2004 HONDA CR-V towing

Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or Reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to 3rd
gear on the manual transmission,
and turn off the Over drive (O/D)
mode on the automatic transmission.
Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes.
bottom
Trailer Driving Tips
Driving
Backing Up
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing Parking
Remember: It will take longer to
slow down and stop when towing
atrailer.
156

Your Honda can be towed behind a
motorhome at legal highway speeds
up to 65 mph(100 km/h). Do not
exceed 65 mph(100km/h).
Otherwise, severe transmission
damage will occur. To avoid damage
to the 4WD system, it must be towed
with all f our wheels on the ground
(f lat towing).
When purchasing a tow bar, make
sure you select a reputable
manuf acturer and installer. Follow
the manufacturer’s attachment
instructions caref ully.Perf orm the f ollowing procedure
everyday immediately bef ore you
begin towing. Otherwise severe
automatic transmission damage will
occur.
Check the transmission f luid level
(see page ).
Start the engine.
Press on the brake pedal. Move
the shif t lever through all its
positions.
ShifttoD,thentoN.Letthe
engine run f or three minutes, then
turn it off.
Leave the ignition switch in
ACCESSORY (I) so the steering
wheel does not lock. Make sure
the radio and any items plugged
into the accessory power sockets
are turned of f so you do not run
down the battery. If you tow more than 8 hours in one
day, you should repeat the above
procedure at least every 8 hours
(when you stop f or f uel, etc.)
Release the parking brake. 179
Do not overf ill.
Driving
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a Motorhome
Ext ended T owing
157
NOTICE:
NOTICE:T he steering system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is locked.
Leave the ignition switch in Accessory
(I), and make sure the steering wheel
turns f reely bef ore you begin towing.
Failure to f ollow the above
instructions exactly will result in severe
automatic transmission damage. If you
cannot shif t the transmission or start
the engine, your vehicle must be
transported on a f lat-bed truck or
trailer.

When towing your CR-V f or long
periods, remove the 7.5A Accessory/
Radio f use to reduce drain on battery.
This f use in located in the interior
f use box and is shown as number 8
below.
Only remove the fuse after you have
perf ormed the transmission shif ting
procedure, and the key is in the
ACCESSORY (I) position. Store the
f use in an obvious location (center
tray, coin pockets, etc) as a reminder
to re-install the fuse before driving
the vehicle.If youtowaCR-Vwithanautomatic
transmission, the transmission f luid
must be changed every two years or
30,000 miles (48,000 km), whichever
comes f irst.
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a Motorhome
Driving
Automatic Transmission
Ext ended T owing
158
NOTICE:INTERIOR FUSE BOX
ACC/RADIO FUSEThis f use MUST be re-
installed bef ore driving the vehicle.
Failure to re-install the f use may allow
youtoremovethekeywiththe
transmission in gear.
Severe automatic transmission damage
will occur if the vehicle is shif ted f rom
reverse to neutral and then towed with
the drive wheels on the ground.

µÌ
Trailer towing, driving with a roof
top carrier, or driving in
mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-
iced roads.
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions. Your authorized Honda dealer
knows your vehicle best and can
provide competent, ef f icient service.
However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualif ied service f acility or
skilled person to keep all the receipts
as proof of completion, and have the
person who does the work f ill out the
Maintenance Record. Check your
warranty booklet f or more
inf ormation.
We recommend the use of Honda
parts and f luids whenever you have
maintenance done.
If you only OCCASIONALLY
drive under ‘‘severe’’ conditions, you
should f ollow the Maintenance
Schedule f or Normal Conditions. According to state and federal
regulations, f ailure to perf orm
maintenance on the items marked
with will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Honda
recommends that all maintenance
services be perf ormed at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability. U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance
Canadian OwnersServicing Your Vehicle
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are ‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA
standards.
166
NOTE:

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Follow the Severe Maintenance
Schedule if you drive your vehicle
MAINLY under one or more of the
f ollowing conditions: Extensive idling or long periods of
stop and go driving, such as a taxi or
a delivery vehicle. Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per
trip or, in f reezing temperatures,
driving less than 10 miles (16 km)
per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over 90°F
(32°C)] conditions.
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions. Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced
roads. T railer towing, driving with a roof
rack, or driving in mountainous
conditions.
commercial
Canadian Owners
Maint enance
169
miles x 1,000
km x 1,000
Every 3 years (independent of mileage)
( (O
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10
16 50
8070
112
Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop 150
240
Service the items listed at the indicated distance (or time, if given).
Every 10,000 miles (16,000 km)
Check inflation and condition once a month
Every 5,000 miles (8,000 km) or every 6 months, whichever comes first
( (O
O r
re
ev
ve
er
ry
y 1
1y
ye
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(
( O
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40
64
20
32 60
9680
128
30
48
Every 160,000 miles (256,000 km)
At 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 5 years
( (O
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4y
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)
Replace at 60,000 miles (96,000 km) or 3
years, then every 30,000 miles (48,000
km) or 2 years.
90
144 100
160 140
224
130
208
120
192
110
176
See dust and pollen filter on page for
replacement information under special
driving conditions.
Check engine oil and coolant
Check tires
Replace engine oil
Rotate tires (follow pattern on page
193)
Replace engine oil filter
Check front and rear brakes
Lubricate all hinges, locks and latches
Inspect the following items: Tie rod ends, steering gear box, and boots
Suspension components, Driveshaft boots
Check parking brake adjustment
Inspect the following items: Brake hoses and lines (including ABS)
All fluid levels and condition of fluids
Exhaust system , Fuel lines and connections
Lights and controls/vehicle underbody
Inspect drive belts
Replace dust and pollen filter
Clean and replace air cleaner element
Replace spark plugs
Inspect valve clearance
Replace automatic transmission fluid
Replace manual transmission fluid
Replace rear differential fluid
Inspect idle speed
Replace engine coolant
Replace brake fluid Clean every 15,000 miles (24,000 km), and replace every 30,000
miles (48,000 km)
Use normal schedule except in dusty
condition.
See information on maintenance and
emission warranty on page .
1:
2:
: 188
3: 166
13
2
Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.....................
Changing a Flat Tire .200
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start . 207
................................
Jump Starting .209
..............
If the Engine Overheats . 211
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 213
..........
Charging System Indicator . 213
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 214
...............
Brake System Indicator . 215
......................
Emergency Towing .216
..................
Closing the Moonroof . 217
..............................................
Fuses .218
..............................
Fuse Locations .221
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed199

If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.To keep the tailgate door open,
use the stop f rom the tool kit. Put
the stop on the support strut as
shown.
Park the vehicle on f irm, level and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park (automatic)
or Reverse (manual). Apply the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer, unhitch
the trailer.
Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
1.
2.
3.
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed200
JACK
STOP
SPARE TIRE
TOOL
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.

Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
138 218
216
70
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If theEngineWon’tStart
208