2006 HONDA RIDGELINE Owners Manual

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time. Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
We recommended using a quality
gasoline containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contactyour authorized dealer f or service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Premium f uel is recommended when
towing in certain conditions (see
page ).
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
215
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
174
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CONT INUED
Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat. Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top of f ’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes. Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
The fuel fill cap is attached to the
f uel f iller with a tether. Insert the
attachment on the fuel fill cap into
the slit on the f uel f ill door.
even
though the tank is not full, there may
be a problem with your vehicle’s f uel
vapor recovery system. The system
helps keep f uel vapors f rom going
into the atmosphere. Try f illing at
another pump. If this does not f ix the
problem, consult your dealer.
1.
2. 3.
4.
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Ref ueling
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
175
Pull
TETHER
FUEL FILL CAP
ATTACHMENT
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
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Whenever f illing a f uel container,
use an approved f uel container, and
place it on the ground. Do not f ill the
f uel container in the vehicle,
including the pickup bed and the
In-Bed Trunk. Make sure to put the
f uel pump nozzle in the f uel f iller of
the container securely and to handle
it properly.
Your vehicle has a warning label f or
f illing a portable f uel container on
the lef t rear side of the pickup bed. Before placing the fuel container in
the vehicle, wipe up any spill
completely. Gasoline or f uel vapors are
extremely f lammable and explosive.
Improperly handling f uel can cause
the explosion in which you can be
seriously injured.
Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks. If you do not
properly tighten the cap, the
malf unction indicator lamp may
come on (see page ). You will
also see a ‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’
message on the odometer display.
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
5.
6.
279
Service Station Procedures
Filling a Port able Fuel Cont ainer
176
Do not fill a portable fuel
container in the pickup bed.
Static electricity can ignite gas
vapors and you can be burned.
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Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood. The hood latch
handle is above the ‘‘H’’ logo. Pull
this handle until it releases the
hood, then lif t the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves stif f ly,
or you can open the hood without
lif ting the handle, the mechanism
should be cleaned and lubricated. Pull the support rod out of its clip,
and insert the end into either of
the designated holes pointed to by
an arrow.
To close the hood, lif t it up slightly to
remove the support rod f rom the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
f ender, then let it drop. Make sure it
is securely latched.
1. 2. 3.
Service Station Procedures
Opening and Closing the Hood
Bef ore Driving
177
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
LATCH SUPPORT ROD
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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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Your dealer has Honda accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty. Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make it unsaf e. Bef ore you make any
modif ications or add any accessories,
be sure to read the f ollowing
inf ormation.
Although non-Honda accessories
may f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability.When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags and anti-lock brakes.
Bef ore installing any accessory:
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
the proper operation of your
vehicle.
If you install a truck cap, be sure it is
properly installed and does not
exceed your vehicle’s load limits (see
page ). 281
183
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Your vehicle should not be used to
carry a slide-in camper.
180
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
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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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