Page 224 of 319

When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to D . Do
not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
Crosswinds and air turbulen ce
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections. Al
ways drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left
to get the trailer to move to the left,
andturnthewheel righttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all norm al precau tions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and firmly
setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer’s
tires.
If the vehicle’s tires slip when
retr ieving a boat from the water,
shift to first gear, and turn on VTM-4
lock (see page ). Disengage
VTM-4 lock as soon as the boat is
out of the water to prevent damage
to the VTM-4 system. Your
vehicle is not designed to be
towed behind a motor home. If your
vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, see page .
204 279
3
bottom
Remember, it
takes longer to slow down and
stop when towing a trailer. Towing Your Vehicle
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ingBacking Up
ParkingRet rieving a Boat
T railer Driving T ips, T owing Your Vehicle Behind a Motorhome
Driving
221
Page 230 of 319

If you have the skills and tools to
perform more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer. This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance messages in the
inf ormation display, a maintenance
record, and instructions f or simple
maintenance tasks you may want to
take care of yourself . This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions. ......................
Maintenance Saf ety .228
....................
Maintenance Minder .229
....................
Maintenance Record .236
..............................
Fluid Locations .238
........................
Adding Engine Oil .239
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter .240
..............................
Engine Coolant .242
....................
Windshield Washers .243
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid .244
..............................
Dif f erential Oil .245
....................................
Timing Belt .245
....................................
Brake Fluid .246
....................
Power Steering Fluid .247
.............................................
Lights .248
.....................................
Floor Mats .254
.......................
Cleaning Seat Belts .254
.................................
Wiper Blades .255
...........................................
Wheels .257
...............................................
Tires .257
...................
Checking the Battery .262
.............................
Vehicle Storage .263
305
Maintenance
Maint enance
227
Page 237 of 319

µµµ
µ
µ
Ì µ
Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specified interval s. If
you are unsure of how to perform
any check, turn to the appropriate
page listed.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page .
Automatic transmission Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
.
Brakes Check the fluid level
monthly. See page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
According
to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with will not void your emissions
warranties. However, all
maintenance services should be
performed in accordance with the
intervals indicated by the
information display. Lights
Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate light monthly. See
page .
189
246
258
244 248
190
U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance Minder
Owner’s Maintenance Checks
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of emissions control
devices and systems may be done
by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using
parts that are ‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA
standards.
234
Page 241 of 319
Fluid Locations
238
RADIATOR CAP
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
(Orange loop)
BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap)
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK
(Yellow loop)
POWER STEERING
FLUID (Red cap)
ENGINE OIL FILL CAP
ENGINE COOLANT
RESERVOIR
Page 247 of 319

Check the f luid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.Remove the dipstick and check
the f luid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks. Insert the dipstick all the way into
the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration. Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)
f rom the transmission, and wipe it
with a clean cloth.
Park the vehicle on level ground.
Start the engine let it run until the
radiator f an comes on, then shut
of f the engine. For accurate
results, wait about 60 seconds
bef ore going step 2, but don’t wait
longer than 90 seconds. If the level is below the lower
mark, remove the f ill plug, then
add the f luid into the f ill hole to
bring it to the level between the
upper and lower marks on the
dipstick.
Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully
so you do not spill any. Clean up
any spill immediately; it could
damage components in the engine
compartment.
If you are not sure how to add
f luid or you do not have the proper
equipment to reach the
transmission f luid f ill hole, you
should have this maintenance
done by a skilled technician.
1. 2.
3.
4.5.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Automatic Transmission
244
DIPSTICK
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
Page 248 of 319

Putane
ww
as
he r
on
t
he f iller bolt,
then reinstall the f iller bolt and
tighten it securely. Tightening
torque:
The dif f erential should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
GL5 with a viscosity of SAE 90 or
80W-90, and have your dealer
replace the transfer assembly fluid.
Check the f luid level with the
dif f erential at normal operating
temperature and the vehicle sitting
on level ground. Remove the
dif f erential f luid f iller bolt and
washer, and caref ully f eel inside the
bolt hole with your f inger. The f luid
level should be up to the edge of the
bolt hole. If it is not, slowly add
VTM-4 Dif f erential Fluid until it
starts to run out of the hole.
Always use Honda ATF-Z1
(automatic transmission f luid). If
it’s not available, you may use a
DEXRON
III automatic
transmission f luid as a temporary
replacement. However, continued
use can affect the shift quality.
Have the transmission f lushed and
ref illed with Honda ATF-Z1 by
your dealer as soon as it is
convenient.
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule. The transfer assembly should be
drained and refilled with new fluid
when this service is indicated by a
maintenance message on the
information display.
Always use Hypoid gear oil GL4 or
6.
4WD models only
Transfer Assembly Fluid
Dif f erential Oil
A utomatic Transmission Fluid, Dif f erential Oil, Transfer Assembly Fluid
Maint enance
245
FILLER BOLT
CORRECT LEVEL
33 lbf·ft (45 N·m , 4.6 kgf·m)
Page 280 of 319

If your vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position without starting the engine.
The malfunction indicator lamp will
come on for 20 seconds. If it then
goes off, the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks 5 times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle for a state
emissions test until the readiness
codes are set. Refer to
for more
info rmation (see page ).
If
this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emission control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may feel no difference in
your vehicle’s performance,
continued operation may cause
serious damage.
If you have recently refueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
fu el fill cap. You will also see a
‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message on
the information display. Tighten the
cap until it clicks at least once (see
page ). Tightening the cap will
not turn the indicator of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving.
If the indicator remains on or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have the vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible. If the malf unction indicator lamp
comes on along with the ‘‘D’’
indicator, there is a problem in the
automatic transmission control
system.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
298
187
State
Emissions T esting
Readiness Codes
Malf unction Indicator L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
277
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
Page 290 of 319
The transmission number is on a
label on top of the transmission. The engine number is stamped into
the engine block. It is on the f ront.
Identif ication Numbers
Technical Inf ormation
287
ENGINE NUMBERAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NUMBER