Page 2 of 361

Contents
Child Safety P. 52 Exhaust Gas Hazard P. 65 Safety Labels P. 66
Opening and Closing the Tailgate P. 104 Security System P. 106 Opening and Closing the Windows P. 108
Operating the Switches Around the Steering Wheel P. 111 Adjusting the Mirrors P. 120
Interior Lights/Interior Convenience Items P. 132 Heating and Cooling System*
P. 142
Rear Entertainment System *
P. 173 Audio Error Messages P. 185 Audio Remote Controls P. 189
Bluetooth ® HandsFreeLink ® P. 194 Compass P. 223
Off-Highway Driving Guidelines P. 237 When Driving P. 239 Braking P. 253
Refueling P. 259 Fuel Economy P. 262 Accessories and Modifications P. 263
Maintenance Under the Hood P. 273 Replacing Light Bulbs P. 285
Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 296 Battery P. 305 Remote Transmitter Care P. 306
Heating and Cooling System *
/Climate Control System *
Maintenance P. 309 Cleaning P. 310
Engine Does Not Start P. 323 Jump Starting P. 324 Shift Lever Does Not Move P. 326
Fuses P. 333 Emergency Towing P. 336When You Cannot Open the Tailgate P. 337
Devices that Emit Radio Waves P. 343 Reporting Safety Defects P. 344
Authorized Manuals P. 349 Customer Service Information P. 350
Quick Reference GuideP. 2
Safe DrivingP. 23
Instrument PanelP. 67
ControlsP. 95
FeaturesP. 149
DrivingP. 225
MaintenanceP. 265
Handling the UnexpectedP. 315
InformationP. 339
IndexP. 351
Note: All page numbers referenced in this document are hyperlinked.
2012 CR-V Online Reference Owner's Manual
Page 6 of 361
5
Quick Reference Guide
❙Seat Belt to Secure a Child Seat (P 61)
❙Seat Belt (Installing a Child Seat) (P 60)
❙Sun Visors
❙Vanity Mirrors
❙Moonroof Switch*
(P 110)
❙Map Lights (P 132)
❙Front Seat (P 122)
❙Seat Belts (P 29)
❙Side Airbags (P 44)
❙Rear Seat (P 129)
❙LATCH to Secure a Child Seat (P 57)
❙Ceiling Light (P 132)
❙Side Curtain Airbags (P 47)
❙Coat Hook (P 136)
❙Grab Handle
❙Sunglasses Holder (P 138)
❙Seat Belt with Detachable Anchor (P 34)
❙Rear Entertainment System*
(P 173)
❙Cargo Area Light (P 132)
❙Accessory Power Socket (P 135)
❙Console Side Pocket
❙USB Adapter Cable (P 151)
❙Auxiliary Input Jack *
(P 151)
❙Accessory Power Socket *
(P 135)
* Not available on all models
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9
Quick Reference Guide
Instrument Panel (P 67)
System Indicators
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
Low Oil Pressure
Indicator
Charging System
Indicator Anti-lock Brake
System ( ABS)
Indicator Vehicle Stability
Assist (VSA ®) System
Indicator VSA ® OFF Indicator
Low Tire Pressure
Indicator Lights Reminders
Lights On Indicator
High Beam Indicator
Fog Light Indicator *
Immobilizer System
Indicator Seat Belt Reminder
Indicator
System Indicators
Cruise Control
Indicator
Parking Brake
and Brake System
Indicator Supplemental
Restraint System
Indicator
Side Airbag Off
Indicator
Door Open Indicator
Cruise Main Indicator
Tachometer Speedometer
Fuel Gauge
Security System
Alarm Indicator
Shift Lever Position Indicator
Low Fuel Indicator
Gauges
(P 77)/Information Display (P 78)/
Multi-Information Display (P 81)/System Indicators (P 68)
Tailgate Open
Indicator
ECON Mode Indicator TPMS Indicator
Maintenance Minder
Indicator
Washer Level
Indicator*
Ambient Meter
Temperature Gauge
Electric Power
Steering (EPS)
Indicator
Turn Signal and
Hazard Warning
Indicators
AWD
System
Indicator *
System Indicators
Canada U.S.
Canada
U.S.
*
Not available on all models
Page 21 of 361
20
Quick Reference Guide
Why do the doors lock
after I unlocked the doors
using a remote transmitter?If you do not open the doors within 30 seconds, the doors are
relocked automatically for security.
Why does the beeper
sound when I open the driver's door?The beeper sounds when: ●The key is left in the ignition switch.
● The exterior lights are left on.
Why does the beeper
sound when I start driving?The beeper sounds when: ●Driver and/or front passenger are not wearing their seat belts.
