Page 225 of 352

Raising your vehicle with a
non-Honda suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
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.
Herearesomeexamples:
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.
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.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer. Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
safety features can make the
systems inef f ective. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Bef ore Driving
221
Page 226 of 352
ÎÎ
Î
Î
Î
Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:
Lower glove box Upper glove box
Console compartment
Door pockets
Seat-back pockets
Seat-under Tray (if equipped)
Center pocket
Cargo area, including the rear
seatswhenfoldedupordown.
Upperandlowercargoareaswith
the dual deck cargo shelf (if
equipped)
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your vehicle’s handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, and
make it unsaf e. Bef ore carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
f ollowing pages. Roof -rack (if equipped)
Carrying Cargo
222
SEAT-BACK
POCKETS
CENTER POCKETUPPER
GLOVE BOX
LOWER
GLOVE BOX
CARGO AREA
: If equipped SEAT UNDER
TRAY
CENTER CONSOLE
COMPARTMENT DOOR POCKETS
DUAL DECK CARGO SHELF
Page 227 of 352

µ·
Steps
for Determining Correct Load
Limit: Locate the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 850
lbs’’ on your vehicle’s placard.
[The placard is on the driv er’s
doorjamb.]
Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicl e.
Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
850 lbs. Determine
the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capaci ty
calc ulated in step 4.
The
maximum load for your vehicle
is 850 lbs (385 kg) for U.S. vehicles,
and 395 kg for Canadian vehicles.
This figure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, and
accessori es, and the tongue load if
you are towing a trailer. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will
be tran sferred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
yourvehicle(seepage ).
In addition, the total weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the gross vehicle weight
rating (GVWR) or the gross axle
weight rating (GAWR). Both are on
a label on the driver’s doorjamb.
The resulting f igure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if the maximum load
is 850 lbs and there will be f ive 150
lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 100 lbs.
(850 750 (5 150) = 100 lbs.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
246
Carrying Cargo
Load Limits
Bef ore Driving
223
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.
Page 228 of 352

Store or secure all items that could
be thro wn around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the floor
behind the front seats cannot roll
under the seats and interfere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, the proper operation of the
seats, or proper operation of the
sensors under the seats.
Keep the lower glove box closed
while driving. If it is open, a
passenger could injure their knees
during a crash or sudden stop. If
you carry large items that
prevent you from closing the
tailgate, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of , f ollow the instructions
on page . Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible. Tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop.
Do not stack items higher than the
back of the rear seats. They can
block your view and be thrown
around the vehicle during a crash.
If youfoldtherearseatsupor
down, tie down items that could be
thrown about the vehicle during a
crash or sudden stop. Also, keep
all cargo below the bottom of the
windows. If it is higher, it could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the side curtain airbags.
Do not use the dual deck cargo shelf
with any rear seat f olded up or down.
54
On all models except LX
Carrying Cargo
Carrying Cargo in the Passenger
Compartment
carbon monoxide
poisoning
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
or on a Roof Rack
224
Page 229 of 352
If you carry any items on a roof
rack,besurethetotalweightof
the rack and the items does not
exceed 165 lbs (75 kg).
If you use an accessory roof rack,
the roof rack weight limit may be
lower. Ref er to the inf ormation that
came with your roof rack.
Do not exceed the dual deck cargo
shelf load limit of 20 lbs on U.S.
models, and 10 kg on Canadian
models. Do not use the dual deck cargo shelf
if the rear seats are f olded down. Do not put any items on the dual
deck cargo shelf that could block
your view or be thrown around the
vehicle during a crash.
On all models except LXOn U.S. model is shown
Carrying Cargo
Carring Cargo on the Dual Deck
Cargo Shelf
Bef ore Driving
225
Page 230 of 352
The f our hooks on the f loor can be
used to install a net f or securing
items.Your vehicle also has cargo hooks on
side panel in the cargo area.
They are designed to hold light
items. Heavy objects may damage
thehook.Makesureanyitemsput
on each hook weigh less than 6.5 lbs
(3 kg).
Theseparationnetcanbeusedto
hold back sof t, lightweight items
stored in the cargo area. Heavy
items should be properly secured on
the f loor of the cargo area. The net
may not prevent heavy items f rom
being thrown f orward in a crash or a
sudden stop.On LX model
Cargo Hooks
Optional Separation Net
Carrying Cargo
226
HOOK
Page 231 of 352

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 vehicle stability assist
(VSA) system, the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) and f acts
you need if you are planning to tow a
trailerordriveoff-highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .228
....................
Preparing to Drive .229
.......................
Starting the Engine .230
..............
Automatic Transmission .231
...........................................
Parking .236
.............................
Braking System .237
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .238
Vehicle Stability Assist
............................
(VSA) System .240
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ......................................
(TPMS) .242
...........................
Towing a Trailer .245
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a
................................
Motorhome .250
Of f -Highway Driving ..................................
Guidelines .252
Driving
Driving
227
Page 232 of 352

Because your vehicle rides higher
off the ground, it has a high center
of gravity that can cause it to roll
over if you make abrupt turns. Utility
vehicl es have a signifi cantly higher
roll over rate than other types of
ve hicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of
control:
Take corners at slower speeds
than you would with a passenger
vehicle.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers whenever possible. Do
not carry heavy cargo on the
roof. Do not modify your vehicle in any
way that would raise the center of
gravity.
You still need to exercise the same
care when accelerating, steering, and
brakingthatyouwouldinatwo-
wheel drive vehicle.
Your
vehicle has higher ground
clearance that allows you to travel
over bumps, obstacles, and rough
terrain. It also provides good
visibility so you can anticipate
problems earlier. Your
vehicle is equipped with a four-
wheel drive (4WD) system. When
the system senses a loss of front-
wheel traction, it automatically
transf ers some power to the rear
wheels. This gives you better
traction and mobility.
Four-wheel drive models
See page f or of f -highway drivingguidelines. 252
Driving Guidelines
228