2007 HONDA RIDGELINE engine overheat

µTo shif t to second,
pull the shif t lever towards you, then
shif t to the lower gear. This position
locks the transmission in second
gear. It does not downshif t to f irst
gear when you come to a stop.
Use second gear: For more power when climbing.
To increase engine braking when
going down steep hills.
For starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow.
To help reduce wheel spin.
When driving downhill with a
trailer.
When towing a trailer on level roads
under normal driving conditions, do
not use D3. This will increase the
automatic transmission f luid
temperature and may cause
overheating.
Shif ting out of the D position will
cancel D3, and cause the D3
indicator to go out. Selecting the D
position again will resume D3, and
the indicator will come on.
Turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position turns D3 of f . To
use D3 when you restart the engine,
select the D position, and press the
D3 switch again.
TheD3indicatoralsocomesonfora
f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
When D3 is on, the transmission
selects only the f irst three gears.
Use D3 f or engine braking when
going down a steep hill.
Automatic Transmission
Second (2)
200
D3 INDICATOR

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. 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.
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 rear brakes.
Resting your f oot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, and reduces their ef f ectiveness.
It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you. 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 and alert in your driving.
Braking System Design
Braking System
Brake Pad Wear Indicators
Parking, Braking System
Driving
207

If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and use D3. Do not
‘‘ride’’ the brakes.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
When towing a f ixed-sided trailer
(e.g., camper), do not exceed 55 mph
(88 km/h). At higher speeds, the
trailer may sway or affect vehicle
handling.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
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.
When towing a trailer on level roads
under normal driving conditions, do
not use D3. This will increase the
automatic transmission fluid
temperature and may cause
overheating. Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses.
Allow more time and distance f or
braking. Do not brake or turn
suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
With heavy cargo on the pickup bed,
your vehicle has a higher center of
gravity. Drive more slowly and
cautiously. Loading heavy cargo
could af f ect your vehicle’s handling
and performance.
CONT INUED
Remember, it
takes longer to slow down and
stop when towing a trailer.
T owing Speeds and Gears
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Towing a Trailer
Driving
225

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .274
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .275
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .283
................................
Jump Starting .284
..............
If the Engine Overheats .286
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .288
..........
Charging System Indicator .288
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .289
...............
Brake System Indicator .290
..............................................
Fuses .291
..............................
Fuse Locations .294
......................
Emergency Towing .296
..........
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck .297
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
273

If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood.
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving. Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Park, and
set the parking brake. Turn of f all
accessories, and turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
If it climbs to the red mark, you
should determine the reason (hot
day, driving up a steep hill, etc.).
If the vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood. 1.
2.
3.
If theEngineOverheats
286
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.

If the temperatu re gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
Look for any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see
on page ).
Put the radiator cap back on
tightl y. Run the engine, and watch
the temperatu re gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.Start the engine, and set the
temperature to maximum heat
(climate control to AUTO at
‘‘ ’’). Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.
4.
5.
6.
7. 8.
10.
11.9.
296 296
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
287
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

ÎÎ
CONT INUED
...................................
Fan, Interior .123
.........................................
Features .121
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank .179
Filters
.........................
Dust and Pollen .262
...............................................
Oil .248
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning .79
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a .275
..............................
Economy, Fuel .183
..................................
Emergencies .273
.............
Battery, Jump Starting .284
...........
Brake System Indicator .290
................
Changing a Flat Tire .275
.....
Charging System Indicator .288
..................
Checking the Fuses .291
.........
Hazard Warning Flashers .79
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .288
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .289
..................
Overheated Engine .286
............................
Stuck Vehicle .297
.......................................
Towing .296
.........................
Emergency Brake .109
.......................
Emissions Controls .307
Engine
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge .72
Malf unction Indicator
................................
Lamp . 62, 289
.........................
Oil Lif e Display .235
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 62, 288 ..............
Oil, What Kind to Use .246
...............................
Overheating .286
............................
Specif ications .303
............................
Speed Limiter .201
.......................................
Starting .196
.................
Engine, if it won’t start .283
Evaporative Emissions Control
........................................
System .307
...............................
Exhaust Fumes .53
Exhaust Gas Recirculation
........................................
System .308
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat ........................................
Belts by .16
................
Daytime Running Lights .78
.................................
Dead Battery .284
.........
Def ects, Reporting Saf ety .314
..............
Def rosting the Windows .127
................
Dif f erential Fluid, Rear .252
....................................
Dimensions .302
...............
Dimming the Headlights .76
Dipstick
..........
Automatic Transmission .251
..................................
Engine Oil .182
..........................
Directional Signals .76
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators .207
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil .248
.
Door and Tailgate Open Monitor .64
Doors
..
Locking and Unlocking . 83, 84, 86
....................
Lockout Prevention .83
......................
Power Door Locks .83
........
DOT Tire Quality Grading .304
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety .5
...........................................
Driving .193
....................................
Economy .183
...................................................
D3 .199
Dual-Action Tailgate
.................................
Indicator . 64, 94
.....................................
Operation .92 ..........
Dual Temperature Control .130
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .262
Index
E
F
INDEX
III

..................................
Maintenance .233
Owner’s Maintenance ...................................
Checks .241 .................................
Record . 243-244
................................
Minder . 235-242
.........................
Minder Indicator .67
..........................................
Saf ety .234
.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . 62, 289
..............
Manual Seat Adjustments . 98
...............................
Meters, Gauges .70
........................
Mirrors, Adjusting .111
...............
Modif ying Your Vehicle . 185
.......................................
Moonroof .108
...
Octane Requirement, Gasoline . 178
.........................................
Odometer .70
....................
Of f -Highway Driving . 227
...................
Of f -Road Precautions . 228
Oil ........................
Change, How to .247 ......................
Change, When to .235
......................
Checking Engine .182
...........................................
Filter .247
..............
Pressure Indicator . 62, 288
Selecting Proper Viscosity ......................................
Chart .246
...........
ON (Ignition Key Position) . 82
............................
Outside Mirrors .111
....................
Overheating, Engine .286
....
Owner’s Maintenance Checks . 241
.........................
Oxygenated Fuels .178
..............
Panel Brightness Control . 78
........................
Park Gear Position .198
...........................................
Parking .206
...............................
Parking Brake .109
.................................
Parking Lights .76
..
Parking Over Things that Burn . 309
.............................
PGM-FI System .308
Pickup Bed .........................
Carrying Cargo .189
.........................................
Lights .120
..............
Power Seat Adjustments . 100
...............
Power Socket Locations . 116
Lights
....................
Bulb Replacement .255
.......................................
Indicator .66
.......................................
Interior .118
.........................................
Parking .76
..................................
Turn Signal .76
............................
Load Limits .187, 212
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) . 82
Locks .......
Anti-thef t Steering Column . 82
............................
Fuel Fill Door .179
..................................
Glove Box .115
...............................
In-Bed Trunk .95
....................
Lockout Prevention . 83
.................................
Power Door .83
........................
Low Coolant Level .182
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator .65
...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 62, 288
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart . 302
...........
Luggage, Storing (Cargo) . 186...................
Neutral Gear Position . 199
..................
New Vehicle Break-in . 178
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication . 300
Index
N
O P
M
VI