2006 Ridgeline Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ .3
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .55
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Features ........................................................................\
................................................................... .119
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................173
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .189
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................223
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................263
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
............................................ .289
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................301
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................305
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.
Important Handling Information........................................................................\
.............................iii
After all occupants have adjusted
their seats and put on seat belts, it is
very important that they continue to
sit upright, well back in their seats,
with their feet on the floor, until the
vehicle is parked and the engine is
off.
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward or sideways,
or puts one or both f eet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is
greatly increased.In addition, an occupant who is out of
position in the f ront seat can be
seriously or f atally injured in a crash
by striking interior parts of the
vehicle or being struck by an
inflating front airbag.
If you are pregnant, the best way to
protect yourself and your unborn
child when driving or riding in a
vehicle is to always wear a seat belt,
and keep the lap part of the belt as
low as possible across the hips.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position Advice f or Pregnant Women
6.
16
Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.
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CONT INUED
When driving, remember to sit
upright and adjust the seat as f ar
back as possible while allowing f ull
control of the vehicle. When riding
as a f ront passenger, adjust the seat
as far back as possible.
This will reduce the risk of injuries
to both you and your unborn child
that can be caused by a crash or an
inflating front airbag.
Each time you have a checkup, ask
your doctor if it’s okay f or you to
drive.If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
If they do, they could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
If they do, they could
be killed or very seriously injured
in a crash.
Carrying hard or sharp
objects on your lap, or driving with
a pipe or other sharp object in
your mouth, can result in injuries
if your f ront airbag inf lates. Devices intended to improve
occupant comf ort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt can
reduce the protective capability of
the seat belt and increase the
chance of serious injury in a crash.
They could be
killed or injured in a crash, or
become ill or even die f rom carbon
monoxide poisoning if engine
exhaust enters the cap.
A passenger who is not
wearing a seat belt during a crash
or emergency stop can be thrown
against the inside of the vehicle,
against other occupants, or out of
the vehicle.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Additional Saf ety PrecautionsT wo people should never use t he
same seat belt .
Never let passengers ride in t he
area in front of a folded-up rearseat .
Never let passengers ride in t hepickup bed.
Do not place hard or sharp object sbet ween yourself and a f rontairbag.
Do not put any accessories on seat
belts.
Never let passengers ride inside a truck cap (shell).
Passengers should not stand up orchange seats while the vehicle ismoving.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
17
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If the indicator comes on at any
other time, or does not come on at all,
you should have the system checked
by your dealer. For example:If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to ON (II).
If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them.
The SRS indicator alerts
you to a potential problem
with your airbags, sensors, or seat
belt tensioners.
When you turn the ignition switch to
ON (II), this indicator comes on
brief ly then goes of f . This tells you
the system is working properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the SRS Indicator Works
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
27
Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.
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Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. You should
have no problem with carbon
monoxide entering the vehicle in
normal driving if you maintain your
vehicle properly.High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage.
Have the exhaust system inspected
f or leaks whenever:
The vehicle is raised f or an oil
change.
You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.
The vehicle was in an accident
that may have damaged the
underside. With a truck cap installed and the
back window open, engine exhaust
may enter the vehicle and cause a
hazardous condition. Keep the back
window tightly closed whenever you
drive with a truck cap installed.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle
with the engine running, even in an
unconf ined area, adjust the heating
and cooling system/climate control
system as f ollows:
Select the f resh air mode.
Select the mode.
Turn the f an on high speed.
Set the temperature control to a
comfortable setting.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
51
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.
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The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
inf ormation about your vehicle.
If you turn the ignition switch to ON
(II) bef ore f astening your seat belt,
the beeper sounds and the indicator
f lashes. If you do not f asten your
seat belt bef ore the beeper stops, the
indicator stops f lashing but remains
on.
If you continue driving without
f astening your seat belt, the beeper
sounds and the indicator f lashes
again at regular intervals.See page .
The engine can be severely damaged
if this indicator f lashes or stays on
when the engine is running. For
more information, see page .
If this indicator comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For more inf ormation,
see page .
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to ON (II). It
reminds you and your passengers to
f asten your seat belts. A beeper also
sounds if you have not f astened your
seat belt.
This indicator comes on brief ly when
you turn the ignition switch to ON
(II). If it comes on at any other time,
it indicates a potential problem with
your f ront airbags. This indicator will
also alert you to a potential problem
with your side airbags, passenger’s
side airbag automatic cutoff system,
side curtain airbags, rollover sensor,
or automatic seat belt tensioners.
For more inf ormation, see page .
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to ON (II). If
it comes on at any other time, it
indicates that the passenger’s side
airbag has automatically shut off.
For more inf ormation, see page .
279
278
278 27
28
Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator
Malf unction Indicator
Lamp
L ow Oil Pressure
Indicator
Charging System
IndicatorSupplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Side Airbag Of f
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
59
U.S. Canada
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This indicator has two f unctions:This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
It is a reminder to check the
parking brake. A beeper sounds if
you try to drive with the parking
brake not fully released. Driving
with the parking brake not fully
released can damage the brakes
and tires. This indicator also blinks several
times when you turn the ignition
switch f rom ON (II) to ACCESSORY
(I) or LOCK (0).
If it remains on af ter you have
fully released the parking brake
while the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the brake
system. For more inf ormation, see
page . This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II), and when
the ignition switch is turned to
START (III). If it comes on at any
other time, there is a problem with
theABS.If thishappens,haveyour
vehicle checked at a dealer. With
this on, your vehicle still has normal
braking ability but no anti-lock
brakes. For more inf ormation, see
page .
This indicator comes on f or a f ew
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch to ON (II). It will then go of f
if you have inserted a properly-coded
ignition key. If it is not a properly-
coded key, the indicator will blink,
and the engine will not start (see
page ).
1.
2.
280 203
78
Parking Brake and Brake System
Indicator
Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator
Immobilizer System
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
60
U.S. Canada
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This indicator monitors the
temperature of the automatic
transmission f luid. It should come on
f or a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). If it comes
on while driving, it means the
transmission fluid temperature is too
high. Pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e, shif t to Park, and let
the engine idle until the indicator
goes out.This indicator normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to ON (II). If it comes
on at any other time, there is a
problem in the 4WD system. Take
the vehicle to your dealer to have it
checked.
If the indicator blinks while driving,
the VTM-4 fluid temperature is too
high. Pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e, shif t to Park, and let
the engine idle until the indicator
goes out.
This indicator reminds you that the
exterior lights are on. It comes on
when you turn the headlight control
dial to either the or
position.
If you turn the ignition switch to
ACCESSORY (I) or LOCK (0)
without turning of f the headlight
control dial, this indicator remains on.
A reminder chime will also sound
when you open the driver’s door. Lights On Indicator A/T Temperature
IndicatorVTM-4 Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
63
Continuing to drive with the A/T
temperature indicator on may cause
serious damage to the transmission.
Continuing to drive with the VTM-4
indicator blinking may cause serious
damage to the system.
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