
towards its center. If a ring still remains, mask off surrounding
trim sections and clean the entire
affected area with a
multipurpose powered cleaner
(as described under
“Cleaning
General Soilage or Water Spots
From Fabric Trim ”).
Removal of Specific Stains
Grease or Oil Stains
These include grease, oil, butter,
margarine, shoe polish, coffee
with cream, chewing gum,
cosmetic creams, vegetable oils,
wax crayon, tar and asphalts.
•Carefully scrape off excess
stain; then use fabric cleaner
(solvent type) as previously
described.
•Shoe polish, wax crayons, tar
and asphalt will stain if allowed
to remain on trim; they should
be removed as soon as possible.
Use caution as cleaner will
dissolve them and may cause
them to “bleed. ”
Non-Greasy Stains
These include catsup, coffee
(black), egg, fruit juice, milk, soft
drinks, wine, vomit and blood.
•Carefully scrape off excess
stain; then sponge stain with
cool water.
•If a stain remains, use a
multipurpose powdered cleaner
(foam type) as previously
described.