2008 HONDA RIDGELINE ignition

You can change the display to the
engine oil lif e display, or the
odometer and trip meter by pushing
the SELECT button on the
instrument panel.All maintenance items displayed in
the trip meter are in code. For an
explanation of these maintenance
codes, see page .Your dealer will reset the display
af ter completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%’’ on the inf ormation
display the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the maintenance minder as
f ollows:
Press the SELECT button
repeatedly until the engine oil lif e
display or the service message is
displayed.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
1.
2.
246
Maintenance Main Items and Sub
Items
Resetting the Engine Oil Lif e
Display
Maintenance Minder
242
MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM
MAINTENANCE SUB ITEMS
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2008 Ridgeline

This f ilter removes the dust and
pollenthatisbroughtinfromthe
outside through the heating and
cooling system/climate control
system.
Have your dealer replace this filter
when this service is indicated by a
maintenance message on the
inf ormation display. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air, or if the airf low
from the heating and cooling
system/climate control system
becomeslessthanusual.Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months.
Replace them if you f ind signs of
cracking in the rubber, areas that are
getting hard, or if they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.
To replace a wiper blade:
To raise the wiper arm, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position and activate the wipers
(see page ). When the wipers
are in the upright position, turn
the ignition switch off to stop the
wipers in that position. Raise the wiper arm of f the
windshield.
1.
2.
75
Dust and Pollen Filter, Wiper Blades
Dust and Pollen Filter Wiper Blades
264
WIPER ARMS
Do not open the hood when the wiper
arms are raised, or you will damage the
hood and the wiper arms.
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2008 Ridgeline

Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until the tabs lock.
Slide the wiper blade assembly
onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
Lower the wiper arm against the
window.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position, and turn the wiper
switch of f to return the wiper arms
to the parked position.Clean the wheels as you would the
rest of the exterior. Wash them with
thesamesolution,andrinsethem
thoroughly.
Aluminum alloy wheels have a
protective clear-coat that keeps
the aluminum f rom corroding and
tarnishing. Cleaning the wheels
with harsh chemicals (including
some commercial wheel cleaners)
or a stif f brush can damage the
clear-coat. To clean the wheels,
use a mild detergent and a sof t
brush or sponge. To saf ely operate your vehicle, your
tires must be the proper type and
size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inf lated.
The f ollowing pages give more
detailed inf ormation on how to take
care of your tires and what to do
when they need to be replaced.
6.
7.
8.
9.
If equipped
Wiper Blades, Wheels, Tires
Wheels T ires
266
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
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2008 Ridgeline

µ
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician. Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f uture corrosion.
The navigation system will also
disableitself.Thenexttimeyouturn
on the ignition switch, the system
will require you to enter a PIN
bef ore it can be used. Ref er to the
navigation system manual.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the audio
system may disable itself . The next
timeyouturnontheradioyouwill
see ‘‘CODE’’ in the f requency display.
Use the preset bars to enter the code
(see page ).
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the time
setting may be lost. To reset the time,
see page .167
166
On vehicles with navigation system
On vehicles without navigation system
Checking the Battery
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Maint enance
273
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.
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2008 Ridgeline

Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire.
Park the vehicle on f irm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park. Apply the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer, unhitch
it.
If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.
If you tow a trailer f requently, we
recommend that you use a regular
tire as a spare. You can store the
regular size spare tire on the tire tray,
but store the tool kit at the side of
the In-Bed Trunk (see page ),
and secure it.
2.
1.
283
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
277
TOOL BOX SPARE TIRE
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.
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2008 Ridgeline

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
or neutral or the starter will not
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page . If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run. Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. See
on page .
Check these things:
When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all. You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
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286
298 272
286
CONT INUED
Jump Starting T he Starter Operates Normally
Emergency T owing
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
285
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2008 Ridgeline

If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may turn of f as you
continue driving, have your vehicle
checked by the dealer as soon as
possible.
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.
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator could come on
because of a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. You will also see a ‘‘TIGHTEN
FUEL CAP’’ message on the
inf ormation display. Tighten the cap
until it clicks at least once.
Tightening the cap will not turn the
indicator of f immediately; it can take
several days of normal driving. The indicator may also come on with
the ‘‘D’’ indicator.If the battery in your vehicle has
been disconnected or gone dead,
thesecodesmaybeerased.Itcan
take several 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 malf unction indicator lamp will
come on f or 20 seconds. If it then
goes of f , the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks f ive 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. Ref er to
f or more inf ormation (see
page ). 315
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Codes Emissions
Testing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
291
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
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2008 Ridgeline

However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. A problem in one
part of the system’s dual circuit
design will still give you braking at
two wheels. You will f eel the brake
pedal go down much f arther bef ore
the vehicle begins to slow down, and
you will have to press harder on the
pedal.
Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the long
distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the vehicle. You
should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible (seeon page ).
If you must drive the vehicle a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and caref ully.
The brake system
indicator normally
comes on when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position, and as a reminder
to check the parking brake. It will
stay on if you do not f ully release the
parking brake.
If the brake system indicator comes
on while driving, the brake f luid level
is probably low. Press lightly on the
brake pedal to see if it f eels normal.
If it does, check the brake f luid level
thenexttimeyoustopataservice
station (see page ). If the ABS indicator and the VSA
system indicator come on with the
brake system indicator, have your
vehicle inspected by your dealer
immediately.
If the f luid level is low, take your
vehicle to a dealer, and have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads. 298
255
Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
292
Canada
U.S.
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2008 Ridgeline