µ
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important. Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed, the greater the
risk, but serious injuries can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance (see page ).
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags are
designed to supplement seat belts,
not replace them. 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 ).
Children age 12 and under should
ride properly restrained in a back
seat, not the front seat. Infants and
smallchildrenshouldberestrained
in a child seat. Larger children
should use a booster seat and a lap/
shoulder belt until they can use the
belt properly without a booster seat (see pages ).
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 f riends
drink and drive, either. While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual.
14 5030
225
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Don’t Drink and Drive Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
Important Saf ety Precautions
6
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Instrument Panel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
U.S. models
57
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATORWASHER LEVEL
INDICATOR
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
LAMP LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR VSA ACTIVATION INDICATOR
VTM-4INDICATOR
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
A/T TEMPERATURE INDICATOR
LIGHTS ON INDICATOR
TPMS INDICATOR
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR
PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR SIDE AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR
LOW FUEL INDICATOR
CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR
DOOR AND TAILGATE
OPEN MONITOR
BACK WINDOW OPEN
INDICATOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE MINDER
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) SYSTEM
INDICATOR
SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
INDICATOR
SEAT BELT
REMINDER
INDICATOR
BED LIGHTS ON INDICATOR (P.64)
(P.63) (P.62)
(P.63)
(P.63)
(P.65)
(P.66)
(P.59)
(P.60) (P.59)
(P.59)
(P.66) (P.64)
(P.65) (P.64)
(P.59) (P.60)
(P.62)
(P.59)
(P.59)
(P.62)
(P.62)
(P.60)
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR
(P.65) (P.61)
(P.66)
IN-BED TRUNK OPEN
INDICATOR
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Instrument Panel
Canadian models
58
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATORWASHER LEVEL
INDICATOR
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR
LAMP LOW OIL PRESSURE
INDICATOR
VSA ACTIVATION INDICATOR
VTM-4INDICATOR
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
A/T TEMPERATURE INDICATOR
LIGHTS ON INDICATOR
TPMS INDICATOR
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR
PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR SIDE AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR
LOW FUEL INDICATOR
CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR
DOOR AND TAILGATE
OPEN MONITOR
BACK WINDOW OPEN
INDICATOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE
INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE MINDER
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
VEHICLE STABILITY
ASSIST (VSA) SYSTEM
INDICATOR
SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT
SYSTEM
INDICATOR
SEAT BELT
REMINDER
INDICATOR
DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS
INDICATOR
BED LIGHTS ON INDICATOR TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR
(P.64)
(P.63) (P.62)
(P.63)
(P.62) (P.63)
(P.65) (P.66)
(P.59)
(P.60) (P.59)
(P.59)
(P.66) (P.64)
(P.65) (P.64)
(P.59) (P.60)
(P.62)
(P.59)
(P.59)
(P.62)
(P.62)
(P.60)
(P.61)
(P.65)
(P.66)
IN-BED TRUNK OPEN
INDICATOR
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If this indicator comes on and stays
on at any other time, or if it does not
come on when you turn the ignition
switch to ON (II), there is a problem
with the TPMS. With this indicator
on, the low tire pressure indicator
and the tire pressure monitor will not
come on when a tire loses pressure.
Take the vehicle to your dealer to
have the system checked.
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II).
If it comes on while driving, it
indicates that one or more of your
vehicle’s tires are extremely low on
pressure.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
road when it is saf e, check which tire
has lost the pressure on the tire
pressure monitor, and determine the
cause. If it is because of a f lat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page ), and have the
f lat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinf lated,
call a prof essional towing service
(see page ). Ref er to page
f or more inf ormation. This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II).
The appropriate tire indicator will
come on along with the low tire
pressure indicator if a tire is
extremely underinf lated or has
suddenly lost pressure. See for what to
do if this indicator comes on. This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II).
264
199 286 Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (T PMS) Indicator
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator T ire Pressure Monitor
Low
Tire Pressure Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
65
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Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
saf ety systems could make the
systems inef f ective.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
non-Honda components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:
Lowering the vehicle with a non-
Honda suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components and will not be
compatible with the tire pressure
monitoring system.
Bef ore installing any electronic
accessory, have the installer
contact your dealer f or assistance.
If possible, have your dealer
inspect the f inal installation.
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows. In these areas,
accessories may interf ere with
proper operation of the side
curtain airbags.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Bef ore Driving
181
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This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the VTM-4system, the VSA
system, the tire pressure monitoring
system, and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer.........................
Driving Guidelines .190
........................
Preparing to Drive .191
.......................
Starting the Engine .192
..............
Automatic Transmission .193
Variable Torque Management
.........
4WD (VTM-4) System .198
..............................
VTM-4Lock .198
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ......................................
(TPMS) .199
...........................................
Parking .201
.............................
Braking System .202
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .203
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
........................................
System .205
.................
Towing Weight Limits .207
..........
Towing Weight Guidelines .209
...........................
Towing a Trailer .210
Of f -Highway Driving
..................................
Guidelines .219
Driving
Driving
189
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Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Check that the tailgate is f ully
closed when it is not used as an
extended pickup bed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely. Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors and In-Bed
Trunk are securely closed and
locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page ).
Check the seat adjustment (see
pages and ).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8. 7.
9.
10.
11. 14
57
107
76
95 97
Preparing to Drive
Driving
191
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Your vehicle is equipped with a
variable torque management
4-wheel-drive system (VTM-4) that
distributes engine torque to the
appropriate drive axle depending on
the available traction conditions. The
system is completely automatic,
always active, and does not require
any driver interaction.To get unstuck, apply light pressure
to the accelerator pedal. Do not spin
the f ront tires f or more than a f ew
seconds. Because of the amount of
torque applied to the rear tires, they
should not spin. This is normal. If
you are not able to move the vehicle,
stop and reverse direction.
If you become stuck, you can
activatetheVTM-4bypressingthe
VTM-4 LOCK button while in f irst
(1), second (2), or reverse (R) gear
below18mph(30km/h).Thismode
overrides the auto system to send
maximum torque to the rear axle.
This mode is only intended f or
intermittent use at low speed to free
your vehicle if it becomes stuck or
when you encounter a steep grade
with one wheel on a slippery surf ace.
Generally, you should f irst allow the
auto mode to operate to adjust for
the available traction conditions.
The vehicle speed must be below
18 mph (30 km/h).
Move the shift lever to first (1),
second (2), or reverse (R) gear. Press the VTM-4 LOCK button.
The indicator in the button comes
on.
1.
2. 3.
VTM-4 System
To Engage the VTM-4 Lock:
198
VTM-4 LOCK BUTTON
Do not use the VTM-4 LOCK button on
dry, paved roads. Driving on dry,
paved roads with VTM-4 Lock ON may
damage the rear dif f erential when
making a turn. Strange noise and
vibration can also result.
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