2008 HONDA RIDGELINE service

To switch the information display
between the odometer, trip meter
and outside temperature (if
equipped), and engine oil lif e and
maintenance service items, press the
SELECT button repeatedly.
This shows the total distance your
vehicle has been driven. It measures
miles in U.S. models and kilometers
in Canadian models.
It is illegal under U.S. f ederal law and
Canadian provincial regulations to
disconnect, reset, or alter the
odometer with the intent to change
the number of miles or kilometers
indicated.
Odometer
Gauges
70
SPEEDOMETER
TACHOMETER TEMPERATURE GAUGE FUEL GAUGE
SELECT
BUTTON
RESET
BUTTON
OUTSIDE
TEMPERATURE
INDICATOR
U.S. model is shown. INFORMATION
DISPLAY
ODOMETER/
TIGHTEN FUEL
CAP MESSAGE
TRIP METER
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2008 Ridgeline

The inf ormation display in the
instrument panel shows you the
engine oil lif e and maintenance
service items when the ignition
switch is in the ON (II) position. This
inf ormation helps to keep you aware
of the periodic maintenance your
vehicle needs f or continued trouble-
f ree driving. Ref er to page f or
more inf ormation.
If your f uel f ill cap is loose or
missing, a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP’’
message appears on the information
display af ter you start the engine.
Turn the engine of f , and conf irm the
f uel f ill cap is installed. If it is, loosen
it, then retighten it until it clicks at
least once. When you restart the
engine, the message appears again.
The message goes of f af ter several
days of normal driving once you
tighten or replace the fuel fill cap. To
scroll to another display, press the
SELECT button. If the system still detects a leak in
your vehicle’s evaporative emissions
system, the malf unction indicator
lamp (MIL) comes on. If the f uel f ill
cap was not already tightened, turn
the engine of f , and check or
retighten the f uel f ill cap until it
clicks at least once. The MIL should
go off after several days of normal
driving once the cap is tightened or
replaced. If the MIL does not go of f ,
have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer. For more inf ormation, see
page .
291 239
Maintenance Minder Display
Tighten Fuel Cap Message
Gauges
Inst rument s and Cont rols
73
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2008 Ridgeline

Depending on where you drive, you
may experience reception problems.
Interf erence can be caused by any of
these conditions:Driving on the north side of a
large commercial truck on an
east/west road.
Driving in tunnels.
Driving on a road beside a vertical
wall, steep clif f , or hill to the south
of you.
Driving on the lower level of a
multi-tiered road.
Driving on a single lane road
alongside dense trees taller than
50 ft. (15 m) to the south of you. After you’ve registered with XM
Radio, keep your audio system in the
satellite radio mode while you wait
f or activation. This should take about
30 minutes.
Driving on the north side of an
east/west mountain road.
If your XM Radio service has expired
or you purchased your vehicle f rom
a previous owner, you can listen to a
sampling of the broadcasts available
on XM Satellite Radio. With the
ignition switch in the ACCESSORY
(I) or ON (II) position, push the
PWR button to turn on the audio
system and press the XM RADIO
button. A variety of music types and
styles will play.
If you decide to purchase XM
Satellite Radio service, contact XM
Radio at , or at
1-800-852-9696. You will need to give
them your radio I.D. number and
your credit card number. To get your
radio I.D. number, press the TUNE bar until ‘‘0’’ appears in the display.
Your I.D. will appear in the display.
Large items carried on a roof rack.
There may be other geographic
situations that could af f ect XM radio
reception. While waiting f or activation, make
sure your vehicle remains in an open
area with good reception. Once your
audio system is activated, you’ll be
able to listen to XM radio broadcasts.
XM Radio will continue to send an
activation signal to your vehicle f or
at least 12 hours from the activation
request. If the service has not been
activated after 36 hours, contact XM
Radio.As required by the FCC:
Changes or modif ications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible f orcompliance could void the user’sauthority to operate the equipment.
www.xmradio.com
Receiving Satellite Radio Service
Playing the XMSatellite Radio
Features
149
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2008 Ridgeline

Bef ore you begin driving your
vehicle, you should know what
gasoline to use and how to check the
levels of important f luids. You also
need to know how to properly store
luggage or packages. The
inf ormation in this section will help
you. If you plan to add any
accessories to your vehicle, please
read the information in this section
first..............................
Break-in Period .180
.................
Fuel Recommendation .180
.........
Service Station Procedures .181
....................................
Ref ueling .181
Opening and Closing the
.......................................
Hood .183
...................................
Oil Check .184
.............
Engine Coolant Check .184
...............................
Fuel Economy .185
...
Accessories and Modif ications .188
.............................
Carrying Cargo .190
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
179
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2008 Ridgeline

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged 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 persistent, 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
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contactyour authorized dealer f or service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 % ethanol 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
.
229
Break-in Period Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
180
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2008 Ridgeline

CONT INUED
Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat.
Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top of f ’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
The fuel fill cap is attached to the
f uel f iller with a tether. Insert the
attachment on the fuel fill cap into
the slit on the f uel f ill door.
even though the tank is not f ull,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle’s fuel vapor recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapor f rom going into the
atmosphere. Try f illing at another
pump. If this does not f ix the
problem, consult your dealer.
1.
2. 3.
4.
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Ref ueling
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
181
Pull
FUEL FILL CAP
ATTACHMENT TETHER
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
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2008 Ridgeline

Whenever f illing a f uel container,
use an approved f uel container, and
place it on the ground. Do not f ill the
f uel container in the vehicle,
including the pickup bed and the
In-Bed Trunk. Make sure to put the
f uel pump nozzle in the f uel f iller of
the container securely and to handle
it properly.
Your vehicle has a warning label f or
f illing a portable f uel container on
the lef t rear side of the pickup bed.
Before placing the fuel container in
the vehicle, wipe up any spill
completely.
Gasoline or f uel vapors are
extremely f lammable and explosive.
Improperly handling f uel can cause
anexplosioninwhichyoucanbe
seriously injured.
Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malf unction indicator lamp
maycomeon(seepage ).You
will also see a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL
CAP’’ message on the inf ormation
display.
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
5.
6.
291
Service Station Procedures
Filling a Port able Fuel Cont ainer
182
Do not fill a portable fuel
container in the pickup bed.
Static electricity can ignite gas
vapors and you can be burned.
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2008 Ridgeline

Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood. The hood latch
handle is above the ‘‘H’’ logo. Pull
this handle until it releases the
hood, then lif t the hood.Pull the support rod out of its clip,
and insert the end into either of
the designated holes pointed to by
an arrow.
To close the hood, lif t it up slightly to
remove the support rod f rom the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
f ender, then let it drop. Make sure it
is securely latched.
If the hood latch handle moves
stif f ly, or you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated.
Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle under the lower lef t
corner of the dashboard. The
hood will pop up slightly.
1. 2. 3.
Service Station Procedures
Opening and Closing the Hood
Bef ore Driving
183
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
LATCH SUPPORT ROD
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2008 Ridgeline