2006 HONDA RIDGELINE check engine

Bef ore you begin driving your
vehicle, you should know what
gasoline to use and how to check the
levels of important f luids. You also
need to know how to properly store
luggage or packages. The
inf ormation in this section will help
you. If you plan to add any
accessories to your vehicle, please
read the information in this section
first..............................
Break-in Period .174
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Fuel Recommendation .174
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Service Station Procedures .175
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Ref ueling .175
Opening and Closing the
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Hood .177
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Oil Check .178
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Engine Coolant Check .178
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Fuel Economy .179
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Accessories and Modif ications .180
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Carrying Cargo .182
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
173
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Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
Wipe of f the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its hole. Remove the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page . Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page .
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
about checking other items on your
vehicle.
1.
2.
3. 4.
236 239
231
Service Station Procedures
A dding Engine Oil Engine Coolant Check
Oil Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
178
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK MAX
MIN
RESERVE TANK
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Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
messages displayed in the
inf ormation display. See(see page
).
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more f uel.
The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside or on the
truck bed adds weight and rolling
resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your f uel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
f uel. Use cruise control when
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
231
For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
179
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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
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107
76
95 97
Preparing to Drive
Driving
191
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This allows you to move the shif t
lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pulling the shif t lever does
not work.Push down on the key while you
pull the shif t lever towards you
and move it out of Park to neutral.Remove the key from the shift
lock release slot, then reinstall the
cover. Make sure the notch on the
cover is on the instrument panel
side. Press the brake pedal, and
restart the engine.
Set the parking brake.
Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
Put a cloth on the edge of the shif t
lock release slot cover. Using a
small f lat-tipped screwdriver or a
metal f ingernail f ile, caref ully pry
on the edge of the cover to remove
it.
Insert a key into the shift lock
release slot.
If you need to use the shif t lock
release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have it
checked by your dealer. 6.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Automatic Transmission
Shif t L ock Release
Driving
197
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
COVER
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If the tire is f lat, or if the tire
pressure is too low to continue
driving, replace the tire with the
compact spare tire. If you think you can saf ely drive a
short distance to a service station,
proceed slowly, and inf late the tire to
the recommended pressure shown
on the driver’s doorjamb. When this indicator is on, one or
more of your tires is signif icantly
under inf lated. You should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible.
The VTM-4 Lock will temporarily
disengage when the vehicle speed
exceeds 18 mph (30 km/h). The
indicator in the button will remain on.
do
any of the f ollowing: Press the VTM-4 LOCK button. Each tire has its own pressure
sensor. If the air pressure of a tire
becomes signif icantly low, the
sensor in that tire immediately sends
a signal that causes the low tire
pressure indicator and the
appropriate tire on the tire pressure
monitor to come on. Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that turns on every time you start the
engine and monitors the pressure in
your tires while driving.
Move the shift lever to D.
Turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position.
CONT INUED
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
To Disengage the VTM-4 L ock, Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(T PMS)
VTM-
4System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Driving
199
Do not continuously spin the f ront tires
of your vehicle. Continuously spinning
the f ront tires can cause transmission
or rear dif f erential damage.
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If the brake pads need replacing, you
will hear a distinctive, metallic
screeching sound when you apply
the brake pedal. If you do not have
the brake pads replaced, they will
screech all the time. It is normal f or
the brakes to occasionally squeal or
squeak when you apply them. Check the brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Be extra
cautious in your driving.
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Your vehicle is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The anti-lock
brake system (ABS) helps you retain
steering control when braking very
hard.
Resting your f oot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, increases wear, and reduces
their ef f ectiveness. It also keeps
your brake lights on all the time,
conf using drivers behind you.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by taking your f oot of f the
accelerator and downshif ting to a
lower gear.
If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb, and set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill,
turn the front wheels toward the
curb, and set the parking brake.
Make sure the parking brake is
f ully released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or
damage the parking brake.
Brake Wear Indicators Braking System Design
Braking System
Parking, Braking System
202
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CONT INUED
The vehicle stability assist (VSA)
system helps to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering if the vehicle turns
more or less than desired. It also
assists you in maintaining traction
while accelerating on loose or
slippery road surf aces. It does this
by regulating the engine’s output and
by selectively applying the brakes.
The VSA system cannot enhance the
vehicle’s driving stability in all
situations and does not control your
vehicle’s entire braking system. It is
still your responsibility to drive and
corner at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety. When VSA activates, you may notice
that the engine does not respond to
the accelerator in the same way it
does at other times. There may also
be some unusual noise f rom the
modulator. You will also see the VSA
activation indicator blink.This indicator has three f unctions:
Itcomesonasareminderthatyou
have turned off the vehicle
stability assist (VSA) system.
It flashes when VSA is active.
It comes on along with the VSA
system indicator if there is a
problem with the VSA system.
This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II).
If itcomesonandstaysonatany
other time, or if it does not come on
when you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II), there is a problem with the
VSA system. Take your vehicle to a
dealer to have it checked. Without
VSA, your vehicle still has normal
driving ability, but will not have VSA
traction and stability enhancement.
1.
2.
3. VSA A ctivation Indicator Vehicle Stability A ssist
(VSA ) System Indicator
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System
Driving
205
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