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
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2
Quick Reference Guide
Quick Reference Guide
Visual Index
❙Hazard Warning Button
❙ECON Button (P 119)
❙Navigation System *
() See Navigation System Manual
❙Audio System (P 150)
❙Heating and Cooling System *
(P 142)
❙Climate Control System *
(P 145)
❙Rear Window Defogger (P 118)
❙Ignition Switch (P 111)
❙Steering Wheel Adjustments
(P 119)
❙ (Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA ®)
System OFF) Button (P 248)
❙Heated Mirror Button *
(P 118)
❙System Indicators (P 68)
❙Gauges (P 77)
❙Information Display (P 78)
❙Multi-Information Display (P 81)
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8
Quick Reference Guide
Safe Driving (P 23)
Airbags (P 37)
● Your vehicle is fitted with airbags to help protect you and
your passengers during a moderate-to-severe collision.
Child Safety (P 52)
● All children 12 and younger should be seated in the rear seat.
● Smaller children should be properly restrained in a forward-facing child seat.
● Infants must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child seat.
Exhaust Gas Hazard (P 65)
● Your vehicle emits dangerous exhaust gases that contain carbon
monoxide. Do not run the engine in confined spaces where carbon
monoxide gas can accumulate.
Before Driving Checklist (P 28)
● Before driving, check that the front seats, head restraints,
steering wheel, and mirrors have been properly adjusted. Seat Belts
(P 29)
● Fasten your seat belt and sit upright well
back in the seat.
● Check that your passengers are wearing
their seat belts correctly.
Fasten your lap belt as
low as possible.
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11
Quick Reference Guide
Steering Wheel (P 119)
● To adjust, pull the adjustment lever
towards you, adjust to the desired
position, then lock the lever back in place.
Unlocking the Front Doors from the Inside
(P 101) ● Pull either front door inner handle to
unlock and open it at the same time.Tailgate (P 104)
● With all the doors unlocked, push the
tailgate release button on the tailgate to
open it.
Power Door Mirrors
(P 121) ● With the ignition switch in ON
(w, move
the selector switch to L or R.
● Push the appropriate edge of the
adjustment switch to adjust the mirror.
Selector Switch
Adjustment Switch
Power Windows (P 108)
● With the ignition switch in ON (w, open
and close the power windows.
● If the power window lock button is in the
off position, each passenger's window
can be opened and closed with its own
switch.
● If the power window lock button is in the
on position (indicator is on), each
passenger's window switch is disabled.
Power Window Lock Button
Window
Switch Indicator
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19
Quick Reference Guide
What to Do If
The ignition switch does not turn from
(0 to (q .
Why?
● The steering wheel may be locked.
● Try to turn the steering wheel left and right
while turning the ignition key.
The ignition switch does not turn from
(q to (0 and
I cannot remove the key.
Why?
The shift lever should be moved to (P .
Why does the brake pedal pulsate slightly when
applying the brakes?This can occur when the ABS activates, and does not indicate a
problem. Apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal. Never
pump the brake pedal.
The rear door cannot be
opened from inside the
vehicle. Why?Check if the childproof lock is in the
lock position. If so, open the rear door with the outside door handle.
To cancel this function, push the
lever to the unlock position.
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38
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Components
Safe Driving
The front, front side, and side curtain
airbags are deployed according to the
direction and severity of impact. Both side
curtain airbags are deployed in a rollover.
The airbag system includes:
aTwo SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
front airbags. The driver's airbag is stored
in the center of the steering wheel; the
front passenger's airbag is stored in the
dashboard. Both are marked SRS
AIRBAG .
bTwo side airbags, one for the driver and
one for a front passenger. The airbags are
stored in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked SIDE AIRBAG.
cTwo side curtain airbags, one for each
side of the vehicle. The airbags are stored
in the ceiling, above the side windows.
The front and rear pillars are marked
SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG .
dAn electronic control unit that continually
monitors and records information about
the sensors, the airbag activators, the
seat belt tensioners, and driver and front
passenger seat belt use when the ignition switch is in ON
(w.
eAutomatic front seat belt tensioners. The
driver's and front passenger's seat belts
incorporate sensors that detect whether
or not they are fastened.
fA driver's seat position sensor. If the seat
is too far forward, the airbag will inflate
with less force.
gWeight sensors in the front passenger's
seat. The front passenger's airbag will be
turned off if the weight on the seat is 65
lbs (29 kg) or less (the weight of an infant
or small child).
hImpact sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe front or side collision.
iAn indicator on the dashboard that alerts
you that the front passenger's front
airbag has been turned off.
jSensors that can detect if a child or small
statured adult is in the deployment path
of the front passenger's side airbag.
kAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you to a possible problem with your
airbag system or seat belt tensioners.
lAn indicator on the instrument panel that
alerts you that the front passenger's side
airbag has been turned off.
mSafing Sensor
nA rollover sensor that detects whether
the vehicle is about to roll over.
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39
uuAirbagsuAirbag System Components
Safe DrivingAirbags can pose serious hazards. To do their job, airbags must inflate with
tremendous force. So, while airbags help save lives, they can cause minor injuries,
sometimes even fatal ones if occupants are not wearing their seat belts properly and
sitting correctly.
What you should do: Always wear your seat belt properly, and sit upright and as
far back from the steering wheel as possible while allowing full control of the
vehicle. A front passenger should move their seat as far back from the dashboard as
possible.
Remember, however, that no safety system can prevent all injuries or deaths that
can occur in a severe crash, even when seat belts are properly worn and the airbags
deploy.
Do not place hard or sharp objects between yourself and a front airbag.
Carrying hard or sharp objects on your lap, or driving with a pipe or other sharp
object in your mouth, can result in injuries if your front airbag inflates.
Do not attach or place objects on the front airbag covers. Objects on the
covers marked SRS AIRBAG could interfere with the proper operation of the airbags
or be propelled inside the vehicle and hurt someone if the airbags inflate.
■Important Facts About Your Airbags1Important Facts About Your Airbags
Do not attempt to deactivate your airbags. Together,
airbags and seat belts provide the best protection.
When driving, keep hands and arms out of the
deployment path of the front airbag by holding each
side of the steering wheel. Do not cross an arm over
the airbag cover.
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uuAirbagsuTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with three types of airbags: •Front airbags: Airbags in front of the driver's and front passenger's seats.
• Side airbags: Airbags in the driver's and front passenger's seat-backs.
• Side curtain airbags: Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.
Front Airbags (SRS)
The front SRS airbags inflate in a moderate to severe frontal collision to help protect
the head and chest of the driver and/or front passenger.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicates that the airbags are designed to
supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant's primary restraint system.
The front airbags are housed in the center of the steering wheel for the driver, and
in the dashboard for the front passenger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the ignition switch
is in ON
(w.
1Front Airbags (SRS)
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS)
Your vehicle is equipped with dual-stage, multiple-
threshold front airbags (SRS).
During a frontal crash severe enough to cause one or
both front airbags to deploy, the airbags can inflate
at different rates, depending on the severity of the
crash, whether or not the seat belts are latched, and/
or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to
supplement the seat belts to help reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries in frontal crashes.