● The parking brake lever is not fully released.
Why do I hear a screeching
sound when I apply the
brake pedal?The brake pads may need to be replaced. Have your vehicle
inspected by a dealer.
Page 33 of 361
32
uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
Safe Driving
Fastening a Seat Belt
After adjusting a front seat to the proper position, and while sitting upright and well
back in the seat:2 Adjusting the Seats P. 122
1.Pull the seat belt out slowly.
2. Insert the latch plate into the buckle, then
tug on the belt to make sure the buckle is
secure.
uMake sure that the belt is not twisted or
caught on anything.
1Fastening a Seat Belt
No one should sit in a seat with an inoperative seat
belt or one that does not appear to be working
correctly. Using a seat belt that is not working
properly may not protect the occupant in a crash.
Have a dealer check the belt as soon as possible.
Never insert any foreign objects into the buckle or
retractor mechanism.
Pull out slowly.
Correct Seated Posture.
Latch
Plate
Buckle
Page 34 of 361

Continued33
uuSeat BeltsuFastening a Seat Belt
Safe Driving
3.Position the lap part of the belt as low as
possible across your hips, then pull up on
the shoulder part of the belt so the lap part
fits snugly. This lets your strong pelvic
bones take the force of a crash and reduces the chance of internal injuries.
4. If necessary, pull up on the belt again to
remove any slack, then check that the belt
rests across the center of your chest and
over your shoulder. This spreads the forces
of a crash over the strongest bones in your
upper body.
The front seats have adjustable shoulder anchors to accommodate taller and shorter
occupants. 1.Move the anchor up and down while
holding the release button.
2. Position the anchor so that the belt rests
across the center of your chest and over
your shoulder.1Fastening a Seat Belt
To release the belt, push the red PRESS button then
guide the belt by hand until it has retracted completely.
When exiting the vehicle, be sure the belt is out of
the way and will not get caught by closing the door.
3WARNING
Improperly positioning the seat belts can
cause serious injury or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are properly
positioned before driving.Lap belt as low as
possible
■Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor1Adjusting the Shoulder Anchor
The shoulder anchor height can be adjusted to four
levels. If the belt contacts your neck, lower the height
one level at a time.
After an adjustment, make sure that the shoulder
anchor position is secure.
PushPush
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53
uuChild SafetyuProtecting Child Passengers
Safe Driving
•Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt correctly must be restrained in an
approved child seat that is properly secured to the vehicle using either the lap belt
portion of the lap/shoulder belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system.
• Never hold a child on your lap because it is impossible to protect them in the
event of a collision.
• Never put a seat belt over yourself and a child. During a crash, the belt would
likely press deep into the child and cause serious or fatal injuries.
• Never let two children use the same seat belt. Both children could be very
seriously injured in a crash.
• Do not allow children to operate the doors, windows or seat adjustments.
• Do not leave children in the vehicle unattended, especially in hot weather when
the inside of the vehicle can get hot enough to kill them. They could also activate
vehicle controls causing it to move unexpectedly.1Protecting Child Passengers
To deactivate a lockable retractor, release the buckle
and allow the seat belt to wind up all the way.
To remind you of the passenger's front airbag
hazards and child safety, your vehicle warning came
with a label on the dashboard (U.S. models) and has
labels on the front visors. Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
2 Safety Labels P. 66
3WARNING
Allowing a child to play with a seat belt or
wrap one around their neck can result in
serious injury or death.
Instruct children not to play with any seat
belt and make sure any unused seat belt a
child can reach is buckled, fully retracted,
and locked.
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54
uuChild SafetyuSafety of Infants and Small Children
Safe Driving
Safety of Infants and Small Children
An infant must be properly restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat until the
infant reaches the seat maker's weight or height limit for the seat, and the infant is at least one year old.■Positioning a rear-facing child seat
Child seats must be placed and secured in a
rear seating position.
When properly installed, a rear-facing child seat may prevent the driver or a front
passenger from moving their seat all the way back, or from locking their seat-back
in the desired position.
It can also interfere with proper operation of the passenger's advanced front airbag system. 2 Airbags P. 37
If this occurs, we recommend that you install the child seat directly behind the front
passenger's seat, move the seat as far forward as needed, and leave it unoccupied.
Or, you may wish to get a smaller rear-facing child seat.
■Protecting Infants1Protecting Infants
Rear-facing child seats should never be installed in a
forward facing position.
Always refer to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions before installation.
3WARNING
Placing a rear-facing child seat in the front
seat can result in serious injury or death
during a crash.
Always place a rear-facing child seat in the
rear seat, not the front.