2007 HONDA RIDGELINE towing

2007 Honda 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 Safe ty........................................................................\
........................................iii
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........................................................................\
........................................ .57
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... .121
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................177
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .193
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................233
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................273
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
............................................ .299
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canad a)................................................................311
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................315
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.

Accord Value Package Audio System

This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. If it comes on while driving, This
indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
it indicates that one or more of your
vehicl e’s tires are extremely low on
pressure.
If this happens, pull to the side of the
ro ad when it is safe, check which tire
has lost the pressure on the tire
pressure monitor, and determine the
cause. If it is because of a flat tire,
replace the flat tire with the compact
spare (see page ), and have the
flat tire repaired as soon as possible.
If two or more tires are underinflated,
call a professional towing service
(see page ). Refer to page
f or more inf ormation. If this indicator comes on and stays
on at any other time, or if it does not
come on when you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position, there
is a problem with the TPMS. With
this indicator on, the low tire
pressure indicator and the tire
pressure monitor will not come on
when a tire loses pressure. Take the
vehicle to your dealer to have the
system checked.
This monitor normally comes on f or
a f ew seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. While driving, the
appropriate tire indicator will come
on, along with the low tire pressure
indicator, if a tire is extremely
underinf lated or has suddenly lost
pressure. See
forwhattodoif this
indicator comes on.
274
296
204 Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (T PMS) Indicator
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator T ire Pressure Monitor
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
68

Help assure your vehicle’s future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:
Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
accele ration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200
miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also follow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exch anged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Your
vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persi stent, 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
performance, fuel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-b ased
fuel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely affect performance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact your
authorized dealer for service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxyg enated gasoline
containing up to 10 % eth anol by
volume and up to 15 % 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 .
224
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
178

µ·
Locate
the statement, ‘‘the
combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed 1,530
(1,480) lbs’’ on your vehicle’s
placard. [The placard is on the
driver’s doorjamb.]
To
determine the correct cargo and
luggage load limit:
The maximum load for your vehicle
is:
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
1,530 (1,480) pounds.
The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the maximum load is
1,530 lbs and there will be five 150
lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capaci ty is 780 lbs.
[1,530 750 (5 150) = 780 lbs.] Determine
the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
in the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capaci ty in
step 4.
If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will
be transf erred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity of
yourvehicle(seepage ).
These f igures include the total
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
accessories, and the tongue load if
you are towing a trailer.
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).
Bothareonalabelonthedriver’s
doorjamb.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
212
On vehicles without moonroofOn vehicles with moonroof
Carrying Cargo
L oad L imits (Payload)
Bef ore Driving
187
1,530 lbs (690 kg)
1,480 lbs (670 kg)
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.

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 VTM-4 system, the VSA
system, the tire pressure monitoring
system, and f acts you need if you are
planning to tow a trailer.........................
Driving Guidelines .194
........................
Preparing to Drive .195
.......................
Starting the Engine .196
..............
Automatic Transmission .197
Variable Torque Management
.............
4WD (VTM-4) System .203
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ......................................
(TPMS) .204
...........................................
Parking .206
.............................
Braking System .207
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) .208
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
........................................
System .210
.................
Towing Weight Limits .212
..........
Towing Weight Guidelines .214
...........................
Towing a Trailer .215
Of f -Highway Driving
..................................
Guidelines .227
Driving
Driving
193

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

The maximum weight of the trailer
andeverythinginoronitdependson
the number of occupants in your
vehicleandthetypeoftrailerbeing
towed (see page ).
To wing a load that is too heavy can
seriously affect your vehicle’s
handling and performance.
Your
vehicle has been designed to
tow a trailer, as well as carrying
passengers and their cargo. To
safety tow a trailer, you should
carefully observe the load limits (see
page ), use the proper equipment,
and follow the guidelines in this
section.
Be sure to read the
sectiononpage
if you plan to tow off paved
surfaces.
The weight that the tongue of a fully-
loaded trailer puts on the hitch
should follow the recommended load
guidelines (see page ). Too
much tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control. Too
little tongue load can make the
trailer unstable and cause it to sway.
187
214214
227
T ot al T railer Weight
T ongue L oad
Load Limits
Off-Highway
Driving Guidelines
Towing Weight Limits
212
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.

µµ µ Thebestwaytoconfirmthatall
loads
are within limits is to check
them at a public scale (see page
).
Add the weight of your trailer (as
quoted by the manufacturer) with
everything in or on the trailer. Then
check the tables on page to
make sure you do not exceed the
limit f or your conditions. To help ensure a saf e drive to a scale,
or if you cannot get to a public scale,
we recommend that you estimate
your total trailer weight and tongue
load as described.
The maximum
allowable weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all accessories, all cargo,
and the tongue load is 6,050 lbs
(2,745 kg).
The GCWR must be reduced 2
percent f or every 1,000 f eet (305
meters) of elevation. The maximum
allowable weight of the f ully loaded
vehicle and trailer is 10,088 lbs
(4,575 kg) with the proper hitch. The maximum
allowable weight on the vehicle axles
is 3,105 lbs (1,410 kg) on the f ront
axle, and 3,245 lbs (1,475 kg) on the
rear axle. 212
214
Estimating Loads
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR)
Gross Combined Weight Rating
(GCWR) Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR)
To Estimate the Total Trailer Weight
Towing Weight Limits
Driving
213